EXCLUSIVE-New Gulf fund to target Africa, E.Europe farmland

• Reuters
• 12 November 2009

A private sector fund worth $350 million plans to launch by the end of the year in the Gulf, with the aim of acquiring farmland in Romania, Moldova and Tanzania

SPECIAL REPORT-Is Africa selling out its farmers?

• Reuters
• 12 November 2009

Many small Ethopian farmers do not share their leaders' enthusiasm for leasing off farmland to foreign investors

Up for grabs: Deforestation and exploitation in Papua’s plantations boom

• EIA
• 11 November 2009

The planned expansion of plantations in the Papuan provinces of Indonesia should be immediately suspended and reviewed amid concerns over massive deforestation and widespread exploitation of local communities, environmentalists warned today.

Mozambique: China's Farming Ambitions Take Shape

• SciDev.net
• 11 November 2009

Is Africa's land up for grabs? [EN, FR, DE]

• Modern Ghana
• 11 November 2009

“Governments are sitting on a box of dynamite,” Namanga Ngoni, president of AGRA, initiated by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, told the media.

UAE firm to lease farmland in Iraq - official

• Reuters
• 11 November 2009

"Agriculture companies from Germany and the United States have also shown interest in developing a project in Iraq, but nothing is final yet," said Sami R Al Araji, the chairman of Iraq's National Investment Commission

Los grandes capitalistas a la conquista de tierras de cultivo de países pobres

• Kaos en la Red
• 10 November 2009

Los capitalistas conquistan los recursos de la naturaleza mundial mediante la guerra o la compra.

Cargill warns on self-sufficiency

• Financial Times
• 10 November 2009

Paul Conway, senior vice-president at Cargill, calls food self-sufficiency "a nonsense" and warns that overseas food production through land grabs will likely run into export bans by host countries

Ethiopia leases land for agriculture to earn foreign exchange

• Bloomberg
• 10 November 2009

The Ethiopian government says concerns about foreign investors exporting food are outweighed by the plantations’ capacity to bring the country foreign exchange and technology, as well as creating employment.

Foreign direct investment – win-win or land grab? [EN, FR, ES, AR]

• FAO
• 10 November 2009

Issue paper by FAO for the World Summit on Food Security, Rome, 16-18 November 2009

Argentine rains to boost Cresud, soybean harvests

• Bloomberg
• 09 November 2009

Buenos Aires-based Cresud plans to acquire more land to add to the 484,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) it owns and the 90,410 hectares it leases in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia

Eni's new energy projects threaten Congo Rainforest

• BankTrack
• 09 November 2009

ENI plans to develop 70,000 ha of palm oil in Congo

China's latest Africa foray: altruism or hegemony?

• IPS
• 09 November 2009

Earlier this year, delegates to the annual session of China’s parliament debated a proposal to seek employment for up to 100 million Chinese in various African countries to solve two of China’s greatest challenges—food security and unemployment.

Terres arables : Le Mali au coeur des convoitises

• Le Monde
• 09 November 2009

IIs ont des mines inquiètes. « La politique du gouvemement est tournée vers les investisseurs etrangers. Mais, nous, qu'allons-nous devenir? »

Farmers sample what Libya offers

• Business Day
• 09 November 2009

De Jager is worried about Libya’s record in enforcing contracts with foreign companies, and the lack of social support networks. “There’s a lot of money to be made for someone with balls,” he says.