The endorsement of voluntary guidelines to improve the way countries govern access rights to land, fisheries and forest resources by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)...marks a historic milestone...for the way in which land tenure is managed...Responsible governance of tenure enables sustainable social, economic and environmental development that can help eradicate food insecurity and poverty, and encourages responsible investment...The guidelines cover a wide range of issues, including promoting equal rights for women in securing access to land, creating transparent record-keeping systems that are accessible to the rural poor, and helping with recognising and protecting informal and customary rights to land, forests and fisheries. They provide a framework that governments can use when developing their own policies and give investors and developers clear indications of what constitutes acceptable practice.