Context
In recent years Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam have experienced a trend of large-scale land concessions, with land being allocated to domestic and foreign investors on a large scale. At the same time, land and land-use rights have been withdrawn from a large number of small-scale farmers, without appropriate compensation. Above all, these trends have affected marginalised groups such as ethnic minorities. The impacts include the loss of land, forced resettlement or migration, and the loss of the means to earn a living, ultimately leading to poverty and malnutrition.
Objective
Small-scale farmers in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, above all members of ethnic minorities, have been able to secure appropriate and equitable access to agricultural land, forests and fishing grounds.
Approach
The GIZ programme comprises the German contribution to a larger scheme, the Mekong Region Land Governance Programme (MRLG), being developed and coordinated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The overall programme addresses the problematic issues of access to land, aiming to improve the situation of the people living predominately as smallholder farmers in rural areas of all four countries. GIZ is active in three of those countries, with no involvement in Myanmar. Its activities in the programme are geared first and foremost to the interests of ethnic minorities and women.
The approach taken by SDC is to address reform actors from all four countries as an intermediary target group comprised of individuals and organisations that are willing to initiate change processes and whose experience, mandate and status mean they are well placed to do so. These include national and international NGOs, government institutions at national and sub-national levels, parliamentarians, other associations and organisations, research institutions and universities, representatives of the private sector and the media, and other significant individuals.
This strategy implies a multi-level approach. It is expected that these key individuals and organisations can trigger important change processes. Support for cross-sector and cross-border exchanges will foster a collective understanding of innovative and meaningful policies on land governance, and promote their implementation accordingly. The creation of corresponding multi-stakeholder networks will enhance the actors’ shared learning and dialogue.
The programme is supporting those involved in the reforms by funding pilot measures and research to obtain examples of best practice. This should enable them to increase their efforts to drive change. GIZ contributes to a Quick Disbursement Fund and an Innovation Fund, both of which are open to interested stakeholders.