Saudi Arabia

There are better means to meet the food needs of the Saudis than to lease thm land that belongs to the state and the people of Pakistan

Nazar Gondal said that government of Saudi Arabia has shown interest to acquire some land in Pakistan for farming but there was no progress in this regard so far.

The problem is that we will lose control. Of course, some regulatory framework will be put in place, but it will also include ceding of control over our land resource to foreigners for a yet-to-be-specified time period.

Un documento interno, puesto recientemente en la página electrónica del IRRI revela que el instituto ha estado aconsejando a Arabia Saudita en el contexto de su estrategia para adquirir tierras de cultivo en otros países para cumplir con su propia producción alimentaria.

Un document interne, récemment mis en ligne sur le site web de l’IRRI, révèle que l’Institut a conseillé l’Arabie saoudite dans le contexte de sa stratégie d’acquisition de terres agricoles à l’étranger pour sa propre production alimentaire.

Une demi-douzaine d’investisseurs saoudiens vient d’annoncer la création d’une compagnie d’investissements agricoles pour le début de l’année 2010. Les investissements seront dirigés vers l’acquisition de terres à l’étranger afin de cultiver du riz, du maïs, du blé et du soja.

A group of private Saudi investors said they plan to start a company with $533.3 million capital that will invest in farm projects mainly abroad. First projects may be with Ghana, Turkey and Kazakhstan.

Saudi Arabia announces the launch of Agroinvest, which will focus on farm acquisitions abroad to grow wheat, rice, soybeans and other crops in Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Pakistan and Turkey

An internal document recently posted on IRRI's website reveals that the Institute has been advising Saudi Arabia in the context of its strategy to acquire farm land overseas for its own food production.

Agricultural experts have called for a halt to moves by Gulf investors to snap up foreign land, amid claims that poor nations are losing much-needed farmland in a calculated land grab.

It's certainly questionable whether the lease of agricultural land to foreign countries for the purposes of their own food supply is in the best interests of Pakistan, even if it brings in agricultural technology. What do the Arab farmers have that our agricultural universities don't?

In June 2009, the Indian company Karuturi took up intensive farming in Ethiopia. The harvest will be exported to Asia and Europe.