IIED | 19 March 2015

Farmers, herders and foragers affected by large-scale land deals have looked for opportunities for voice, redress and accountability – from seeking to influence key decision-making moments to legal action before national courts, through to leveraging of lender standards and complaint mechanisms.

Despite emerging evidence on certain features of these land deals, uncertainty still surrounds the actors, relations, processes and incentives involved – the 'investment chain' underpinning large land deals. Yet understanding where the money for a given investment comes from and where the produce is sold can provide new levers for public accountability.