RECONCILE Projects and Programmes

Land Rights Programme

Clarifying Customary Land Law in Eastern and Southern Africa

RECONCILE and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are finalising the details of a partnership for developing a concept note to clarify the opportunities that the policy and legislative recognition of customary land rights offers for the security of rural livelihoods in Eastern and Southern Africa.

The one year project shall involve case studies of new policies and laws in Kenya, Southern Sudan, Mozambique and South Africa to provide a critique of the revival of interest in customary law generally and customary land law in particular and analyse the context of this revival and what it means for the security of rural land based livelihoods.  The case studies will inform the writing of a concept note that identifies the opportunities and constraints to the recognition and implementation of customary land law in Eastern and Southern Africa and makes proposals on how to take advantage of the opportunities and address the challenges.  The process should lead to the development of a comprehensive project proposal for the ascertainment of customary land law in the two sub-regions and the building of capacity for implementation.