IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/lauspo/v88y2019ics0264837719302030.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A conceptual framework for improving the understanding of large scale land acquisitions

Author

Listed:
  • Chilombo, Andrew
  • Fisher, Janet A.
  • van Der Horst, Dan

Abstract

Efforts to improve the understanding of large scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) have been marred by methodological and epistemological challenges. Dominant approaches take a geopolitical lens that categorises the global north as ‘resource poor, financial haves’ and the global south as ‘resource rich, financial have-nots’ to generate data with often questionable accuracy. Case studies have prevailed to generate knowledge at community level that contributes to meta-analyses of LSLAs. However, as the post 2013 LSLA research agenda shifts from quantifying seized hectares of land and naming ‘land grabbers’ towards understanding processes of LSLAs, case studies have proved limited in sufficiently and systematically reflecting dynamics that underpin LSLAs that are local, national, regional and international in scope. The focus on case studies isolates studied cases from drivers and effects of LSLAs at different policy and geographic levels. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for improving our understanding of socio-economic and environmental implications of LSLAs at different policy and geographic levels. Literature has been reviewed on the methodological and epistemological challenges that have rendered elusive a comprehensive understanding of LSLAs. In addition, focus group discussion interviews were done in Nansanga farm block, a Zambian government-led LSLA program to complement reviewed literature. The framework is applied to the farm block. The interviews were therefore, done to qualitatively contribute to the understanding of positive and adverse lived experiences of community members following the LSLA program. Without claiming to be a panacea for challenges of researching LSLAs, the framework makes a compelling case for a mix of methodological approaches that simultaneously consider context specific micro level processes and how they are linked to broader, higher policy and geographic level spaces and contexts. The framework points to the danger of researching cases of LSLAs in isolation from their drivers/causes and effects/impacts at different policy and geographic levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Chilombo, Andrew & Fisher, Janet A. & van Der Horst, Dan, 2019. "A conceptual framework for improving the understanding of large scale land acquisitions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:88:y:2019:i:c:s0264837719302030
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104184
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837719302030
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104184?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kolavalli, Shashidhara & Flaherty, Kathleen & Al-Hassan, Ramatu & Baah, Kwaku Owusu, 2010. "Do Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) Processes Make a Difference to Country Commitments to Develop Agriculture?," IFPRI discussion papers 1006, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    2. Deborah Bräutigam & Haisen zhang, 2013. "Green Dreams: Myth and Reality in China’s Agricultural Investment in Africa," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(9), pages 1676-1696, October.
    3. Bottazzi, Patrick & Crespo, David & Bangura, Leonard Omar & Rist, Stephan, 2018. "Evaluating the livelihood impacts of a large-scale agricultural investment: Lessons from the case of a biofuel production company in northern Sierra Leone," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 128-137.
    4. Carlos Oya, 2013. "The Land Rush and Classic Agrarian Questions of Capital and Labour: a systematic scoping review of the socioeconomic impact of land grabs in Africa," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(9), pages 1532-1557, October.
    5. Lorenzo Cotula & Carlos Oya & Emmanuel A. Codjoe & Abdurehman Eid & Mark Kakraba-Ampeh & James Keeley & Admasu Lokaley Kidewa & Melissa Makwarimba & Wondwosen Michago Seide & William Ole Nasha & Richa, 2014. "Testing Claims about Large Land Deals in Africa: Findings from a Multi-Country Study," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(7), pages 903-925, July.
    6. Marc Edelman & Carlos Oya & Saturnino M Borras, 2013. "Global Land Grabs: historical processes, theoretical and methodological implications and current trajectories," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(9), pages 1517-1531, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chilombo, Andrew, 2021. "Multilevel governance of large-scale land acquisitions: a case study of the institutional politics of scale of the farm block program in Zambia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    2. Ngoma, Hambulo & Pelletier, Johanne & Mulenga, Brian P. & Subakanya, Mitelo, 2021. "Climate-smart agriculture, cropland expansion and deforestation in Zambia: Linkages, processes and drivers," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    3. Bin Yang & Jun He, 2021. "Global Land Grabbing: A Critical Review of Case Studies across the World," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-19, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nolte, Kerstin & Voget-Kleschin, Lieske, 2014. "Consultation in Large-Scale Land Acquisitions: An Evaluation of Three Cases in Mali," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 654-668.
    2. Abdul-Hanan Abdallah & Michael Ayamga & Joseph A. Awuni, 2023. "Impact of land grabbing on food security: evidence from Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 6071-6094, July.
    3. Hurtado-Hurtado, Carolina & Ortiz-Miranda, Dionisio & Arnalte-Alegre, Eladio, 2024. "Disentangling the paths of land grabbing in Colombia: The role of the state and legal mechanisms," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    4. Engström, Linda & Bélair, Joanny & Blache, Adriana, 2022. "Formalising village land dispossession? An aggregate analysis of the combined effects of the land formalisation and land acquisition agendas in Tanzania," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    5. Wayessa, Gutu Olana, 2020. "Impacts of land leases in Oromia, Ethiopia: Changes in access to livelihood resources for local people," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Gyapong, Adwoa Yeboah, 2020. "How and why large scale agricultural land investments do not create long-term employment benefits: A critique of the ‘state’ of labour regulations in Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    7. Olana Wayessa, Gutu, 2022. "Environmental (in)justices of land leases in Ethiopia: Premises, promises, and lived realities," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    8. Bennett, Nathan James & Govan, Hugh & Satterfield, Terre, 2015. "Ocean grabbing," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 61-68.
      • Wehner, Nicholas & Bennett, Nathan & Govan, Hugh & Satterfield, Terre, 2015. "Ocean grabbing," MarXiv bm6pf, Center for Open Science.
    9. Sara Balestri & Mario A. Maggioni, 2021. "This Land Is My Land! Large-Scale Land Acquisitions and Conflict Events in Sub-Saharan Africa," Defence and Peace Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 427-450, May.
    10. Sergii Borodin, 2021. "Responsible Land-Based Investment in Ukraine: International Regulatory Practice," Oblik i finansi, Institute of Accounting and Finance, issue 4, pages 62-70, December.
    11. Giger, Markus & Mutea, Emily & Kiteme, Boniface & Eckert, Sandra & Anseeuw, Ward & Zaehringer, Julie G., 2020. "Large agricultural investments in Kenya’s Nanyuki Area: Inventory and analysis of business models," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    12. Rulli, Maria Cristina & Casirati, Stefano & Dell’Angelo, Jampel & Davis, Kyle Frankel & Passera, Corrado & D’Odorico, Paolo, 2019. "Interdependencies and telecoupling of oil palm expansion at the expense of Indonesian rainforest," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 499-512.
    13. Chilombo, Andrew & Van Der Horst, Dan, 2021. "Livelihoods and coping strategies of local communities on previous customary land in limbo of commercial agricultural development: Lessons from the farm block program in Zambia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    14. Wegenast, Tim & Richetta, Cécile & Krauser, Mario & Leibik, Alexander, 2022. "Grabbed trust? The impact of large-scale land acquisitions on social trust in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    15. Ahlerup, Pelle & Tengstam, Sven, 2015. "Do the land-poor gain from agricultural investments? Empirical evidence from Zambia using panel data," Working Papers in Economics 624, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.
    16. Herrmann, Raoul T., 2017. "Large-Scale Agricultural Investments and Smallholder Welfare: A Comparison of Wage Labor and Outgrower Channels in Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 294-310.
    17. Castet, Antoine, 2024. "The impact of large-scale land acquisitions on child food insecurity in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    18. Dereje Teklemariam & Hossein Azadi & Jan Nyssen & Mitiku Haile & Frank Witlox, 2016. "How Sustainable Is Transnational Farmland Acquisition in Ethiopia? Lessons Learned from the Benishangul-Gumuz Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-27, February.
    19. Benin, Samuel, 2016. "Impacts of CAADP on Africa’s agricultural-led development:," IFPRI discussion papers 1553, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Ali, Daniel Ayalew & Deininger, Klaus & Harris, Anthony, 2017. "Using National Statistics to Increase Transparency of Large Land Acquisition: Evidence from Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 62-74.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:88:y:2019:i:c:s0264837719302030. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Joice Jiang (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/land-use-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.