Large-scale land and water acquisitions: What implications for food security?

Since 2007, the world has seen a rush towards natural resources, particularly land as well as water. It resulted from a convergence of the 2007- 2008 food price crisis in a context of growing populations and changing diets, and the search for alternatives to financial investment products. Although data is scarce, recent estimates show that about 42 million hectares have been acquired (Nolte, Chamberlain and Giger, 2016). Contrary to what is often highlighted, these lands are not the most marginal, underused and unowned, but are close to other resources, especially water, as well as infrastructure (roads and transport) and services. This means the resource acquisition phenomenon is embedded in a complex matrix of resources and processes which is increasingly under pressure. That said, attention has so far mainly been sectoral, focused on land issues and neglecting this interconnectedness. However, the water implications of these land deals are starting to surface.