University of Yaoundé I

The University of Yaoundé I (UoY1) is a public university in Cameroon. The Department of Geography of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences offers courses in the areas of rural and urban dynamics, environmental dynamics, and global development strategies. In addition, the department provides professional training in spatial and sustainable land management: cartography, remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS).

The University of Yaoundé 2, which collaborates closely with Yaoundé 1, offers courses on legal and legislative issues related to land rights and tenure, thus providing an excellent opportunity for inter-university exchanges and cooperation. It was during the consultative workshop for Central and West Africa held from 12 to 13 October 2017 in Yaoundé that UoY 1 was unanimously selected as the Regional Node of the NELGA in the central Africa region. 

Since September 2018, UoY1  has carried out various actions with NELGA member universities in Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.  

Our result

Research

The node carries out extensive research. It has undertaken a national research study to assess the land governance framework in Gabon, which was formally presented at the formulation of the National Agricultural Investment Plan, Food Security and Nutrition 2 (PNIASAN 2), in Gabon. It has also carried out research on sustainable land use practices which was included in Cameroon’s Development Strategies, specifically the Rural Sector Development Strategy (SDSR) and the Cameroon National Agricultural Investment Plan (PNIA) 2020-2030.

Capacity building

The node has carried out capacity building activities centred on the NELGA network and land governance in Central Africa for over 100 land governance stakeholders.The node has organised capacity building in over ten higher institutions in different countries, addressing land challenges, the African Union land agenda and curricular guildelines, and calling for collective support for improving land governance in the region.

They also engage with non-academic land stakeholders leading to the development of a road map to address farmers-headers conflict in Northwest Cameroon and legal dualism with traditional authorities on neo-customary land tenure.

Policy reform

The node has published and contributed to over 10 policy briefs with, for example, its recommendation on land security rights for internally displaced Persons in 2021, and land tenure reforms in Cameroons Revised Rural Sectarian Development Strategy and the National Agricultural Investment Plan (SDSR/PNIA) in 2020.