Policy Briefs

Policy Brief 33: Elite land grabbing in Namibian communal areas and its impact on subsistence farmers’ livelihoods

This brief examines some emerging trends and dynamics in changing power relations in rural Namibian communities due to emerging new elites and the threats to subsistence farmers’ access to communal land and natural resources.

Reconciling Living Customary Law and Democratic Decentralisation to Ensure Women’s Land Rights Security

PLAAS Policy Brief 32

Tribal Land Administration in Botswana by Richard White - PLAAS Policy Brief 31 (PB31)

White, R. (2009) Tribal Land Administration in Botswana. PLAAS Policy Brief 31, 2009. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 31 (PB31)

Gender Implications of Decentralised Land Reform: The Case of Zimbabwe by Jeanette Manjengwa and Phides Mazhawidza - PLAAS Policy Brief 30 (PB30)

Manjengwa, J & Mazhawidza, P. (2009). Gender Implications of Decentralised Land Reform: The Case of Zimbabwe. PLAAS Policy Brief 30, 2009. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 30 (PB30)

A fresh start for rural development and agrarian reform? by Ruth Hall - Policy Brief 29 (PB29)

Hall, R. (2009) A fresh start for rural development and agrarian reform?. PLAAS Policy Brief 29, 2009. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 29 (PB29)

Commons Governance in Southern Africa

Commons governance in southern Africa by The CROSCOG project team. PLAAS Policy Brief 28 (PB28)

Mainstreaming of HIV and Aids into South African Fisheries Policy

This research investigated the drivers and the impact of HIV and Aids in fishing communities in South Africa. PLAAS Policy Brief 27 (PB27)

Policy options for land reform in South Africa: New Institutional Mechanisms?

Policy options for land reform in South Africa: New Institutional Mechanisms? Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), University of the Western Cape : Cape Town. PLAAS Policy Brief 26 (PB26).

The impact of people-centred approaches to natural resource management on poverty reduction

The impact of people-centred approaches to natural resource management on poverty reduction. PLAAS policy brief 25 (PB25)

A social coastal fisheries policy for South Africa? Subsistence fisheries co-management for sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation by Moenieba Isaacs - PLAAS policy brief 24 (PB24)

Isaacs, M. (2006). A social coastal fisheries policy for South Africa? Subsistence fisheries co-management for sustainable livelihoods and poverty alleviation. PLAAS Policy Brief 24, 2006. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 24 (PB24)

Management of some commons in southern Africa: Implications for policy

Management of some commons in southern Africa: Implications for policy. PLAAS policy brief 23 (PB23)

Outcomes of community engagement in community-based natural resource management programmes

Outcomes of community engagement in community-based natural resource management programmes. PLAAS policy brief 22 (PB22)

Challenges and prospects for trans-boundary fisheries in Lakes Chiuta and Kariba by W. Whande, I. Malasha & F. Njaya - Policy Brief 21 (PB21)

Whande, W Malasha, I & Njaya F. Challenges and prospects for trans-boundary fisheries in Lakes Chiuta and Kariba PLAAS. PLAAS Policy Brief 21, 2009. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 21 (PB21)

The membership problem in people-centred approaches to natural resource management

The membership problem in people-centred approaches to natural resource management in southern Africa PLAAS policy brief 20 (PB20)

Land and resources in a transfrontier setting: The case of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Project

Land and resources in a transfrontier setting: The case of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation and Development Project. PLAAS policy brief 19 (PB19)

Will formalising property rights reduce poverty in South Africa’s ‘second economy’?

Will formalising property rights reduce poverty in South Africa’s ‘second economy’? Questioning the mythologies of Hernando de Soto. PLAAS policy brief 18 (PB18)

From willing seller, willing buyer to a people-driven land reform

From willing seller, willing buyer to a people-driven land reform. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 17 (PB17)

South African fisheries reform – past, present and future?

South African fisheries reform – past, present and future? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 16 (PB16)

Common property resources and privatisation trends in southern Africa

Common property resources and privatisation trends in southern Africa. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 15 (PB15)

Community conservancies in Namibia: An effective institutional model for commons management?

Community conservancies in Namibia: An effective institutional model for commons management? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 14 (PB14)

Budgeting for land reform by Ruth Hall & Edward Lahiff - Policy Brief 13 (PB13)

Hall, R. and Lahiff, E. Budgeting for land reform. PLAAS Policy Brief 13, 2004. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 13 (PB13)

Civil society and social movements: Advocacy for land and resource rights in Africa by M. Saruchera & M. Odhiambo - Policy Brief 12 (PB12)

Saruchera, M & Odhiambo, M. Civil society and social movements: Advocacy for land and resource rights in Africa. PLAAS Policy Brief 12, 2004. PLAAS, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS Policy Brief 12 (PB12)

Multilateral environmental agreements and land and resource rights in Africa

Multilateral environmental agreements and land and resource rights in Africa. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 11 (PB11)

Nepad, land and resource rights

Nepad, land and resource rights. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape PLAAS Policy Brief 10 (PB10)

Context for land and resource rights struggles in Africa

Context for land and resource rights struggles in Africa. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 09 (PB09)

Joint ventures

Joint ventures. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 08 (PB08)

Rural Settlement

Rural settlement. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 07 (PB07)

Municipal commonage

Municipal commonage. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 06 (PB06)

Land use and rural livelihoods: Have they been enhanced through land reform?

Land use and rural livelihoods: Have they been enhanced through land reform? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 05 (PB05)

Land use and rural livelihoods: Have they been enhanced through land reform?

Land use and rural livelihoods: Have they been enhanced through land reform? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 05 (PB05)

TRANCRAA and communal land rights: Lessons from Namaqualand

TRANCRAA and communal land rights: Lessons from Namaqualand. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 04 (PB04)

Radical land reform is key to sustainable rural development in South Africa

Radical land reform is key to sustainable rural development in South Africa. Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 03 (PB03)

Sustainable development: What’s land got to do with it?

Sustainable development: What’s land got to do with it? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 02 (PB02)

Land reform in South Africa: Is it meeting the challenge?

Land reform in South Africa: Is it meeting the challenge? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 01 (PB01)

Land reform in South Africa: Is it meeting the challenge?

Land reform in South Africa: Is it meeting the challenge? Cape Town: Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies, University of the Western Cape. PLAAS policy brief 01 (PB01)

FAC Policy Brief 41: Land Grabbing in Africa and the New Politics of Food

In this Policy Brief PLAAS Senior Researcher Ruth Hall argues that Africa, a continent plagued by chronic food insecurity, is now considered to be the future breadbasket of the world, and is expected to help meet its rising food needs. In the process of cashing in on the opportunities offered by cheap land and water, large-scale investors are displacing land uses and land users in ways that could aggravate the already severe challenges of rural poverty and hunger. The rise of ‘land grabbing’ or ‘responsible agricultural investment’ in Africa is undoubtedly one of the great challenges of our time for development in the continent. The deals being made now are remaking the map of food production and food distribution, in Africa and globally. What happens over the next few years — acceleration or reversal, regulation or laissez-faire, better governance or substantive changes in agricultural policy — will determine to a great extent the future of poverty and hunger in Africa.

Policy Briefs

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