ILC Cambodia October22

8/14/2019 ILC Cambodia October22

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ILCs Work on CommercialPressures on Land (CPL) Issue

New challenges and increasing

Pressures on customary land rights

In Southeast Asia

Phnom Penh

Cambodia

18-22 October 2009


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What is the international landcoalition (ILC)

It is composed of about 80 CSOs, IGOswhose commitment is to the eradication ofrural poverty through the promotion ofsecure and equitable access to land.

Its members work with the rural poor toincrease their secure access to naturalresources, especially land, and allow themto participate directly in the policy anddecision making processes that could affectthem.

established by the 1995 Conference on

Hunger and Poverty. Initially known as thePopular Coalition to Eradicate Hunger and

Poverty. Became the International LandCoalition in 2003

Secretariat hosted by IFAD in Rome


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CSO members in Asia

Pakistan (SCOPE)

Philippines (PAFID, AR-NOW,

TFM, CARRD, ANGOC) Bangladesh (ARBAN, ALRD)

India (SARRA, SDF, BJSA,JKS, Ekta Parishad, SDDPA)

Cambodia (STARKampuchea, CCC)

Indonesia (KPA, RMI, JKPP)

Nepal (CSRC, MODE, CDS)


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How ILC works

ADVOCACY - Raising the profile

of land governance issues

KNOWLEDGE MGMT -

Advancing a common

understanding of

land issues

POLICY DIALOGUE - Ensuring

space for CSO

CAPACITY BUILDING

PARTNERSHIPS JOINT

ACTION


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What are Commercial Pressures on Land

Commercial pressures, land grab,

Agri-colonialism, agri-investments

- Words vary according to the positions

of those who use them

Taking control of large amounts of land

and manifestations of interest in the purchase

or long-term rental of land

Large size of acquisitions over 100,000 has

in many cases

Low level of public consultation a lack of

transparency

Increasing involvement of GOs in land

negotiations


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What is driving CPL?

Markets for certain goods and services:

Agrofuels

Staple foods

Forest resources (timber/ntfp and environmental services)

Tourism

Mining and energy resources

Urbanization

Control of water and its disribution


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Some myths about Commercial Pressures on Land

Abundant unused land is available foragricultural investments

Virtually no large scale land allocations cantake place without displacing the local

populations.

100 land deals -Although a body ofverified data on investment-related landtransactions in particular countries isgrowing, the true extent of the phenomenaremains unknown.

Transnational investment in land is anew phenomenon

Although the current phenomenon hasspecific characteristics, large-scaletransnational investment in land is not new.


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Foreign investors are the primary land grabbers

Land acquisitions by domestic investors appear to be a significantcontributor to the alienation of land from local land users, whiledomestic partners are also often integral to foreign investments

Transnational investment in land is brought about byfood price crisis, and will decline with the financial crisis

Long-term predictions of trends in demand for food, fuel, fibre andenvironmental services indicate that while there might be short-termfluctuations in investor demand for land, commercial pressures on landwill continue to increase over the long-term.

Land is the main resource of investor interest

Allocations of land for investment ,may legitimise extraction of otherrenewable and non-renewable natural resources whose significantvalue may not be taken into account in investment agreements.

Myths about Commercial Pressures on Land


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Legalallocation of

customary

rights

(Tanzania,

Mozambique)

Illegal

Grabs

(Sudan)

Legal allocation

of state land

ignoring

customary rights

(Ethiopia, Niger,

Madagascar)

Legal transferof customary

land by elite

(Cambodia,

Pakistan)

Illegal

removals

through

intimidation

(Colombia,

Uruguay)

Concentration

of private

lands (Peru,Colombia,

Argentina,

Ukraine)

Legal

expropriationor forced

leasing of land

(Philippines,

India,

Indonesia)

Investors are involved in land grabbingLand grabbing is misleading in characterising the wide variety ofways in which investors are acquiring land, many of which do notexplicitly violate policies and laws.

Customarily-held land Privately-held land


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On going researches on CPL supported byILC in Asia

An impact analysis of Special Economic Zones(SEZ) with specific reference to Polepally SEZ,Andhra Pradesh, India

focus of the study: Look at the impact of theSEZs. The SEZ Act of 2005 aims generate additionaleconomic activity and promotion of investment fromdomestic and foreign sources. Over 1240 acres of

land has been acquired from 350 families inPolepally, a majority of who belong to Dalit Bahujancommunities. The Dalits and farmers were paid a thesum of Rs 18,000 Rs50,000 per acre.

Expansion of oil palm plantations and itsimpact on the local people of Kalimantan,Indonesia

focus of the study: Look at the impact of largescale palm oil plantations in Kalimantan on theDayaks and other indigenous peoplesTo describe thestruggles of the indigenous peoples in Kalimantancurrently respond to the Kalimantan Border Oil PalmMega-Project and other oil palm plantation projectsaffecting indigenous peoples in Kalimantan


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On going researches on CPL supportedby ILC in Asia

Documenting case study on Corporate Farming

in Pakistanfocus of the study: To understand the dynamics ofcorporate agriculture farming (CAF) and commercialpressure on land (CPL) in Pakistan. It will alsodetermine the impact of CF on the lives of landless

farmers and inform stakeholders about theconsequences of CAF and CPL. It also aims to initiatedialogue process among the civil society in thecountry.

COMMERCIAL PRESSURE ON AGRICULTURE LANDIN KATHMANDU VALLEY OF NEPAL

focus of the study: to document and analyse thecurrent trends in commercial pressures on land, aswell as their existing and anticipated impacts onenvironment, societies and development objectives inurban area in general and particularly in Kathmanduvalley of Nepal. It will also examine and question the'opportunities' that commercial pressures on land

could possibly offer to poor land-users.


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On going researches on CPL supportedby ILC in Asia

Research on global land grabbing in thePhilippines: Mapping of actual and potential areasaffected and assessment of its impact at the nationaland community levels for the formulation ofcorrective policy proposals and a draft bill.

Focus of the study: Documentation of existingapplications, contracts, memorandum of agreements, andother agreements of foreign agribusiness investors withthe Philippine government or local private landowners thatwould allow the leasing of large tracts of agricultural landsfor the production of agri-fuels and food crops for exportto the said investors countries of origin. Will determinethe actual and potential areas to be affected by saidventures. One to two sites shall then be chosen formonitoring and evaluation of the impact of said venturesat the community level. An analysis of the potential

impact of the said ventures on the national economy andfood security shall also be undertaken.


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Similar ILC studies in Africa being conducted in:

Benin

Rwanda

Ethiopia

Burkina Faso

Nigeria

ILC will publish a global report

in early 2010.Findings will be presented at a

Farmers Forum sponsoredby IFAD in February 2010.


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Way forward: What to do? FAOs Voluntary Guidance on

responsible governance of tenureof land and other naturalresources

A binding International code of

conduct?

Full consultation with affectedcommunities and the public

Dissemination of best practices

Use of other strategies otherthan purchase of land (forexample. Contract farming,improved food marketinformation systems).


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International code of conduct:

considerations

Possible role of civil society

Widespread acknowledgement thatcivil society involvement - especially

producer organisations is crucial

Ensuring focus on neglected areas (eg

women land access and human rights

To what extent would formulation of an

international framework be expert led

or participatory?

Watchdog role


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considerations

Possible role of IGOs

Setting standards and norms

Catalyzing process

Providing support to host

governments for good

decision-making


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considerations

Enforceability:

Will it attract adequate

adherence and support of all

key stakeholders, including

investors, home and host

governments and civil

society?

ILC Cambodia October22

Documents

Transcript of ILC Cambodia October22