For rural people security of rights over land and natural resources is important not only economically but also for social peace and well-being.

During the 1990s, our understanding of land tenure in Africa increased and we have tried to use lessons from the field to reduce the gap between law and practice, increase tenure security and resolve conflicts over land. Using different approaches, many West African countries are reforming the legislation that governs their land and natural resources. The time is, therefore, ripe for a broader debate of these lessons and results.

For three days some eighty participants – policy-makers, elected representatives, officials from farmer organisations and researchers met in Ouagadougou to discuss recent research findings and project outcomes in the land rights field, to debate the question of how to make land rights more secure and to refine approaches for achieving this. Bringing together the background papers and discussions from the seminar, this publication is useful to those interested in the land tenure field as it provides an overview of current challenges and achievements.