Mekong Region Land Governance Project
MRLG and its alliance members work together to protect the tenure rights of smallholder farmers in the Mekong Region. Â
MRLG focuses on the following two Thematic Areas
Customary tenure is a set of rules and norms that regulate the way land and other resources are allocated, used, accessed, and transferred. It is often the main system used by traditional communities to manage their land and resources. Customary tenure is usually undocumented, and not protected by national laws.
Responsible Agricultural Investments (RAI) respect the tenure claims of smallholder farmers, whether or not their land rights are legally recognized; distribute benefits and risks of investment in a socially-just manner; avoid and/or minimize environmental impacts; and maximize the efficient use of resources.
THIS IS HOW
The Mekong Region Land Governance Project responds to national priorities in terms of reducing poverty, increasing economic development and supporting smallholder farmers and this has proven beneficial to all stakeholders.
The project remains focused on addressing land governance issues in the CLMV countries but with a shift towards supporting the strategic engagement of reform actors in the policy making processes at national, sub-national and regional levels.
What we do
Learn with us. Improve with us.
Our project aims to improve land tenure security of smallholder farmers in the Mekong Region through contributing to the design and implementation of appropriate land policies and practices.


Recent Publications
Communities at the Core of Protected Area Management: Learning from customary tenure documentation experiences in Cambodia (brief in Khmer)
This is a brief in Khmer of the case study presenting lessons from experiences of customary tenure documentation in three protected areas in Cambodia.
Nurturing agricultural cooperatives for inclusive and effective agro-investment partnerships in Cambodia (Brief)
This policy brief presents how the concept of Public-Private-Producer-Partnerships (4Ps) can offer a new opportunity to link smallholders and investors more effectively.Â
Customary Tenure Rights under the Land and Forest Laws in Lao PDR
This brief provides an overview of the main findings from the 2021 report titled "Assessing the New Land and Forest Laws in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Emphasizing Customary Rights."
Communities at the Core of Protected Area Management: Learning from customary tenure documentation experiences in Cambodia (Brief)
This is a brief of the case study presenting lessons from three experiences of customary tenure documentation in protected areas in the Cambodian provinces of Preah Vihear, Mondul Kiri, and Ratanak Kiri. It is based on the work of the...
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Latest News/Events
ASEAN chairmanship spurs dialogue on Responsible Agricultural Investment in Laos
Small-scale agriculture plays a pivotal role in driving Laos' rural economy, with vast untapped potential for growth. Realizing this potential requires proper investment and protecting agricultural land resources and the communities that rely on them. The Third National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) was held at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane from September...
UPCOMING EVENT: 3rd National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) in Lao PDR
The 3rd National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) in Lao PDRwill be held on September 28-29 at the Lao Plaza Hotel in Vientiane. The dialogue focuses on the practical implementation of RAI, bringing together private companies, producers, and government partners to exchange experiences and good practices and establish a common understanding of RAI. The...