BMZ Guidelines on Land Governance in German Development Cooperation

Secure access to land has become a major focus of German Development Cooperation, resulting in a growing need for appropriate orientation and knowledge for development practitioners. In reaction to these demands, BMZ and GIZ recently published the handbook “Land in German Development Cooperation: Guiding Principles, Challenges and Prospects for the Future”.

The publication discusses a number of principles, concrete tools and examples for dealing with land related problems. It makes special reference to poverty-oriented, gender-responsive and conflict-sensitive land tools and provides guidance for better linking these approaches with international cooperation, donor agencies and governmental programmes. The publication also puts emphasis on the continuum of land rights approach as a flexible and efficient tool for securing land tenure under varied conditions.