Food crisis and the global land grab

Governments and corporations are buying up farmland in other countries to grow their own food – or simply to make money

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China’s global hunt for food security Many see the desire for Kazakhstani agricultural land as another tentacle of Beijing's creeping imperialism
Kazakhs protest against China’s growing influence "They (the government) borrowed $13 billion from China and now they want to pay it back with our land," Bolat Abilov, a leader of the opposition party Azat, said at the rally. “No Chinese soya beans on the Kazakh land!” shouted one protester.
The new breadbasket of the world? As swathes of their country’s land is leased, cleared and prepared for food production by foreign companies, Ethiopians are divided over whether this constitutes ‘agro-colonialism’ or much-needed development
Thai investors stake interest in Nigeria’s rice industry Investors from one of Thailand's biggest business concern, CP Group, yesterday affirmed their intention to invest in rice production in Nigeria, among other agriculture related areas.
Activists, researchers raise alarm on Africa’s ‘land grab’ Activists and researchers in the United States are raising the alarm on what they call the "land grab" in Africa.
Namibia: Huge tracts of land in park for agri project A FOREIGN company intends to clear 10 000 hectares of land in the Bwabwata National Park in northern Namibia in order to set up a large-scale irrigation scheme for crop farming, which will require 75 million cubic metres of water a year from the Okavango River, equalling the total water consumption of Namibia’s population for a year.
Oz-based fund eyes $600m in agro-tech Peter Costello, the former treasurer of Australia, revealed Wednesday he was working with an investment fund that planned to inject US$600 million into Cambodia’s agricultural sector. The projects will cover a vast area, about 100,000 hectares.
Sacrificing the environment for food security The media and environmentalists must intensify their focus on the environmental costs of international farmland transactions.
Arab states’ food gap soars above $155bn in nine years Most wealthy Arab nations are still "reluctant" to invest heavily in farming projects in fertile member states for political and security reasons, says AOAD, a key Arab League organisation.
Indonesian govt gives green thumb-up to plant Papua ‘food estate’ The development, under which many residents will be forced to sell their land, has met opposition from locals and non-government organizations. The Indonesian Farmers Union (SPI) has said that it will lead to a “land grab” by big businesses at the expense of locals.
La colonisation agricole, nouvel apanage des pays riches Les organisations mondiales et les ONG commencent à s'alarmer de l'ampleur du rachat des terres agricoles. Le problème, selon elles, c'est que ce sont les gouvernements des pays hôtes qui négocient directement les accords avec les investisseurs, sans consulter les populations concernées.
Landgrab City Largely inspired by this website, Joseph Grima, Jeffrey Johnson and José Esparza have created a farm in the middle of an urban square in Shenzhen called Landgrab City.
Liberia: GOL, Golden Veroleum in US$1.6bn negotiation Indonesian global palm oil giant, Golden Agri-Veroleum will invest more than US$1.6 billion dollars on more than 240,000 hectares of oil palm to boost the country’s oil palm sector.
Africa: Land grab or development? (NHK) Documentary for Japan Broadcasting Corporation, focusing on Tanzania and Ethiopia
Land for grabs: Win-win or neo-colonialism? Some compare it to a hold up on land; others say it is a development booster. Experts, politicians and Non governmental organizations disagree on their analysis of what is called “land-grabbing”-or the acquisition of farm lands- a practice on the increase.
Compétition économique : vers les agro-guerres de demain ? Hold-up des terres agricoles pour certains, véritable opportunité de développement pour les autres, l’achat des terres arables divisent experts, politiques et autres responsables associatifs. Mais qu’en est-il réellement sur le terrain ?
Azerbaijan grows in UAE’s food security plan The UAE is looking to Azerbaijan to increase its food security as the two countries signed an agreement that helps pave the way for co-operation in both farming and industry.
Kazakhs protest alleged Chinese plan to rent farmland Dozens of Kazakh activists staged a protest today in front of the Chinese Embassy in Almaty against the planned leasing of Kazakh land to China, RFE/RL's Kazakh Service reports.
Reconocer la tierra como un derecho humano – La venta de tierras agrícolas agravará la crisis alimentaria "La venta de tierras agrícolas africanas, asiáticas y latinoamericanas a estados y a empresas extranjeras, agravará todavía más la crisis alimentaria", advierte Sofia Monsalve, experta en políticas agrarias de FIAN Internacional. "Con ocasión del Día de los Derechos Humanos pedimos hoy que los estados cumplan su obligación de respetar y proteger el derecho a la alimentación de sus ciudadanos y en el extranjero, impidiendo la ocupación de tierras a gran escala" señala Monsalve.
Recognize land as a human right- Sellout of agricultural lands will aggravate food crisis "On today's Human Rights Day, we demand that States fulfill their obligation to respect and protect the right to food of their citizens and abroad by preventing large scale land grabbing" says Sofia Monsalve of FIAN International.
  • Africa’s needs are great enough for both India & China: Tharoor08 February 2010

    Africa’s needs are great enough for both India & China: Tharoor

    "Agricultural land owned by Indians in a foreign country with captive markets locally, and as an opportunity to export to India, is of interest to us," says Shashi Tharoor
  • Stop à l’accaparement des terres arables04 February 2010

    Stop à l’accaparement des terres arables

    Entrevue avec Arnaud Zacharie, directeur du Centre national de coopération développement (CNCD, Belgique)
  • Kenya: Slow sale process delays plan for land bank04 February 2010

    Kenya: Slow sale process delays plan for land bank

    The State has stepped up the drive to buy idle land to make available to investors, hoping to snap up vast fallow land across the Rift Valley and Coast provinces and towns near Nairobi.
  • 9 Feb 2010   No conversion of virgin forest to food estate in Merauke: Govt Jakarta Post
  • 8 Feb 2010   Africa’s needs are great enough for both India & China: Tharoor Live Mint
  • 7 Feb 2010   China looking to lease Kazakhstan land for agriculture EurAsia Review
  • 7 Feb 2010   Analysis: Buy land — they’re not making it anymore Daily Times (Lahore)
  • 6 Feb 2010   Indonesia: Govt to set up three SEZs for agribusiness Jakarta Post
  • 5 Feb 2010   Conference: “Africa for sale” – Analysing and theorizing foreign land claims and acquisitions Groningen University
  • 4 Feb 2010   Stop à l’accaparement des terres arables Oikos Blogue
  • 4 Feb 2010   Hungarian candidate backs ban on foreign ownership of farmland DPA
  • 4 Feb 2010   Egypt leases land in Uganda to ensure food security MediaGlobal
  • 4 Feb 2010   Kenya: Slow sale process delays plan for land bank Business Daily
  • 4 Feb 2010   Land, investment and development Global Donor Platform
  • 4 Feb 2010   Sudan firm in talks with Hassad The Peninsula
  • 4 Feb 2010   African agriculture entices funds Sake24.com
  • 4 Feb 2010   Papua food estate faces land-use tangles: Kadin Jakarta Globe
  • 4 Feb 2010   Cambodia: US$310 Million for Irrigation to Boost Rice Exports dap-news.com
  • 4 Feb 2010   Ethiopia: Land grabbing and the emergence of ‘cereal republics’ FoodFirst
  • 3 Feb 2010   China’s global hunt for food security Vancouver Sun
  • 3 Feb 2010   SBY hails ‘success’ of first 100 days, with just 2 programs falling short Jakarta Globe
  • 3 Feb 2010   Ukraine’s law extending farmland sale moratorium enters into force ITAR-TASS
  • 3 Feb 2010   The land investment story – fear of unchecked land grabs CSR Asia
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    • No conversion of virgin forest to food estate in Merauke: Govt
      09 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Africa’s needs are great enough for both India & China: Tharoor
      08 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • China looking to lease Kazakhstan land for agriculture
      07 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Analysis: Buy land — they’re not making it anymore
      07 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Indonesia: Govt to set up three SEZs for agribusiness
      06 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Conference: “Africa for sale” – Analysing and theorizing foreign land claims and acquisitions
      05 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Stop à l’accaparement des terres arables
      04 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Hungarian candidate backs ban on foreign ownership of farmland
      04 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Egypt leases land in Uganda to ensure food security
      04 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Kenya: Slow sale process delays plan for land bank
      04 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • China’s global hunt for food security
      03 Feb 2010 | No Comments
    • Kazakhs protest against China’s growing influence
      30 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • The new breadbasket of the world?
      30 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Thai investors stake interest in Nigeria’s rice industry
      29 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Activists, researchers raise alarm on Africa’s ‘land grab’
      28 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Namibia: Huge tracts of land in park for agri project
      22 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Oz-based fund eyes $600m in agro-tech
      21 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Sacrificing the environment for food security
      20 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Arab states’ food gap soars above $155bn in nine years
      17 Jan 2010 | No Comments
    • Indonesian govt gives green thumb-up to plant Papua ‘food estate’
      17 Jan 2010 | 2 Comments
    • j.j.j.em on Kazakhs protest against China farmland lease
    • TOXIC.MINE on Egypt to reap wheat in Ugandan field
    • Nejmeddine Neffati on Tunisie : Ce qu’il faut changer dans l’investissement agricole
    • Dutch man on Indonesian govt gives green thumb-up to plant Papua ‘food estate’
    • Suharso Monoarfa on Indonesian govt gives green thumb-up to plant Papua ‘food estate’
    • Agriculture Resources on Indian companies buy land abroad for agricultural products
    • pride on Korean land in Argentina to be developed
    • Tafesse on The scramble for land in Ethiopia
    • kadiri Fausat Ajoke on Nigeria: NDDC Enters N46 Billion Pact On Rice Production
    • kadiri Fausat Ajoke on Nigeria: NDDC Enters N46 Billion Pact On Rice Production
    • Sari on The great African land grab
    • Jean-Philippe Audinet, FIDA on Un mouvement spéculatif mondial : Ruée sur les terres africaines
    • on Food deals leaving developing nations hungry
    • Marais on Food deals leaving developing nations hungry
    • Øystein Tandberg on Food deals leaving developing nations hungry
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