Cape Town, South Africa October 2025
TrustAfrica reaffirmed its leadership in advancing inclusive, equitable, and citizen-driven land governance at the “Land, Life and Society” Conference, hosted by the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) at the University of the Western Cape.
The landmark convening marked 30 years of scholarship and activism on land reform and agrarian justice in Africa bringing together academics, policymakers, activists, and community leaders from across the continent to reflect on the intersection between land, life, and social transformation.
As a sponsor, participant, and session convener, TrustAfrica played a central role in shaping the dialogue by leading two thought-provoking panels that tackled some of the most pressing questions in Africa’s land governance landscape: how to make women’s land rights real and how to reimagine philanthropic financing as a catalyst for movement-building and justice.
TrustAfrica convened a high-impact session on “Philanthropic Financing for Development and Movement Building to Catalyze Change in Land Governance.”on day one,
Beatrice Makwenda, who chaired the discussion, led participants through a candid and forward-looking dialogue on how philanthropy can evolve from transactional giving to transformative partnership.
The panel featured a dynamic mix of voices from across Africa’s justice and development ecosystem. Leigh Stadler from the Rural Women’s Assembly urged funders to challenge patriarchy and land injustice directly, rather than funding only “safe” projects. She called for long-term, flexible funding and realistic monitoring frameworks that center people over metrics. Francesca de Gasparis of SAFCEI emphasized faith and values-based philanthropy, arguing that justice-oriented giving must be grounded in empathy, ethics, and local context.
Alan Wallis of the Ford Foundation offered a candid reflection: “Not all philanthropy is good. Some perpetuate extractive norms. We must rethink how power operates in the funding ecosystem.”
Bethule Nyamambi of TrustAfrica shared insights from grassroots land rights campaigns in Sierra Leone and food sovereignty initiatives in Ghana, demonstrating how philanthropic partnerships can amplify local voices and drive collective action.
Malik Dasoo from the Africa Climate Foundation contributed inspiring examples of community-led, regenerative funding models that place agency back into the hands of those most affected.
The dialogue concluded with a shared call to action: in an era of shrinking civic space, global funding shifts, and economic uncertainty, African philanthropy must be humanized, localized, and grounded in solidarity. Funders and civil society must share power, trust communities, and co-create systems of change that reflect Africa’s realities and aspirations.
On Day 2, Rachel Gyabaah, chaired the session titled “Women’s Land Rights’
Setting the tone for the discussion, she emphasized that while most African countries have taken important legislative steps to secure women’s access to land, the gap between laws on paper and rights in practice remains wide.
“Across Africa, women’s access to land remains constrained by legal, cultural, and institutional barriers. Yet, land is central to their livelihoods, food security, and social identity. The real challenge is how to move from commitment to concrete change and from laws on paper to secure rights in practice,” —Rachel Gyabaah, TrustAfrica.
The session brought together leading voices in gender and land reform.
Nana Ama Yirrah of COLANDEF (Ghana) shared how community-driven strategies and institutional reforms are helping to strengthen women’s tenure security at the grassroots.
From the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Vanya Slavchevska and Clara Mi Young Park presented a cross-country assessment revealing persistent gender gaps in land ownership and control despite policy advances. Ayanda Madlala of PLAAS (South Africa) offered an evocative account from Northern KwaZulu-Natal, highlighting how rural women continue to navigate patriarchal structures to protect their livelihoods and dignity.
The conversation highlighted a common truth: gender justice in land governance is inseparable from broader struggles for equity and accountability. Participants called for not only legal reforms but also shifts in power relations, community norms, and institutional culture to make women’s land rights a living reality across the continent.
