Exploring the implications of land grabs for local food security and environment in Sierra Leone: a case of oil palm plantation in Malen chiefdom, Sierra Leone

The study emphasizes the need for balanced land-use laws, legal frameworks for land purchases and ownership, land tenure reforms, and enforcement of regulations through Environmental Impacts Assessments mechanisms. It also highlights the importance of assessing the long-term repercussions of land agreements on food security and the socio-economic wellbeing of vulnerable communities, most especially smallholder farmers who make up the majority population of the agrarian world. The study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on land grabbing, social justice, and preserving local livelihoods in the face of global economic pressures. Land grabbing is a significant issue in the Sahn Malen Chiefdom of Sierra Leone, causing environmental degradation and loss of natural resources due to corporate-driven industrial farming methods. This has led to reduced access to land and food insecurity, increasing vulnerability to poverty and social tensions. The absence of well-defined land access and ineffective land governance systems are significant factors contributing to land grabbing. Another influential aspect is the swift growth of industrial agriculture and extractive industries, propelled by investments from both domestic and foreign sources. Sahn Malen Chiefdom, situated in the Pujehun District of Sierra Leone, has been afflicted by land degradation problems in recent times. The Malen community has experienced substantial socio-economic and environmental repercussions as a result of this.