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General info

Land area

testThis section records the area size of the deal/project. Please enter all area figures in hectares (ha) and, where possible, link values to a year or exact date and provide the data source.

Land Matrix distinguishes three different area variables:

1) Intended size (ha)

Definition: The total area the investor intends to acquire, lease, or otherwise obtain land-use, control, or ownership rights for under this specific deal.

How to record:

  • Enter the overall intended size for this deal (in ha).

  • If the investor already controls part of the area and intends to expand, include the already acquired area in the intended total.
    Example: 1,000 ha already held + plan to acquire another 1,000 ha → Intended size = 2,000 ha.

Important scope rule (avoid overcounting):

  • Only record intentions that clearly relate to this specific deal and its location.

  • Do not enter general expansion plans that refer to the investor’s total land portfolio in a country without deal-specific geographic information.
    Example: “The company plans to expand to 10,000 ha in the country” (no location, not deal-specific) → do not record as intended size for this deal.

  • Do not include intended expansions that likely refer to other projects not listed in Land Matrix.

Notes/remarks:
Use the comment field to explain uncertainty, assumptions, or conflicting figures.

2) Size under contract (leased or purchased area) (ha)

Definition: The area that is contractually secured under this deal (i.e., land for which the investor has formally acquired land-use, control, or ownership rights through a contract such as a lease or purchase agreement).

Time series / year- or date-based entries:
This variable can contain multiple entries to reflect changes in contracted area over time (increases or decreases). Each entry includes:

  • Date (year or exact date): When the specified area size was valid / under contract

  • Area (ha): Contracted area size at that time

  • Current (checkbox): Mandatory (single choice) to mark the most recent and currently valid value

Data entry rules:

  • Add entries in chronological order (top to bottom).
    The row order corresponds to the export order.

  • Use the “+ / –” controls to add/remove rows.

Notes:

  • Contracted area may change over time; record each distinct value as a separate entry.

  • If sizes differ across sources or over time, explain the reasons in “Comment on land area” (e.g., phased contracting, partial cancellations, revisions of boundaries).

3) Size in operation (production) (ha)

Definition: The area that is actually in use for operations/production (e.g., planted, cultivated, harvested, mined), i.e., the portion of land under the deal that is actively used.

Time series / year- or date-based entries:
As with size under contract, you can record multiple entries over time. Each entry includes:

  • Date (year or exact date): When the operational use occurred / was observed

  • Area (ha): Area in operation at that time

  • Current (checkbox): Mandatory (single choice) to mark the most recent and currently valid value

Example:
If 2,500 ha were planted in 2016 → enter Area (ha) = 2,500 with Date = 2016.

Data entry rules:

  • Add entries in chronological order (top to bottom).

  • Use the “+ / –” controls to add/remove rows.

Notes:

  • Operational area can change over time; record increases/decreases as separate entries.

  • If needed, clarify fluctuations and differing figures in “Comment on land area” (e.g., partial cultivation, fallow periods, shifts between crops).

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