Legislative changes now sweeping across Asia threaten to displace millions of peasant families, undermine local food systems and increase violent conflicts over land. Already, just six percent of Asia's farm owners hold around 66% of its farmland.
The movement launched in Cameroon by peasants deprived of their land by the oil palm plantations is spreading. Bolloré puts the responsibility for the conflict on the Belgian shareholders of Socfin.
in Palawan, Philippines traditional farming like ‘slash-and-burn’(kaingin) is antagonized through restrictive legislation to pave way for increase land deals for industrial agriculture, especially oil palm and rubber.
Around 50 villagers representing 90 families from Lor Peang village in Kampong Chhnang province presented petitions to the U.S. and European Union embassies among others, accusing KDC International—a company run by Chea Keng, wife of Cambodia’s Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem—of encroaching on their land.
Peasants of Malema, Nampula Province, criticised the government for the way the ProSavana project is being implemented at a public consultation on the project's master plan.
Roberto Jaconi of Brazil Agro-Business Group Limited told Ghana's Minister of Agriculture that his company was only farming 15% of the expected 3,500 hectares because of a slow response to requests for tax exemptions.
Ian Scoones summarises some of the discussion at the PLAAS Cape Town conference on the engagement of Brazil, China and South Africa in patterns of agrarian change.
Alternative investment management firm Blue Sky is targeting North American institutional investors with a new strategy that will invest in Australian agriculture and related industries.
The Government of The Gambia and Zoeve Seed Company sign MOU on a farming project that will commence with 1000 hectares for rice production.
Amid massive land grabbing, land-use conversions and plunder of natural resources in the region by foreign and local investors, peasant organizations and land reform advocates vowed to further advance the struggle for genuine agrarian reform at a recently concluded two-day conference here.
"Behind the impetus for this law are the interests of Monsanto, Nestlé, Syngenta, Cargill and other corporations that want to take our lands."
LICADHO, a Cambodian human rights group is releasing its land concession dataset and renewing its call for the government to fully disclose all concessions.
