What we offer

Land policy and land management
We support partner countries' land policies at national and regional level, land laws and legal advice, land administration, land development, and agricultural and land reforms.

Participatory land use planning
We support institutions that are responsible for resource protection in building capacities and act as mediators in conflicts. We advise partners on how to plan measures and take decisions jointly with all involved parties.

Managing water catchment areas
We offer partner countries multi-disciplinary and cross-sectoral advice on the sustainable use of natural resources. This includes watershed management, land use planning, mediation, and financing mechanisms.

Regional rural development
Regional problems require customised solutions. We help our partners to plan and implement these solutions. Above all, this includes providing training for regional decision-makers and actors.

Rural economic and enterprise development
We help to integrate development partners in a learning, coordination, and planning process. This involves analysing needs, setting priorities, and developing cooperation agreements.

Reconstruction for crisis prevention
We support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of destroyed regions. We promote decentralised public and private structures and help to create opportunities for the population to earn a living. In cases of conflict we promote demobilisation and the reintegration of soldiers, for example, and support reconciliation processes. Improving safety and preventing violence are significant elements of our work.

Biodiversity and people
We train our partners and provide institutional and technical advice in areas that are relevant to biodiversity, such as politics, sustainable use of resources, compliance with environmental conventions, concept development and information management.

Forests and sustainable development
We support our partners in developing and implementing socially balanced, economically viable and ecologically sustainable forest policies and legislation.

Results-based orientation of poverty reduction approaches
We advise institutions and decision-makers at various levels on creating frameworks that enable the population to develop their own livelihoods.

What you can achieve with us

In many societies land is still the most important production factor. Insecure access and property rights, overexploitation and unequal distribution lead to conflict, poverty and hunger. Stabilising land use rights, strengthening personal responsibility and raising awareness of the social obligations of landowners is of crucial importance as this

• safeguards land as a resource and reduces poverty effectively by ensuring secure, fair access to land and its sustainable use
• promotes the economic development of local communities, sustainable and productive agriculture, and the development of agroforestry systems and erosion control measures by establishing investment security and legal stability with a long-term perspective.

How we work

We deliver measurable results by tailoring our services efficiently and precisely to the specific requirements of each country and its population. This includes

• providing ongoing advice to decision-makers who debate and adopt land policies in a transparent and public process; bringing about a long-term reduction in land conflicts which are frequently the prime cause of escalating social tensions
• training mediators and special arbitration bodies.

Our successful approach is based on both our technical expertise and our internationally acclaimed competence in project and financial management, the placement of experts and capacity development. In addition, our partners benefit from our alliances and cooperation with numerous institutions and experts.