This publication serves as an introduction to a collection of articles published in the African Studies Review. It discusses the implications of as well as the question through what actors, processes, and relationships land deals become stalled or partially implemented. The reviewed articles draw on long-term, in-depth ethnographic research of land deals in Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. 

After more than ten years of hectic debates on international ‘land grabs’, academic interest in collapsed land deals or projects with unexpected results is growing. According to the Land Matrix, Tanzania is one of the target countries for such deals, with a number ‘abandoned’ or delayed and projects whose status is unknown. Labelling land deals as ‘failed’ poses conceptual and methodological challenges as long as the criteria for ‘failure’ are undefined.

War and Theft: The Takeover of Ukraine’s Agricultural Land, exposes the financial interests and the dynamics at play leading to further concentration of land and finance.

Laos plans to graduate from least developed country status by 2024. To spur economic growth,
the Lao government builds on a resource-based export economy, major mining projects, the
constructions of dams, and the expansion of plantation agriculture. A key focus is the promotion
of foreign direct investment in agriculture and forestry, to promote technology transfer for

ສປປ ລາວ ມີແຜນຈະຫ ຼຸດພ ົ້ນອອກຈາກການເປັນປະເທດດ້ອຍພັດທະນາໃນປີ2024.ເພ ື່ອກະຕ ້ນການເຕີບໂຕທາງດ້ານເສດຖະກິດ, ລັດຖະບານລາວໄດ້ເລັົ່ງໃສ່ເສດຖະກິດ ສ ົ່ງອອກທີື່ອີງໃສ່ຊັບພະຍາກອນທໍາມະຊາດ, ເຊັົ່ນ: ໂຄງການບ ໍ່ແຮ່ຂະຫນາດໃຫຍ່, ການ ກ ໍ່ສ້າງເຂ ື່ອນໄຟຟ້າພະລັງນໍ້າ ແລະ ການຂະຫຍາຍການປູກພ ດກະສິກໍາ. ຈ ດສ ມຫ ັກ
ແມ່ນສ ົ່ງເສີມການລ ງທຶນໂດຍກ ງຈາກຕ່າງປະເທດ ເຂ ົ້າໃນຂະແຫນງກະສິກໍາ ແລະ ປ່າໄມ້, ເພ ື່ອສ ົ່ງເສີມການຖ່າຍທອດທາງດ້ານເຕັກໂນໂລຢີສໍາລັບຂະແຫນງກະສິກໍາທີື່ມີ ການຂະຫຍາຍຕ ວຢ່າງກວ້າງຂວາງໃນປັດຈ ບັນ, ຊຶື່ງເກີດມີການຈ້າງງານ ແລະ ສ້າງ

Un rapport de RFUK révèle l'étendue et l'impact croissants du développement des infrastructures de transport et d'énergie dans le bassin du Congo - qui est en passe de devenir un moteur majeur de la déforestation dans la deuxième plus grande forêt tropicale du monde.

This State of Land Information (SOLI) report is an analysis of the current state of land data in Malawi, assessing the availability of land information and the compliance of this information with open data standards. 

A large share of the world's rural population depends on using land to feed themselves. Commercial agriculture and forestry investments are placing growing pressure on land as a resource. Especially when state capacities to steer and monitor land-based investments are low, this can lead to increasing pressure on natural resources, land-use conflicts and in the worst cases to forced expropriation and displacement. These factors can have a negative impact on livelihood and food security in rural areas, particularly when land rights are insecure.

The Land Portal Foundation's 2022 Annual Report highlights the critical role of accessible land information and data in securing land rights and promoting social justice. The report highlights the growing recognition of the linkages between land tenure, climate change, food security, urban development and land degradation. The Foundation's co-launch of the Land Module Indicator with the Global Data Barometer in May was an important step toward creating a more open and democratic information ecosystem globally.

This manual aims to provide practical guidance to Government staff at central and local level in promoting,facilitating and regulating responsible land-based investments and is meant to be used along with the Introductory Guide for Communities, Governments and Investors. It has been written for all three RGIL countries,hoping that it will also be useful for other countries.

The establishment and development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) are a central part of the Thai government’s strategy to expand infrastructure and attract foreign investment. These areas have been designated for development pursuant to special legal and regulatory frameworks. SEZs can play a useful role in a country’s economic development strategy. However, in many instances, their establishment results in the dilution of legal protections for human rights and the environment.

Mapping out and assessing the economic performance of SEZs across the subregion, the publication highlights the threats they face from digital technologies, rising competition for foreign investment and international trade standoffs. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, it details a range of practical steps designed to increase trade, create jobs, and build economic resilience across the three countries.