Land access: A deciding factor or a simple indicator of change in farming systems?

Abstract

The scope of private investments and large-scale land acquisitions in southern countries has reignited debate on land access and rural development. Does land access play a new role in the transformation of rural areas? Is land access a deciding factor or a simple indicator of change in agrarian structures? This introductory article synthesizes this special issue of Cahiers Agricultures through an analysis of the relationships between land access, investments and farming systems. It analyses how the States, the investors and the local communities manage and control land access to ensure agricultural production and to orientate rural development. It underlines that neither land control nor a change in property land rights are systematically required to make investments productive in the rural sector. The heart of the matter is articulating the diverse farming systems and the different types of investments while respecting the rights of local populations and, above all, ensuring the recognition of their power over land access..