Governing Tenure Rights to Commons - A Guide

A guide to support the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security

The FAO Governance of Tenure Technical Guides are part of FAO’s initiative to help develop capacities to improve tenure governance and thereby assist countries in applying the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security. The FAO Governance of Tenure Technical Guides are prepared by technical specialists and can be used by a range of actors. They:

• translate principles of the Guidelines into practical mechanisms, processes and actions;
• give examples of good practice – what has worked, where, why and how;
• provide useful tools for activities such as the design of policy and reform processes, for the design of investment projects and for guiding interventions.

This guide on Governing Tenure Rights to Commons 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 of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (the Guidelines). The goal is to achieve legal recognition and protection of tenure rights to commons and community-based governance structures. For more information on the Guidelines and FAO’s activities on governance of tenure visit: www.fao.org/nr/tenure.