Large-scale land acquisitions have increased in scale and pace due to changes in commodity markets, agricultural investment strategies, land prices, and a range of other policy and market forces. The areas most affected are the global “commons” – lands that local people traditionally use collectively — including much of the world’s forests, wetlands, and rangelands. In some cases land acquisition occurs with environmental objectives in sight – including the setting aside of land as protected areas for biodiversity conservation.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and supply agreements in the agricultural sector have a
significant role to play to promote agricultural climate change mitigation and decrease
pressure on the earth’s land and climate. Private sector engagement can also promote food
security and positively affect the livelihoods of smallholder agricultural producers in
developing countries. Based on a comprehensive literature survey and 15 interviews with key
organizations, companies and financiers or lenders, this report investigates: current private

Malawi has experienced a forward shift in its demand for Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) consumption. Given limited resources at farmers' disposal, meeting the growing demand will require farmers to follow the efficient path of the farm production resources. This paper, therefore, is an attempt to measure the cost efficiency of smallholder Irish potato farmers in Dedza district of Malawi using a translog cost function, inefficiency effect model and input elasticities derived from a system of cost share equations estimated by Iterated Seeming Unrelated Regression method.

Shallow groundwater irrigation (SGI) using hand-dug shallow wells and dugouts is expanding, in the WVB, and is becoming attractive to farmers throughout. SGI is farmer-driven and has

developed without any government or donor involvement. The production of vegetables and cash

crops during the dry season utilizing SGI has provided farmers with a supplemental source of

income and an alternative to seasonal urban migration. Although SGI has been increasing

substantially, the extent of this practice is not documented.This project has help assess, the