"At an UNCTAD meeting on investment in agriculture on February 3, China became the central focus of criticism amid a chorus of concerns about the economic, food security, environmental and social impact of large foreign purchases of agricultural lands in developing countries," reports the US mission to Geneva

"What they are saying is that the local people are now suffering very badly as a direct result of these foreign companies taking over."

"Today, the Oromo issue is not hidden from the world leaders and stakeholders. However, it is being ignored. The Meles regime is selling Oromo land on world market, although this government does not have the right to sell Oromo land."

A new land deal allowing South African farmers to produce livestock, milk and fruit in Libya has been put on hold pending the finalisation of an investment protection agreement between the two countries.

Cargill Inc., the world’s largest agribusiness company, has announced the sale of their palm oil plantations in the remote tropical nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG)

Citadel's Karim Sadek dismisses talk of land grabbing as an “academic concern”, saying “there should definitely be a priority for the produce to be sold on the local market, if there is a paying market for it”.

Ukraine has abundant land resource, only ten per cent of which is currently controlled by corporations.

"EAC Partner States should resist the leasing or selling of large chunks of land to foreign entities for production of food or bio-fuel feedstock solely for export, which will be disadvantageous to food security in the region" says the East African Legislative Assembly

More radical steps are being taken to increase production, both by the government, which recently approved two new strains of genetically modified rice, and by agricultural entrepreneurs, who are buying and cultivating land in neighbouring countries.

The lack of systematic collection of data and categorising private and official investments from the Gulf has made it difficult to reach an accurate estimate of total investments, made so far.

Educating the peasant movement is a key to genuine land reform implementation and the position of peasant movements as strong political bases against land grabbing in the future.

"What Karuturi is doing is what Africa needs, wants and deserves," says Ram Karuturi. Yet 400 Ethiopians have signed a petition saying they received no compensation after being evicted from land taken over by Karuturi.