International Land Transactions in Sub-Saharan Africa: Potential Development Driver or Exploitative 'Land Grabbing'? A Meta-Analysis Focusing on the Impacts on Food Security

The present paper evaluates the impacts of international land transactions on the food security of selected target countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. An Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) Framework-based meta-analysis of eleven case studies reveals specific conditions under which land deals are able to create positive or negative results regarding the four dimensions of food security. The paper identifies three decisive variables influencing the respective outcomes: Land rights, contract design and good governance. On this basis, several guidelines concerning land transactions are deduced, accentuating the formalization and strengthening of land rights, the independent opportunity/risk evaluation, the transparency in the land deal context, the equitable negotiation of contracts, the existence of control and sanction mechanisms, the guaranty of basic rights and constitutionality, the awareness-raising within the local populations and the consideration of disadvantaged groups. If these aspects are not respected, international land transactions will considerably reduce food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.