Presentation by Jean-Christophe Diepart for the Second Regional Land Forum

1. Mekong State
of Land
© Justin Mott
Micah Ingalls and Jean-
Christophe Diepart
Regional Land Forum
Bangkok, 28 May

2. Agricultural modernization through
large-scale Land concessions

3. Rationales: Investments for development
• Attract investments to stimulate
agro-industrial activities
• Leverage latent productive
potential of ‘under-utilized’ land
• Labor opportunities and local
economic diversification
• Trickle-down effect on middle
farmers
• Generate state revenues
One Map
J.-C. Diepart

4. Evolution in the granting of land concessions
Sources: multiple, see report

5. Changes in the Agrarian Structures of the Mekong countries
Sources: multiple, see report
Smallholders
land (ha)
Concessions for agricultural
and tree production
Mining
concessions
Area (ha)
As % of
smallholder land
Area (ha)
exploration + in
operation
Cambodia 3,304,738 2,180,683 66% 3,398,649
Laos 1,666,822 500,0091 30% 8,346,565
Myanmar 12,794,187 2,086,892 16% N-A
Vie Nam 7,772,045 344,289 4% N-A

6. Increased inequality in land distribution
Gini index (smallholder
farmers only)
Gini index (smallholder
farmers + concessions)
Sources: multiple, see report

7. Agricultural
concessions
Geography of land concessions
Sources: multiple, see report
Domestic
China – Viet Nam
– Thailand – South
Korea
Other
Cambodia 43% 36% 21%
Laos 31% 60% 9%
Myanmar NA NA NA
Vie Nam 23% 0 77%

8. Land use under concessions
Boom crop
concessions
76% of areas under
concession : Rubber,
Tree plantation, sugar
cane, corn and
cassava
Sources: multiple, see report

9. Negative impacts outweigh positive ones
• Deforestation
• Non-compliance with social impact
requirements
• Lack of coordination with migration
dynamics
→ Dispossession, conflicts and
involuntary resettlement
• Ineffectiveness
• Very limited employment effect
One Map
S. Fogarizzu
S. Fogarizzu

10. Responses by governments and business actors
• 2012 Moratoria on new
concessions
• Land titling and land
redistribution
• Evaluation of concessions
including cancellations
• New forms of
investments gain traction
(contract farming, etc.)
J.-C. Diepart

11. Produced by:
With funding from: