Conflicts over land ownership are intensifying around the globe, as population growth, climate change and food insecurity make land an increasingly scarce resource. Private investors and governments are scrambling to purchase vast tracts of arable land. Such "land grabs" have increased more than 10-fold in the last two years. However, because up to 70 percent of the planet's land remains potentially in dispute because of the lack of clear titles, indigenous owners often end up losing their land to big investors. Meanwhile, long-festering land issues slow poverty reduction, and land disputes are at the root of social conflicts in countries from Cambodia to Colombia. Early land reform efforts in Latin America are eroding, and Asian land redistribution projects are causing tension between farmers and urban tenants. While some countries are successfully addressing land policy issues, experts say the need to grow economies and feed growing populations will only increase land disputes worldwide, potentially triggering more violence.

Jina Moore is a multimedia journalist who covers science, human rights and foreign affairs from the United States and Africa. Her work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, Foreign Policy and Best American Science Writing, among others. She was a 2009 Ochberg Fellow with the Dart Society for Journalism and Trauma and blogs at www.jinamoore.com.