ILC Africa Regional Workshop

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ILC Africa Regional Workshop

• Nairobi, Kenya
• 28th Oct 2 Nov, 2007

Presentation By IPACC - Africa
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What is IPACC?

• A network of over 150 indigenous peoples
  organizations in 22 countries in Africa.
• Was begun in 1997 by indigenous peoples
  representatives
• The communities it represents are hunter
  gatherers and transhumant pastoralists

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Land issues intro..

• Pastoralists and hunter gatherer groups posses
  major land areas in Africa.
• The Biodiversity in the their territories is
  mostly intact due to their close relationships to
  land.
• But they have suffered dispossession from
  colonialism and post colonial regimes.
• They now just POSSESES rather than OWN their
  lands.

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Loss results from-

• Rapidly expanding agricultural communities
  populations migrating to IPs areas.
• Creation of numerous protected areas e.g forests
  and game parks
• Monetized economies that encourage people to sell
  land.
• Currently, private Sector investment in land for
  Climate Change processes (forest plantations for
  carbon credits).

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Why?

• Lack of adequate land policies
• Pro agriculture national policies
• Conflicting and uncoordinated policies
• Agriculture oriented capitalistic economies
• Non-inclusion of traditional land management
  practices
• Exclusionist conservation policies
• Uncontrolled population expansion

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Opportunities

• Govt starting to listen e.g. Kenya land policy
  processes.
• Laws that give communities control of land coming
  up e.g. Forest Act 2005 (Kenya).
• IPs people are becoming more aware of the value
  of land.
• Global networks of interests emerging e.g. ILC
• Inclusion of communities in management of
  protected areas.

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What needs to be done?

• Policies should be constituted to address land
  issues
• Existing policies on various issues should be
  harmonized
• Policy processes should be more inclusive
• Regionalism to be encouraged to facilitate self
  determination in their territories.
• Various interests IPs, Govt, Pvt Sector should
  work together more closely.

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• Underlying causes (poverty, illiteracy, rapid
  population increases etc) to land problems should
  be addressed urgently
• Inclusion of IPs in decision making processes.

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Expected Challenges

• Conflicting interests
• btw govt plans and community needs
• Investments and traditional land practices
• Modernity versus tradtional pratices
• Farmers and pastoralists etc
• Resources
• Political will

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It is Important to -

• Form learning groups and learning networks to
  learn and share between the various stakeholders.
• Address Policy issues urgently and them
  inclusive.
• Mobilize and manage Resources transparently.

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THANK YOU!