Bachelor course in economics, neg 300 abstract the phenomenon of large scale land acquisition has increased in recent years. Although temperate regions and higher latitude zones may get benefits of agricultural productivity. The discovery of the cleared land brought the realization that the battle against land grabbing and community disempowerment was no longer just happening in other countries but also in ghana. Jun 24, 20 land concentration, land grabbing and peoples struggles in europe. The intensity of the land grab in countries with weak property rights especially an absence of land rights. Land grab in africa threatens food security voice of. This article explores the impact of land grabbing in ethiopia and examines the human rights and sustainable development frameworks within which land grabbing takes place. Others are more cautious, speaking of largescale land acquisitions, while the world bank notes euphemistically the rising global interest in farmland. What do we know about the chinese land grab in africa. Emerging land system drivers in a teleconnected world find. A growing population has led to agriculture growing as an even bigger business. The debate over large scale land investments in africa is shifting its focus away from the disastrous impact of land grabs on the social fabric of the communities to the need for african governments to deal with citizens outrage over land expropriation by developing a land policy. For local people in sub saharan africa, large land investment projects currently imply many.
Afriforum lays charges against malema for land grab comments. The report commissioned by an organisation that represents the european renewable ethanol industry comes as eu lawmakers discuss new biofuel legislation that could curb support to the sector. International investors have recently shown a fast growing interest in land in developing countries. Huge farming acreages ploughed by machinery dont work in arid climates like much of the sahel region of africa where a lot of this land grabbing takes place.
Check out any of the continents in the world and find the latitude and longitude of the center of each continent. To address this issue, the first africa conference on land grabs is set to take place in south africa on 2730 oct. Far from being a technical issue associated good governance, the problem of land grabbing by transnational corporation and states is a serious threat for the food security of millions of africans and is undoubtedly one of the great challenges of our. Read more afriforum lays charges against malema for land grab. Land grabbing is c learly linked to the longterm insecurity of land rights in africa indeed this is the pri me reason that many deals have been abl e to go ahead in the first place, without. Land grabbing in africa and the new politics of food. How land grabs hurt africa rights and resources initiative. The first detailed study of large scale land acquisitions in africa analyses the modalities and likely impacts.
South africa sets date for white farmers land grab. Oct 12, 2014 as the international community joins hands to stop the threat of the ebola virus, bahati jacques of africa faith and justice network, a catholic advocacy organization based in washington dc, would like to also shine some light, stop and prevent another serious and rapidly growing threat to africas future. The outcome of a collaboration between iied, fao and ifad, the report discusses key trends and drivers in land acquisitions, the contractual arrangements underpinning them and the way these are negotiated, and the early impacts on land access for rural people in recipient countries. Displacement and dispossession through land grabbing in. The article argues that a human rights approach is fundamental to reconcile the sustainable development imperatives of economic development and environmental protection in the. Preventing landgrabbing in africa africa faith and. World bank fuels land grabs in africa through shadowy. We use the term green grabbing in our special issue to examine instances where environmental agendas are the core drivers of the land deals whether through biodiversity conservation, biocarbon sequestration, protection of ecosystem services, offsets etc. Biofuel africa hoped to develop the largest jatropha plantation in the world in ghana. Pdf on jan 1, 2010, cecilie friis and others published land grab in africa. Since 2009, the land matrix, a joint independent landmonitoring initiative of civil society, intergovernmental organizations and research institutes, has collected key information regarding land grabbing. Displacement and dispossession through land grabbing in mozambique.
Land grabbing is the contentious issue of largescale land acquisitions. The international aid agency oxfam warns that more than 60 percent of investments in agricultural land by foreign investors between 2000 and 2010 were in countries where food security was a major. Jul 05, 2012 in the 1970s the world was coming to an end. Research in ethiopia, ghana, mali, mozambique, senegal and tanzania indicate that land grabbing is currently a big challenge for african countries because of. But is land grabbing over, in mozambique and across africa and the rest of the developing world. The subject of transnational land acquisitions, infamously referred to as land grabbing, has increasingly become an important policy concern in africa. In the recent years we see the fast growing phenomena of land grabbing across the world. An article on the history of land grabbing in south africa. Preventing landgrabbing in af rica as the international community joins hands to stop the threat of the ebola virus, bahati jacques of africa faith and justice network, a catholic advocacy organization based in washington dc, would like to also shine some light, stop and prevent another serious and rapidly growing threat to africa s future. Powerful actors will attempt to maintain patrimonial control by developing creative counterstrategies to change.
There will always be a demand for food, and this has led to the rich and big businesses taking control of rural communities. The land grab in the twothirds world violates both of these principles. The problem of land grabbing in contemporary kenya jacqueline m. A literature search on china grabbing land in africa. While used broadly throughout history, land grabbing as used in the 21st century primarily refers to largescale land acquisitions following the 200708 world food price crisis. For at least 2,000 pastoralists the projects would spell doom. Since 2008, an insidious and dangerous global process has been implemented to access africas arable land and take control of. Since 2009, the land matrix, a joint independent land monitoring initiative of civil society, intergovernmental organizations and research institutes, has collected key information regarding land grabbing. By all accounts, land grabbing is intensifying and spreading, especially in rural africa. It was established in 1939 and has been renovated in 1979. The hidden aspects of water grabbing do not just make it a very slippery terrain, but also imply that largescale land acquisitions all around africa actually can be understood as water grabbing. Land grabbing in ethiopia welfare or farewell is it a story painted in black and white.
By some estimates, nearly 35 million hectares of land in 66 countries have been purchased by foreign investors since 2006. The investors had not acted on their promise to create jobs for youth and help grow the city of. Lines of longitude are often referred to as meridians. Click here to view pdf document for land grabbing in africa. Food sovereignty is a concept developed by via campesina in 1996 as an alternative to neoliberal policies and the industrial model of production. It signifies the right of peoples, nations, or unions of nations to define their agricultural and food policies without outside. Hunger, food security, and the african land grab ethics.
Guidelines for sustainable largescale land deals in africa fao. The scale and impact of land grabbing for agrofuels. The collection of cases cover nearly 35 million hectares of land in 66 countries, providing a stark snapshot of how agribusiness is expanding across the globe and how it is taking food production out of the hands of farmers and local communities. Land reform, implementation, land information system, cadastre, sustainable. The worlds population will likely reach nine billion by 2050, and africa could help feed it.
Land grab without compensation could affect all in sa legal expert fin24. Famines in bangladesh, the sahel and ethiopia seemed to prove malthus finally right. Land grabbing in africa, the new colonialism this is africa. Land grabbing in af rica and the new politics of food introduction africa is for sale is how some characterise it. Help spread information on the new scramble for africa. France land grabbing, artificialisation and concentration in france. Land grabbing is the term used to describe the acquisition leasing or purchasing of arable lands in developing countries by other countries or public or private companies aiming at food security in their home countries, fuel supplies or as investment. Stop africa land grab the global movement to rollback. In africa, asia and latin america million of hectares of land has been taking over by developed countries through their multinational agribusiness. Jan 28, 2015 the debate over large scale land investments in africa is shifting its focus away from the disastrous impact of land grabs on the social fabric of the communities to the need for african governments to deal with citizens outrage over land expropriation by developing a land policy. Pdf we look at the issue of land grabbing by china based on the existing literature.
Our commitment to tackling poverty and empowering communities continues. Ultimately, this note concludes that, even in the context of. Feb 23, 2012 grain launches a new data set documenting 416 recent, largescale land grabs by foreign investors for the production of food crops. Water droughts in midtolow latitudes and disappearance of glaciers. In this part, we will outline the motivations and key players driving these investments. In spite of the existing yield gaps, press releases about land grabs, especially chinese land acquisitions in africa, have boomed recently, especially since the sharp increase in international. You can also measure the flight distance between continents, or look up the change in time zone from one continent to another. Specific home and hostcountry policies, cheap land, the lack of a legal infrastructure, investment opportunities and the promise of quick profit returns are the driving factors behind land acquisitions throughout africa, argues nikolaj nielsen in this weeks pambazuka news. Obtaining water resources is usually critical to the land acquisitions, so it has also led to an associated trend of water. Land grabs in africa the issue over the last decade, the amount of land purchased by foreign investors in developing countries has increased dramatically. In its introductory part the report puts these case studies in the context of land grabbing.
Land grabbing in indonesia land grabbing in indonesia. Tshwanes mayor has said the eff is behind informal settlements on land earmarked by the city for developing housing for the poor. Africa s land problem, and the implementation of south africa s land reform program. Since 2000, foreign governments and corporations have bought or leased over 56 million hectares in africa, an area almost the size of kenya. Land is central to boost productivity, alleviate poverty and eradicate hunger, and everyone is looking for solutions to the current problems hindering agricultural growth on the continent. The term land grabbing is defined as very largescale land acquisitions, either buying or leasing. Largescale land acquisitions are widespread in africa. A definition of land grabbing is suggested along with the reasons for the recent surge in land grabbing due to. It is way past the time for civil society to make this a major priority. In the more heavily forested places periodic rotation of crops is needed to prevent soil degradation. Land grabbing in africa and the new politics of food introduction africa is for sale is how some characterise it. Development aid for land reform,overseas development institute, 2000, p 1. Land grabbing or the farms race in africa has been described as a new neo colonial push by foreign companies and gover nm ents to annex ke y natural resour ces.
Over the last decade, foodimporting nations and private companies have purchased land in poorer states, including in africa. The investors had not acted on their promise to create jobs for youth and help grow the city of more than 4 million, he said. Land in south africa has always been a bone of contention. Primary and secondary data on land acquisitions in africa is scarce and often of limited reliability. Modern land grabs in africa cons, country, life, speak. Today marks the payout on maturity to shareholders for the bbbee scheme that is committed to transforming south africa.
In the 2000s, africa became a grabbers hotspot, following global concerns over food security and fuel supplies. Population growth was outstripping food supplies, food prices. A report issued jointly by the groups polaris and the oakland institute entitled land grab leaves africa thirsty, warns that if all the 40 million hectares of land that were acquired on the continent in 2009 come under cultivation, a staggering volume of water would be required for irrigation. The future of africa hangs in the balance and as africa goes so too goes the rest of the world. For example, it shows that almost nine percent of africa s total area of arable land has changed owners since 2000. Alluding to assessments that south africa was doing what zimbabwe did before its land grab crisis and subsequent economic crash, ramaphosa said that south africa has learnt from the experiences of other countries, and will not make the same mistakes that other countries have made. Online public database on land deals the land matrix is a global and independent land monitoring initiative that promotes transparency and accountability in decisions over land investments. Nov 05, 2015 in spite of the existing yield gaps, press releases about land grabs, especially chinese land acquisitions in africa, have boomed recently, especially since the sharp increase in international. When the dutch arrived in the cape in the 1650s the acquisition of land began. Africa latitude and longitude and relative locations.
Climate change and land grabbing in africa environmental law. Rapidly increasing demand for palm oil for food and agrofuels is currently leading to a new wave of largescale planting in africa. Rising global interest in farmland world bank group. Africa land grab recent articles and reports on african.
This book provides a critical appraisal of the growing phenomenon of land grabbing in af rica. Major challenges to food production competing for land use after more than 2 decades oxfams school program has closed. The pros and cons of largescale land purchases by foreign. Expropriation of land without compensation will not only affect farmers or those in rural areas, but could snowball into a situation that touches all south africans, says an industry insider. This pdf is made available under a creative commons. Apr 23, 2018 in fact farming is now returning to smaller farms with more organic methods. Land grabbing and human rights transnational institute. For example, it shows that almost nine percent of africas total area of arable land has changed owners since 2000.
Africa is a particular focus for this investment explosion because of the perception that there is plenty of cheap land and labour available, as well as a favourable climate, mr. South africa sets date for white farmers land grab months after announcing test case to see if expropriation without compensation is legal national assembly voted in favour of the set up of. Land, with its available water potential, was acquired by a wide range. Is land policy the solution to land grab in africa. Oct 16, 20 a new report by dutch consultancy firm ecofys claims that european demand for biofuels is not to blame for land grabbing in poorer countries. The study highlights the possible opportunities investments, rising agricultural productivity and rural incomes, if things are managed well and warns about the risks uncompensated loss of land rights for the rural poor if contracts are not properly negotiated and enforced. Rising demand in china and west sparks african land grab this article is more than 10 years old major economic powers buying and renting farmland in. Land concentration, land grabbing and peoples struggles in. Preventing landgrabbing in africa africa faith and justice. Land grabbing in kenya and mozambique fian international.
Africa, climate since 2008, civil society groups and transnational networks have drawn attention to one discrete source of conflict that is on the rise in the wake of resource scarcity. Nevertheless a picture is emerging of largescale land acquisitions in africa. The dam is situated in the loskop dam nature reserve and it serves mainly for irrigation purposes. Klopp political liberalization in africa is a more problematic process than earlier thought.
Apr 12, 20 land grabbing in africa published on apr 12, 20 four ugandan schoolboys wrote essays about the effects of land grabbing on the lives of their families and community as part of the annual e. Many other studies have also observed that land acquisition in africa could be more for speculation and as a store of wealth than as a productive asset that will enhance the food security of africa and the wellbeing of its people. This website is an open tool for collecting and visualising information about largescale land acquisitions at global, regional and national level. Introduction to the collection of studies saturnino borras jr. Such loss does not necessarily imply the loss of land rights especially under. The role of eu actors abroad the impacts of land grabbing on human rights the most frequent and immediate impact of land deals is the loss of access to and control over land and land related resources by local communities. While it is true for most indigenous communities that deprivation and violation of their right to land is not a new phenomenon, it is also true that the more recent land grabbing phenomenon has a particularly rapid and negative impact on indigenous peoples rights. Can you give us some examples of how this plays out. The purpose is to provide a platform where one can find recent articles and reports on african land grab. Now that crop and food prices have returned to their usual punishingly low levels, is the pressure off from foreign buyers looking to acquire large tracts of agricultural lands. Land grabbing, sustainable development and human rights. The limits of international and national legal instruments.
Lines of latitude are often referred to as parallels. Grain grain releases data set with over 400 global land grabs. In spring, the iied, the fao and ifad drew attention to the phenomenon of largescale realestate purchases. Land grabs in africa a threat to food security 3 target burkina faso, ethiopia, ghana, guinea, malawi, mali, niger, and senegal and most have made signifi cant progress towards it.
Yield gaps and relative land availability for subsaharan africa. Climate change and land grabbing in africa environmental. Jan 26, 2016 this phenomenon is called land grabbing, the new form of colonization of developing countries many of which in africa has reached new heights in recent history due to corrupt governments who dont have their peoples interests in mind. The silent recolonisation of africa is happening on a mass scale. In our essay, two of the studys authors bemoan that international media coverage has since emphasised the risks involved without much regard for opportunities. Aca demic attention to land grabbing, the vernacular. Land grab without compensation could affect all in sa. What effect does land grabbing have on local people. Land grabbing and food sovereignty in west and central africa. Land is the source of life and death, but it might not always be with us. A critical analysis of the land reform programme in zimbabwe.