# Some key principles and first steps

<mark style="color:orange;">**Key principles to consider for local authorities**</mark>

Before you star&#x74;**, establish your ways of working**:&#x20;

* Allow adequate time for bringing all the relevant parts of the local authority together - be willing to be a champion
* Be willing to share power: with the local community, other local landowners, farmers, civil society organisations&#x20;
* If you can advocate for money to support this process, then do - the more flexibility and resource you have, the easier this will be

As you begin, **streamline objectives:** &#x20;

* Observe and gather information from a variety of sources - try to find shared goals and areas of consensus in the diagnosis of needs and priorities&#x20;
* Define objectives that are easy to explain - a clear and consistent message will facilitate your work in the long term&#x20;

Over tim&#x65;**, cultivate resilience:**&#x20;

* Give yourself time and the right to experiment - trials and errors are numerous in tackling land issues
* Work with conviction and strong political will: it is best to anticipate difficulties and opposition and plan ahead how you will respond to these&#x20;



### <mark style="color:orange;">**Some low-barrier entry actions**</mark>

<table data-header-hidden><thead><tr><th width="151"></th><th></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FfJ9bDwccd7FB9pcnZhBM%2Fguide_picto9.png?alt=media&#x26;token=08762c61-f1f4-4812-bf16-039eafd717c8" alt=""></td><td>Put land on the agenda (of your internal meetings, of exchanges with constituents, of the next discussion with other local authorities…) </td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FXXccmWo1AzTbAtnbH3db%2Fguide_picto7.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d19306d1-212e-40f0-b089-b9d8c86904f6" alt=""></td><td>Make a quick research about organisations that work on land in your country/region, contact them to know if they have tools to support local authorities.</td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FlCuwDSXGDRZWl5FuB6PP%2Fguide_picto8.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c72afe8a-8de8-4963-8f80-49a38899a853" alt=""></td><td>Support collectives and organisations working on land, even if only by providing them a municipal room to meet or by putting them in touch with relevant actors. </td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FwUP0Ed670b9g4TFN1xjr%2Fguide_picto11.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4e5c41c3-cca9-433c-856e-44e67b44524a" alt=""></td><td>If you have relevant data on the land or agricultural market, or knowledge of a land opportunity, share it (with potential new farmers). </td></tr><tr><td><img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FGbo5AImM3EhSDDRdOJZ7%2Fguide_picto10.png?alt=media&#x26;token=7c5cfd03-1dfd-4270-82d9-0dddaa6c16fa" alt=""></td><td>Seize opportunities! E.g. if a farmer is nearing retirement connect them with a candidate successor; if a lease is ending on a public farm try to encourage a sustainable project with the new lease; if a cheap or strategic plot is up for sale, acquire it or tell an ethical land trust or new farmer about it.</td></tr></tbody></table>

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### <mark style="color:orange;">**Some first steps to achieve specific goals**</mark>&#x20;

<img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FdRJCOTauwrJzI87jmlOg%2Fpersonnage_regulator.png?alt=media&#x26;token=70abf3f0-653e-452d-8dc3-f7024d1a4aa8" alt="" data-size="line">1 - I am Maria, a staff member in an inter-municipal structure. I want our next land local zoning plan to better safeguard agricultural land. &#x20;

2 - I am Paul, a council member in a small town. I want to use the 4 hectare plot of municipal land to produce vegetables for the local school. <img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FiWx0u46bfbJxmEPr8Wzi%2Fpersonnage_owner.png?alt=media&#x26;token=6af7af92-e7ec-4c61-b01a-6a553ee215f2" alt="" data-size="line">

<img src="https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FmTd4MbDOivUsPwxMiCMi%2Fpersonnage_facilitator.png?alt=media&#x26;token=43a6812c-6ad6-4529-b6e5-8752ad85d49f" alt="" data-size="line">3 - I am Joanna, a recently elected mayor in a rural village. I want to facilitate access to pasture lands held in common by residents to new entrants. &#x20;



![Regulator character](https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FdRJCOTauwrJzI87jmlOg%2Fpersonnage_regulator.png?alt=media\&token=70abf3f0-653e-452d-8dc3-f7024d1a4aa8)**Maria’s first steps could be…**&#x20;

a- learn about who takes part in the zoning negotiations and their interests

b- think about who in the local authority needs to be involved in these discussions. Paul’s most important role could be as a internal broker between all of the different interests within the local authority

c- gather prior information on local land (existing studies on the local agriculture, existing objectives regarding curtailing land loss or tackling climate change) &#x20;

d- gather priori information on legal possibilities to protect land through zoning, and examples of towns who have done it \


![Owner character](https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FiWx0u46bfbJxmEPr8Wzi%2Fpersonnage_owner.png?alt=media\&token=6af7af92-e7ec-4c61-b01a-6a553ee215f2)**Paul’s first steps could be…**

a- evaluate whether the municipal land is fit for vegetable growing (type of soil and fertility, existence of infrastructure like greenhouses/irrigation/storage buildings)&#x20;

b- evaluate the costs, infrastructure and practices needed to enable the school canteen to start preparing meals from scratch using fresh vegetables&#x20;

c- reach out to community and civic society organisations who may be interested in managing the land or being involved with growing

d- reach out to local farmers and skilled growers for advice on business models\


![Facilitator character](https://3134868106-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2Fu7BfbdUPQRQnaeyaIU5f%2Fuploads%2FmTd4MbDOivUsPwxMiCMi%2Fpersonnage_facilitator.png?alt=media\&token=43a6812c-6ad6-4529-b6e5-8752ad85d49f)**Joanna’s first steps could be…**&#x20;

a- survey the farmers on their current use of the lands held in common

b- make data publicly accessible on common land available

c- engage the local administration - specifically the local council - to establish specific local measures which support new entrants, the safeguarding of common land and animal husbandry as agricultural activity of the community

d- mediate the relationship between new entrants and the local community who are the stewards of the commons&#x20;
