21/05/2015 - Abstract: Friday 22 May, from 14:00-15:30 Rome time, in the context of third year since CFS’s endorsement of the VGGT will take an interactive panel discussion including panelists from different technical divisions and decentralized offices. The objective of the meeting is to collectively celebrate the spirit, motivation and successes accomplished in supporting the implementation of the VGGT in the last 3 years. You can follow us through web streaming at http://intranet.fao.org/stream or join us live in the Austria room (C-250) at FAO headquarters. Panelists to be confirmed include: • Gabriel Rugalema FAO Representative, FAO Sierra Leone • Margret Vidar Legal Officer in the Development Law Service of the Legal Office • Martha Osorio Gender and Rural Development Officer in the Social Protection Division of the Economic and Social Development Department • Paul Munro-Faure Co-chair of the FAO VGGT Task Force and Deputy Director of the Climate, Energy and Tenure Division • Rebecca Metzner Senior Fishery Officer in the Policy, Economics and Institutions Division of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (FIPI) • Rolf Hackbart Co-chair of the FAO VGGT Task Force and Deputy Director, Office of Partnerships, Advocacy and Capacity Development (OPC) • Safia Aggarwal Forestry Officer in the Forest Economics, Policy and Products Division, of the Forestry Department • Sergio Gomez Land Tenure Senior Consultant of the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean

19/05/2015 - Abstract: Open Tenure is aimed at helping communities to better govern their natural resources. Using handheld tablets, open source software, and a community server, community members are able to map and collect data on land tenure claims in their community. The data can then be viewed and moderated, and documents and photos can be stored electronically. In February 2015, Open Tenure was tested in a trial with a community forestry group in northwest Cambodia. The participants were quick to learn how to operate the software. The successful trial also provided a number of useful ideas for refining the tool.

22/07/2014 - Abstract: This FAO-World Bank film addresses the challenges to increasing female land ownership in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia). Although sound legal frameworks protecting women’s rights to own property are in place throughout the region, longstanding customs and traditions continue to favor male property ownership. A joint FAO-World Bank project in the region produced gender-disaggregated data on land ownership for each country, indicating low levels of female ownership. Armed with their new data, country gender teams set about working to reverse the trend in pilot communities.

05/04/2014 - Abstract: Large multinationals and investments funds are purchasing huge territories in Africa, in 2006 alone contracts were signed for 87 million hectares. We met with Marcela Villarreal and Francesca Romano of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, to understand the risks and the measures to combat this "land grab".

16/07/2013 - Abstract: An introductory video to the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security.

10/07/2013 - Abstract: This FAO-World Bank film addresses the challenges to increasing female land ownership in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia). Although sound legal frameworks protecting women’s rights to own property are in place throughout the region, longstanding customs and traditions continue to favor male property ownership. A joint FAO-World Bank project in the region produced gender-disaggregated data on land ownership for each country, indicating low levels of female ownership. Armed with their new data, country gender teams set about working to reverse the trend in pilot communities.

10/07/2013 - Abstract: This FAO-World Bank film addresses the challenges of increasing female land ownership in the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia). Although sound legal frameworks protecting women’s rights to own property are in place throughout the region, longstanding customs and traditions continue to favour male property ownership. A joint FAO-World Bank project in the region produced gender-disaggregated data on land ownership for each country, indicating low levels of female ownership. Armed with their new data, country gender teams set about working to reverse the trend in pilot communities.

10/07/2013 - Abstract: An introductory video to the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security.

26/03/2013 - Abstract: Paul Mathieu - Senior Officer, Land Tenure, FAO - introduces a draft of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of land and natural resources at the 2nd ERD consultation held in Maastricht on 18-19 May 2011.

20/05/2012 - Abstract: In a landmark decision, the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) endorsed a set of far-reaching global guidelines aimed at helping governments safeguard the rights of people to own or access land, forests, and fisheries. The new Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security outline principles and practices that governments can refer to when making laws and administering land, fisheries and forests rights. The aim of the guidelines is to promote food security and sustainable development by improving secure access to land, fisheries and forests and protecting the rights of millions of often very poor people.