Since ceasefire agreements were signed between the Burmese military government and ethnic political groups in the Burma–China borderlands in the early 1990s, violent waves of counterinsurgency development have replaced warfare to target politically-suspect, resource-rich, ethnic populated borderlands. The Burmese regime allocates land concessions in ceasefire zones as an explicit postwar military strategy to govern land and populations to produce regulated, legible, militarized territory.

ABSTRACTED FROM INTRODUCTION: Women’s access to and control over land can potentially lead to gender equality alongside addressing material deprivation. Land is not just a productive asset and a source of material wealth, but equally a source of security, status and recognition. Substantive gender equality is both relational and multi-dimensional, cutting across race, class, caste, age, educational and locational hierarchies and can only be achieved if rights are seen as socially legitimate.

In terms of innovative mechanisms, economic and financial mechanisms that rely on regulationand markets to provide incentives for environmental stewardship are also relevant. These mechanisms include different types of regulations and direct or indirect payments schemes, for example tradable development rights, trading of emission reduction and payment for environmental services.
Investment based mechanisms, like microfinance, are other types of mechanism that can provide financing for UNCCD and SLM practises.

In terms of innovative mechanisms, economic and financial mechanisms that rely on regulationand markets to provide incentives for environmental stewardship are also relevant. These mechanisms include different types of regulations and direct or indirect payments schemes, for example tradable development rights, trading of emission reduction and payment for environmental services.
Investment based mechanisms, like microfinance, are other types of mechanism that can provide financing for UNCCD and SLM practises.

What has been the reaction of the rural producers and other land holders over these demands and actual land acquisitions? What does their reactions means in relation to ongoing land grabbing? While these questions are important this study was motivated by two major concerns.

This study sought to follow up the implementation of the Kilimo Kwanza initiative with the view to establish reliable facts on its significance to small-scale producers, mainly peasants and pastoralists. To achieve this, the study began by examining the perception of small-scale producers about Kilimo Kwanza and it assessed their participation in the implementation process. Moreover, the study scrutinized the proposed amendment of the Village Land Act and its implication to small-scale produces if carried out.

Increasing investments in biofuel production follow a shift of energy demand,in developed nations from fossil fuel to bio energyto run machines. Consequently, there has is an accelerated influx of investors from the Europe, Asia and Americain quest for productive and fertile lands.

Proponents of the biofuel investments say the investment will improve among other things, agricultural production, add value to local products and markets and improve social services such as roads infrastructure, health facilities, clean water supply and education.

Tanzania has always been a country in the spotlight over cases of land grabbing for various uses. Over the recent past there has been a lot of information in both print and electronic media of land being taken for various investment purposes. Little is known to the public of the deals the government is entering with these foreign investment companies that are eyeing Tanzania as a destination in agricultural investment. Investment in agricultural land has been a key driving force in Tanzania as a rush now has intensified in which agricultural land is being taken for various uses.

This short briefing provides information for investors and lenders on the importance to develop a due diligence ‘risk framework’ to identify, mitigate and prevent the adverse impacts of their investment decisions. It provides links to additional resources on the topic.

This guide has three individual booklets which together provide: concrete step-by-step guidance on how communities can lead their own research to determine their own development priorities, and respond to unwanted development projects; practical tips, tools, and activities on conducting community-led research; and inspiring stories from experienced community organizers around the world who have used community-led research to redefine development processes.

Includes land acquisition: trends and drivers; experiences on the ground – South Sudan, Uganda, Indonesia, Honduras, Guatemala; what is failing at the national level?; what is failing at the international level?; growing justice – recommendations. Asserts that 227 million hectares have been sold or leased in developing countries since 2001, mostly over the past two years.

Includes summary; global land resources and projections for the future; soils and soil policies; ecosystems’ services; biofuels and impacts on land use; biofuel production and land use in Brazil; land and national self-sufficiency; land use and increasing production; overseas land investments (often called ‘land grabbing’); land rights and ownership – the Rwandan example; international voluntary guidelines for land investment; conclusion.