The operational objective of the programme is as follows:

NPA will support and work with partners and networks that fight for secure and equitable access to land and productive resources for the oppressed rural men and women, in order to enhance their:

• Socio- economic development and empowerment
• Sustained food security
• Ecologically sound natural resource management

NPA in this context defines :
Access: as the right to use and/or control land and resources for the purpose of socio-economic empowerment and food security
Security : as use rights that enable investment in land and ecologically sound management thereof.

NPA will thus strive to   strengthen the partner organisations in their capacity to support the oppressed and marginalized rural poor, men and women, pastoralists and indigenous people, in order for them to gain secure access to land, water and other natural resources on which they depend, and to be able to utilise these resources optimally through sustainable agriculture.

This is to be achieved by operationalising the key working principles of NPA. (se above)

The activities in the first programme period of this thematic area will focus on;

• networking for
• capacity building and
• information sharing of experiences and best practice in sustainable land use

Networking
NPAs key working principles is based on partnership with rights based organisations and networking with the aim sharing experiences, knowledge and strengthening lobbying efforts, south-south and south-north.

NPA will work with existing and new partners in the development of this programme and link up with relevant networks. NPA will also seek to work together with other stakeholders , such as local institutions, government and international institutions .

NPAs commitment to work with partners commits us to listen carefully to the priorities set by them when defining the focus and scope of our development efforts.

Initially NPA will seek to:

1) get an overview of the relevant actors and their activities (present and potential partners and resource networks in the region),

2) get a general status of land and resource rights in Sub Sahara Africa, i.e how the existing systems are working and whose interests and rights they are securing. This review will be conducted in close cooperation with relevant NPA country and regional offices and partners and through linking up with relevant national, regional and international networks and resource centres.

3) map models and methods for sustainable land use in the region.

Capacity building.
(at community, provincial, national and   international level).

NPA will seek to support partners in the efforts to:

• develop and strengthen their initiatives on securing access to land and resources, esp. for women, pastoralists and indigenous people
• map and share experiences on methods of accessing land and other resources and securing these rights, hereunder   experiences pertaining to land conflict management
• monitor local and national land reform and land /resource management policies and strengthening their ability to influence these policies
• link up with existing regional-level initiatives/networks facilitating exchange of successful strategies and more powerful lobbying efforts,
• strengthen their capacity to support the negotiating ability of the poor to achieve secure access to land, including common property, water and productive resources and associated support services
• facilitate community participation in policy dialogue and local governance thereby enhancing possible cooperation between civil society and local, national government   towards the implementation of Land laws and agreed reforms.
• facilitate conflict resolution processes , b y encouraging and supporting their participation in local, national and international decision-making and policy making processes and their lobbying efforts in line with the overall objective.

NPA HO will also work together with partner organisations in developing policies and EO (External Offices)   with the aim of lobbying and   influencing Norwegian officials and international institutions/bodies that define the global structural development options, in order to meet the thematic objectives.

Information sharing of experiences and best practice on sustainable land use
Focus will be on assisting partners in collecting and exchanging information and examples of practices and methods used at project level, pertaining to land use options.  

Practical project level activities will include:

• Identifying, documenting and sharing case studies of experiences and best practices and models for sustainable agriculture for marginalized rural poor, looking at both technical, economic, social and ecological aspects.  

This is to be done through work shops, exchange visits, web/CD and media and the development of a video compendium on lessons learnt.

• Supporting partners efforts towards utilising their resources in an economically, socially and ecologically sustainable manner. Herein build on the proven success factors for sustainable agriculture and work to enhance:
  • Appropriate technology adapted through farmers experimentation
  • Enhancing technical and social   support services for small farmers to develop sustainable agriculture practices
  • Improve linkage between projects/initiatives and external agencies
  • Work towards the legal recognition and enforcement of community rights towards the institutional support for sustainable agriculture
  • Build on traditional organisations and practices

Linking up
NPA will seek to work with existing and new partners in the development of this programme and will link up with relevant networks and resource groups in order to enhance the knowledge base, information sharing and lobbying efforts.

NPA will work together with organisations that fight together with the marginalized groups for their rights. NPA will also seek to work together with other stakeholders , such as local institutions, government and international institutions where appropriate. NPA will seek cooperation with relevant networks and institutions.