By combining theoretical and methodological approaches in political science, economics, and environmental sciences, this project analyzes the effects of large-scale land acquisitions on rural structural change and social conflicts in order to advance academic research, provide international policy advice, and inform the work of local advocacy and development organizations.
BMZ, 2019-2022
How do large-scale land acquisitions affect rural structural change and the risk of social conflict in developing countries? To understand how these “land grabs” translate into social conflict we investigate how they affect rural socio-economic structures and rural livelihoods. We pay particular attention to socio-economic inequality and examine how local formal and informal institutions may mitigate or intensify adverse implications of land deals.