This toolkit identifies common key questions that decision-makers can use to develop or review laws on community forestry. It consists of key points for inclusive, consistent reforms that are conductive to consensus and a series of questionnaires on ten key thematic areas aiming at providing a strong foundation for community forestry-related laws: Land and forest tenure, Allocation of community forests, Community internal governance, Community participation and representation, Community forestry management, Access to markets, Benefit sharing, Conflict resolution, Enforcement and External support.

This note is part of an Action Notes series and provides guidance for governments and companies on how to ensure that agricultural investments respect existing land rights, both formal and informal, and thereby avert land disputes.

This note is for private sector project implementers and financers (development finance institutions, international development agencies, commercial lenders and equity investors) seeking to invest responsibly in new greenfield sites in low and middle- income countries. It aims to provide practical guidance on identifying and addressing community land conflicts to prevent them escalating into disputes between the project and local communities.

The toolkit is intended to support communities to secure their rights and responsibilities and strengthen customary ways of life and stewardship of their territories and areas. It is directed primarily towards facilitators from the communities themselves or from supporting organizations with whom they have long-standing and positive relationships.

This guide and its practical tools help companies:

• Recognise and respect that Indigenous Peoples have distinct rights and interests

• Understand that through law and/or custom, Indigenous People often have a special relationship to the land, territories and resources

• Utilise forms of engagements that are sensitive to cultural characteristics eg governance structures, interaction and decision making

• Understand that free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) should be regarded as a “principle to be respected to the greatest degree possible in development planning and implementation”

• Address issues requiring special attention to the interests and rights of indigenous groups

• Understand that historically, Indigenous Peoples have been disadvantaged, discriminated against and dispossessed of their land.

This guide aims to support states, community-based organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector and other relevant actors, to take proactive measures to implement the standards and recommendations of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT). The goal is to achieve legal recognition and protection of tenure rights to commons and community-based governance structures.

The UN Framework for Action in this Note helps to identify potential entry points to integrate land in conflict analyses, planning and assessment processes, supports engagement of UN leadership and outlines key activities to consider in areas of UN work - such as support to peace agreements and mediation, human rights, gender equality, rule of law and governance. This Note provides guidance on partnership and the use of practical tools for analysis, coordination and programming.

The technical guide on improving the governance of pastoral lands is designed for several audiences including government and non-government actors. It covers specific challenges of pastoral tenure that are unique to pastoralism and considers how these different facets of pastoralist tenure (issues of the commons; free, prior and informed consent (FPIC); gender etc.) can be combined in a coherent approach to securing pastoral lands.

This guide provides guidance for producers, governments, legal advisors and civil society on contract farming arrangements, from negotiation to conclusion, including performance and possible breach or termination of the contract. It gives a description of common contract terms and a discussion of legal issues and critical problems that may arise under various practical situations, illustrating how they may be treated under different legal systems.

The manual explains how to use the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible Governance of Tenure in everyday life to protect the rights of peasants and other communities.