Las Directrices sobre la gobernanza responsable de tenencia en una encrucijada

This international statement, issued by Friends of the Earth International and various social movements, criticizes the emergence of corporate-focused guides that reinterpret the 2012 Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure (VGGT). The authors argue that these guides shift the focus from human rights to business risk management, inappropriately transfer state responsibilities to private investors, and promote a false equivalence between corporations and marginalized communities.

• The authors argue that several guides developed by entities such as USAID, the G7 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa, and the Interlaken Group distort the VGGT by treating natural resources as business assets rather than human rights issues. These guides are accused of encouraging private investors to use the VGGT to manage economic and reputational risks and gain a "competitive advantage" rather than protecting the most vulnerable.
• The statement claims that corporate guides inappropriately transfer state duties to the private sector, specifically regarding the identification of legitimate tenure rights not protected by law and the resolution of land conflicts. The authors assert that allowing investors to lead these processes creates a conflict of interest, as investors seek to maximize profit while the state is the only entity mandated to serve the public interest and provide impartial justice.
• The document rejects the notion of a balanced "alliance" between corporations and communities, arguing that such a framework ignores extreme power asymmetries. It criticizes the assumption that land acquisitions are mutually beneficial and warns that integrating communities into corporate value chains—such as through contract farming—often leads to total dependency on large companies rather than genuine food security.
• The authors call on States to implement the VGGT by prioritizing the needs of marginalized groups over private interests. Specific demands include enacting laws to limit large-scale land transactions, ensuring free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), conducting independent impact assessments, and criminally prosecuting corporate abuses of human rights.
• The statement urges the FAO to provide technical support that aligns with the original objectives of the VGGT and to develop tools that help States regulate companies according to human rights obligations, rather than facilitating investor acquisitions.
• The signatories demand the establishment of a robust monitoring mechanism within the Committee on World Food Security (CSA) to ensure legal accountability for the implementation of the VGGT and support a legally binding international instrument for corporations regarding human rights.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2015). Las Directrices sobre la gobernanza responsable de tenencia en una encrucijada. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2015-TG-Statement_final_ES_151216.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Las Directrices sobre la gobernanza responsable de tenencia en una encrucijada. 2015. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2015-TG-Statement_final_ES_151216.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Las Directrices sobre la gobernanza responsable de tenencia en una encrucijada |date=10 December 2015 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2015-TG-Statement_final_ES_151216.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{friendsoftheearthinternational2015las, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Las Directrices sobre la gobernanza responsable de tenencia en una encrucijada}}, publisher = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2015}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2015-TG-Statement_final_ES_151216.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }