Civil Society Synthesis Report on use and implementation of the Tenure Guidelines

October 2016

Small-scale food producers rely on access to and control over natural resources such as land, including farmland, forests, grazing land and fishing grounds, for the realization of their human right to food and nutrition, their survival and livelihoods.

However, a huge number of them face obstacles and threats to this access and control over natural resources.

In many countries, land and resource grabbing and the privatization of nature (including in the context of large-scale agricultural land acquisitions and large-scale development and investment projects) result in forced evictions, mass displacement, food insecurity and human rights abuses and violations.

In this context, the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests are an unprecedented international agreement and provide practical guidance to improve governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests based on human rights, with an emphasis on vulnerable and marginalized people.

Since their unanimous approval by the Committee on World Food Security member states in 2012, various actors have engaged in a broad range of activities around the world in order to promote and ensure their implementation.

Monitoring the use and application of the Guidelines as well as their contribution to the improvement of tenure governance is an important part of their implementation.

This synthesis report summarizes the results of a broad consultation among small-scale food producers and other civil society organizations (CSOs) around the globe on the use and implementation of the Guidelines.