by Carolien Jacobs and Bernardo Almeida
Carolien Jacobs and Bernardo Almeida have just published a new study for RVO examining how rural communities in central Mozambique experience land tenure security, and how external factors-from state institutions to climate risks-shape that experience (English and Portuguese versions). Based on fieldwork conducted in Nhamatanda district, the research provides key insights for the LAND-at-scale Mozambique (LAS-Moz) programme, implemented by Terra Firma and Centro Terra Viva, and contributes to broader debates on mechanisms for strengthening land tenure security.
The study presents concrete recommendations for enhancing tenure security in ways that reflect how people actually manage, claim, and defend land. These include, among others, prioritizing communal land registration where appropriate, exploring practical ways to expand communities' knowledge of land rights and available protection mechanisms, and developing land-use plans grounded in existing local practices and knowledge. By anchoring policy guidance in people's lived realities, the report offers practical lessons for the LAND-at-scale Mozambique (LAS-Moz) programme and for wider efforts to make land governance more accessible, transparent, and responsive.
