Pressures on land in sub-Saharan Africa: Social differentiation and societal response

Abstract

This paper focuses on large-scale land acquisitions and the implications of these new trends for land tenure rights in sub-Saharan Africa. It highlights trends in legal and policy approaches; describes and analyses new pressures on land and related natural resources; provides an analysis of drivers of resource scarcity and competing uses; summarises what is known about better and worse practices in partnerships between local communities and external investors; and concludes with recommendations for development partnerships.