"The world is running out of farm land quite rapidly and farm land is going to be a very, very precious commodity in time to come. ... Australians are pretty dozy and comfortable on this issue," says Julian Cribb.

KADCO, part of Prince Alwaleed's Kingdom Holding Co, now owns 10,000 feddans [more than 10,000 ha] in southern Egypt while cultivating another 15,000 feddans that it will get ownership of at a later date.

Land is a powerful commodity that should be used for the betterment of humanity through farming and ecology.

The focus of Aabar on farming investments comes as Gulf nations, including Abu Dhabi, plan billions of dollars of investments in global food supply and infrastructure as they guard against price shocks and supply shortages in core resources.

A new scramble for Africa is under way. As global food prices rise and exporters reduce shipments of commodities, countries that rely on imported grain are panicking. Affluent countries like Saudi Arabia, South Korea, China and India have descended on fertile plains across the African continent, acquiring huge tracts of land to produce wheat, rice and corn for consumption back home.

On 10 June 2011, the board of the World Bank's International Finance Corporation will likely approve a loan that will enable a company controlled by France's Louis Dreyfus Group to significantly expand its farmland holdings in the Southern Cone.

It is only after land issues have been resolved at community level that the role and significance of community-investor partnership which does not require transfer of land rights is possible, says the East African Farmers Federation

The Permanent Forum for Life Dignity / Food Sovereignty Group, and the Grupo de Reflexión Rural, along with unions, student and teachers associations and many social organizations and political forces, convoke national and international journalists, social organizations, friends, colleagues and the general public to a Press Conference on June 10 2011 in Viedma, Rio Negro Province, Argentina.

Offshore investment firm GreenWorld (BVI) announces that it "now is able to offer individuals a unique African farmland investment opportunity in Sierra Leone".

"Most villagers think it’s great when they see investors, losing sight of the more strategic, agrarian and environmental dimensions of the land deals. This clashes with the views of civil society and social movements. How to close this gap is the challenge that should be confronted by engaged researchers and activists," says Jun Borras of ISS.

"Could you include info in the briefing for my trip about what's happening in Africa in general and in the three countries. I'm visiting in particular about the sale and leasing of farmland to foreign interests (China, Qatar, etc)?"

Across the Midwest, well-heeled outside investors are on the prowl to acquire the hard assets of US agribusiness, including farmland.