Diversity of MSPs: different roles and mandates

MSPs are highly diverse in their composition and mandate. Some are led by governments, others driven by civil society, and some are tied to specific projects or initiatives. Recognizing this diversity is essential for designing tailored and effective support strategies.

FAO plays a critical role in supporting MSPs that are directly connected to national land reform initiatives. By engaging in country support with the governments as the entry-point, FAO helps to build the political will necessary to drive land reforms. While civil society-led or project-specific MSPs often provide valuable spaces for innovative dialogue and debate, they may have limited impact on advancing land reform without genuine government involvement. FAO has demonstrated its vital role as a neutral facilitator by fostering trust among diverse stakeholders and creating a conducive environment for inclusive land reforms.

MSPs as spaces for empowerment and participatory policy development

In conducive political contexts, MSPs can significantly enhance people’s participation in policy formulation. The MSPs also serve as important spaces for learning and empowerment, especially for groups such as women, youth, and smallholder farmers.

For example, in Niger, VGGT-inspired training sessions organized by the MSP increased women’s confidence to speak about their land rights and actively participate in land policy discussions. Today, women’s groups are leading policy implementation efforts, exemplifying the transformative potential of inclusive MSPs.

Addressing power imbalances within MSPs

Addressing power imbalances within the MSPs is crucial for genuine inclusiveness. Therefore, FAO seeks to provide targeted support for groups in a marginalized situation, for instance creating separate trainings spaces to help these such stakeholder groups to prepare themselves to engage in the policy dialogues.

Ultimately, fostering broad ownership of decision-making processes among local actors is critical for ensuring accountability and translating reforms efforts into action on the ground.

Measuring outcomes

Measuring the outcomes of MSPs and processes is often complex. Impacts, such as improved relationships, increased trust, mindset change, and shifts in ways of working, are qualitative in nature and difficult to quantify.

Yet, some initiatives, like the National the Land Observatory in Chad, offer promising avenues for better measuring progress and assessing impact. Such mechanisms can help to oversee the implementation of land policy reforms initiatives and may serve as models for tracking results on the ground.

Moving from competition to complementarity

Given the current funding constraints, development partners must work smarter and collaborate more effectively. Moving towards a model of complementarity rather than competition is a crucial step. Clarifying roles and mandates helps partners pool resources efficiently and reduces overlaps at the country level.

For example, FAO’s ongoing engagement with government counterparts has positioned it as a trusted and neutral convener—well-placed to mobilize political will and sustain momentum for land reform processes. Other development partners, each guided by their specific mandate, may take the lead in areas such as mobilizing local actors or building advocacy efforts.

By leveraging each partner’s unique strengths, we can join forces to enhance the impact of our support to multi-stakeholder processes, ultimately improving land governance for those most affected by insecure land rights on the ground.