This paper provides an overview of the supply chains and flows that run from the mines of northern Mozambique and Malawi, to the international trade hubs of Sri Lanka and Thailand. Analysis of the political and economic environment in which mining and trading take place gives a contextual understanding of gemstone flows both within and out of the region as well as the various actors involved.

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Le foncier est une question à la fois stratégique et centrale dans les processus de développement, et pour cause : la terre avec ses immenses ressources qu’elle englobe, est le premier intrant de la production. A ce titre, elle permet de répondre aux enjeux multiples qui ont pour noms : sécurité alimentaire, emploi agricole surtout pour les jeunes, exportation, etc.

C’est pourquoi la Commission de l’UEMOA s’est très tôt intéressée au foncier dans tous ses aspects, car étant une des questions au cœur du processus d’intégration communautaire.

This proceeding documents the process and outcome of the first Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue (MSD) Forum on Responsible Governance of Investment in Land (RGIL) aimed at ensuring investment in land in Ethiopia are productive, contribute to sustainable land management and respects the rights and needs of local populations in particular vulnerable groups and women.

This report assesses the costs and effectiveness of responsible investment practices in emerging market contexts. Its results make the business case for investments in social risk mitigation and avoidance practices. Such practices include community engagement efforts, impact assessments and the establishment of grievance resolution mechanisms. Implemented correctly, responsible investment practices engender confidence and trust between investors and local communities, which secures social buy-in and mitigates the financial risks associated with disputes.

The Summary Report of the 3rd Mekong Regional Land Forum provides a comprehensive review of the key messages from the event including a synthesis of keynote speeches, key take-aways, the links to all presentations and additional documentation.

Investment in agriculture is essential for sustainable development, in particular for achieving food security, adequate nutrition, decent employment, poverty reduction and environmental protection. In seeking to attract agricultural investment, many governments and local communities have entered into Agricultural Land Investment Contracts (ALIC).

This document focuses on how government officials can improve the governance and practice of responsible land-based investment by building stronger political support.

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. 

For the estimated 70% of the world population that lives on property without a formal land title, life can be precarious. The absence of ownership documentation raises families’ vulnerability to forced eviction and conflict; it precludes the use of the property to access financial services and other economic benefits; and it diminishes the value of property by restricting its transfer to an informal, opaque market. And yet, in many parts of the world, the process of obtaining a land title is not only expensive but also complicated and sometimes nearly impossible.

Land acquisitions are transforming land-use systems globally, and their characteristics and impacts on human well-being have been extensively analysed through local case studies and regional or global inventories. However, national-level analysis that is crucial for national policy on sustainable agricultural investments and land use is still lacking. This paper conducts an archetype analysis of a unique dataset on land concessions in Lao PDR to provide a national-scale assessment of the impacts of land acquisitions on human well-being in 294 affected villages.

The VGGT Popular Version for Communal Land Administration was developed to support the Parliament of Namibia in delivering training to traditional authorities and regional institutions to enhance their capacity to administer communal land within their jurisdictions. This was carried out in line with the Communal Land Reform Act, Act 5 of 2002 and the resolutions of the 2nd National Land Conference. The Popular Version outlines 14 pertinent land governance issues in Namibia’s communal areas.