About NELGA

NELGA strengthens human and institutional capacities for the implementation of the AU Agenda on Land. NELGA supports African governments, policymakers and civil society by helping them gain substantial and evidence-based knowledge and network with land governance experts.

Weak land governance and insecure land rights are still major development challenges for Africa. The African Land Policy Centre (ALPC) has been mandated to spearhead the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda on Land, which aims at improving land policy in a regional context.

Although a growing number of countries show the political will to undertake these initiatives, their implementation at country level is still in the early stages. Many countries lack the human and institutional capacity required to implement sustainable land policies. One of the main reasons for this is the insufficient quality of academic programmes at African universities and institutions of higher learning.

NELGA

To strengthen human and institutional capacities for the implementation of the AU agenda on land, ALPC has established a Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA) in cooperation with Germany and other partners.

NELGA is a partnership of leading African universities and research institutions with proven leadership in education, training and research on land governance. Currently, NELGA has more than 70 partner institutions across Africa.

Objectives of NELGA

  • Enhancing training opportunities and curricula on land governance in Africa;
  • Promoting demand driven research on land policy issues;
  • Connecting scholars and researchers across Africa through academic networks;
  • Creating data and information for monitoring and evaluation of land policy reforms.

Key functions of NELGA

Improve both the quantity and quality of land-related curricula in graduate and post-graduate training courses.

Provide and facilitate academic education and training for African land professionals and practitioners.

Define an agenda for research and conduct applied research on land-related issues pertinent to the AU agenda on land.

Develop a repository for data, indicators and information in close cooperation with the ALPC, the RECs and governments.

Promote knowledge management, dissemination and networking to support land policy and governance in Africa by enhancing the community of practice for land policy experts.

Partner organisations

ALPC

The African Land Policy Centre (ALPC), formerly called the Land Policy Initiative (LPI), is a joint programme of the tripartite consortium consisting of the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

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GIZ

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) implements various projects and programmes together with the AU, focusing on agriculture, education, peace and security, regional economic integration and good governance.

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Network

NELGA is a partnership of leading African universities and research institutions with proven leadership in education, training and research on land governance. Currently, NELGA has more than 70 partner institutions across Africa.

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