Testing Claims about Large Land Deals in Africa: Findings from a Multi-Country Study

Despite much research on large land deals for plantation agriculture in Africa, reliable data remain elusive, partly because of limited access to information and practical and methodological challenges. International debates are still shaped by misperceptions about how much land is being acquired, where, by whom, how and with what consequences. This article aims empirically to test some common perceptions through an analysis of findings from research conducted in three African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, and Tanzania. The article presents new evidence on the scale, geography, drivers and features of land deals, relates findings to data from earlier research and international efforts to monitor land deals, and outlines possible ways forward for ongoing monitoring of the deals

The Household Enterprise Sector in Ghana: Overview and Challenges

Household Enterprises (HEs) have not received much consideration in the enterprise literature even though they are crucial for the development of an economy. These enterprises have been the main source of livelihood for most families in the informal sector and their contribution to reduction in unemployment is pivotal to growth of developing economies. This paper explores the nature of HE sector in Ghana and the challenges they face in their daily operations. The study employed an informal enterprise survey of 729 household enterprises conducted in 2013 by the World Bank in Ghana. With the use of systematic review and descriptive analysis, the study outlined financial constraint as the main challenge faced by HEs and discussed the linkage between HEs and the financial sector in Ghana. Based on these findings recommendations were made to the major stakeholders in the sector (entrepreneurs, financial institutions and government).</jats:p