“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
Civil society -- small farmers, fisher and forest folk, pastoralists -- look with a great deal of suspicion at the US and other countries’ intentions, reports David Andrews about upcoming meetings in Rome
Unfortunately, given the global nature of capital, even if the US were to completely shut down speculation, it would just move offshore.
Land investments displace rural populations, often without any notice, and diminish their access to land, jobs, and food.
"The desire of foreign monopoly capitalists in the US to acquire lands in PH is an open book. It is not a best kept secret. The monopolists in the US also want 100 percent ownership of other profitable sectors in the Philippines including but not limited to mining, eco-tourism, energy, public utilities, mass media, oil and gas, health and education."
As global agricultural companies turn to Africa, a U.S. firm, Herakles Farms, is planning a massive oil palm plantation (60 000 ha) in Cameroon
AEW Capital Management of Boston is launching a new investment division to acquire farmland in the United States and Canada.
The debate on large scale land acquisition in Tanzania is far from over as there is a changing dynamic now as local investors team up in joint venture with foreign investors and we are made to believe that since we have one of our own in the investment venture our interests are taken care of.
The $23.6 billion Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System and the $600 million Tucson Supplemental Retirement System are currently exploring potential investments in farmland as a means of diversification.
"Supporting partnerships between Gulf countries and American farmers to advance their own food security agendas would not only constitute a major boon for our farmers, but would also put the USG in a better position to partner with these countries in pursuing our own food security strategy with poor nations in the Arab world and beyond," writes the US embassy in Qatar
Farm Lands of Guinea, Inc. qui contrôle plus de 100 000 hectares de terres agricoles ouest-africaines sous-utilisées, a finalisé un placement stratégique d’un million de dollars US de AIM Investments PLC grâce à un placement privé
The traditional asset play on agriculture by Wall Street -- farmland -- has pushed to dizzying heights.
