New Colonialism - Big African Land Grab

[cactusflower]

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/011/ak241e/ak241e.pdf


A new FAO report says that high food prices in 2007 and EU bio fuels policy have contributed to land grab across Africa, with large scale private and Government land aquisitions of many thousands of acres of land.

Large scale foreign land aquisition is a feature in Latin America too, where EMASA for example has bought up thousands of square miles of rain forest to which indigenous people have first claim.

There are massive problems and potential problems with these aquisitions, according to the linked FAO / UN report.

-Often little or no money is paid
-Promises of investment benefits aren't enforceable
-non-sustainable land use like commerical biofuel monocrops are often planted

A proposal in 2008 for a 99 year lease of half of Madagascar's arable land nearly brought the government down -

South Korea to lease half of Madagascar's arable land for corn, oil palm production November 19, 2008

South Korea's Daewoo has signed a 99-year lease for half of Madagascar's arable land, reports the Financial Times. The firm expects to pay "nothing" for the lease.

The agreement covers 1.3 million hectares (3.2 million acres) — an area half the size of Belgium. Daewoo says it plans to plant corn on 1 million hectares in the arid western part of the island and 300,000 ha (740,000 acres) of oil palm on land in the tropical east, a region that is home to the bulk of Madagascar's rare rainforests. The company will produce the food for export and plans to import workers from South Africa, although a Daewoo spokesman said that the project could create up to 70,000 local jobs. The company expects the project to cost $6 billion over the first 25 years.

The agreement has just failed, perhaps too blatant for any government to get away with.

African Agriculture: The lessons of Daewoo's failed Madagascar land lease deal

The rip off of local resources continues. We are savaging African fish stocks.
The Spanish are savaging ours. Irish gas is given away. Private interests become enormously wealthy while the local population is left with environmental degradation.

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Madag...al.5086662.jpg

In Madagascar, the President who had supported the deal has just been driven from office and replaced by someone who had opposed it.

Its all too easy for big conglomerations to bribe or pressurise local governments to give away natural assets that by rights belong to the whole population.

Action's needed both by local populations and by opposition in the "buyer" States to prevent this worldwide grand larceny.

[121.5]

There are at least 1,000,000 Chinese workers in Africa

Who is grabbing the most?

[cactusflower]

There are at least 1,000,000 Chinese workers in Africa

Who is grabbing the most?

Media reports are of varying quality and reliability. A careful analysis of the more credible reports provides some insights on trends and players. Certain East Asian (China, South Korea) and Gulf (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates) states emerge as key sources of investment.

Dependence on food imports and availability of major official reserves (SWFs from oil revenues or trade surpluses) are common characteristics – with the exception of some East Asian countries where import dependency does not seem to be a main driver (see Box 2.1). Private investors from the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) are also active in land investment, though have featured in fewer headlines in the international press.

Page 34-38 and page 55 of the Report shows that China is not involved in buying big land parcels. China has just launched a 20 year food security plan that does not rely on buying up land outside China.

I must admit I was a bit surprised at this, as there has been talk about China buying land and minerals for some time. Exaggerated fears, perhaps.

[121.5]

Page 34-38 and page 55 of the Report shows that China is not involved in buying big land parcels. China has just launched a 20 year food security plan that does not rely on buying up land outside China.

I must admit I was a bit surprised at this, as there has been talk about China buying land and minerals for some time. Exaggerated fears, perhaps.

Believe me China is carrying out a peaceful invasion of Africa.

They are in Sudan, Chad - all the hotspots

They dont 'get involved' in the politics or human rights issues.

They also dont roll in on tanks.

USA v China......... brace yourself

(French are fleecing the place too - I wonder is this connected to the award received by Mr Nash recently?)

[Duth Ealla]

Page 34-38 and page 55 of the Report shows that China is not involved in buying big land parcels. China has just launched a 20 year food security plan that does not rely on buying up land outside China.

I must admit I was a bit surprised at this, as there has been talk about China buying land and minerals for some time. Exaggerated fears, perhaps.

Cactus,

It may be that the Chinese are leasing options on resources or even locking in resources without outright purchase.

That might not be captured in the report (which I have not read) in that case but would not necessarily mean China is not exploiting as much as the next state.

The old cliche is that its Europe who does the exploiting but Asia and the middle-east seem to be powering ahead in those stakes.