When land becomes a burden: An analysis of an underperforming Zambian land deal

Author(s)

Tijo Salverda, Chewe Nkonde

Abstract

From 2011 onward, a European agribusiness progressively purchased about 38,000 hectares of land in Zambia. Although operations have commenced on the ground, only part of the land has been developed. Salverda and Nkonde look at the reasons for and implications of this partial development, focusing particularly on how, in such a context, Zambia's slow-moving land administration, lack of financing, and the presence of rural residents on the purchased land have become self-reinforcing challenges. Their aim is to provide insights about why (very large) land deals often fail to achieve their projected capacity, leaving both investors and local residents in limbo.

Organisation(s)

Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology

External organisation(s)

University of Zambia

Journal

African Studies Review

Volume

64

Pages

653-674

No. of pages

22

ISSN

0002-0206

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1017/asr.2021.65

Publication date

2019

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

504017 Cultural anthropology, 504008 Ethnography

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cultural Studies, Anthropology

Portal url

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/e152a48a-21db-4b78-8af7-b63ce9e3a39d