Large multinational corporations are swooping into Laos to acquire the land — or the rights to the resources that the land holds — from the local, regional and national governments.

African countries should have ethical economic land policies to save the continent from land conflicts, an international land conference was told on Wednesday.

The proposed Africa fund from Tata Capital, which is part of India's biggest business house, would mainly focus on segments such as consumer goods and agriculture and agri-processing.

The group said it had acquired 10,000 hectares of land during the half year, taking its total portfolio to 186,000 hectares, of which it owns 101,000 hectares.

Communities in Cameroon’s Southwest Region fear they could lose their land after environment groups warned that U.S.-owned palm oil firm Herakles Farms is seeking to sell off existing plantations.

Irrico, the Russia-based agricultural investment company, revealed it is on the verge of doubling its land portfolio as it unveiled it had attracted a third investor, emerging markets private equity group Hong Kong-based ADM Capital.

Large scale privatization of state-owned agricultural lands in Georgia has the potential to trigger violence and social unrest of far graver consequences for investment – foreign and domestic – into the national economy than the notorious moratorium.

It has been reported that the state-owned China Investment Corporation and New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra are negotiating to buy Tasmanian dairy farm Van Diemen's Land under a proposed $200 million deal.

Farmers in Bombali and Tonkolili districts in northern Sierra Leone have said that land grabbing by multi-national companies and massive timber logging are some of the barriers to sustainable agriculture in the two districts.

Indigenous Peoples are being forced to become dependent on aid handouts having lost their land and their ability to produce their own food.

"Instead of handing over farming land to foreign companies, our government should promote policies that sustainably increase productivity and help Liberian farmers access local markets," says Friends of the Earth Liberia.

The European Parliament has voted to limit the use of fuels made from food crops because of fears that biofuels can push up grain prices and displace communities, but critics say it avoids meaningful action to reduce European demand.