From 10-11 October, 2023, a conference on Mainstreaming land rights in the narrative of climate change – views from the ground took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  The hybrid conference (in-person and virtual) showcased stories from different countries in the Asia and Africa regions on how the lack of tenure security and resource rights increases the vulnerability of the rural poor, and reduces their capacity to cope and adapt with the changes brought about climate change, and thus, sought to create a greater understanding of the importance of land tenure rights in the climate change discourse and agenda. The event was organized by the  Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC) and the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD),  in partnership with the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR), the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) and the Land Portal Foundation in the context of the Collective Action on Land Tenure and Climate Change.

The event also produced the Dhaka Declaration, which submitted recommendations to operationalize a human rights-based approach to climate justice that affirms the link between climate action and the land tenure security of the rural poor.  This included ensuring that land governance, land reform, and equitable access to land, water, and natural resources are the building blocks for climate resilience and ensuring the full involvement of all stakeholders, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change.

If your organization is interested to subscribe to the Dhaka Declaration, please contact Don Marquez at <angoc@angoc.org>.

These news video clippings underscore the call for enhanced government initiatives toward equitable land ownership of smallholder farmers, especially amidst ongoing land disputes and conflicts exacerbated by the impacts of climate change. The significance of this issue came to the forefront during the Regional Conference on “Mainstreaming land rights in the narrative of climate change: views from the ground” held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 10-11 October 2023. The conference aimed to create greater understanding and analysis on the importance of land tenure rights in the climate change discourse.

During the conference, Planning Minister of Bangladesh, MA Mannan, said that there have been existing challenges and limitations faced by the Government of Bangladesh in effectively resolving land disputes, despite earnest efforts in implementing land reforms in the country.

The Regional Conference was jointly organized by the Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ANGOC) and the Association for Land Reform and Development (ALRD), in partnership with the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR/GFAiR), the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), and the Land Portal Foundation