Saudi Star has begun rice cultivation on 10,000ha of land in Gambella and a 10,000ha irrigation project along the already-compromised Alwero River. Only grain that does not meet export requirements will be sold locally.

Gilles van Kote, envoyé spécial du Monde, et Jiro Ose, photographe japonais basé à Addis-Abeba, se sont rendus dans la région de Gambela, à la pointe occidentale de l'Ethiopie, pour enquêter sur le phénomène de location de terres.

Rich soil, a tropical climate, and an abundance of water: the region of Gambela in the west of the country is fertile. Foreign investors are renting thousands of hectares of it to develop intensive agriculture without regard for the environment and the population, reports Le Monde.

A Saudi Arabian company has leased tens of thousands of acres in western Ethiopia to grow rice for export. The Ethiopian government says it will help provide food security for its citizens, but some who live in the region, say they’re not seeing any benefits.

Interest by both local and international companies to lease land has been met with criticism by some outside the region, yet locals are unperturbed.

Saudi Star Agricultural Development Plc, perhaps the biggest agro industry firm in Ethiopia, has added a big name to its roaster: Fikru Desalegn, former state minister for Capacity Building,

The bursting of the river banks of Baro and Alwero has resulted in the submergence of the crop, adding a loss of hope for producing a sizeable maize crop by Karuturi.

Saudi Star Agricultural Development is being sued by an Ethiopian state company for failure to pay for the clearing of land in the Gambella Regional State.

Dans la région de Gambela, en Ethiopie, des firmes transnationales comme Karuturi Global Ltd ou BHO Agro Plc accaparent des milliers d'hectares, obligeant les habitants à quitter leurs terres

La crisis financiera de 2008 ha despertado al mundo de las finanzas que ha visto en la agricultura un nuevo mercado. El repentino interés de los inversores por las tierras, se debe a que se han dado cuenta de que con este tipo de inversión no corren riego de quiebra.

Film traces the story of the current mad race for control of farmlands, and the consequences it could have if nothing is done to protect the interests of small farmers and developing countries.

Les crises alimentaire et financière qui ont secoué le monde en 2008 ont eu un effet méconnu du public. Elles ont provoqué une incroyable course pour la mainmise sur les terres cultivables partout dans le monde.