In 2026, the LANDac annual conference will focus on the theme Land, Conflict, and Peace. The event provides a platform to examine challenges at the intersection of land governance, conflict, and humanitarian studies. Call for abstracts closes on 27 February 2026.
The World Bank’s Research Department invites submission of papers featuring academic research on all aspects of land governance and institutions and their impact on shared economic growth, resilience, private investment, job creation, and poverty reduction. Participation in the conference will be by invitation only. Priority will be given to presenters whose papers have been accepted.
This year's theme is "Housing the World: Safe and resilient cities and communities". Held every two years, the World Urban Forum is the premier global conference on urbanization convened by UN-Habitat, bringing together a wide range of urban stakeholders to explore solutions to the growing global housing crisis and to position housing as a foundation for safe and resilient cities and communities.
24-28 February 2026 | Cartagena De Indias, Colombia | ICARRD+20 gathers global leaders, communities, and scholars to renew the international agenda on land justice, agrarian reform, and rural development.
12 December, 14:30-15:30 CET | “The Future of Youth in Agrifood Systems: Tackling the Double Challenge of Access to Land and Finance” is a joint session by the Thematic Working Groups on Land and Rural Youth Employment that explores the central dilemma limiting youth engagement: how young people can access land without finance, and finance without land.
The 2025 Annual General Assembly will focus on "Investing in the Future of Agrifood Systems: New directions for development finance". The sessions will explore how agrifood systems can be financed into the future and what this means for donors in a rapidly changing development landscape. A fresh rethink is needed to ensure financing matches the scale of the challenges ahead.
Ward Anseeuw is the Senior Land Specialist at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO). He also chairs the Donor Platform’s Global Donor Working Group on Land. Land rights matter and is central to all aspects related to food systems transformation and rural development.