farmlandgrab.org | Latest posts

China’s shrinking farmland
- Perspectives
- 26 June 2009
Latin America is surely one of the most attractive places for China to invest in arable land and food industries.
Some large investors views on farmland
- Ag Capita
- 26 June 2009
Soros recently became the largest shareholder in Adecoagro one of the leading agribusiness companies in South America whose main activities are the production of grains, rice, oilseed, dairy products, sugar, ethanol, coffee, cotton and cattle meat.
FAO: International investments in agricultural production
- FAO
- 25 June 2009
Paper presented at the Expert Meeting on “How to Feed the World in 2050,” FAO, Rome 24-26 June 2009
Other countries could grow their own crops here
- ABC
- 25 June 2009
Greg Mason, from the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, says countries and regions facing 'peak water' like China, India and the Arab states are looking to solve food shortages by growing crops in places like the Ukraine and Australia.
Strategic food security?
- International Supermarket News
- 25 June 2009
Carl Atkin, Head of Research at Bidwells Agribusiness looks at the recent interest in 'strategic food security' and the associated 'land grab' by Middle Eastern Corporations and Governments in countries as diverse of Sudan, Senegal and Sierra Leone.
Czech agricultural chamber complains of foreign land grab
- Radio Praha
- 25 June 2009
In the Czech Republic, agricultural land is also being snapped up. Whereas buyers used to be mainly Dutch and German farmers, now Western investment companies are also getting in on the act.
La course au foncier : regard croisé Nord-Sud à l’occasion de l’assemblée générale d’Afdi en juin 2009
- AFDI
- 25 June 2009
La course au foncier a vu environ 15 à 20 millions d’hectares changer de mains dans le monde, sur les trois ou quatre dernières années. Lors de son Assemblée générale à Paris, le 25 juin, l’association de solidarité internationale Afdi (Agriculteurs français et développement international) a organisé une table ronde sur cette question, véritable polémique depuis la crise alimentaire survenue en 2008.
India cultivates Africa
- Mail Today
- 25 June 2009
Indian firms have signed land deals in Ethiopia, Kenya and Madagascar to produce a range of food crops for export to India.
Business close-up: Ithmaar Bank
- MEED
- 25 June 2009
In August 2008, Ithmaar joined forces with two leading Middle East banks, Bahrain-based Gulf Finance House and Abu Dhabi Investment House, to form Vision 3, an organisation that provides high-value investment opportunities across a range of sectors including food security
Eastern promise!
- Gulf Daily News
- 25 June 2009
Undeterred by recent debates, a Bahrain scouting mission left for a week-long trip to the Philippines and Thailand yesterday, where it hopes to secure fruit and vegetable plantations.
Our fear of the foreigner on the farm
- Bangkok Post
- 25 June 2009
Amid fears of land-grabbing foreigners, Thailand's Democrat government is all set to give local landlords a big bonanza.
Land grabs becoming more popular
- Farmland Forecast
- 24 June 2009
Many land transactions occur without a paper trail, therefore making regulation even more challenging.
Foreign farm bar to stay
- Bangkok Post
- 24 June 2009
"According to our laws and our policy, foreigners or foreign companies are not allowed to rent or buy land to grow rice or any kind of food, including raising livestock, in Thailand," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday.
Rabobank exec sees recovery, change for farm sector
- Reuters
- 24 June 2009
Despite criticism for Chinese efforts to acquire large-scale farmland in Africa, China is seen continuing to aggressively pursue acquisitions in other countries. says Michael Whitehead, executive director of the food and agribusiness research and advisory unit at Rabobank International.
Development policy stance on the topic of land grabbing – the purchase and leasing of large areas of land in developing countries
- BMZ
- 24 June 2009
Recognizing that land is increasingly becoming a good that is traded internationally, this BMZ position paper analyses driving forces, risks and opportunities for developing countries.