"The only protection against international land-grabbing that we can see for the Philippines is the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill, a bill written by us peasants to protect our right to land and to achieve food security for our country"

Lonrho Agriculture will develop 25,000 hectares of agricultural projects in the Provinces of Uige, Zaire and Bengo in Angola.

Land ownership could prove contentious. In the distant past, it was often held by communities as a whole or vested in traditional authorities. State officials now often have the greatest say. That opens the potential for official abuse of yet another valuable resource.

Kuwait granted Cambodia a 546-million-dollar agricultural loan in August in return for crop production.

The government has defended its decision, saying that under the agreement, Qatar will help Kenya develop an equivalent number of hectares for its own food security.

As Kenya prepares to declare a national emergency in response to food shortages, the government's agricultural policies have come under growing scrutiny. A proposed deal to lease land to the government of Qatar for agricultural use has received particular attention.

Sri Lanka has offered farm land to Qatar to grow food on the fertile island.

"Since 2005, the Burmese Government has encouraged investors from China, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Kuwait to invest in contract farms," reports the US mission in Rangoon

Some Laotian farmers are losing their ancestral lands or being forced to become wage workers on what were once their fields

The South Koreans have indicated that they want to ship their output back home for their own domestic market, which is overdependent on imports. Officials in Antananarivo insist they will be able to keep some of the new supplies within the country. “We’re very excited because we’re frightened by this food crisis,” said Eric Beantanana, a spokesman at the Madagascar Economic Development Board.

Most of the produce from the proposed project, mainly vegetables and fruits, would be exported to the Gulf. Questions have been raised on why the Government has chosen to lease the land instead of engaging local farmers to boost food security in the country.

Vision 3, an alliance formed by Gulf Finance House, Ithmaar Bank and Abu Dhabi Investment House, announced the make up of its board at its inaugural meeting yesterday.