11.12.2014 | University of Bonn: Large-scale land acquisition in sub-Saharan Africa

Date: 11.12.2014, 17:00 – 18:30 h

Where: Institut für Geodäsie und Geoinformation, Nussallee, 1 HS I

Lecturer: Dr. Michael Bruentrup, German Development Institute (DIE)

Large scale land acquisitions have been one of the most heavily disputed topics in agriculture and rural development in the last years. Many condemn the phenomenon across the board as „land grabbing“, threatening rural development, local food security, social justice and the ecology. Others hint at the opportunities of modernizing agriculture, accessing markets, adding value in rural areas and creating jobs. Although reported numbers of acquisitions have been dropping recently and the state of realization is extremely low, there is no reason for complacency, since there are some fundamental trends pushing for a continuation pressure of large enterprises on land in poor countries. Not at least, many poor country governments continue to opt for this mode of production. Thus, in addition to understanding these underlying trends and the pros and cons of large scale land acquisitions, the presentation looks at means to regulate them at international, national and local level.

ARTS (Agricultural Sciences and Resource Management in the Tropics and Subtropics)

Date: 11.12.2014, 17:00 – 18:30 h

Where: Institut für Geodäsie und Geoinformation, Nussallee, 1 HS I

Lecturer: Dr. Michael Bruentrup, German Development Institute (DIE)

Large scale land acquisitions have been one of the most heavily disputed topics in agriculture and rural development in the last years. Many condemn the phenomenon across the board as „land grabbing“, threatening rural development, local food security, social justice and the ecology. Others hint at the opportunities of modernizing agriculture, accessing markets, adding value in rural areas and creating jobs. Although reported numbers of acquisitions have been dropping recently and the state of realization is extremely low, there is no reason for complacency, since there are some fundamental trends pushing for a continuation pressure of large enterprises on land in poor countries. Not at least, many poor country governments continue to opt for this mode of production. Thus, in addition to understanding these underlying trends and the pros and cons of large scale land acquisitions, the presentation looks at means to regulate them at international, national and local level.

ARTS (Agricultural Sciences and Resource Management in the Tropics and Subtropics)