The first open seminar in a series organized by Land Rights Research Initiative (LARRI) discusses, with examples from Africa, how the growing demand for land for commercial investments threatens to deprive poor rural households of their access to land. It also discusses what scope there is and what measures are required to turn this development into a positive outcome at the local level.
One of the principal drivers in this context is the rapidly growing interest for investments in land for large-scale commercial production of biofuels, food crops for export, forest plantations, etc.
Introductory presentations at this seminar are given by Jesper Karlsson, GU-School of Global Studies with field experience from Sierra Leone, and by Lasse Krantz, Research Fellow at GU-Dept. of Economics and former policy adviser on land issues at Sida.
A majority of the world’s poor live in rural areas and depend on land and other natural resources for their livelihoods. Secure rights of access to these resources is thus of fundamental importance for these people. Land rights issues have been on the development agenda for a long time but they have taken on increased importance in recent years due to the escalating global competition for land.
Land Rights Research Initiative (LARRI) is a platform for discussion, exchange of ideas and information as well as for promoting collaboration among researchers and students interested in land rights issues from a poverty and development perspective. The initiative is hosted by Gothenburg Centre of Globalization and Development http://www.gcgd.gu.se/
Open seminar: Land Rights in the Context of Escalating Global Competition for LandWhen: 15 May 2012; 14.15 – 15.30Where: School of Business, Economics and Law, Vasagatan 1, Room C-31