Progress Report: USAID Support for the Voluntary Guidelines

As a thought leader and one of the largest bi-lateral donors in the land and resource governance sector, USAID has been a strong supporter of the development and implementation of the VGs since 2011. Dr. Gregory Myers, Director of USAID’s Office of Land Tenure and Resource Management chaired the Open-Ended Working Group that negotiated the VGs. Today, in 32 programs across 27 countries, USAID is deploying over $300 million in programs that implement many of the principles and practices outlined in the VGs. These programs – which are closely aligned with the recommendations in the VGs reflecting best practice in tenure reform – help to clarify and strengthen the land tenure and property rights of all members of society, enabling broad-based economic growth, gender equality, reduced incidence of conflicts, enhanced food security, improved resilience to climate change, and effective natural resource management.