Land & Investments

Land & Investments recounted

Investments in agricultural land may be essential for achieving food security and promoting economic growth, but what are the potential costs and benefits for local landholders and the environment?

Learn more about challenges concerning Land & Investments.

Latest news

Opinion: Can satellite internet close the property rights gap?

11 July 2019

Global

Over the past two years, several private companies have launched efforts to provide global broadband internet using networks of low-earth-orbit satellites. The outcome of these projects is uncertain, but the scale of their ambition is undeniable.

In Indonesia, a land ‘left behind’ weighs its development alternatives

9 July 2019

Indonesia

After defeating a plan to turn much of the Aru Islands into a series of giant sugar plantations, indigenous people in the eastern Indonesian archipelago are mulling how to raise their standard of living without sacrificing their rich environment.

Touted as 'development,' land grabs hurt local communities, and women most of all

11 June 2019

Global

Large-scale land transactions in which nations sell huge, publicly owned parcels to foreign and domestic corporations negatively affect local women more than men, a new study by Oregon State University shows.

Blogs

Forging new partnerships: Companies and CSOs collaborate to achieve more responsible investments in land

22 July 2019

Authors:

Mina Manuchehri

Global

I think the engagement with Illovo is a good start. … [the Project] has provided a platform for Illovo to engage with [us], which is not only a benefit to Illovo, but to the community. It opens up dialogue. In the future…, we’d love for Illovo to come to (us) and ask us to get involved.

—CSO Land Champion

One Company’s Journey to Better Respect Land: Illovo Sugar Africa

12 July 2019

Authors:

Mina Manuchehri

Malawi

Mozambique

Tanzania

Zambia

South Africa

Global

Our sugar is made from sugarcane. And sugarcane is not planted in trees or in the air, it’s planted in the ground, in the soil, on land. It’s the bedrock of our investment.

—Illovo Land Champion

Announcing the LandAssess Tool: Demystifying Land Risks in Project Due Diligence

2 July 2019

Authors:

Mina Manuchehri

Malawi

Mozambique

Tanzania

Global

In recent years, numerous companies have made commitments to better recognize and respect land rights throughout their supply chains. Although making such commitments is a critical first step towards achieving more responsible investments, many companies still struggle with how to practically implement those commitments.

Read our blogs

Discussions

Legal empowerment and agribusiness investments

Closed

2 November 2017 to 15 November 2017

Facilitators:

Mr. Lorenzo Cotula

Global

The 5th UK Land Forum meeting discussed approaches and tools, and practical experience in legal empowerment. It also provided updates on recent activities of Forum members, including DFID.

The purpose of the Forum was to provide a focus for debate, information and lesson sharing amongst UK stakeholders to inform DFID and wider UK policy and programming for strengthening of land governance and land rights protection.

Responsible Large Scale Agricultural Investment in the Mekong Region: an online dialogue

Closed

9 October 2017 to 20 October 2017

South-Eastern Asia

Discussion Report

Towards Sustainable Land Governance in Kenya

Closed

22 August 2017 to 29 September 2017

Kenya

Global

Background

From August 22nd to September 15th 2017 the Land Development and Governance Institute (LDGI) and Land Portal Foundation will co- facilitate an online debate that will involve the contribution of major stakeholders focusing on contemporary Kenyan land governance issues.

View discussions

Events

LANDac Summer School 2019: Land governance for development

8 July 2019 to 19 July 2019

Location

Utrecht

Netherlands

See map: Google Maps

NL

Global

Large-scale acquisition of land in the global South has received a great deal of interest in the last few years. Especially following the food crisis, and stimulated by the growing demand for biofuels, pressure on land continues to increase.

LANDac Annual International Conference 2019

4 July 2019 to 5 July 2019

Location

Muntgebouw

Leidseweg 90

3531 BG Utrecht

Netherlands

See map: Google Maps

NL

Netherlands

Global

LAND GOVERNANCE IN TRANSITION:

How to support transformations that work for people and nature?

Organizations:

LANDac

CCSI Executive Training on Sustainable Investments in Agriculture 2019

11 June 2019 to 21 June 2019

Location

Columbia University New York

United States

See map: Google Maps

US

Global

Next Training: June 11-21, 2019
Location: Columbia University, New York

Organizations:

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

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Library

Mekong Land Research Forum: Annual country reviews 2018-19

Policy Papers & Briefs

February 2019

Cambodia

Laos

Myanmar

Thailand

Vietnam

The Annual Country Reviews reflect upon current land issues in the Mekong Region, and has been produced for researchers, practitioners and policy advocates operating in the field. Specialists have been selected from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam to briefly answer the following two questions:

Understanding Land in the Context of Large-Scale Land Acquisitions: A Brief History of Land in Economics

Journal Articles & Books

January 2019

Africa

Latin America and the Caribbean

Asia

Global

In economics, land has been traditionally assumed to be a fixed production factor, both in terms of quantity supplied and mobility, as opposed to capital and labor, which are usually considered to be mobile factors, at least to some extent.

Harvard's billion-dollar farmland fiasco

Reports & Research

September 2018

Global

One of the world's major buyers of farmland is under fire for their involvement in land conflicts, environmental destruction and risky investments. A new report by GRAIN and Rede Social de Justiça e Direitos Humano presents, for the first time, a comprehensive analysis of Harvard University's controversial investments in global farmland.

The report finds that:

Find more resources in the Land Library

Organizations

Afesis-corplan

Our vision is of a self-reliant society in which people have equitable access to resources and institutions are an expression of people’s needs and aspirations.

Our mission is to support civic agency through catalytic interventions aimed at achieving systemic change in good local governance and sustainable human settlement development.

Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum (ANSAF)

Agricultural Non-State Actors Forum (ANSAF) is a member–led forum involving organizations and individuals from the commercial sector, non-governmental (both Tanzanian and international) and from farmer groups in Tanzania. It is a forum for non-state actors to discuss and work towards solutions to improve the agriculture sector in the interests of men and women currently living in poverty.

Arakan Oil Watch (AOW)

Arakan Oil Watch (AOW) is an independent non-governmental community based organization. AOW aims to protect and promote human rights and environmental abuses that result from multinational oil and gas companies in Arakan State and other parts of Burma.

Brill Publishers (Martinus Nijhoff) (Brill/ Nijhof )

Martinus Nijhoff Publishers was an independent academic publishing company dating back to the nineteenth century, which is now an imprint of Brill Publishers. Founded in 1683, Brill is a publishing house with a rich history and a strong international focus. The name was changed to Brill–Nijhoff. Brill is a prestigious imprint with its portfolio focuses on areas in Public International Law, Human Rights, Humanitarian Law and increasingly on International Relations. Brill publishes over 800 books per year in both print and electronic format.

Broadening Access and Strengthening Input Market Systems (BASIS) Collaborative Research Support Program (BASIS)

The Broadening Access and Strengthening Input Market Systems (BASIS) Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) carries out and disseminates collaborative, policy-oriented research that addresses rural poverty by making markets work for all. The website hosts research reports, working papers, briefs and trip reports.

CDC Investment works

Our mission is to support the building of businesses throughout Africa and South Asia, to create jobs, and to make a lasting difference to people’s lives in some of the world’s poorest places.

Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS)

The Centre for Economic and Social Studies (CESS) was established as an autonomous research Centre in 1980. Appreciating its role in the promotion of research and training, the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, recognized it as a national institute in the year 1986 and included the Centre in its network of institutions.

Centro de Estudos e Pesquisa de Comunicação (SEKELEKANI)

SEKELEKANI é uma instituição moçambicana independente, sem fins lucrativos, de promoção de comunicação para o desenvolvimento, conceito que se refere a sistemas de comunicação em dois sentidos, orientados para enaltecer o diálogo entre os decisores de políticas públicas e as partes interessadas, nomeadamente as comunidades destinatárias do desenvolvimento, permitindo-lhes exprimir os seus pontos de vista, as suas aspirações e preocupações, participando, desse modo, na formulação da agenda do seu desenvolvimento.

Ceres

Ceres is a sustainability nonprofit organization working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy. Through powerful networks and advocacy, Ceres tackles the world’s biggest sustainability challenges, including climate change, water scarcity and pollution, and inequitable workplaces.

Our mission: Ceres is transforming the economy to build a sustainable future for people and the planet.

Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI)

ABOUT US

The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment (CCSI), a joint center of Columbia Law School and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, is the only university-based applied research center and forum dedicated to the study, practice and discussion of sustainable international investment.

MISSION

Our mission is to develop practical approaches for governments, investors, communities and other stakeholders to maximize the benefits of international investment for sustainable development.

Confederação Nacional das Associações de Moradores (CONAM)

A Confederação Nacional das Associações de Moradores, fundada no dia 17 de janeiro de 1982, presente no movimento nacional popular e comunitário, tem como seu papel organizar as federações estaduais, uniões municipais e associações comunitárias, entidades de bairro e similares.