Neil Sorensen joined the Land Portal as its Communications Specialist in October 2015. He has extensive experience leading communications for international organizations and developing relationships with civil society, donors, intergovernmental agencies, the media and the private sector. Previously, Neil worked for the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) as a Governing Bodies Officer and Strategic Adviser to the Secretary of IFAD. He has also led communications for three international organizations, including the International Land Coalition, the International Federation of Agricultural Producers (IFAP) and the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). He holds a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy from the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) as well as a Bachelor’s degree with a double major in German and Sociology from St. Cloud State University.
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Struggle against mining violations leaves activists exposed
Authors: Sutharee Wannasiri & Kingsley Abbott
Date: June 5th, 2016
Source: Bangkok Post
Late in the evening of May 15, 2014, more than 100 men, most of them armed and wearing black masks, stormed a small village in Loei province and assaulted more than a dozen men and women who opposed a local copper and gold mine.
Row between Peru and UK-listed cacao company turns bitter
Author: Chris Arsenault | @chrisarsenaul
Date: June 2nd, 2016
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
A row between the Peru government and a UK-listed cacao producer accused of illegally destroying Amazon rainforest has prompted land rights campaigners to call for the removal of the company from trading on the London stock exchange.
Panama's tribes launch drones to fight deforestation
Author: Anastasia Moloney | @anastasiabogota
Date: June 2nd, 2016
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
Indigenous people in Panama are using drones as a new weapon to monitor deforestation on their lands as thousands of hectares disappear every year in one of the world's most biodiverse rainforests, the United Nations said.
More than half of Panama is covered with tropical rainforest, home to various indigenous groups who rely on the forests to survive.
Tanzania seizes 'idle' land from investors to return to poor farmers
Author: Kizito Makoye | @kizmakoye
Date: June 1st, 2016
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation
Tanzania has begun a nationwide programme to seize land left undeveloped by investors and return it to poor farmers, in a bid to quell conflicts between farmers, herders and developers.
For more than a decade, foreign investors have bought up large tracts of land for agriculture or for energy projects, but many have left the land unused.
Linked Open Data and Land Governance
What is Linked Open Data?
Linked Open Data is a way of enriching, connecting, and linking data in structured, machine readable and standardized formats under open licenses. Linked Open Data enables the same content to be represented in multiple ways in different places simultaneously.
Advantages of Linked Open Data
Efficient use of resources
Linked Open Data reduces redundancy by building upon and the work of others rather than replicating existing systems.
Award-winning architect says slums should inspire
Author: Matthew Ponsford
Date: May 27th, 2016
Source: place.trust.org
Award-winning Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena wants city governments worldwide to stop fighting urban migration and look to Latin America's sprawling slums as inspiration for new housing.
The winner of the 2016 Pritzker, regarded as the Nobel Prize of architecture, Aravena says the vast 'favelas' in cities such as Rio de Janeiro highlight human resilience and the instinctive capacity for home-building.
Karen people of Myanmar want government to recognize their customary land rights
Author: Saw Tun Lin
Date: May 29th, 2016
Source: Karen News
Karen National Union leaders has called for respective state and regional governments to recognized land rights and policies that are already in place for decades in ethnic areas and agreed to by both ethnic communities and armed groups.
Communal land good for pastoralists in Kenya
Author: Timothy Njagi
Source: Standard Digital
Date: May 25th, 2016
In Kenya, 67 per cent of land is under communal tenure and supports about 10 million people and 70 per cent of the livestock population. Largely, these lands are characterised by high temperatures and low rainfall and are inhabited by pastoral communities practising extensive livestock production.
EU announces new funding to support post-conflict process in Colombia
Source: European Commission
Date: May 27th, 2016
High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini was in Colombia this week, where she announced new EU support for conflict affected regions, green growth and land rights together with a series of immediate actions to support Colombia.
During an official visit to Colombia on 26-27 May, HR/VP Mogherini announced that the EU will provide an overall package of over €575 million to support Colombia's post-conflict and peace building efforts.