Towards the Second International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD+20): an opportunity to advance the realization of the right to land and territories

Land and natural resources constitute the foundation of livelihoods, cultural identity, and ecological sustainability for Indigenous Peoples, peasants, and rural communities, yet remain subject to persistent contestation, dispossession, and concentration. Since the 2006 International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ICARRD), international instruments such as the Tenure Guidelines, UNDRIP, and UNDROP have advanced recognition of land as a human right. Nevertheless, structural inequalities, land grabbing, and environmental crises persist and undermines communities' control over their territories. The forthcoming ICARRD+20 in Colombia (2026) provides a critical multilateral forum to evaluate prior commitments, address emerging challenges, and advance redistributive and rights-based governance of land and territories.