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 FAO, the International Land Coalition, and 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 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.

The report also highlights a recurring pattern in almost every region: women are less likely than men to hold secure land rights. Indigenous and customary tenure systems steward vast areas, including ecosystems that store major irrecoverable carbon stocks, yet formal recognition remains limited in many places.

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 can increase pressure on communities with poorly protected rights.

The practical signal is clear. Land policy is no longer a peripheral social issue. It is core infrastructure for resilience, productivity, and trust.

References:

• 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