As the G20’s agriculture ministers arrived in Paris for a two-day meeting, more than 500 non-governmental organisations from around the world have delivered a petition calling for a halt to land grabbing under the guise of “responsible agricultural investment”.

The movement towards acquiring agricultural land in low-income countries will intensify and Thailand will be of interest to investors, as it is well-endowed with good land, a lot of rain and largely uninterrupted, warm sunshine all year.

Some pension funds are beginning to question their investments in commodities after accusations that massive flows into the sector have distorted markets, fuelled food inflation and hurt poor nations.

A short article on the land grab phenomenon: What are the drivers? Who is doing the grabbing? What are the main issues? What implications for the future ?

At the III International Islamic Business and Finance Summit in Tatarstan, Russia representatives of Saudi Arabia's Foras Investments requested 10,000 ha of land in Tatarstan for agricultural projects.

Denmark's PKA has invested DKK250m (€33.5m) in African agriculture via the Silverland private equity fund (a SilvertStreet Capital fund)

Hundreds of civil society organisations including farmers' movements, women's groups and non-governmental organisations, will launch a global appeal against farmland grabbing during the G20 meeting on Agriculture in Paris on June 22 and 23.

Local stock and station agents in Western District Australia estimate the Qatar government paid a premium of up to 20 per cent in order to secure the controversial deal,

World's largest agribusiness company would like to become a "mini UN" in Liberia.

New Zealand-based agency Bayleys is putting together a portfolio of overseas property opportunities, including farms, to take on a roadshow to South East Asia, Europe and Britain.

Last week, China's largest farming company, Heilongjiang Beidahuang Nongken Group, inked a joint venture with Argentina's Cresud SA to buy land and farm soybeans.

The Middle Eastern company Hassad Foods, through Australian representatives, has been pinpointed as set to spend $45 million on five large western Victorian propertie