The Land Matrix, Phase IV

Over the past decade, beyond the wave of agricultural investments following the 2007/2008 food price crisis, new pressures on land in low- and middle-income countries are emerging. This trend is increasingly driven by demand for carbon offsetting, renewable energy, and transition minerals, but also shaped by new supply chain policies. The Land Matrix Initiative, now in its fourth funding phase (2024–2027), provides comprehensive data and analysis on large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) linked to these expanding investment sectors to enhance transparency and accountability.

LSLAs continue to shape rural societies and economies, affecting environmental services and global biodiversity. While many groups are impacted, local land users—particularly Indigenous Peoples and local communities—bear the greatest costs, especially where livelihoods are already precarious. Recent evidence highlights ongoing challenges such as land concentration, inadequate compensation, and conflicts over land use, alongside resistance by affected communities.

At the same time, LSLAs linked to new sectors such as carbon markets and renewable energy introduce additional governance challenges and uncertainties. However, negative outcomes are not inevitable. In some cases, investments can generate benefits, including infrastructure development, employment opportunities, and technology transfer. Evidence consistently shows that inclusive decision-making and stronger accountability mechanisms are key factors in improving outcomes.

In its fourth funding phase the Land Matrix explores, in addition to its core mandate, how patterns of large-scale land acquisitions in emerging sectors (e.g., carbon markets, renewable energy, transition minerals) shape land governance, customary tenure systems of Indigenous People and local communities, and policy responses in low- and middle-income countries?