UN-Backed Report: 1.1 Billion People Fear Losing Land or Housing Within Five Years

A new FAO/ILC/CIRAD stocktake shows land insecurity is now a major structural risk for food systems, climate resilience, and social stability.

A new UN-backed global stocktake has surfaced a number that should reset policy priorities: more than 1.1 billion people say they may lose access to their land or housing within five years.

The report, produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Land Coalition (ILC), and the French research centre CIRAD, frames land insecurity as more than a legal issue. It is an economic and climate vulnerability. When rights are unclear, families and communities invest less, remain more exposed to shocks, and are less able to build long-term food security. The findings underscore a structural risk that, if left unaddressed, could undermine global efforts to reduce poverty and hunger.

The data is striking. Only about 35% of global land tenure is formally documented. States hold legal ownership over most land globally, while a significant share of tenure status remains unknown. For agricultural land, concentration is high: the largest 10% of landholders operate close to 90% of cultivated land. This concentration limits access for smallholders and marginalised groups, further entrenching inequality.

The report also highlights a recurring pattern in almost every region: women are less likely than men to hold secure land rights. This disparity not only affects women’s livelihoods but also hampers agricultural productivity and household food security. Moreover, Indigenous and customary tenure systems steward vast areas, including ecosystems that store major irrecoverable carbon stocks, yet formal recognition remains limited in many places. Protecting these systems is essential for both biodiversity and carbon storage.

Why it matters

Why this matters now: climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and food resilience all depend on who can make long-term decisions about land. If governance remains weak, even well-intended climate and energy projects—such as solar farms, carbon offsets, or reforestation schemes—can increase pressure on communities with insecure land rights. The report argues that without stronger tenure frameworks, such projects risk displacing vulnerable populations and worsening social instability.

The practical signal is clear. Land policy is no longer a peripheral social issue. It is core infrastructure for resilience, productivity, and trust. Governments, donors, and development organisations must prioritise formalising land rights, especially for women, Indigenous peoples, and other marginalised groups, to build a foundation for sustainable development.

What to watch next

Watch for policy responses in upcoming global forums, including discussions at the UN Committee on World Food Security and the climate COPs, where land tenure is increasingly linked to national adaptation plans. Also monitor national-level reforms, particularly in countries with large agricultural sectors or significant carbon-sequestering ecosystems, where insecure tenure could become a bottleneck for climate action.

Sources

• UN News coverage: https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167037
• Full report (FAO/ILC/CIRAD): https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/10293134-009e-416b-876b-84158530c89d