EFFECTS OF JATROPHA INVESTMENTS ON LOCAL CITIZENSHIP IN GHANA

Abstract

This paper aims to explore implications of large-scale land investment for local citizenship, with a particular focus on customs and mobility. The concept of local citizenship is a neglected aspect of land investment debates. We argue that the use of the concept helps us to identify how large-scale land investments work to invoke the hegemonic and customary power of indigenes and undermine local citizenship identity of migrants. The paper explores why and how this power invoking happened through a critical examination of experiences of five communities that experienced large-scale jatropha investments. Using survey data derived from 350 informants, this paper confirms the existence of deep-rooted land insecurity of migrants. Indigenes invoked the concept of local citizenship identity in land claim, as large scale agri-investments influenced local citizen status through changing value of rural lands, and exposed the use of hegemonic power of indigenes over migrants’ rights to land access.

Keywords

• local citizenship
• investment
• land
• migrant
• indigenes
• rights
• power
• mobility