We will not stand for the grab for our land!

Land grabbing is a serious threat to African food sovereignty and must be stopped, says the African Biodiversity Network

African Biodiversity Network | 2010-04-29

African civil society has strongly criticised the World Bank’s new report on 'Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment that Respects Rights, Livelihood and Resources'. The World Bank’s report acknowledges and seeks to address the growing problem of 'land grabbing' by foreign investors in Africa. But civil society groups have condemned the report as an attempt to legitimise the land grabbing.

African civil society claims that the voluntary guidelines will do nothing to prevent the continued threat to food security, forests, and the rights of African rural and indigenous communities to live on their land and feed themselves. The African Biodiversity Network held a press conference in Nairobi, and read out a statement condemning the developments. Other groups such as La Via Campesina and others also held simultaneous press conferences and events in Africa and around the world.

Anne Maina of the African Biodiversity Network said: “The rush to grab land in Africa is being aggressively driven by the push for biofuels and international investments in land for agricultural exports. This is based on a convenient mythology that Africa has plenty of land available. Africa’s small-scale farmers, pastoralist herders and indigenous peoples are being displaced, and forests and water resources disappearing. Land grabbing is a serious threat to African food sovereignty, and must be stopped altogether.”

Teresa Anderson of the Gaia Foundation based in the UK added: “The World Bank’s efforts to develop ‘principles of responsible investment’ will legitimise the land grab, with disastrous consequences for Africa. 65% of Africa’s land is communally owned. These investment deals aim to facilitate the takeover of rural people’s farmlands through privatisation and the transfer of land rights. Africa urgently needs its land for local food production, and putting the continent’s most fertile and well-watered lands to foreign investors’ export interests threatens food security.”

NOTES:

1) The World Bank report “Principles for Responsible Agricultural Investment that Respects Rights, Livelihoods and Resources “ Available at:

http://www.donorplatform.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_view/gid,1280

2) For the statement “Stop Land Grabbing Now” developed by La Via Campesina, FIAN, Land Action Research Network and GRAIN, co-sponsored by over 120 civil society groups from around the world, see http://farmlandgrab.org/12200

3) For more information about land grabbing see http://farmlandgrab.org/

4) For more information regarding Gaia or the African Biodiversity Network, or to arrange interviews with members of either organisation please contact Rowan on 0207 428 0054 or email [email protected]
  •   ABN
  • 29 April 2010
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