Collective land tenure is the glue that holds communities together because we have our collective identity and are connected, even our spirituality, to this landscape.
The Africa Regional Learning Exchange on Rights and Conservation, which was hosted by the International Land Coalition Africa, the Tenure Facility (TF), and Community Land Action Now! (CLAN!), took place from October 2nd to 6th, 2023, in Kenya.
This five-day event was a collaborative effort aimed at learning, inspiring, discussing, and coordinating actions to empower Indigenous Peoples and local communities in securing their land and territorial rights, recognizing their vital role as stewards of nature. Delegates from various African nations, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Madagascar, Gabon, Cameroon, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, convened to delve into effective strategies, approaches, and solutions for advancing these rights within the context of conservation.
At the heart of the exchange was a commitment to exploring both the challenges and successes in the pursuit of rights-based conservation and restoration. Participants engaged in community visits, and meaningful dialogues, shared their experiences, and gained insights into safeguarding livelihoods and biodiversity while enhancing resilience in the face of various challenges.
Kenya, as the host nation, offered a unique perspective. With a solid legal framework recognizing Indigenous Peoples and local community land rights, the country had been a testing ground for pilot initiatives involving communities in conservation practices and management. However, the gap between recognition and implementation of these rights remained, with conservation practices dispossessing many communities of their ancestral lands. The exchange served as a platform to compare cases and share rights-based conservation experiences from across Africa.