Land Grab or Land Take describes a scenario where multinational investors acquire vast stretches of rural farmlands working through Governments who use of their powers of eminent domain to compulsorily acquire such lands from indigenous owners for use by the multinationals. From an investment perspective, I consider that the usual market forces of demand and supply should be allowed to run its course and land owners should be in a position to benefit fully from the development potentials of their native lands through equity partnerships or market determined land values.
Iyenemi this is a complex issue but certainly while there is the potential for gain this is not automatic and land governance systems and frameworks that allow land owners and small land owners to be able to challenge the government and the private sector as need be is important to acquire any level of equity. Currently few and far of these exist. Moreover, most governments clearly reserve the right to all resources in the soil and the subsoil which means that while you may own the land you dont own the mineral assets that may be found there (depends on the country) or own them wholly and fully. It also depends on if that investment is like to create further competition or worsen a land access and or land scarcity issue. A paper by a colleague (http://www.ipc-undp.org/publication/26452) on trends in land grabs explores some of the political and economic realities behind the patterns in Africa as well as how decision-making could be more participatory and inclusive.
Communities that are affected by such land acquisitions need to organize themselves to resist such injustices and constructively come up with solutions. See attached case that focuses on leadership in communities to help address such land issues.
Article Leadership Challenges in Kenyan Civil Society
In the poorest countries, local smallholders forced to abandon their ancestral lands have to relocate, either to cities or clear forests or peat land to continue farming. Foreign investment in farmland is frequently promoted by investors and host governments, under the guise of new technologies, jobs, and capital. Many land grabs deprive communities of land and create environmental problems through intensive agriculture and increased water demand.
https://www.foeeurope.org/land-grabbing
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