Recent critical analyses of global land grabs have variously invoked global capitalism and neocolonialism to account for this trend. One line of inquiry approaches land grabs as instances of “primitive accumulation of capital” whereby lands in the Global South are “enclosed” and brought within the ambit of global capitalism. Another perspective invokes the history of Anglo‐American colonialism for critiquing the developmentalist discourse that depicts Africa as the “last frontier” to be tamed by the techno‐industrial civilization of the North.

The rise of land deals poses unpredictable risks to war-torn societies, exposing them to the violent folds of the global economy. In Sierra Leone, commercial land leases have perpetuated the chieftaincy monopoly, further curtailed social mobility, and sparked particular resentment among youths and ex-combatants. Drawing on the concept of the “war machine,” I analyse how Kamajor militia fighters shape contestation against land deals and explore the attendant risks for remobilisation and conflict transformation.

Ukraine is one of the most dynamically changing agricultural countries in the world. The main factor behind the drastic changes in agricultural production is of course the Land Reform that started in 1991. Transfer of land ownership and restructuring of traditional farms created opportunities for the appearance of new farming units. Based on the survey data in Zhytomyr oblast, this paper investigates how private farms changed their farming sizes in the process of the Land Reform. This paper also discusses factors for the change and characteristics of expanding private farms.

In Tanzania like in other parts of the global South, in the name of 'development' and 'poverty eradication' vast tracts of land have been earmarked by the government to be developed by investors for different commercial agricultural projects, giving rise to the contested land grab phenomenon. In parallel, Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) has been promoted in the country and globally as the governance framework that seeks to manage water resources in an efficient, equitable and sustainable manner.

Ever since the oil, financial and food crises of 2008, sub-Saharan Africa has witnessed a marked increase in large-scale investment in agricultural land. The drivers of this investment are varied and include growing food, water and energy insecurity as well as social and economic interests of investors and recipient countries. The shape of these investments and their eventual outcomes are equally influenced by the existing land and water governance systems in the host countries.

This Guidance Note provides guidance for investors and companies on the requirements contained in the IFC Performance Standards for issues linked to involuntary resettlement as part of project-related land acquisition. It offers guidance to minimise adverse impacts on displaced persons and host communities, and to improve the livelihoods of those affected by resettlement.

Indonesia comprises more mangroves than any other country, but also exhibits some of the highest mangrove loss rates worldwide. Most of these mangrove losses are caused by aquaculture development. Monetary valuation of the numerous ecosystem services of mangroves may contribute to their conservation.

Post-war societies not only have to deal with continuing unpeaceful relations but also land-related conflict legacies, farmland and forest degradation, heavily exploited natural resources, land mines, a destroyed infrastructure, as well as returning refugees and ex-combatants. In the aftermath of war, access to and control of land often remains a sensitive issue which may precipitate tensions and lead to a renewed destabilization of volatile post-conflict situations.

This manual illustrates a monitoring scheme for monitoring large-scale agricultural investments. It aims at providing orientation for establishing a monitoring scheme and implementing monitoring activities in the framework of LSAI with the collaboration of the authorities responsible for leasing out land to agricultural investors and supervising related activities. While focused on Ethiopia, it will be a useful resource for other countries too.

Large-scale agricultural investments (LSAI) in Ethiopia are expected to provide input for the processing industry and to bring foreign currency as well as technology transfer to the country, while the local communities will benefit from employment and infrastructure improvements related to these investments. But the results of investment projects have been rather limited so far. In the past, the land identification (and verification) process for LSAI, due to various reasons, was not implemented with the required accuracy, which often resulted in environmental and social problems.