Positioning Large scale Farming in the Current Debate Large-scale farming, also known as ‘land grabbing’1 by those who view the practice negatively, or as large-scale land acquisition by those who maintain a neutral position, is not a new phenomenon (Xxxxx & Xxxxxx 2006; Xxxxxxx 2008). Soaring grain prices in 2007–2008 (GRAIN 2008; Xxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx-Xxxx 2009; Xxxxxxxxx et al. 2011; Xxxxxxx 2011), coupled with fears among governments of some food-importing countries about not being able to access sufficient quantities of food for their citizens, fuelled the quest for large-scale arable land acquisition (Matondi et al. 2011). In addition, the goal of increasing the use of biofuels (Olanya 2012), the growth of carbon markets in response to climate change (Xxxxx 2008; Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx 2010; Xxxxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx 2012; Xxxxxx & XxxXxxxxx 2012), and the convergence of food–energy–climate crises (Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx 2012; XxXxxxxx et al. 2012) have spurred renewed interest in acquiring large swathes of land in the developing South. On the other hand, Zoomers (2010, p. 433‒440) argued that the driving processes for the global ‘land grab’ are complex and extended the drivers of global land acquisition into seven different processes. She added four further factors: the development of ‘Special Economic Zones (SEZ)’ for international investments; land acquisition for construction of large-scale resorts for ‘tourist complexes’; land acquisition for ‘residential migration’ by retired people from developed countries; and land acquisition in their country of origin by immigrants living in developed countries. The volume of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flowing to the agricultural sector has increased substantially since 2007, following the tripartite crises of food, finance and energy (Cotula & Xxxxxxxxx 2011; Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx 2012; Xxxxx 2012). Investors and, in some cases, governments of countries exposed to global market volatility explored land-based investment opportunities in countries comparatively rich in natural resources (Xxx Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx-Xxxx 2009; Xx Xxxxxxxx 2011). This has manifested primarily in a rapidly rising rate of 1 Land grabbing is a term used to refer to commercial land transactions and speculations by (trans)national investors for the production of, mainly, food and biofuel and for the extraction of other land-based resources by disposing of local and indigenous people (Xxxxxx & Xxxxxx 2012). While the term ‘land grabbing’ is largely perceived as something ...
