Legislating for the Future: The Pan-African Model Law for Sustainable Soil Management

Prof. Dr. Oliver C. Ruppel LL.M.; Dr. Harald Ginzky

doi:10.5771/9783748966609

Summary

This publication is based on a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) on a ‘Model Law for Sustainable Soil Management in Africa’. The Model Law consists of a Framework Law with general soil governance principles and a number of commentaries. Designed for adaptability, the Model Law offers a flexible and modular framework that can be domesticated on demand, i.e. tailored to diverse legal systems and national circumstances across different African Union member countries and regions in Africa. The model law shall serve as a guidance for the national legislation concerning an effective governance of sustainable soil management. This title is also available as Open Access.

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2026
Copyright Year: 2026
ISBN-Print: 978-3-7560-3274-7
ISBN-Online: 978-3-7489-6660-9
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: Recht und Verfassung in Afrika - Law and Constitution in Africa
Volume: 50
Language: English
Pages: 401
Product Type: Edited Book

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1. Preface by the editors
2. Preface by the Pan-African Parliament
3. Foreword by the BMZ
4. Foreword by the UNCCD
5. Foreword by the FAO
6. About the authors and editors
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1. 1. Introduction
2. 2. Importance of fertile/healthy soils for Africa
3. 1. 1. 1. 3.1.1.1. Inclusive governance perspective
      2. 3.1.1.2. Modern understanding of the legal nature of soil
      3. 3.1.1.3. Linkage to international strategies, agreements, and processes
      4. 3.1.1.4. Modern and innovative regulatory mechanisms and instruments
      5. 3.1.1.5. Focus on ensuring effective implementation and enforcement
    2. 3.1.2. The Model Law on Soil Management in Africa and the Commentaries
  2. 1. 3.2.1. Category 1: Self-executing, directly implementable
    2. 3.2.2. Category 2: Provisions which need to be contextualised with sectoral provisions
    3. 3.2.3. Category 3: The need to undertake administrative actions for its implementation
    4. 3.2.4. Category 4: Strategic provisions
  3. 1. 3.3.1. Legal mandate of PAP for issuing a model law and its legal nature
    2. 3.3.2. Flexible and adaptable for national and local circumstances
    3. 3.3.3. The Model Law on Soil Management in Africa: International law at the regional or global level?
4. 4. Characteristics of the drafting process of the Model Law on Soil Management in Africa
5. 5. Core elements of the EU-Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive
6. 1. 1. 6.1.1. Latin and South America
    2. 6.1.2. India
    3. 6.1.3. Conclusion
  2. 6.2. What may need to be added?
7. 7. Summary and outlook
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1. 1. 1.1. Introduction
  2. 1.2. Justification for a Model Law on Soil Management in Africa
  3. 1.3. The Process of Developing the Model Law
  4. 1.4. Scope and Purpose of the Model Law
  5. 1.5. Use and Interpretation of the Model Law
  6. 1.6. Conclusion
2. 2. Model Law on Soil Management in Africa
3. PREAMBLE
4. 1. Article 1 — Title of the Law
  2. Article 2 — Purpose and Objectives of the Law
  3. Article 3 — Scope of Application of the Law
  4. Article 4 — Definitions
  5. Article 5 — Services of Soil
  6. Article 6 — Guiding Principles
  7. Article 7 — Interface with other Sectoral Provisions
  8. Article 8 — Relation to Land Laws
  9. Article 9 — Interpretation Clause
5. 1. Article 10 — Soil, Sustainable Agriculture, and Food and Nutrition Security
  2. Article 11 — Soil and Climate Mitigation and Adaptation
  3. Article 12 — International Trade
  4. Article 13 — Foreign Investment
6. 1. Article 14 — Obligation to Minimise and Compensate Detrimental Effects on Soil
  2. Article 15 — Soil Impact Assessment (SIA) as part of Environmental or Strategic Impact Assessment
  3. Article 16 — Obligation to Reduce Land Take and Soil Sealing
  4. Article 17 — Mining
  5. Article 18 — Zoning of Uses of Soil
  6. Article 19 — Protection of Particularly Valuable Soil by Spatial Measures
  7. Article 20 — Soil in Urban Areas
7. 1. Article 21 — Data Management and Monitoring
  2. Article 22 — Digitalisation and Sustainable Soil Management
  3. Article 23 — Development of Soil Quality Standards
  4. Article 24 — Good Practices
8. 1. Article 25 — Public Participation
  2. Article 26 — Public Sensitisation and Awareness Raising
  3. Article 27 — Indigenous Knowledge
  4. Article 28 — Role of Traditional Leaders
  5. Article 29 — Gender Equity and Equality
9. 1. Article 30 — Rehabilitation of Current Soil Degradations: Responsibilities, Requirements, Costs, and Competent Authorities
  2. Article 31 — Institutional Supervision, Monitoring, and Enforcement
  3. Article 32 — Monitoring and Surveillance
  4. Article 33 — Transnational Cooperation in Africa
  5. Article 34 — Programmes and Measures to Promote Sustainable Soil Management
10. 1. Article 35 — Criminal Offences, Penalties, and Sanctions
  2. Article 36 — Administrative Offences
  3. Article 37 — Dispute Settlement
11. 1. Article 38 — Regulations
  2. Article 39 — Revision or Amendment of the Law
  3. Article 40 — Safeguard Clause
  4. Article 41 — Entry into Force
  5. Article 42 — Authentic Texts
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1. 1. Introduction
2. 1. 2.1. Description of challenges
  2. 2.2. Options of legal governance mechanisms
  3. 1. 2.3.1. Soil awareness strategy
    2. 2.3.2. Legal implementation
3. 1. 3.1. Challenges
  2. 1. 3.2.1. Preconditions for effective legal governance
    2. 1. 3.2.2.1. Actions by individuals
      2. 3.2.2.2. Actions by groups and the science community
      3. 3.2.2.3. Actions by the government
      4. 3.2.2.4. Actions by international organisations
  3. 3.3. Concrete legal text
4. 1. 4.1. Description of challenges
  2. 4.2. Sources and types of soil disputes
  3. 1. 1. 4.3.1.1. Option A: maintenance of the status quo
      2. 4.3.1.2. Option B: enhancing land courts/tribunals
      3. 4.3.1.3. Option C: establishment of specialised courts or divisions
    2. 4.3.2. Legislative elements
  4. 4.4. Text proposals
  5. 4.5. Alternative dispute resolution
  6. 4.6. Transboundary disputes
  7. 4.7. Traditional institutions
5. 1. 5.1. Challenges
  2. 1. 5.2.1. Preconditions for an effective legal governance system for data management and outreach
    2. 5.2.2. Policies and strategies
    3. 5.2.3. Legal governance
  3. 5.3. Text proposals
6. 1. 1. 1. 6.1.1.1. Inorganic fertilisers
      2. 6.1.1.2. Organic fertilisers
    2. 6.1.2. Lack of knowledge
    3. 6.1.3. Environmental concerns
    4. 6.1.4. Governance deficiencies
  2. 1. 6.2.1. Improving accessibility and affordability
    2. 6.2.2. Improving quality control
    3. 6.2.3. Reducing environmental impacts
  3. 6.3. Concrete text for legal provisions
7. 1. 7.1. Description of the challenges of foreign investment and soil protection in Africa
  2. 7.2. Governance
  3. 7.3. Options for legal governance mechanisms
  4. 7.4. Proposed legal framework modifications
8. 1. 8.1. Description of challenges
  2. 8.2. Options for legal governance mechanisms
  3. 8.3. Concrete text for legal provisions
9. 1. 1. 9.1.1. Responsibilities within administration are not sufficiently clarified by law
    2. 9.1.2. Insufficient financial resources
    3. 9.1.3. Insufficient personnel with adequate expertise and experience
    4. 9.1.4. Digitalisation
    5. 9.1.5. Interplay between modern administration and traditional governance systems
  2. 1. 9.2.1. Data management
    2. 9.2.2. Determination of environmental quality standards
    3. 9.2.3. Permission procedure concerning potentially detrimental soil uses
    4. 9.2.4. Urban planning
    5. 9.2.5. Zoning mechanisms, including soil-protected areas
    6. 9.2.6. Public participation processes and awareness raising
    7. 9.2.7. Monitoring and surveillance
  3. 1. 9.3.1. Clarification of the responsibilities of ministries
    2. 9.3.2. Clarification of the responsible level of administration – central, regional, local, community level
    3. 9.3.3. Clarification of science/administration/policy interface
    4. 9.3.4. Clarification of cooperation with traditional leaders
  4. 9.4. Benefits
10. 1. 1. 10.1.1. Challenges in the construction of industrial facilities
    2. 10.1.2. Challenges in renewable energy and industrial facilities
  2. 1. 10.2.1. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs)
    2. 10.2.2. Land use planning and zoning regulations
    3. 10.2.3. Soil protection and restoration laws
    4. 10.2.4. Waste management regulations
    5. 10.2.5. Water resources management laws
    6. 10.2.6. Contractual agreements and investment treaties
    7. 10.2.7. Community participation and empowerment
  3. 10.3. Concrete text for legal provisions
11. 1. 1. 11.1.1. Industrial large-scale mining, often undertaken by foreign investors
    2. 11.1.2. Legal and illegal artisanal and small-scale mining by both foreign investors and local communities
    3. 11.1.3. Incidents caused by both industrial large-scale and artisanal and small-scale mining
  2. 1. 11.2.1. Industrial mining, often undertaken by foreign investors: EIA soil standards, permission procedures, CSR, transnational cooperation
    2. 11.2.2. Official artisanal and small-scale mining: same, stronger involvement of traditional leaders
    3. 11.2.3. Illegal mining, mainly in the form of small-scale or artisanal mining
  3. 11.3. Concrete text for legal provisions
12. 1. 1. 12.1.1. Land abandonment
    2. 12.1.2. Changes in land use and agricultural practices
    3. 12.1.3. Pressure on urban infrastructure and environmental impacts
  2. 1. 12.2.1. Preventive measures for soil degradation on abandoned land
    2. 12.2.2. Improving land use and agricultural practices
    3. 12.2.3. Reducing pressure on land in urban areas and environmental impacts
  3. 12.3. Concrete text for legal provisions
13. 1. 1. 13.1.1. Limited access to quality pesticides
    2. 13.1.2. Lack of regulation and oversight
    3. 13.1.3. Lack of ecological alternatives and capacity building
  2. 1. 13.2.1. Improving accessibility to quality pesticides
    2. 13.2.2. Improving regulation and oversight
    3. 13.2.3. Strengthen ecological alternatives and capacity building
  3. 13.3. Concrete text for legal provisions
14. 1. 14.1. Contextualising pastoralism
  2. 14.2. Challenges
  3. 1. 14.3.1. Option 1: reforming existing soil laws to include management of pastoral lands
    2. 14.3.2. Option 2: introducing pastoral land management law
  4. 14.4. Proposed legal text and annotations
15. 1. 15.1. Description of challenges
  2. 15.2. Options for legal governance mechanisms
  3. 15.3. Explanations of different options
  4. 15.4. Management tools for climate adaptation in urban areas
  5. 15.5. Concrete text for legal provisions
16. 1. 1. 16.1.1. Duality of land tenure – statutory/formal and customary
    2. 16.1.2. Costly and complex/cumbersome procedures for establishing formal land titles under statutory law
    3. 16.1.3. “Land-grabbing” and dispossession of local communities
    4. 16.1.4. Traditional leaders
    5. 16.1.5. Wanting inclusive land governance across Africa, giving rise to corruption and land disputes
    6. 16.1.6. Gender discrimination regarding access to land, use, and ownership across Africa
    7. 16.1.7. Inadequate recognition of customary land tenure rights and the eminence of the state as the primary steward of all lands across Africa
    8. 1. 16.1.8.1. Customary land tenure systems
      2. 16.1.8.2. Formal or statutory land tenure systems
      3. 16.1.8.3. Hybrid and informal systems
  2. 16.2. Issuance of more than one title over the same piece of land
  3. 1. 16.3.1. Main focus: Legal mechanisms that safeguard land tenure security to be considered in accordance with each country’s specificity in Africa
    2. 16.3.2. Legal option one: Formal title or freehold land tenure
    3. 16.3.3. Legal option two: Long-term lease under leasehold land tenure
    4. 16.3.4. Legal option three: Formal recognition of customary land tenure, especially in constitutions
  4. 16.4. Additional focus: Non-legal mechanisms to be mentioned or considered as supplementary tools for safeguarding land tenure security by countries/regions in Africa
  5. 1. 16.5.1. Explanation of formal title as an option for safeguarding land tenure security in Africa
    2. 16.5.2. Explanation of long-term lease
    3. 16.5.3. Explanation of formal or legal recognition of customary land tenure
    4. 16.5.4. Other options/mechanisms in response to the challenges of land tenure security
  6. 16.6. Proposed text for legal provisions for safeguarding land tenure security in Africa
17. 1. 1. 17.1.1. Key stakeholders in soil governance in Africa
    2. 17.1.2. Traditional leaders in Africa
    3. 1. 17.1.3.1. Land tenure
      2. 17.1.3.2. Traditional and modern soil governance practices
      3. 17.1.3.3. Soil law implementation in community land
  2. 17.2. Soil law implementation by traditional leaders on community land
  3. 17.3. Challenges facing the implementation of soil law in community lands
  4. 1. 17.4.1. Conflict resolution in implementing soil law
    2. 17.4.2. Advocacy and awareness
    3. 17.4.3. Mismanagement
  5. 17.5. Legal mechanisms to strengthen the enforcement of soil law by traditional leaders
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1. 1. Introduction
2. 1. 2.1. Forms of AI
  2. 2.2. Applications across sectors
  3. 2.3. The moving target
  4. 2.4. Sustainable soil management and governance
  5. 2.5. Digitalisation, power asymmetries, and sustainability risks
  6. 1. 2.6.1. The 2024 OECD Study
    2. 1. 2.6.2.1. Examples at the regional and national level
      2. 2.6.2.2. EU Artificial Intelligence Act (EU AI Act)
      3. 2.6.2.3. China’s regulatory concept
      4. 2.6.2.4. Singapore’s model framework
      5. 2.6.2.5. The USA’s AI Action Plan
      6. 2.6.2.6. The UK’s emerging AI framework
      7. 2.6.2.7. South Korea’s AI Basic Act
      8. 2.6.2.8. Brazil’s emerging AI regulatory framework
      9. 2.6.2.9. Russia’s experimental approach to AI governance
    3. 2.6.3. The international level
3. 1. 3.1. Dependency, surveillance, and exclusion
  2. 3.2. The South African example
4. 4. Latest dynamics and developments
5. 5. Conclusion: governing AI and digitalisation for sustainable soils
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1. 1. Introduction
2. 1. 1. 2.1.1. Soil governance and soil health
    2. 2.1.2. AI and other digital tools
    3. 2.1.3. The intersection between soil and digitalisation
  2. 2.2. Critical analysis of the legal and policy framework
  3. 2.3. Contextual factors affecting policy creation, implementation, and enforcement
3. 1. 1. 3.1.1. Soil governance and soil health
    2. 3.1.2. AI and other digital tools
    3. 3.1.3. The intersection between soil and digitalisation
  2. 3.2. Critical analysis of the legal and policy framework
  3. 3.3. Contextual factors affecting policy creation, implementation, and enforcement
4. 1. 1. 4.1.1. Soil governance and soil health
    2. 4.1.2. AI and other digital transformation tools
    3. 4.1.3. Intersection between digitalisation and soil
  2. 4.2. Comparative analysis of norm hierarchy and legal force
  3. 4.3. Comparative analysis of institutional structures and legislative processes
  4. 4.4. Comparative analysis of enforcement and implementation mechanisms
  5. 4.5. Comparative analysis of economic resources
  6. 4.6. Comparative analysis of sociocultural influences on policymaking
5. 1. 1. 5.1.1. Develop a binding continental legal framework
    2. 5.1.2. Integrate and align existing policy instruments
    3. 5.1.3. Establish clear regulatory objectives and technical standards
  2. 1. 5.2.1. Strengthen AU-level legislative and oversight functions
    2. 5.2.2. Enhance coordination between member states and Regional Economic Communities
    3. 5.2.3. Develop a centralised soil data platform
  3. 1. 5.3.1. Define clear implementation procedures and timelines
    2. 5.3.2. Establish monitoring and enforcement mechanisms
  4. 5.4. Develop stable and transparent funding mechanisms
  5. 5.5. Promote digital inclusion through culturally responsive and technologically adaptive frameworks
6. 6. Conclusion
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1. 1. Introduction: soil, justice, and decolonisation
2. 2. International frameworks and the African experience
3. 1. 3.1. Reparations in the context of climate justice
  2. 3.2. Restitution of cultural artefacts
  3. 3.3. Climate neutrality and just transitions
4. 1. 1. 1. 4.1.1.1. Growing political recognition of soil’s importance
      2. 4.1.1.2. Deep cultural ties to land
      3. 4.1.1.3. Community-based knowledge of sustainable practices
    2. 1. 4.1.2.1. Outdated laws and conflicting tenure systems
      2. 4.1.2.2. Fragmented governance responsibilities
      3. 4.1.2.3. Weak or absent soil standards
      4. 4.1.2.4. Inadequate financing and unchecked foreign investments
      5. 4.1.2.5. Exclusion of local communities
  2. 1. 4.2.1. Adopt soil-specific policies and laws
    2. 4.2.2. Enshrine constitutional protections
    3. 4.2.3. Integrate soils into climate and biodiversity law
    4. 4.2.4. Strengthen governance frameworks
    5. 4.2.5. Guarantee public participation
    6. 4.2.6. Harmonise at the regional level
    7. 4.2.7. Link neutrality and justice
5. 5. Conclusion towards a just soil future
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