Handbook of Land and Water Grabs in Africa; Foreign direct investment and food and water security

T. Allan (Editor), M. Keulertz (Editor), S. Sojamo (Editor), J.F. Warner (Editor)

Research output: Book/ReportBook editingAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

According to estimates by the International Land Coalition based at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), 57 million hectares of land have been leased to foreign investors since 2007. Current research has focused on human rights issues related to inward investment in land but has been ignorant of water resource issues and the challenges of managing scarce water. The geographical scope of this book will be the African continent, where land has attracted the attention of risk-taking investors because much land is under-utilised marginalized land, with associated water resources and rapidly growing domestic food markets. The successful implementation of investment strategies in African agriculture could determine the future of more than one billion people. An important factor to note is that sub-Saharan Africa will, of all the continents, be hit hardest by climate change, population growth and food insecurity. Sensible investment in agriculture is therefore needed, however, at what costs and at whose expense? The book will also address the livelihoods theme and provide a holistic analysis of land and water grabbing in sub-Saharan Africa. Four other themes will addressed: politics, economics, the environment and the history of land investments in sub-Saharan Africa.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationLondon, New York
PublisherRoutledge
Number of pages488
ISBN (Print)9781857436693
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Publication series

NameRoutledge international handbooks

Keywords

  • food security
  • water security
  • tenure systems
  • land use
  • capital
  • assets
  • natural resources
  • africa

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