This ongoing phenomenon of land acquisitions - labelled as “new” due to the incredible rapidity at which these transactions are happening compared to the previous long term trend – has been raised with an increasing concern by several ILC Members over the past year.
Many single reports and case studies have been produced, highlighting stories of local communities of land-users facing (not only) external and powerful competition over the land and natural resources out of which they live. From reported forced evictions and killings of black Colombian communities occupying suitable land for palm oil plantations, to small African farmers neither consulted nor included in agrofuels production projects to be implemented over the land they were using – and thus left without any compensation – in many African countries, the overall picture seems to be clear, too many structural and conjunctural drivers are putting a commercial interest over land, attracting many private investors and thus creating a threatening political and economic asymmetry.
Along with these somehow isolated reports, the main source for information enabling the international community to initially capture the extent and the nature of the phenomenon, have been press reports investigating several cases worldwide. The great attention that international media dedicated to the ongoing situation has been of great importance, but often provided unreliable and unverifiable information. In this regard the case of Madagascar – probably the most single quoted one – where according to the media a 1,3 million hectares deal had already been signed, is emblematic in showing how a true analysis cannot be based on these sources.
Therefore, though crucial, a number of key questions remain unanswered such as: Who is acquiring the land? For what purposes is the land being demanded? Through which mechanisms and contractual arrangements is this happening? What was that land used for before the investors came? To what extent local land users are included in the transactions and get a fair benefit from them? What are economic, political, environmental and social risks connected to these transactions and land-use changes? What are the conditions to which these risks could eventually turn into opportunities for local communities?
The Collaborative Research Project…
The research the International Land Coalition has started facilitating in early 2009 seeks to provide an answer to these questions through a collaborative effort involving all ILC Members and close partners actively working on this issue.
By building on existing and ongoing studies carried out by members as the World Bank, IFAD and FAO, and by integrating them with specific and geographically targeted field studies, is intended to provide a global overview of the current massive wave of large scale land acquisitions, to investigate and analyze trends and underlying mechanisms enabling such a global phenomenon, and to enable an evidence based reflection on possible solutions – including the possibility of having a code of conduct for this kind of commercial large – scale investments, and the potential opportunities for those poor and vulnerable land users that have so far been considered just as victims, rather than potential beneficiaries of this renewed commercial interest in land and natural resources.
…and the Scoping Study
In order to frame the issue and to identify the better way to undertake the actual research phase, a Scoping Study has been commissioned to ILC member AGTER.
Who is involved?
Building on ILC’s added value of being a coalition bringing together a wide set of organizations with different perspectives and fields of expertise, the chosen methodology for the project is to enhance synergies and add value to M&P work and thus to keep the doors open for potential partners who might bring in a specific expertise and angle.
This have being said, a core Advisory Group of 24 organizations has been set up trying to reflect a regional and a focus balance.
The AG has provided guidance in identifying key areas for investigation and will be involved (with different tasks depending on member’s involvement) throughout the whole research process.
