Strengthening Community Land Rights program area at KLA aims at offering technical assistance to communities in order to secure their rights to utilize and manage their land and natural resources. 

The program works to strengthen community land rights in several ways. Some of the ways in which KLA works towards this objective include: 

• Legal recognition - We advocate for communities to have their land rights legally recognized by the government. This is done through formal recognition processes, such as registering communal lands, creating legal frameworks for customary land tenure systems, and establishing land tenure security laws and policies.

• Capacity building - Building the capacity of community members so that they can understand their land rights, various relevant legal frameworks, and how to negotiate with government officials. The training and education programs help communities better advocate for their land rights and improve their negotiation skills.

• Collaborative land use planning - Collaborative land use planning is an effective way to secure community land rights while also ensuring that the land is used sustainably. This involves bringing together community members, government officials, and other stakeholders to develop land use plans that balance community needs with environmental protection and economic development.

• Participatory mapping - Participatory mapping involves working with communities to map their land use and identify boundaries. This process can help to clarify land rights and prevent land disputes as well as document the community assets.

Through these and other strategies, the program works to strengthen community land rights in Kenya and promote secure and equitable access to land and natural resources for all Kenyans.

Empowering Communities

KLA has made it a priority to equip grassroots organizations and communities with the necessary skills and resources to effectively advocate for their needs. One key strategy for achieving this goal is through the use of digital tools. The organization has partnered with TMG Think Tank for Sustainability and was able to pioneer a concept that involved training members of the Ruma, Msidunyi, Loita and Mwatungu villages on social cartography, where emerging digital technologies to map and document their forest resources.

This training not only helped community members gain a better understanding of the social cartographic process, but it also provided an opportunity to involve young people in conservation efforts.

Empowering communities to take initiatives toward securing their land tenure is critical, and the use of digital tools is an effective way to achieve this goal. By providing these communities with the necessary skills and resources, KLA and its partners are making significant strides toward creating a more sustainable future for all.

Joint Advocacy

In promoting partnerships and joint advocacy, KLA has partnered with other like-minded organizations like Natural Justice, Katiba Institute, Landesa, Samburu Women Trust and others to establish a legal scheme for lawyers and paralegals to advance land justice in the communities.