As part of Landesa’s ongoing Responsible Investments in Property and Land (RIPL) Project, Landesa staff conducted, in cooperation with Illovo Sugar Ltd, a study focused on Illovo’s operations in Malawi and on several land disputes faced by Illovo and others in Malawi. Key observations of the Malawi Case Study include the importance of consistent, two-way communication to promote positive relations between investors and communities; the need for corporate actors to place special emphasis on addressing land rights at the local level and earn social license; and the importance of taking specific measures to ensure that women are included among the beneficiaries of land-based investments.
View the RIPL Malawi Case Study (PDF).
Related news
The world’s largest climate justice policy began with agrarian reform
Jornal GGN — An opinion piece linking women’s land rights and climate justice cites Landesa’s 17-province survey in China from 2011 that found women’s names on just 17% of land contracts and 38% of certificates, highlighting persistent gaps in formal recognition of women’s land rights.
November 02, 2026
Without Certainty of Gender-Responsive Tenure Rights, Coastal Women’s Food Sovereignty Is Threatened
Arina.id — Landesa Indonesia co-hosted a Jakarta forum on protecting coastal and Indigenous women’s land and resource rights. Executive Director Mardha Tillah emphasized the need for gender-responsive policies to safeguard their livelihoods as climate change and commercial development threaten coastal ecosystems.
November 02, 2026
Rural Women Unite To Defend Land Rights, Preserve Indigenous Seeds
Zanzibar News — Landesa's Masalu Luhula was quoted speaking at a celebration of International Day of Rural Women in Iringa with more than 700 participants.
October 23, 2026
