Shaping Development - The Governance of Farmland Investments and its Effects on a Sustainable Development in Mozambique

Abstract

In the light of the rising foreign demand for land in Africa – process that has been named land grab – Mozambique has become a target of high interest for its huge amount of cheaply accessible arable land and natural advantages for agriculture. Having its land considered underutilized by its own government and also by international bodies, such as the World Bank, official rhetoric and practice have become ever more pro-investor in the country, whereas at times at society’s and environment’s expenses. Although the government proclaims it is promoting development and enabling possibilities for local employment by its openness to foreign investments, civil society and international academia show a clear divergence of opinion on what constitutes a desired development for the country. In addition, they also raise red flags for the legality of some official decisions in land allocation. In what concerns large-scale farmland acquisitions, this research used quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as interviews with more than 100 stakeholders – including businesses, communities and government officials – to assess the rhetoric, strategies, policies, legal frameworks and practices of the government, i.e. governance, and try to make a link of this governance to the effects for a sustainable development in Mozambique’s agriculture.