Includes growing pressures on land and water rights, growing conflict; different pressures on land and water; availability of agricultural land and water throughout the world; distribution of access rights; socio-economic, legal and political variables; conflict over land tenure and water rights;

With all the focus on land grabbing and food security, water issues tend to be an afterthought. Foreign investments tend to be concentrated around the main African river basins. Water resources are lifelines for locals, so understanding the legal framework governing investments is critical.

Investors often look for land with a high growing potential, which means land with lots of rainfall or land that can be irrigated. In multimillion dollar investments involving irrigation, investors typically want to secure water rights as part of the deal.