More and more African governments increasingly allocate common land to international investors in a non-transparent manner. They take advantage of the unclear legal situation under which most of their populations make use of the national land resources for their subsistence. This happens especially in countries with weak institutions and dubious governance. The case study "Large-Scale Land Acquisitions in Liberia" by Rudolf Buntzel and Wollor E. Topor, published by Bread for the World, describes the problem of land grabbing related to the palm oil sector in which agrofuels play an increasing role. According to the authors, the outbreak of land conflicts over new land concessions will most likely endanger the fragile internal peace. They recommend that in cases of legal uncertainty, the customary land use rights of the local population need to be given priority.
Large-Scale Land Acquisitions in Liberia. Case studies and some legal aspects on the palm oil sector. Analyse 39. By Rudolf Buntzel and Wollor E. Topor, published by Bread for the World, Berlin, June 2013. Download: www.brot-fuer-die-welt.de/fileadmin/mediapool/2_Downloads/Fachinformationen/Analyse/Analyse_39_large_scale_land_acquisitions.pdf
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(TW 74, March 2014)