YILAA Celebrates a Decade of Progress under the SLGA Program and Reaffirms Its Commitment to Inclusive and Sustainable Land Governance in Africa

A Milestone Workshop for Land Governance on the Continent

The Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YILAA) took part in the Closing Workshop of the Strengthening Land Governance in Africa (SLGA) program, organized under the auspices of the African Union Commission, the African Land Policy Centre (ALPC), and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

This high-level workshop brought together government representatives, universities, regional institutions, and civil society actors to reflect on a decade of efforts dedicated to strengthening land governance across Africa.
Discussions focused on the program’s major achievements, lessons learned, and the challenges that remain in implementing fair, inclusive, and sustainable land policies on the continent.

A Transformative Program for Africa’s Land Governance Landscape

Launched more than ten years ago, the SLGA Program aimed to enhance the technical, institutional, and human capacity of African countries in the field of land governance.
Under the coordination of the African Land Policy Centre (ALPC), the program successfully:

• Established university networks and specialized curricula on land governance in multiple African universities;
• Strengthened the production and dissemination of reliable land data, through observatories and monitoring platforms;
• Fostered cooperation among governments, civil society, and regional institutions;
• Promoted the active participation of youth and women in land governance and reform processes.

These achievements highlight a growing continental awareness of land as a strategic lever for economic development, social stability, and environmental justice.

YILAA’s Contribution: Centering Youth, Innovation, and Inclusion

As part of the closing workshop, YILAA shared its innovative approach centered on youth participation, digital inclusion, and equitable land access.
Through its programs and partnerships, YILAA promotes a vision of land governance that is inclusive, participatory, and technology-driven, where young people and women are recognized as key change-makers.

YILAA’s presentation emphasized four main pillars of action:

1. Secured land access for youth and women, as a foundation for empowerment and economic independence.
2. Green and digital training, through capacity-building workshops, awareness campaigns, and community engagement.
3. Promotion of green entrepreneurship and environmental impact monetization, linking land governance to emerging green and climate economies.
4. Use of digital tools and platforms to enhance transparency, participation, and local policy monitoring.

Through these initiatives, YILAA positions itself as a leading youth-driven organization connecting land, environment, and innovation for Africa’s sustainable future.

A Shared Commitment to a Sustainable Future

Participants at the SLGA closing workshop praised the program’s contribution to knowledge building, institutional strengthening, and inclusive policy dialogue.
They also emphasized the need to sustain and expand these achievements through strong multi-stakeholder partnerships involving universities, governments, civil society, and the private sector.

For YILAA, the end of SLGA marks not a conclusion, but a transition toward a new generation of initiatives led by young Africans.
The organization remains committed to:

• Amplifying youth voices in land and environmental dialogues;
• Strengthening South-South cooperation among youth-led land governance networks;
• Contributing to the implementation of Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across Africa.

Building a Green, Just, and Resilient Africa

As the SLGA program concludes, YILAA reaffirms its belief that Africa’s youth are central to shaping the future of land governance.
Land is not merely an economic asset it is a matter of identity, dignity, and shared prosperity.

Through its integrated approach combining land security, digital innovation, green training, and sustainable finance, YILAA strives to build an inclusive green economy in Africa, where every young person has the opportunity to contribute to the continent’s growth and transformation.

About YILAA

The Youth Initiative for Land in Africa (YILAA) is a pan-African movement working to ensure secure land access for youth and women through training, research, digital innovation, and community awareness.
Present in several African countries, YILAA promotes land justice, inclusion, and sustainability as pillars of Africa’s social and economic development.

Read the full Raport here

Author: Godwin TADOUDJE