Any student of history will tell you that a recurring feature of 20th century revolutions and civil wars was conflict over land ownership, driven by the resentment of the rural poor against the concentration of agricultural wealth in the hands of the elite.
There have been numerous press stories about food importing countries planning to buy land abroad to secure their food supplies. While that is perhaps a natural reaction to the shockingly high prices that basic food commodities reached briefly early last year, it will not work.
Export bans during last year's food crisis hurt global confidence in trade and helped push investors to buy up farmland in developing nations, an official from the United Nations' food agency said on Tuesday.
When the new Land Reform Minister rummaged through his office in Madagascar's capital, he was shocked to discover the documents for a $2-billion deal to lease huge tracts of farmland to an Indian entrepreneur.
Marubeni Corporation and Amaggi Exportação e Importação announced on May 1 that the companies have concluded a comprehensive collaboration agreement
More than 20 million hectares of farmland in Africa and Latin America are now in the hands of foreign governments and companies, a sign of a global "land grab" that got a boost from last year's food crisis.
Liberia's $800 million palm and rubber deal with Malaysian firm Sime Darby will create 20,000 much needed jobs in the West African country
Our government is planning to offer Arab investors legislative cover to protect them from changes in the government, but hardly any attention has yet been given to the need for protecting poor labourers who will be working for Arab corporate agriculture companies
After centuries of supporting the world, it is now time for the world to support Africa, not grab her land and ravage her agriculture.
The Philippines and Bahrain have started talks on an agribusiness project in Mindanao that government hopes would generate 20,000 jobs.
Malaysia's biggest company Sime Darby has struck a deal with the Liberian government to develop oil palm and rubber estates in West African nation as land runs out at home and global demand for palm oil surges.
In its bid to experiment with new ideas, the Pakistani government has decided to play host to overseas investors keen on acquiring farmlands to capitalise on food insecurities post-2007-08 crisis.
