By Venusia Vinciguerra

The acquisition or leasing of extended areas of land in developing countries by private firms is a growing phenomenon (Cotula et al. 2009:4-5; Shepard and Anuradha 2009). Some trigger factors for this are: food security issues tied to food prices, energy crops to respond to the growing demand for agrofuel, financial benefits, carbon markets and search for water (Grain 2009; Smaller and Mann 2009:4-6). Countries with limited access to land and water constraints need to find alternatives to ensure food security for the domestic market. Moreover, one of the consequences of the rise in food prices is the increased value of arable land, making investments in the sector lucrative.