Introduction à la thématique

L es investissements étrangers dans les terres ne sont pas un phénomène nouveau. Cependant, ils ont pris une ampleur et une nature différentes à partir de 2008, alors que depuis 1980, ils avaient décliné au profit d’investissements dans l’agriculture contractuelle ou dans les divers secteurs de l’agrobusiness (intrants, machines, transformation, etc.). En dehors des cas de spéculation pure, les stratégies d’investissement sont tout à fait nouvelles : ce ne sont plus les avantages comparatifs de la production à grande échelle de cultures tropicales qui motivent ces investissements, mais la recherche de sécurité en alimentation, en eau et en énergie des pays investisseurs.

C’est à l’aune des impacts négatifs qu’il faut formuler les conditions qui devraient s’imposer à ces investissements, afin qu’ils puissent véritablement avoir des effets bénéfiques. Sous la pression des sociétés civiles, certaines régulations ont déjà été formulées : les Nations Unies et les entités qui en dépendent sont à l’origine de la majeure partie de ces textes de référence en matière de droits de l’Homme et sociétés multinationales, de défense des droits des peuples autochtones, d’investissements responsables et de tenure des terres. Mais ces textes restent trop faibles car non contraignants.

This report synthesises the findings of the global Commercial Pressures on Land research project, coordinated by the Secretariat of the International Land Coalition (ILC) with the support of one of its members, CIRAD, and the collaboration of more than 40 grassroots and civil society organisations, academics, and research institutions from around the world.Twenty-eight case studies, thematic studies, and regional overviews resulting from this project have already been published.1 In addition, this report incorporates the latest data emerging from the ongoing Land Matrix project to monitor large-scale land transactions.

This report examines the inter-linkages between our material use and related land requirements and, through demonstrating this link, highlights the very urgent need to scale down our excessive consumption of this resource in the interests of maintaining the regenerative capacity of the biosphere, as well as conserving resources for future generations.The focus of this report is on Europe and its role as a major user of global land resources.

In 2012, land and natural resources emerged as a major issue for many developing countries. They faced a fork in the road. Would they embrace democratic rights to those resources, or try to trigger growth by handing them over to foreign investors and domestic elites? Taking the wrong path threatened social cohesion, food and environmental security, and economic progress. All face major decisions about what type of country they will become. As we look to 2013, we ask: will countries around the developing world choose to be societies of citizen landowners or landless laborers?

Cette étude s’intéresse aux responsabilités belges dans la « ruée mondiale sur les terres ». La ruée en question y est définie au sens large comme l’ensemble des prises de possession ou de contrôle de superficies de terres par des acteurs puissants (étatiques ou non, y compris des élites locales), étrangers ou nationaux, à petite ou large échelle, privant généralement des collectivités ou des individus d’un accès adéquat et sécurisé à la terre et impliquant des dégradations des conditions de vie des populations locales et de l’environnement.

Despite the spate of media reports and some published research, international land deals and their impacts remain still little understood. This report is a step towards filling this gap. The report draws on a literature review; on qualitative interviews with key informants internationally; on national inventories of approved and proposed land acquisitions since 2004 in five African countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali and Sudan), as well as qualitative case studies in Mozambique and Tanzania; and on legal analysis of applicable law and of a small sample of land deals.

This research finds that both food speculation and the financing of land grabs are issues with great significance for Europe. It appears that a broad list of EU-based private financial institutions – banks, pension funds and insurance companies – are involved in trading or marketing investment products based on agricultural commodity futures or other agricultural commodity derivatives and complex instruments. A significant number of financial institutions across Europe appear to also be involved in financing land grabs directly or indirectly.

This paper focuses on the renewed interest in purchasing or leasing land, and securing water rights for agricultural production; it does not focus on other forms of foreign investment in agriculture. In Sections 2 and 3, it identifies the key drivers behind the recent surge in these investments, and examines prevailing trends in reported land contracts. In Section 4, the range of legal issues. associated with these types of contracts, including in relation to domestic law, the international investment contracts and international investment agreements, is identified.

This study has five main parts. The first gives a global overview and emphasizes the indisputable reality of the large-scale land acquisitions. The second details the target countries and regions. It looks at the determinants of investment decisions and inquires whether investors really target marginal land. Thirdly, this study examines the investor countries, the investors and their characteristics. The fourth part focuses on learning more aboutt he drivers of the global increase in demand for land. Finally, the processes of large-scale land acquisitions are examined, including an assessment of compensation and potential benefits.