This research sheds light on the various roles played by French local governments in the management of agricultural land. It draws upon a database of 84 initiatives documented on a web platform established since 2020 by the French research institute INRAE and the grassroots movement for access to land Terre de Liens. These initiatives involve local governments and aim to protect farmland and support farming, in particular through generational renewal of farmers. Their description is based on feedback from local actors and research studies. This database reveals the diversity of agricultural land actions taken by local governments, presenting a range of solutions and operational approaches related to land-use planning, land market regulation, mobilization of public land, and facilitating local land relations. It allows us to identify obstacles and drivers to local governments' action on land and to draw generic lessons to support local governments in formulating tailored land strategies, engaging with relevant stakeholders, and better aligning the timelines of public policies with those of farmers. Notable differences are observed between initiatives in rural vs. peri-urban areas, and in plain vs. mountainous regions.