The UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) said that so far trade and investment deals with partners in the south are merely reinforcing a long-standing trend with the north in which African countries export farm produce, minerals, ores, and crude oil, and import manufactured goods.
ILC is actually trying to promote some sort of dialogue between the different proposals for principles for responsible farmland investment
South Africa, which became a net importer of food two years ago after two decades of net exporting, is developing African agricultural ambitions of its own.
Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, says that while foreign investment in agriculture is increasing, “We have to recognize that potential risks, such as land grab, may pose serious threats to developing country farmers.”
I am worried. A consensus is emerging among international institutions about the need to guide investment in agriculture. But at the same time, many civil society groups and farmers’ organisations, including the most representative among them, denounce ‘land-grabbing’.
UNCTAD's Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission met and discussed the current land grabbing trend on 26 April 2010.
"At an UNCTAD meeting on investment in agriculture on February 3, China became the central focus of criticism amid a chorus of concerns about the economic, food security, environmental and social impact of large foreign purchases of agricultural lands in developing countries," reports the US mission to Geneva
US government cable discusses 24 January 2010 meeting organised by Swiss Development Corporation, UN Food and Agriculture Organization and International Fund for Agricultural Investment on "Land, Investment, and Development," attended by many of the key players working on responsible international agro-industrial and land investment principles
A discussion note prepared by FAO, IFAD, UNCTAD and the World Bank Group to contribute to an ongoing global dialogue.
The United Nations agency that promotes commerce to fight poverty kicked off a meeting today aimed at finding ways in which trade, investment and technology transfers between developing countries – so-called “South-South” cooperation – can improve farming to boost food security in poorer nations.
The Government of Japan, with the World Bank, FAO, IFAD and UNCTAD, try to initiate a coordinated global response to the growing land grabbing trend at the UN
La Conférence des Nations Unies pour le commerce et le développement s'inquiète de "la mainmise" des investisseurs étrangers sur les terres agricoles des pays du Sud et pointe un risque pour la sécurité alimentaire, dans son rapport annuel sur les investissements dans le monde.
