NELGA Knowledge Exchange – Understanding the Guidelines for the Development of Curricula on Land Governance in Africa

The African Land Policy Centre (ALPC) is a joint programme of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The ALPC is leading the implementation of the AU Declaration on Land Issues and Challenges in Africa, which is anchored on the Framework and Guidelines on land policy in Africa (F&G.) It facilitates stakeholders in the land sector to achieve the continental aspirations that ‘equitable access to land, secure land tenure rights, gender equity, improved governance in the land sector and reduction of land-related conflicts’, are fundamental aspirations of the African people, as together, they pave the way to secure livelihoods and prosperity.

Over the last ten years, the ALPC remained committed to facilitating improved land policy terrain in Africa by working with partners to develop guidelines and frameworks to address emerging land-related challenges for the continent’s socio-economic growth. Through research, advocacy, capacity development, technical support and advisory services among others, the ALPC supports the AU Member states in meeting their development priority areas as captured in the Agenda 2063 and SDGs.

In meeting its mandate, the ALPC, in partnership with the Member States, CSOs, Academia and other stakeholders, has developed several tools at the continental level. Endorsed by the AU, these tools in the form of guidelines, frameworks and principles provide the necessary benchmark for land governance to thrive in Africa. To ensure these tools reach the intended users, the ALPC now plans to hold several virtual webinars under its NELGA Exchange Platform (NEX)  to share the contents and experiences and progress in applying these tools. Among the tools lined up for dissemination are the AU-endorsed guidelines, including:

• Guidelines for the Development of Curricula on Land Governance in Africa
• Guidelines on Land Ethnicity and Conflict in Africa
• Guiding Principles on Large Scale Land-based Investments in Africa

Guidelines for the Development of Curricula on Land Governance in Africa

This edition of the next NELGA Exchange Platform (NEX) will focus on the Guidelines for the Development of Curricula on Land Governance in Africa. Simultaneously, the other Guidelines will be covered in subsequent Webinars.  

The Guidelines for Curricula Development on Land Governance in Africa are meant to facilitate the development and review of curricula to ensure that university graduates and land professionals are better skilled in addressing Africa’s land governance challenges. In particular, it is envisaged that the guidelines will contribute to land professionals being better trained to understand traditional land governance systems through which over 80% of Africa’s land is managed and the political dimensions of land governance that influence Africa’s ability to find solutions to underlying and emerging land governance issues. It is envisaged that the guidelines will offer insights for curricula that further equip students with knowledge of these issues as well as others outlined in the Guidelines.

The Webinar

The webinar is in response to Universities’, Institutions of Higher Learning and other stakeholders’ request to the ALPC to expound on the content of these guidelines and how best they could be mainstreamed in the curricula/research on land and related fields in Africa. The Webinar is open to all stakeholders interested in capacity development in the African land sector, particularly the researchers and scholars within universities/research institutions.

This edition of the NEX aims to provide an overview of the Curricula Guidelines and share experiences/progress in implementing similar actions.