The rapid growth of the world’s population and recurring global food crises have prompted large-scale cross-border investments in farmland. The primary reason for such dynamics relates to the acute need to develop and establish crop production chains that are able to produce food at the levels necessary to meet global demand. The financial aspects of such transactions is also a key element. Often, companies from capital-rich countries with land and water constraints are at the forefront of such investments. The phenomenon that involves abusive and unjust land acquisitions undertaken in violation of human rights is often referred to as land grabbing. This article defines land grabbing, introduces the socio-economic implications, and highlights some relevant statistics and facts.
What is ‘land grabbing’?
Land grabbing is a term used by international organizations, NGOs, and academia to describe large-scale transnational acquisitions of land below real market value by foreign nations, companies, or individuals for agricultural production.
According to various NGOs, activists, international organizations (e.g., International Land Coalition) such investments generally lack transparency and are undertaken without sufficient prior consultations with local actors.
Land grabbing leads to negative social or environmental impacts and occurs when one or more of the following criteria are met:
Source: (Tirana Declaration, International Land Coalition, 2011)
It is important to mention that it is mainly underdeveloped and developing countries that are subject to land grabbing and thus they become further exploited and robbed of the resources necessary to eradicate poverty. For local small-scale food producers, land represents a source of food, income, and cultural identity. Stripping them of this essential element causes significant economic and emotional damage. Moreover, the population living in the affected areas is often forced to migrate as they lack the tools and support to reclaim the right of ownership of their land.
See also: Land use for better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life
Land grabbing in developing countries – a highway to conflicts
Land grabbing is considered by many to be a factor that gives rise to conflicts and regional migration. Many investors use the acquired/rented land for large-scale projects such as hydropower plants, agro-industrial plantations, or mining operations but they apparently care very little about the local communities.
As a result, local limited resources (e.g., water) are withdrawn from natural ecosystems leaving households and small producers at risk of not being able to meet their needs. Moreover, due to unbalanced power relationships, local stakeholders are frequently limited in their ability to dispute unfair resource distribution or the contracts that limit their property rights.
In Africa, land grabbing is a serious problem that fuels local conflicts. The Deutsche Welle (DW), with reference to the data analyzed by the Rights and Resources Institute, reports that land grabbing is a significant cause of community displacement in Africa (specifically in West, East, and Southern Africa) and a primary driver of legal disputes.
Land grabbing – stats and facts
- It is estimated that the total land area acquired or leased since 2008 ranges between 45 million and 227 million hectares globally
- Land grabbing is most frequent encountered in Africa (over 56.2 million hectares or 4.8% of the continent’s agricultural land), followed by Asia (over 17.7 million hectares) and Latin America (over 7 million hectares)
- Only 30% of the world’s population has a legally registered title to their land. In Africa, for example, only 10% of rural land is registered while the rest is undocumented and informally administered. This fact makes land grabbing easier
- Land acquisition prices usually start from a few euros per hectare and reach up to 100 euros per hectare in some cases. Rental agreements, on the other hand, cover periods from 25 to 99 years with rents ranging from €0.60 to €16 per hectare and per year
- About 10% of agricultural land in Romania (approx. 800,000 hectares of farmland) is owned by investors from the EU and third countries
- Approximatively one million hectares of land in Hungary were acquired in secret deals using capital primarily from the EU member states
- The United States, United Kingdom, and China are the most active transnational investors in land while the Philippines, Gabon, Liberia, and Papua New Guinea are the countries with the largest share of land that has been purchased by foreign investors
Fig.1. Map of transnational land acquisitions
Source: The Graduate Institute Geneva – Land Grabs, Big Business and Large-Scale Damages
The international community recognizes land grabbing as an important issue that requires urgent attention. A key breakthrough moment in the efforts to stop and eradicate this phenomenon has been the inclusion of the human rights element in land governance.
Thus, Article 11 of the UN International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights together with Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights obliges countries to recognize the right of each individual and their families to adequate and safe food which is directly linked to the access to land.
At the European level, a recent resolution expressly asked EU companies concerned with land acquisitions in sub-Saharan Africa to include efficient environment protection measures and safeguards against land grabbing.
Land grabbing is a serious problem largely affecting underdeveloped and developing countries. Small-scale farmers and individual households lacking legal ownership titles to their land are especially prone to being subject to this damaging phenomenon. It leads to conflicts and regional migration, aggravates ongoing socio-economic problems, and hampers development efforts to eradicate poverty.
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