F. Spagnuolo

Global Land Rush, Water Grabbing and the Human Right to Water

Large-scale land acquisitions, commonly known as “land grabbing,” are in most cases driven by the need for freshwater resources. There is evidence that corporations and governments are increasingly investing in agricultural land in order to meet the growing demand for food and biofuel. Since the production of both food and biofuels requires freshwater resources, land investors typically look for access to water. Large-scale land-related deals include unlimited water rights in favor of the investor, to the detriment of other users, especially local people, who lose their access to water despite the fact that access to water resources is a basic human right that cannot be denied. Moreover, most of these deals are closed with no, or very limited, consultation with local populations, and without fair compensation. Investors thus act with no consideration for the social and environmental impact of the land acquisition and water grabbing.