Lessons learned: Experiences and good practices in the application of the Voluntary Guidelines

Published in July 2016 by the Committee on World Food Security, the report Experiences and good practices in the use and application of the VGGT represents the second global stocktake on the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT) informed by the contributions received from stakeholders. A total of 62 submissions were received, including 36 country-specific, 11 regional & multicountry and 15 global submissions, covering a wide geographical area. 

The report first provides a factual overview of the actions and then outlines VGGT experiences within five complementary approaches, results obtained, key catalysts, constraints/challenges and key good practices that contributed to the success of them. The five approaches described are:

1. Awareness raising - the approach focused on sensitizing stakeholders to the VGGT and tenure governance issues and improving understanding of the potential of the VGGT to address tenure-related issues, 
2. Capacity development- the approach focused on strengthening the ability of stakeholders to implement the VGGT, 
3. Development of multi-stakeholder platforms - the approach focused on establishing institutionalized permanent platforms, which are seen as a means to ensure effective VGGT implementation, where relevant actors join forces to achieve common tenure-related goals,
4. Reform of legal and policy frameworks -the approach focused on mainstreaming the VGGT into legal and policy frameworks,
5. VGGT operationalization - the approach focused on implementation, promoting the practical use of the VGGT and assisting communities in securing land rights.
   
   

The report indicated that more than half of the actions had a focus on awareness raising (38 out of 62), capacity development (36 out of 62) and addressing legal and policy frameworks (33 out of 62). About one third were related to VGGT operationalization (22 out of 62). One fifth had a specific focus on the establishment of multistakeholder platforms (12 out of 62). The report finally summarizes specific characteristic and constraints encountered in the implementation of the diverse actions as well as good practices developed and shared. A number of good practices associated with success were repeatedly documented across the submissions. Good practices included, but are not limited to, practices related to the empowerment of stakeholders enabling them to actively engage in tenure-related issues and defend their rights, the establishment of inclusive multistakeholder platforms, the promotion of political engagement and sustained political dialogue at national and local level, the incorporation of the VGGT in national policies, laws and systems through strong national ownership, and sharing of experiences within and across countries.

A full compilation of all submissions with details on actions in each country is also provided. Finally, the complementary Synthesis report on civil society experiences regarding the use and implementation of the Tenure Guidelines and the challenge of monitoring CFS decisions was published by the Civil Society mechanism for relations to the UN Committee on World Food Security in October 2016.