About Us
From peacebuilding to economic growth and the energy transition, the Mekong’s biggest challenges come back to land
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Rapid agrarian change, a rush for critical minerals and forest loss are reshaping one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions
From 2026 to 2030, the Mekong Land Initiative (MLI) will work in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. We believe that when land rights are secure, and laws work in practice, rural people share fairly in the value of their land, and the region is better prepared for climate change. This is how we see change happening:
- National alliances build the evidence, skills and connections to shape land policy
- Through dialogue, they work with governments to put land laws into practice
- Customary rights are upheld, smallholders take part in investment on fair terms, and ecosystems are protected
Our Vision
By 2035, the Mekong region will be characterised by a more just and sustainable model of land governance where all communities – especially Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, ethnic minorities, women, and smallholder farmers – exercise secure, recognised, and equitable land and resource rights.
Land pressures cross borders and so do we. MLI is delivered by and for alliances in each country
Multi-stakeholder alliances set their own priorities and lead work on the ground. Joint research and regional exchange promote learning and bring local voices into ASEAN and global debates.
Connected themes shape our work in every country.
Photo: Bart Verweij
Customary tenure
Making communities' customary land and forest rights secure in practice.
Responsible investment
Working with business so land investment shares risks and benefits fairly.
Gender equality
Supporting women to shape the land decisions that affect their lives.
The essentials on MLI:
Where it comes from and how it works
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