Food security and land use: The Ethiopian case

Abstract

From the financial crisis of 2008, international investors have addressed their attention to new investment and expansion opportunities and have acquired millions of hectares of land in various parts of the world. Developing Countries are the main target for such Large-Scale Land Acquisition (LSLA). While the adverse effects of these land grab are well known, their implications on food security have been less studied. In the context of an increasing disequilibrium between local food needs and international investors goals, the examining the potential adverse effects of LSLA on food security become an increasingly pressing matter. The paper illustrates an in-depth analysis on the impacts of LSLA on food security in Ethiopia. The results indicate that if the entire area of the acquired land is assumed to be used for domestic food production, it could feed around 7.1 million people.