RECONCILE works with communities and groups to generate and share knowledge and develop capacities for effective engagement with policies, laws, institutions and processes that have a bearing on access to land and security of tenure, particular for rural land users. The Programme is actively involved in ongoing land and natural resource sector reform with a view to ensuring that they secure the rights of resource dependent communities and ensure sustainable resource management.
See the land policy below for more:

Formalization and Land–based Livelihoods in Eastern Africa

This project seeks, through action research and advocacy to generate policy options for engagement with the Commission for Legal Empowerment of the Poor (HLCLEP) as well as governments and regional and global frameworks to secure property rights of communities in the Horn of Africa that depend on common property natural resources for their livelihoods.  It is supported by Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA).
RECONCILE is working with partners in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Southern Sudan to generate case studies mechanisms for securing and managing land and natural resources. The partner organizations are Mainyoito Pastoralists Integrated Development Organization (MPIDO) in Kenya, Matheniko Development Forum (MADEFO) in Uganda and Ujamaa- Community Resource Trust in Tanzania.  Two consultants will undertake similar case studies in Ethiopia and South Sudan.
The case studies will be presented for discussions at community and national levels workshops for the respective countries in the first instance and later at a regional workshop to identity and agree on key advocacy issues regarding the securing of property rights for hunter – gatherer s and pastoralists. The ideas coming out of the process shall be used to engage with policy frameworks at the global, regional and national levels on securing livelihoods that are based on CPRs in Eastern Africa.

Customary Land Tenure in Kenya’s Draft National Land Policy

In partnership with the Kenya Land Alliance (KLA), RECONCILE has undertaken a review of the provisions of the Draft National Land Policy on customary land tenure and common property resources.  In addition to undertaking an analysis of the provisions and providing a critique for use by members of the KLA in advocating for an appropriate framework to secure these tenure systems, RECONCILE facilitated targeted public debate on the policy. A policy brief outlining the key issues relating to the tenure systems has been published by RECONCILE and KLA.
A follow up process of advocacy and capacity building is being designed by the two organizations to ensure that the proposed changes are made to the policy before it is promulgated, and that once the policy is a reality it shall be implemented for the benefit of rural communities that use these tenure systems to manage their access to land and natural resources.  RECONCILE is also designing a programme of work aimed at ascertaining customary land law and clarifying how principles of customary law can be integrated into the regime for land administration in Kenya.

Collaborative study on Pastoral Land Rights in Kotido

In partnership with Oxfam GB Uganda and three CBOs in Karamoja, RECONCILE is undertaking collaborative study on pastoral land rights in Jie, Kotido. The study aims to document and disseminate existing land and natural resources rights of pastoralists and agro-pastoralist in Kotido district, in order to help articulate and clarify issues around the land rights in the region, in support of the development of an advocacy and lobby agenda for Oxfam GB and its local partners in Uganda.  The outcome of the study shall inform the design of a programme of work for the next phase of Oxfam’s North Karamoja Pastoralist Development programme (NKPDP) at the local, national, regional and global levels.

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.