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Land of Plenty, Land of Misery: Synergetic Resource Grabbing in Mozambique

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  • Natacha Bruna

    (International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 2518 AX The Hague, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Global climate change policy enforcement has become the new driving force of resource grabbing in the context of the “scramble of resources” in Africa. Nevertheless, the environmental crisis should not be seen as an isolated phenomenon amid contemporary capitalism. On the contrary, a very distinct feature of the current wave of land grabs is the convergence of multiple crises, including food, energy/fuel, environmental, and financial. The Southern Mozambique District, Massingir, is an area with high potential regarding water sources and biodiversity. It recently became a host of a biofuel project, and also a huge block of land is being transformed into a conservation/tourism area; answering to many issues within capitalism’s crisis, this area is an evidence of how synergetic resource grabbing can arise as a response to the convergence of multiple crises. Therefore, by analyzing the emerging politics of natural resources in Massingir District and the dynamics regarding the land-use change, changes in property relations, it is possible to understand how rural livelihoods are shaped. Risks related to food security and sovereignty, loss of control and access to resources, consistent narrowing down of the set of livelihood strategies, and inter-community conflicts over scarce resources are the main implications of such emerging climate-smart land politics.

Suggested Citation

  • Natacha Bruna, 2019. "Land of Plenty, Land of Misery: Synergetic Resource Grabbing in Mozambique," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:8:y:2019:i:8:p:113-:d:251349
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Saturnino M. Borras & David Fig & Sofía Monsalve Suárez, 2011. "The politics of agrofuels and mega-land and water deals: insights from the ProCana case, Mozambique," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(128), pages 215-234, June.
    2. Saturnino M. Borras & Jennifer C. Franco, 2018. "The challenge of locating land-based climate change mitigation and adaptation politics within a social justice perspective: towards an idea of agrarian climate justice," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(7), pages 1308-1325, July.
    3. Salena Tramel, 2018. "Convergence as political strategy: social justice movements, natural resources and climate change," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(7), pages 1290-1307, July.
    4. Saturnino M. Borras Jr. & Tsegaye Moreda & Alberto Alonso-Fradejas & Zoe W. Brent, 2018. "Converging social justice issues and movements: implications for political actions and research," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(7), pages 1227-1246, July.
    5. Harvey, David, 2005. "The New Imperialism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199278084.
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    Cited by:

    1. Borras, Saturnino M. & Franco, Jennifer C. & Moreda, Tsegaye & Xu, Yunan & Bruna, Natacha & Afewerk Demena, Binyam, 2022. "The value of so-called ‘failed’ large-scale land acquisitions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    2. Tamura, Yu, 2021. "Contexts behind differentiated responses to contract farming and large-scale land acquisitions in Central Mozambique: Post-war experiences, social relations, and power balance of local authorities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    3. Rebecca Pointer & Emmanuel Sulle & Clemente Ntauazi, 2023. "Smallholder Views on Chinese Agricultural Investments in Mozambique and Tanzania in the Context of VGGTs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.

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