RECOFTC: POP2025 Partnering for progress: Inclusive land investments for smallholder success

About the course

This e-course provides a comprehensive foundation on the principles of inclusive business and its critical role in fostering sustainable land investments. The course covers the aspects of inclusive business models, legal frameworks and effective stakeholder engagement strategies.

By the end of the course, learners will have the tools to navigate the complexities of sustainable land investment processes and manage the challenges, such as the common exclusion of local communities from decision-making processes. For example, the inclusive business model covered by the course redresses this issue by embedding local participation and integrating communities into value chains from the outset.

The course lays the groundwork for achieving positive outcomes for all stakeholders involved. Learners will be equipped with the knowledge that is essential for establishing and maintaining equitable partnerships, especially negotiation strategies and fostering collaboration for mutually beneficial outcomes.

It is free

There is no charge for this course. A certificate is available upon satisfactory completion of the course requirements.

Competency tag

Inclusive businesses, sustainable land investments, multistakeholder engagement, negotiations

Target Audience

This course is designed for practitioners and leaders in forestry and agriculture. It is especially suitable for:

• Private sector investors who work with community enterprises, cooperatives or smallholder farmers
• Government officials responsible for trade and investment regulations in forestry and agriculture
• Civil society organizations that support collaboration between communities and the private sector
• Community leaders whose areas are currently affected by, or may be affected by, external land investments and trade
• Academics and students interested in responsible and inclusive land investment and trade

Supported devices

For the best learning experience, RECOFTC recommends using a laptop or desktop computer. While the e-course can be accessed on smartphones and tablets, many activities include special interactive features that do not work on these devices. To fully participate in these activities, please use a laptop or desktop computer. Activities that require a computer are marked throughout the course.

Download the e-learning app

You can download RECOFTC’s free e-learning app for your smartphone or tablet from Google Play or the App Store.

Partnering for Progress: Inclusive Land Investment in Smallholder Success

This e-course is made possible through the generous support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the core donor to RECOFTC’s work. It is also supported by the Transformative Land Investment project, which is funded by SDC and delivered by a consortium including the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), RECOFTC, the Dutch Development Agency (SNV) and Land Equity International (LEI). The Transformative Land Investment project aims to enhance land and ecosystem health by promoting responsible land investments. The project works to ensure that investments are inclusive, equitable and gender-responsive, leading to better food and tenure security, improved livelihoods and greater resilience for communities in countries such as Ethiopia, Ghana, Lao PDR, Mozambique and Myanmar.