Responding to ‘land grabbing’ and promoting responsible investment in agriculture

The current controversy about large-scale land acquisitions by foreign investors has put land rights issues and responsible agricultural investment more visibly back on the global development agenda. It has also raised questions regarding the world’s future development trajectory. In both respects, it has opened up important international space for discussion on how to improve land administration systems and investment in agriculture, so that the land rights and livelihoods of smallholder farmers, pastoralists and other vulnerable groups are strengthened ‘Land grabbing’, however, is an issue of concern that is broader than foreign land acquisitions. It is important to focus on the potential threats that foreign land acquisitions pose to the land rights and livelihoods of smallholder farmers, pastoralists, indigenous communities and other vulnerable groups. But it should neither divert attention from the role being played by domestic elites and weaknesses in national land administration systems, nor should it preclude the possibility that foreign investors could play a constructive role in supporting smallholder farmers. This paper aims to contribute to the current debate by reflecting on the challenges being faced and some of the possible responses. In particular, it focuses on various proposed principles and guidelines for promoting good land governance and responsible investment in agriculture.

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