May 6, 2024, Brasilia, Brazil- The development of differentiated regulations and processes for the legalization of land for Afro-descendant populations by national land and agrarian institutions is fundamental to addressing the specific challenges these populations face—especially considering that 82% of Afro-descendants in Latin America live in urban areas.

With the aim of promoting dialogue and learning on this topic, seven initiatives from Brazil and Colombia were shared through case studies on cadastre processes, participatory delimitation, land titling, and registration for Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities. Around 200 people from different Latin American countries and other parts of the world participated in the two-day Second Regional Learning Cycle: Lessons Learned in the Delimitation and Recognition of Indigenous and Afro-descendant Territories in Latin America, where they explored cases from Afro-descendant social organizations in Brazil and the Colombian government.

The event was organized by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA), the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), under the framework of the Brazil–FAO International Cooperation Programme, in collaboration with the International Land Coalition (ILC) of Latin America and the Caribbean and the Tenure Facility.

The Second Regional Learning Cycle has become a key platform for strengthening collective territorial rights, promoting inclusion, and guiding public policies that enhance land governance in the face of challenges such as climate change, urbanization, and social justice in the region.

Amparo Cerrato, Land Tenure Officer at FAO, commented on the case studies, saying, “Although progress has been made in titling their territories, in most of these cases large portions of their lands remain unregularized or are occupied by third parties not belonging to the communities.”

Zulema Burneo de la Rocha, ILC Regional Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, noted that systematizations can help raise awareness about regional challenges and that initiatives like this contribute to learning from real-life experiences.

Margareta Nilsson, Senior Learning Officer at Tenure Facility, emphasized that the event served as a space for reflection and inspiration regarding the challenges these communities face in land tenure matters.

Brazilian Territorial Experiences: Defense, Management, and Sustainability

The Ivaporunduva quilombo, a community with over 400 years of history, was the first to obtain full collective land title in the state of São Paulo. A national reference in agroecology, the community has developed socio-environmental governance rooted in traditional agricultural practices.

The Conceição das Crioulas quilombo, founded in the 18th century with a matrilineal organization that persists to this day, received its collective title in 2000 and leads territorial management and land recovery processes, while facing external threats and tensions. Women play a central role in territorial defense and in shaping the community’s identity pedagogy.

Recognized nationally and internationally as a model for integrating territorial defense and environmental protection, the Kalunga quilombo has partial recognition and seven titles issued by INCRA. However, it still faces the challenge of having much of its territory unregularized.

The Família Silva quilombo, located in an urban area, stands as a paradigmatic case of resistance against gentrification. Although partially titled in 2009, the community continues to face frequent eviction threats.

In the Brazilian Amazon, the Alto Trombetas I and II quilombos face long-standing land conflicts with conservation units and mining concessions. The communities have achieved significant progress through community organization and legal advocacy.

Débora Guimarães, Director of Special Programs and Projects at INCRA, highlighted Brazil’s progress in collective territorial rights and the importance of expanding dialogue spaces. She also emphasized that “the case studies show how Brazil has adapted its regulations to diverse realities to guarantee land access.”

João Luiz Clementino, Project Analyst at ABC, stressed that this learning cycle “is a collective effort to support land access through the exchange of concrete experiences.”

The Role of Government Action: The Case of Colombia

From Colombia, two case studies were presented by the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (IGAC). The first relates to the strategic implementation of Free, Prior, and Informed Consultation (FPIC) as part of the multipurpose cadastre framework, which will enable the cadastral update of 33 million hectares of formalized Indigenous territories.

Gustavo Marulanda, Director General of IGAC, highlighted the cadastre as a tool for collecting data that supports the recognition and protection of Indigenous territories and those of Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, and Palenquero communities.

The second case is the Intercultural School of Geography for Life, a territorial training strategy aimed at Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and peasant communities. Its goal is to strengthen these communities’ technical and organizational capacities for managing their territories, using an ethnic approach that honors ancestral knowledge.