Investment in agricultural land in developing countries is on the increase. Broad-based regulations are necessary to ensure fair access to land and other natural resources especially for poorer population groups in rural areas.  The SDC is committed to establishing such regulations at the national, regional and global levels.

SDC focus

The SDC is working at various levels to establish just tenure governance, i.e. for fair access, especially for poorer population groups in rural areas, to land and other natural resources. It encourages the participation of all stakeholders in drawing up principles on just tenure governance as well as the independence of rural communities, for instance in Africa, Central, South and East Asia and in Latin America. For the SDC the active participation of the private sector in such processes is important.

The SDC supports governments in the development, implementation and oversight of land use policies that recognise all existing rights of use, including individual, collective and customary rights.

At the global level, the SDC actively participated in the creation and implementation of a set of targeted regulations that promote a just tenure governance policy and establish criteria for responsible investment in agriculture.

Transparent and fair land-use systems help to overcome obstacles to development such as corruption, land speculation, and environmentally destructive agricultural investment.

Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure

Together with other states, private sector organisations, civil society and UN agencies, the SDC supports the implementation of the "Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security".

The United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS), based in Rome, adopted the document in 2012. Switzerland has a seat on the board of the CFS and actively participated in drawing up the text. One of the aims of the guidelines is to ensure access to and control over natural resources for the poorest rural population groups in developing countries. 

The CFS adopted the "Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems" in 2014.  The principles complement the guidelines adopted in 2012. Switzerland managed the two-year process to draw up and negotiate the principles.

Background

In the last ten years, agricultural land equivalent to 50 times the size of Switzerland (about 2 million km2) was leased for the production of food and non-food crops (e.g. biofuels) as well as other purposes throughout the world. Developing countries were among those affected by this.  In many cases large-scale investments in land have had a negative impact on the food security of local communities through restrictions placed on access to land and other natural resources such as water. Moreover such investments contribute to reducing biodiversity in agriculture and threaten fragile ecosystems.

Approximately 70% of the more than 800 million chronically undernourished people in developing countries live on the land. For them, security of access to land and other natural resources is especially important.