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Since coming to power in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) has been implementing a land reform programme, which includes land tenure reform, land restitution and land redistribution. The Department of Agriculture however, has no methodology for supporting land reform groups in the process of developing and implementing land management plans. To address this FARM-Africa has developed and piloted a participatory land use planning methodology with eight land reform groups: this paper describes the experiences of implementing this new approach with these groups, many of whom had little experience of farming. With the help of diagrams and examples it runs through the steps of developing a participatory land use plan which are: identifying project stakeholders; understanding the situation; sharing and making use of the information; training the planning sub-committee and approving the plan, and implementing the management plan. Finally it concludes that the participatory process offers the chance to learn new skills, to understand the institutional and organisational environment and to improve day-to-day effectiveness. Access to agricultural knowledge is important but must be inclusive, and importantly this planning method should be initiated much earlier the land reform process.

As part of the special 50th edition of PLA Notes, this article highlights key lessons from experiences on livelihoods and natural resources. The three key themes identified are: participatory learning and action for local adaptive management of natural resources rooted in indigenous and local knowledge and skills; bureaucracies and organisations ought to challenge themselves and become learning-oriented organisations; and that facilitating and encouraging individual and collective learning for inclusive and equitable participation in natural resource management requires action at various levels (local, national and international). The article also provides short information about a couple of case studies, such as fishing associations and the co-management of freshwater ecosystems in Sweden, an example from the Solomon Islands and community integrated pest management in Indonesia. The article then focuses in on learning by doing, creating inclusive platforms and the shift from participation to transformation. Exploring the challenge of social learning for local adaptive management, the author looks at transforming knowledge and ways of knowing as well as the challenges of institutional reform. The article concludes by looking at the emerging challenges for national resource management and participation in a climate of globalisation, and suggests that bold innovations will be needed to strengthen the voices of the weak in setting research agendas and framing policies, create safe spaces and participatory processes that can scrutinize corporations and æexpertÆ knowledge, and support the emergence of transnational communities of inquiry and coalitions for change.