Africa: Land grab or development? (NHK)
- NHK
- 08 Jan 2010
Documentary for Japan Broadcasting Corporation, focusing on Tanzania and Ethiopia
Documentary for Japan Broadcasting Corporation, focusing on Tanzania and Ethiopia
Programme aired on NHK World presenting a documentary by Kohei Tsuji filmed in Ethiopia and Tanzania - in Japanese only - 35 minutes
A one-day workshop on the scramble for land, ‘investment’ and environmental degradation in Oromia: consequences for the future (City University London, 3 July 2010)
Ginbot 7 wants to send an unequivocal message to the land grabbers that any land deal that has not been agreed to by the Ethiopian people will not be honored by future elected governments.
Ethiopia’s strategy of leasing farmland to foreign investors is not without critics.
Until last year, people in the Ethiopian settlement of Elliah earned a living by farming their land and fishing. Now, they are employees.
A delegation of 26 Egyptian agriculture companies led by Minister of Agriculture Amin Abaza, is now inspecting land proposed by the Ethiopian government for Egyptian investment projects.
A long term land lease (25 000 ha) for cotton farming in Amhara and Benishangul Gumuz regions for a period of 50 years (renewable)
"This apparent rush to lease so much farmland, much or all of it to foreign interests, during a time of worsening food insecurity should raise concern within the donor community about GoE motivations and negotiating capacity," writes the US embassy in Addis Ababa in December 2009
Al-Amoudi's recently established Saudi Star Agricultural Development Plc requested, two weeks ago, an additional 250,000 ha of land in Ethiopia for sugar beet production.
Ethiopia's potential can be maximized only if we Ethiopians are the producers and sellers of our own agricultural products. What Meles Zenawi is doing now is putting this upside down. He made our potential buyers the sellers of our commodity.
"Leasing or giving away a huge chunk of land to foreigners, who will produce food to be shipped to their own people, and to hope that the money gained in profits will feed the local people is the height of naivete," Gathuru Mburu of ABN said