Forests to the Foreigners: Large-Scale Land Acquisitions in Gabon

Abstract

For the past decade, the land rush discourse has analyzed foreign investment in land and agriculture around the world, with Africa being a continent of particular focus due to the scale of acquisitions that have taken place. Gabon, a largely forested state in Central Africa, has been neglected in the land rush conversations, despite having over half of its land allocated to forestry, agriculture, and mining concessions. This paper draws on existing evidence and contributes new empirical data through expert interviews to fill this critical knowledge gap. We situate Gabon’s historic relationship with land, establishing the intrinsic relationship between colonial land tenure systems and present-day land rights. Our findings analyze the macro context of investors and investments, as well as the impacts related to rural–urban linkages and infrastructure development into the forests, civil society, human–environment relationships, and certification programs. While challenges continue to be experienced, the promise of Gabon’s first national land use plan—the use of sustainable concessions and mandatory forestry certification—offers a unique opportunity for Gabon to transition towards a future that better benefits its population while also protecting its natural resources.

Intra-annual relationship between precipitation and forest disturbance in the African rainforest

“…For example, positive time lags were visible especially in Gabon, showing that forest disturbance peaks one month before the driest month(s) of the year. Large-scale commercial agriculture and selective logging are the main driving factors for forest disturbance in Gabon (Legault andCochrane 2021, Pacheco et al 2021). Heavy machinery commonly used for selective logging might allow for the beginning of logging activities very early in the dry season or end of the wet season resulting in a positive time lag (Tyukavina et al 2018).…”

Responding to Environmental Issues through Adaptive Collaborative Management

“…The latter are waging a virulent long-term campaign to phase out logging, without ever addressing its ecologically benign transformation to the benefit of Africans. Scientists are actively involved in these struggles (Gray 2002;Legault and Cochrane 2021;Lescuyer et al 2012), no matter their cautionary approaches and their search for objectivity. In fact, logging, occurring within an ocean of poverty, having done little to improve local people's livelihoods, is an easy strawman to destroy (Fuller et al 2018).…”

Gabon Country Economic Memorandum: Toward More Inclusive and Greener Growth

“…For example, from 2011 to 2019, the amount of forestry permits allocated to Chinese firms increased from 25 percent to 74 percent, in line with Gabon's efforts to establish a favorable tax regime. 148 Indeed, since 2012, wood processing companies have benefited from special tax arrangements, spanning 5 fiscal years and comprising (i) flat-rate minimum tax and corporate income tax exemption, (ii) degressive depreciation of equipment, (iii) VAT exemption on the acquisition of intermediate consumption in the operation of the plant (electricity, technical assistance services, etc. ), (iv) exemption from withholding tax on dividend distributions, (v) exemption from property taxes, and (vi) exemption from customs duties on equipment, machinery, and materials and capital goods intended for wood processing.…”