Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies

We asked 5 participants from our special Journal of Peasant Studies-PLAAS Africa Writeshop to show us what they're learning about journal publishing during their week with us.

What do they want? Community! 🧑🏿‍🤝‍🧑🏾

Watch the intro below, and follow their journeys here: shorturl.at/ZNjDm

📽️ The slow methodology: our researchers in our Living Landscapes in Action project gather vast empirical data in the areas they work. This film shows how they do it and why it's important for our work on social and spatial justice in conservation and biodiversity.
RSVP: forms.gle/8PfzsHrujMRb...

🌱 Protecting nature from what, and for whom?
Join us on Wednesday for this beautiful film and important discussion about social and spatial justice in conservation and biodiversity.
Screening starts at 17:30 (but come and eat with us at 16:30).

🌱 Protecting nature from what, and for whom?
Join us on Wednesday for this beautiful film and important discussion about social and spatial justice in conservation and biodiversity.
Screening starts at 17:30 (but come and eat with us at 16:30).

🔊 Register online to watch our Land Availability and Land-use Changes in Africa report. Four minutes to go!

🌍 Africa does not have huge tracts of “vacant” land - a myth used to fuel land grabs, ecological destruction & dispossession. Join us in person or online for our new myth-busting report launch at the Conference on Land Policy in Africa at 15:00 GMT+3: shorturl.at/y0Efa
#AFSA @oaklandinstitute.org

Join Dr Lubabalo Mbekeni for a PLAAS academic seminar as he shares insights from his research on the Ebenhaeser community, a case study of how land reform can aid poverty reduction.

📆 Tuesday, 18 November 2025
🕐 13:00–14:00 SAST
📍 PLAAS Seminar Room, UWC
💻 Register: uwc.zoom.us/j/95585116993

See you in 10 minutes! ✍🏾

🔊 Today's the day! Join us online for this Masterclass as @kuminaidoo.bsky.social presents just solutions for the climate emergency - with respect and solidarity at its centre.
🕙 10:00-13:00 SAST
🗓️ Today! 15 October 2025
💻 shorturl.at/aDjdc

African communities are on the frontline of a crisis we did not create. What paths to addressing the climate emergency — rooted in justice, solidarity, and respect for nature — are open to us? Join this Masterclass with @kuminaidoo.bsky.social. Register and find class resources: shorturl.at/aDjdc

The #PLAAS30 Land, Life and Society conference kicked off yesterday with important keynote addresses and plenaries from experts.

Watch the replays here:
Plenary 1 Keynotes: shorturl.at/itENF
Plenary 2 Politics: shorturl.at/fAclP

For information on upcoming plenaries: lnkd.in/ef2Ct_25

@plaasuwc.bsky.social marked 30 years of scholarship and advocacy with the Land, Life and Society conference — bringing together global experts to explore how land, food, and climate justice can shape a more equitable future.
#IAmUWC

Day 1 opens with keynotes from SA Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mzwanele Nyhontso; Morgan Ody, @via_campesina General Coordinator; Professor @IssaShivji from the University of Dar es Salaam; with @RuthHallPLAAS as chair. Programme shorturl.at/WlUfb #PLAAS30

Land, Life and Society Conference 2025 | Plaas Land, Life and Society International conference on the road to ICARRD+20 Urgent attention is needed to the challenges of land and agrarian reform in the contemporary world. Today, intersecting crises,...

🌱 If you want to see what we're up to today and the rest of the week, you can find our programme here: shorturl.at/WlUfb
Keep up with news from the conference via our profile page here: plaas.org.za/land-life-an... #PLAAS30

The Land, Life and Society Conference is live! Watch our plenaries via live stream on our YouTube account.
This conference will be a marker of a memorable 30 years of PLAAS and a solid road towards ICARRD+20. Thank you for creating it with us. #PLAAS30 www.youtube.com/@PlaasOrgZaUWC

The ‘return’ of land grabbing? This introductory paper to the Special Forum on ‘The Return of Land Grabbing’ examines the evolving dynamics of land grabbing. We argue that land grabbing never disappeared but has persisted and tr...

What's driving land grabbing in the world today?

Our hot-off-the-press open access paper shows land grabbing is now shaped by:
1. geopolitics
2. financialization
3. climate policies

We set out why it matters, how people respond, and what's to be done @plaasuwc.bsky.social @tninstitute.bsky.social

African communities are on the frontline of a crisis we did not create. What paths to addressing the climate emergency — rooted in justice, solidarity, and respect for nature — are open to us? Join this Masterclass with @kuminaidoo.bsky.social. Register and find class resources: shorturl.at/aDjdc

Writeshop 2025 | Plaas The Journal of Peasant Studies & partners are pleased to announce the 4th Annual Writeshop in Critical Agrarian Studies and Scholar-Activism 2022

Two days to go until the Journal of Peasant Studies Africa Writeshop ahead of our 30th anniversary Land, Life and Society conference. #PLAAS30 🎉 Meet the early career and PhD scholars who will learn from some of eminent academics in our sector. plaas.org.za/sarchi-chair...

Will Ekurhuleni land expropriation become test case? - Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit Will the expropriation of a 34-hectare piece of property in Ekurhuleni without compensation become a test case for South Africa? Lester Kiewit speaks to Professor Ruth Hall, Director of the Institute ...

How do we consider land as heritage? As South Africa celebrates Heritage Day today, listen to @ruthhallplaas.bsky.social explain everything to understand about the country's first expropriation with nil compensation case, which uses the 1975 expropriation Act. omny.fm/shows/capeta...

📢 Does the medium-scale commercial farming model contribute to structural transformation, wealth creation, and improved livelihoods? Dr Clement Chipenda will reveal insights from his work in Zimbabwe. Register below for 13:00 today.

How do you write a well-grounded journal article? These researchers will refine their manuscripts at the Journal of Peasant Studies writeshop on critical agrarian studies.

Learn more about our participants: plaas.org.za/sarchi-chair...

#PLAAS30

📝 Dr Chipenda will go into more details about this work, his methodologies, and his findings at the seminar. If you have questions, you can send them to us via our BlueSky Chat. Register below.

💡 While medium-scale farms have become central to creating economic opportunities, they need support to meet their potential to contribute to structural transformation, wealth creation, and improved livelihoods.

🤔 Does the medium-scale commercial farming model contribute to structural transformation, wealth creation, and improved livelihoods?

🚜 The study looks at 200 resettled households in two rural districts in Zimbabwe. As with many post-colonial African contexts, the government of Zimbabwe is promoting the medium-scale farming sector to achieve its objective to become a middle-income economy by 2030. But...

Join Dr Clement Chipenda on Tuesday for an academic seminar, where he will share insights from his fascinating research on Zimbabwe's medium-scale farming sector.

📆 Tuesday, 23/09/2025
🕐 13:00-14:00
📍PLAAS Seminar Room or via Zoom: shorturl.at/YYZTm

What does his research show? 🧵👇🏾
#AcademicSky

Does the medium-scale commercial farming model contribute to structural transformation, wealth creation, and improved livelihoods? 🤔

🚜 "The study uses a survey and in-depth interviews of 200 resettled households in rural Zimbabwe. As with many post-colonial African contexts, the government of Zimbabwe is promoting the medium-scale farming sector to achieve its objective to become a middle-income economy by 2030. But...

Our next four participants for the JPS writing workshop have many shared and unique research interests, ranging from agrarian political economy to gender equity.

Meet Bernard Ekumah, Courage Rodwell Bakasa, Diane Tapimali, and Jabulile Manyike.

#PLAAS30

💪🏾 We're gearing up for our 30th anniversary Land, Life and Society Conference, happening at @uwconline.bsky.social from 7-9 Oct. We're kicking off with a Journal of Peasant Studies Africa Writeshop on Critical Agrarian Studies & Scholar Activism. These 4 will join 17 others in Cape Town. 🚀 #PLAAS30