RETAINING COMMUNITY SOVEREIGNTY OVER LAND

This guide, published by Friends of the Earth International in December 2014, provides communities with information and strategies to resist 'land grabbing' by governments and corporations. It explains the conflict between customary and national land laws, outlines international human rights mechanisms for protection, and critiques common promises made by companies to justify land acquisition.

• Land grabbing is driven by governments and big business seeking land for mining, oil production, infrastructure, carbon offset schemes, and cash crops for export such as soy, maize, sugarcane, and palm oil. It is estimated that between 80 and 260 million hectares of land have been targeted, often resulting in the loss of livelihoods and cultural identity for local people.
• Conflicts over land ownership often arise because national statutory laws, frequently derived from European colonial law, ignore 'customary law'—the unwritten agreements and traditions local communities use to manage land. Governments may also use 'eminent domain' to seize private land for the 'public interest', though the guide notes that such decisions often favour foreign corporations over local needs.
• Communities can seek protection through international human rights laws and UN mechanisms. While national laws may not always recognize land rights, the loss of land affects rights to food, water, housing, and self-determination. Communities can submit information to UN Special Rapporteurs or provide 'shadow reports' to treaty organisations to highlight government failures in respecting human rights.
• The guide identifies several 'myths' and false promises used by companies to gain land access. These include claims of providing development (schools and clinics that are often not maintained), promising jobs (which are often short-term, low-paid, or given to migrants), and claiming to only take 'marginal land' (which is actually used for grazing, fuel, or sacred sites).
• Agricultural transitions promoted by companies, such as contract farming or the use of genetically modified (GM) seeds, can lead to community debt. GM seeds often require expensive annual purchases and chemical inputs, and may perform worse than traditional varieties in unstable weather conditions.
• Conservation and carbon reduction projects can lead to 'green' land grabbing, where communities are evicted or lose access to forests. In some cases, natural forests are replaced with non-native plantations of pine or eucalyptus, and indigenous groups may be forced to sign contracts that prohibit traditional activities like logging or agriculture.
• The principle of 'Free, Prior and Informed Consent' (FPIC) is an international law right allowing communities to decide whether to agree to a project. The guide warns that companies often confuse 'consent' with 'consultation', using intimidation, misleading information, or selective engagement with a few individuals rather than the whole community.
• Women are disproportionately affected by land grabbing. Despite often being the primary farmers, they have less control over land and are frequently excluded from consultations. On plantations, women may face lower pay, sexual harassment, and health risks from applying pesticides without protective equipment.

APA

Chandrasekaran, K. (2014). RETAINING COMMUNITY SOVEREIGNTY OVER LAND. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FOEI-toolkit-Part1-Guide-for-communities_low-res.pdf

Chicago

Chandrasekaran, Kirtana. RETAINING COMMUNITY SOVEREIGNTY OVER LAND. Friends of the Earth International, 2014. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FOEI-toolkit-Part1-Guide-for-communities_low-res.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chandrasekaran |first1=Kirtana |title=RETAINING COMMUNITY SOVEREIGNTY OVER LAND |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=December 2014 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FOEI-toolkit-Part1-Guide-for-communities_low-res.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chandrasekaran2014retaining, author = {Chandrasekaran, Kirtana}, title = {{RETAINING COMMUNITY SOVEREIGNTY OVER LAND}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2014}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/FOEI-toolkit-Part1-Guide-for-communities_low-res.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }