This guide reflects the increasing recognition that access to land isfrequently critical if vulnerable households are to enjoy sustainable rurallivelihoods. Secure access to land, whether through formal, informal,customary or other means, is necessary for rural households to enjoysustainable livelihoods, and is an important part of sustainabledevelopment. As this guide illustrates, what constitutes secure access isrelative and the attributes of security will change from context to context.Land tenure problems are often an important contributor to foodinsecurity, to restricted livelihood opportunities, and therefore to poverty.Secure access to land should thus be considered when designing solutionsto specific rural development or food insecurity situations. This requiresrecognizing and tackling land tenure related problems even in the earlieststages of a rural development project.