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Large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural investment: Trends and issues

Large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural investment: Trends and issues. Lorenzo Cotula Senior Researcher – Law and Sustainable Development International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). Setting the scene. Spate of media reports worldwide

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Large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural investment: Trends and issues

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  1. Large-scale land acquisitions for agricultural investment: Trends and issues Lorenzo Cotula Senior Researcher – Law and Sustainable Development International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)

  2. Setting the scene • Spate of media reports worldwide • Little systematic empirical data • FAO/IFAD/IIED study; IIED involvement in World Bank-led study • Trends and drivers, land tenure arrangements, land access impacts – focusing on sub-Saharan Africa • Ongoing literature review, qualitative interviews, systematic inventories in 6 countries

  3. Outline • Trends and drivers • Can local people benefit?

  4. Trends and drivers • Can local people benefit?

  5. A fast evolving context: Investment flows to sub-Saharan Africa • Major increase since 2000 • Driven by commodity demand, esp extractives, and policy reform • Highly uneven distribution • Likely to slow with economic downturn • But, longer term, stuctural factors likely to stay Source: UNCTAD

  6. Growing agricultural investment – agrifood • Long term projections re: global food demand; food price hikes 2008, concerns about food security • Land acquisitions in Africa, South East Asia, Central Asia as policy and market reaction • Some governments promote acquisitions overseas - food importing, official reserves (oil, trade) • Gulf states in Sudan – geographical and cultural proximity • Private investors (agribusiness, finance) - expect significant returns and/or land value increases • Lonrho deals; Jarch Capital deal; private fund activity in parts of Africa • Why Africa? Investors: “Inexpensive land”, “favourable climates”, “labour available”

  7. Other driving forces – biofuels, carbon markets • Government targets, oil prices (though decline after summer 2008) • Lack of systematic data but significant investments in Africa • Mozambique: 16 biofuels projects > 1000 ha, 2.18 m ha total, $3 bn investment (Nhantumbo and Salomao, forthcoming) Source: IEA 2006 • Carbon markets: voluntary markets, REDD negotiations?

  8. Trends and drivers • Can local people benefit?

  9. Polarised debates; assess risks & opportunities, develop ways to maximise local voice and benefit • Major risks: asset loss, food insecurity, marginalisation... • But also opportunities: harnessing capital, know-how, market access... • Terms and conditions key – What business models? What benefit sharing? Who decides and how? • Not just investor-state deal, triangle with local resource users (decisions, benefits)

  10. Population density (UNEP, 2004) Security of local land rights • “Africa has most of the underutilised fertile land in the world” (private fund manager); but population pressures, need for data on land availability • Secure rights key to minimise arbitrary dispossession and maximise local benefit • Local land rights may be undermined by inadequate recognition, major power asymmetries... • Need to step up efforts to secure local land rights and support local people get a better deal • Recognition of local rights, accessible recording, legal literacy training, support in negotiations...

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