“State of Land in the Mekong Region” book launch + seminar on 28 August 2019, organized by RCSD The Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development, starting 10 am at the 4th floor meeting room, operations building, Faculty of Social Sciences, Chiang Mai University. (there are morning and afternoon sessions).

The State of Land in the Mekong Region brings together data and information on current status and trajectories of change with regard to land resources, their social distribution, and the conditions of their governance that shape them. The book results from a long process of research and consultation involving more than 100 land experts in the region and across the world. It has been coordinated by the CDE – Centre for Development and Environment, University of Bern and the Mekong Region Land Governance (MRLG), funded by Swiss Cooperation Mekong, LuxDev – Luxembourg Development Cooperation Agency, implemented by Land Equity International and Gret, with support from GIZ Laos.

This book event aims to raise awareness and discuss key issues documented in the book such as dramatic transformation of agricultural and land tenure systems, the acceleration of land-based investments and trade of land-intensive commodities, and the growing inequality between smallholder farmers and other agricultural producers. The morning session will present both the regional overview from the book, and details from the chapter concerning Thailand. The afternoon session involves a seminar on the topic of ‘land and inequality in Thailand’ with presentations and a panel of government, academic, NGO and CSO stakeholders. Participants are welcome to attend either or both of these sessions.