Rural Land Issues as a factor of crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: South Africa, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya Note de l'Ifri, December 2009

Summary : One of the most important cross-section thematic across Sub-Saharan Africa is rural land issues. It is going to play a crucial role for the future of African societies. The agricultural sector is still representing a major position either in terms of GDP than active population. How are African States managing the grant of land in a context of growing shortage (due to demographic pressure)? Could this growing shortage of land be dangerous or lead to violent crisis? How are politicians using these frustrations? Are these tensions on available land leading to an intensification of farming or a change of agriculture system? On the contrary, is the future of African farming going to be the creation of large farming units owned by large companies or multinationals?

These three papers are the result of a seminar organized by Ifri's Sub-Saharan Africa program on the 17th October 2008. The seminar was around Nancy Andrew (African Study Center, Bordeaux), Alfred Babo (University of Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire) and Claire Médard (Development Research Institute, Bondy). The event was chaired by Alain Antil (Head of Ifri's Sub-saharan Africa Program).

This content is published in French : Les questions foncières rurales comme facteur de crise en Afrique subsaharienne : Afrique du Sud, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya