The plan to create a land bank brings back memories of the fury that greeted proposals by the Qatar government to buy 40,000 hectares in Tana River for agricultural purposes in exchange for $3.5 billion for the Kenya government to build a second deep-water port in Lamu.
Corporate farming will raise food production in Pakistan and local people would get required food items. It will export only extra food stocks to foreign countries, disclosed advisor to Chief Minister, Sindh, Sharmila Faruqui.
Participants of the ‘Jang Economic Session’ have opposed the policy to transfer land either on lease or on permanent basis to foreigners on the pretext of corporate farming.
Roots for Equity Director Dr Azra Sayeed demanded that the Pakistani government stop giving agricultural land on lease to foreign food companies, and rather that these lands should be given to local growers to overcome food crisis in the country.
Cambodia will be the fourth country after Sudan, Egypt and Pakistan to receive UAE investments intended to achieve a food security plan drawn up by the government. Large-scale planting on Cambodian land acquired through purchase or 99-year lease may be launched there next year.
Amidst the projected massive growth in demand, the Philippines is set to play a bigger role in supplying 'Halal' goods - particularly food products - with Gulf oil producers looking at plans to invest in farming projects in the Philippines.
Cambodia's agriculture minister welcomed the UAE plans of the land reclamation in Cambodia, indicating Cambodia will be a partner to the UAE in regard to the agriculture.
Farmland deals in Africa inked by private Egyptian firms, commonly called "land grabs," could help the import-dependent nation get access to grain when markets spike, Egypt's agriculture minister Amin Abaza said. "This is going to be a private initiative."
Foreigners and foreign companies will also not be allowed to own land in the country but can acquire leaseholds not exceeding 99 years, the draft says.
Lorenzo Cotula of IIED explains how large-scale land acquisitions by rich countries in Africa failed to reach its target and why it is important to identify trends in these contractual practices
The large-scale cross border land grabs of late, following the realization that “free trade” is not a reliable basis for food security, should be stopped as an unsustainable response which can only exacerbate the problem of hunger, say IUF members in Asia-Pacific
On October 15 2009, the Lok Sanjh Foundation and the Pakistan Dehqan Assembly organized a conference on rice and the food crisis, focusing on small farmer livelihoods. More than 600 farmers, tenants, landless workers and partner organizations from different parts of the Sheikhupura region participated in the event.
