Introduction
Land-rights activists struggle with riot police on Penang Island, Malaysia, as workers demolish a house, despite months of protests from villagers complaining about the country's lack of land rights. Conflicts over land are on the rise worldwide as population growth, climate change and food insecurity make land an increasingly scarce resource. (AP Photo/Gary Chuah)
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Conflicts over land ownership are intensifying around the globe, as population growth, climate change and food insecurity make land an increasingly scarce resource. Private investors and governments are scrambling to purchase vast tracts of arable land. Such “land grabs” have increased more than 10-fold in the last two years. However, because up to 70 percent of the planet's land remains potentially in dispute because of the lack of clear titles, indigenous owners often end up losing their land to big investors. Meanwhile, long-festering land issues slow poverty reduction, and land disputes are at the root of social conflicts in countries from Cambodia to Colombia. Early land reform efforts in Latin America are eroding, and Asian land redistribution projects are causing tension between farmers and urban tenants. While some countries are successfully addressing land policy issues, experts say the need to grow economies and feed growing populations will only increase land disputes worldwide, potentially triggering more violence.
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