A typology of domestic private land-based investors in Africa

The role of local and national investors in ‘land grabbing’ in Africa has recently received more scholarly attention. Recent studies suggest that the scale of domestic investments may exceed that of foreign investors. However, our knowledge about the domestic investors – who they are and how they access land – is still only partial. Typically research has focused on specific groups.

A new article, ‘A typology of domestic private land-based investors in Africa: Evidence from Tanzania’s timber rush', aims at improving our understanding of the diversity of domestic land-based investments during crop booms in Africa. It is based on empirical research into land transactions in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands. This area has witnessed a significant increase in tree planting for urban and regional markets lately. The article demonstrates that there is a significant diversity among investors and how they access land.

The article is authored by Justin Lusasi, PhD student at Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, and DIIS researchers Esbern Friis-Hansen and Rasmus Hundsbæk Pedersen. It is part of the Timber Rush research project.