AU hails members for progressive land policies

THE African Union Commission has commended African member states for advancing, formulating and enforcing land policies that promote equitable access to land while protecting land rights and ensuring the sustainable utilisation of land resources.

Speaking at the ongoing land policy conference here, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Ambassador Josefa Sacko, said there has been noticeable momentum in the implementation of policies aimed at fostering sustainable land administration practices.

Ambassador Sacko said it was heartening that women’s land rights have also been getting attention, a commendable feat that needs to be sustained.

“One significant area of progress pertains to the advancement of women’s land rights, in alignment with the African Union agenda on land. The commitment to securing women’s land rights has gained significant attention and translated into concrete actions across various Member States,” said Ambassador Sacko.

Through targeted policy interventions like legal reforms and awareness campaigns, Ambassador Sacko said the Commission has been witnessing tangible progress in elevating the status of women as key stakeholders in land governance.

To ensure continuity and sustain the momentum, Ambassador Sacko said the African Land Policy Centre,(ALPC) has since started a process of developing the continental strategy for integrating gender within national land sector.

“In tandem with our progress on women’s land rights, we continue to address the dynamics of large-scale land based investments in Africa. The increasing interest from domestic and foreign investors in acquiring large tracts of land has prompted concerted efforts to ensure that such investments align with principles of responsible agricultural investment and look at the interests of local communities, and smallholder farmers, the majority of whom are women.”