The Global Farms Race by Michael Kugelman

Author:Michael Kugelman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Island Press
Published: 2012-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Beyond Polar Positions: Questions for Large-Scale Land Acquisitions

There are two major competing narratives that prevail in discussions about large-scale acquisitions of agricultural land. One is a “beneficial investment” narrative concerning investors bringing needed investment (and, in some cases, improved technology, farming knowledge, or rural infrastructure); generating employment; and increasing food production. The second is a “neocolonial land grab” narrative concerning investors expropriating local land with little local input, and growing crops that are exported directly—even when local people do not have enough to eat. The widespread media stories and growing debate over these two narratives have played an important role in drawing attention to the issue.

But the time has come to get beyond blanket pronouncements praising or denouncing the deals, and to look more closely at the specifics of each case. Because investors are negotiating deals, often at a rapid rate, the focus of policymakers and civil society needs to shift to what can be done to ensure that host countries and local groups can seize the opportunities and mitigate the risks associated with the deals. Asking the following questions about any deal can help assess the extent and distribution of benefits, and can provide the key to the long-term sustainability of the investments, which in turn can help investors, host governments, and local people alike.

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