The Governance of Large-Scale Farmland Investments in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Comparative Analysis of the Challenges for Sustainability

摘要: Growing global resource scarcities and increasingly unstable commodity markets have in recent years encouraged large numbers of investors to seek access the cheap fertile farmlands sub-Saharan Africa. Though potentially providing its often neglected agricultural sector with much-needed investment capital, many these investments threatening deprive rural poor vital livelihood resources contribute environment degradation, become a topic heated debate public, political, academic arenas. Amidst rapidly growing body research on particularly trends outcomes, The Governance Large-Scale Farmland Investments Sub-Saharan Africa examines critically under researched aspect this trend, namely, host country governance. With an absence sufficiently comprehensive international regulatory frameworks, governance burden falls solely governments, which African context are typically ill-equipped or disinclined provide adequate oversight. This exacerbates risk adverse local social, economic, environmental impacts undermines effective capture investments' potential developmental contributions. primary aim book is deepen our understanding conditions large-scale farmland can sustainable development It does by identifying different factors that shape outcomes. In so doing, it links range issues date been evaluated isolation - ranging from formal laws policies countries institutional dynamics community responses. analysis based original field conducted author Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia. Findings show remarkably uniform array effects across case study countries. poses interesting conundrum: outcomes be attributed systematic deficiencies content law aimed at regulating impacts, rendered meaningless implementation enforcement, do other structural social economic outside structures explain outcomes? shows answer found all three options, but highlights particular important mediating influence issues. Through systematic, in-depth conflicts interactions between diversity stakeholders how capital tends attach itself strengthen powerful established domestic coalitions detriment rights poor. Such reinforced high-modernist ideologies discriminatory perspectives systems production. Although calls for reevaluation rules govern protect Africa's land-based resources, any legalistic reforms effect must preceded far-reaching address mandates, enforcement capacities, incentives, accountability structures.