FAO has successfully assisted countries in implementing article 26.2 of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests (VGGT) encouraging states to set up multi-stakeholder platforms and frameworks at local, national and regional levels or use such existing platforms and frameworks to collaborate on the implementation of the Guidelines for improved governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests.

FAO currently supports 30 multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) in 16 countries, promoting participatory decision-making on both governance of tenure and natural resource management. FAO-supported MSPs are intrinsically inclusive, based on buy-in from government authorities and other key partners.

MSPs on tenure governance can:

• Facilitate and promote policy and legal reforms - Wide ranging consensus fosters policy and legal frameworks producing lasting outcomes at all levels, encouraging continuity.
• Create an inclusive space to discuss tenure issues - The open atmosphere in an MSP promotes relationships based on trust, mutual respect and communication.
• Promote buy-in for responsible governance of tenure - Involving stakeholders from government agencies increases the likelihood of approval of initiatives.
• Support tenure processes based on ownership - Promoting national stakeholder ownership will encourage engagement and support for reform initiatives.
• Contribute to improved governance of tenure - Create a space for national stakeholders to develop mechanisms and indicators for monitoring of land tenure processes.
• Strengthen capacities of national and local stakeholders - The MSP is a learning space for members to increase knowledge, learn new tools and share experiences on how to improve governance of tenure.