Ensuring that potential Gulf farmland investments in developing countries are pro-poor and sustainable

This paper provides an overview of Gulf investments in foreign farmland, mainly in developing countries, and the motivation behind these investments. The literature suggests that private entities in Gulf countries are engaging in these investments for portfolio diversification, while Gulf governments are investing to ensure food security challenges resulting from the limited agricultural resources of these countries. The paper also discusses examples of farmland investments in Sudan, Indonesia and Pakistan, and their consequences. The main recommendation is the need to ensure that these investments provide positive externalities to the host countries and local communities involved, in order to ensure the continuity and acceptability of these investments.