Philippines

Legislator calls for an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the $50-million joint-venture deal between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the AMA Group Holdings to operate a 10,000-hectare agricultural farm in Mindanao.

“This so-called joint venture smacks of land-grabbing and conflict of interest on the part of President Aquino’s political lieutenant in the Gulf.” – Danilo Ramos, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas

The militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) today called on the House of Representatives’ committees on agrarian reform and agriculture to conduct a probe and shoot down a $300-million land lease deal the government entered into with Bahrain.

Bahrain’s Nadir and Ibrahim Sons of Hassan Group has signed a $50 million agriculture investment deal with AMA Group Holdings to use public land to grow crops including sugar, rice and bananas.

Cargill's hedge fund acquires major stake in company acquiring plantations in Mindanao, the Philippines to produce rice, corn, banana and vegetables.

Harassment and threats abound in areas where land grabbing is taking place.

a primer presenting the local situation of oil palm plantations in Mindanao

Black River Capital Partners Fund (Food) LP, a fund managed by the private equity arm of US agribusiness and trading giant Cargill, has offered to acquire 28.11 percent of Philippine fruit and vegetable grower AgriNurture Inc. for $30.4 million.

The case of farmers in Misamis Oriental in Mindanao, Philippines

“These land lease schemes have turned farmers into mere low wage-earning agricultural workers instead of being empowered owner-cultivators.” – Randall Echanis, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas

Lease contracts covering millions of hectares of agricultural lands signed by the Philippines Department of Agriculture with foreign entities during the Arroyo administration are currently being reviewed to determine if they are in accord with the current administration’s food security plan.

The Philippines agriculture department plans to persuade San Miguel Corp to resort to contract growing instead of leasing state land when it undertakes a planned farming venture.