Global land grab could trigger conflict, report says

BY AGENCIES

A study by the Rights and Resources Initiative says developing country governments that fail to protect the rights of those using communally held land could spark civil unrest

The global rush for land in developing countries around the world could trigger a new wave of civil unrest if governments fail to recognise the rights of those using land without formal legal titles, according to new studies.

Research published on Wednesday by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) estimates that half a billion people rely on 1.4bn hectares of communally held rural land in sub-Saharan Africa, which has attracted the lion's share of investor interest.

But, while local populations might actively use communally held forests, rangelands and marshlands, these territories are mainly classed in law as belonging to the state, or as "unowned" lands held in trust by governments, the RRI said.

The lack of secure land tenure has facilitated an "astonishing buying spree across Africa", said the RRI director of global programmes, Jeffrey Hatcher. In a comprehensive review of land rights and reforms in 35 African countries, the RRI found only nine included any protections for those using land without formal legal title.

"Controversial land acquisitions were a key factor triggering the civil wars in Sudan, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and there is every reason to be concerned that conditions are ripe for new conflicts to occur in many other places," said Hatcher.