Abstract:
The recent phenomenon of large-scale acquisition of land for a variety of
investment purposes has raised deep concerns over the food security, livelihood and
socio-economic development of communities in many regions of the developing world. This
study set out to investigate the food security outcomes of land acquisitions in northern Sierra
Leone. Using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the study measures
the severity of food insecurity and hunger, compares the situation of food security before
and after the onset of operations of a land investing company, analyzes the food security
implications of producing own food versus depending on wage labour for household food
needs, and evaluates initiatives put in place by the land investing company to mitigate its
food insecurity footprint. Results show an increase in the severity of food insecurity and
hunger. Household income from agricultural production has fallen. Employment by the land
investing company is limited in terms of the number of people it employs relative to the
population of communities in which it operates. Also, wages from employment by the
company cannot meet the staple food needs of its employees. The programme that has been
put in place by the company to mitigate its food insecurity footprint is failing because of a
host of reasons that relate to organization and power relations. In conclusion, rural people
are better off producing their own food than depending on the corporate structure of land
investment companies. Governments should provide an enabling framework to
accommodate this food security need, both in land investment operations that are ongoing
and in those that are yet to operate
