From global observatories to fostering transparency at national level and informed local decision making Decentralising the Land Matrix Ward Anseeuw, Peter Messerli, Michael Taylor, Markus Giger

Open data: Making the data visible and understandable Transparency in decision-making over land and investment, as a step towards greater accountability Public participation in building a constantly evolving database on large-scale land deals Launched in April 2012 – World Bank Land and Poverty Conference PROMOTING…

* Global database for monitoring of land deals * Information on investor (origin, type), deal (production intention, size), target region (former land use), & attempt to capture dynamics (Negotiation status, Implementation status) * Sourcing: - Data entry/checking through LM partners/networks based on research/policy reports, official government records, company websites, media reports and personal information - Crowd sourcing A global database…

DATA - Data availability and reliability remain problematic – dynamic (status of deals), specificities of countries - Processes POLICY - Transparency / accountability - National jurisdictions Need/necessity to decentralise CHALLENGES

TOWARDS OPEN SOURCE… - Support the establishment of Land Observatories that concentrate on a specific area of interest (geographical/Thematic) LM Open Data/source … -Promotion of use/participation to data But also -Adapt software and approach to support infra-global initiatives: All data AND software available for anyone to use, for any purpose Twin goals: - Improving the quality and inclusiveness with regards the data - Involving stakeholders in the dialogue and decision-making processes through active participation Participation Ownership

Land Matrix Initiative Land Matrix Global Observatory LPI Observatory Madagascar…Thematic Rangelands Observatory … Land Observatories Each Observatory – Independent, managed by own interest group Based on multi-stakeholder platforms Software Adapted to local needs Land Matrix Global Observatory LM partnership provides development support, linking to the global database

Context matters for LSLAs

Conceptualizing a contextual knowledge platform Who? (Multiple stakeholders across scales and distance) What? (Flows of capital, goods, information) Where? (Places, areas, etc.) Investments into rubber A A Village I I Jatrohpa G G Protected area High poverty

Land Observatory Where-what-who?

What-who-where? Land Observatory

Lessons learnt  No technical without social innovation  “Synchronisation” is challenging: in-depth vs. shallow information  Socio-political conditions determine involvement of actors  National ownership vs. cross-scale connectedness  From observatories on territories to observatories on types of areas (rangelands) and types of flows (LSLAs, conservation, PES… )

Conclusions 3.Moving forward - the Land Matrix Initiative  Linking patterns with processes of LSLA  Complementing the Global Observatory with contextual observatories, open software and data, crowdsourcing 2.Contextualising land observatories  Establishing links between flows, actors, and places  Focusing on competing claims, trade-offs, equity 1. Goal: more effective land governance  Land institutions need to be congruent with land processes  Land processes: from territory to flows