The Land Matrix is an independent global land monitoring initiative that promotes transparency and accountability in decisions over large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) in low- and middle-income countries across the world. The initiative actively collects information about land deals from publicly available sources (such as media, internet, research, contracts, and government and company websites), while partner organisations contribute through their own field research. A network of reporters (including civil society organisations, researchers, and practitioners) validate and collect additional information as well. The Land Matrix’s online open access platform strives to stimulate inclusive debate on the trends and impacts of such acquisitions, facilitate wide participation in collecting and sharing information about these deals, and contribute to the growing movement towards open data. In this way, the initiative aims to support greater public involvement in critical decisions that affect the lives of land-users and strengthen the positions of more vulnerable stakeholders in the political and administrative processes that govern access to land.

For more information about land deals and how data is captured, analysed, and used by the Land Matrix, please visit www.landmatrix.org