June 27, 2025 (Kampala, Uganda): IGAD, in partnership with the Uganda Parliamentary Land Management Forum, today joined key stakeholders in Kampala for the 2nd Parliamentary Symposium on Land Governance, with a sharp focus on securing women’s land rights as a foundation for resilient food systems and inclusive land governance.
The symposium is part of IGAD’s ongoing efforts under the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), a seven-year initiative funded by the World Bank, aimed at strengthening food security and resilience across Eastern and Southern Africa. Pillar Two of the program emphasizes the sustainable management of natural resources—including land—as critical to building resilient agricultural landscapes.
Representing IGAD at the symposium, Innocent Ndahiriwe, Uganda National Coordinator for Migration and Forced Displacement, speaking on behalf of Joselyn Bigirwa, IGAD Head of Mission to Uganda, reaffirmed IGAD’s commitment to advancing gender equality in land governance.
“Women form a significant portion of the agricultural workforce in the IGAD region, yet their access to land remains disproportionately low. Bridging this gap is not just a matter of fairness—it is a prerequisite for food security, economic growth, and climate resilience,” Innocent Ndahiriwe said.
The statistics are stark. Studies in Kenya reveal an 8% gender gap in agricultural productivity, while other assessments show gaps ranging between 43% and 72% across various contexts in the region. Much of this is driven by women’s limited land ownership and decision-making power over agricultural resources.
The symposium convened members of parliament, government officials, development partners, and civil society, all united around one objective: setting clear land governance priorities that political leaders must uphold in future policies and electoral commitments. Central to this is the recognition and protection of women’s land rights, especially for agricultural purposes.
IGAD’s support to this symposium aligns with both Pillar Four of the FSRP, which focuses on embedding food systems resilience into national and regional policymaking, and the implementation of the IGAD Regional Food and Nutrition Security Strategy (2025–2034), endorsed by agriculture ministers in Djibouti in December 2024.
“This symposium is more than a dialogue—it is a clarion call to integrate gender-responsive land policies at the heart of food security and climate resilience strategies. IGAD stands with Uganda’s Parliament and the region in advancing policies that empower women as key agents of change in agriculture and land governance,” Ndahiriwe emphasized.
As part of the day’s proceedings, IGAD was honoured with a Certificate of Recognition for its outstanding support and participation in the Second National Symposium on Land Governance in Uganda 2025. The certificate was presented in acknowledgment of IGAD’s continued commitment to strengthening land governance, promoting women’s land rights, and supporting resilient food systems in Uganda and across the region.
The outcomes of today’s meeting are expected to inform parliamentary actions, guide policy development, and contribute to the broader goals of the FSRP—ensuring that women’s land rights are no longer an afterthought but a central pillar of sustainable development.
