Southeast Asian palm oil firms like Malaysia's Sime Darby and Singapore's Golden Agri Resources are backpacking to Africa, in what could be the planet’s next trend-setter in inter-continental resource trade.
Rural MPs, especially those from NSW and Queensland, have been fielding increasing complaints from constituents in recent months about the level of foreign ownership of Australian farms and agricultural businesses.
"It's criminal that available land that can be properly irrigated and cultivated in a modern sense, where new techniques are tried and taught to local farmers, is not yet put into production," says Bob Geldof.
"Brazil has the land and the technology to produce 50 percent of the world's (exported) food in the future. It's right that we stop and debate how best to exploit this opportunity to create wealth and jobs for Brazilians," said Fabio de Salles Meirelles, vice president of CNA, Brazil's largest farmer group.
Richer countries that are investing in land abroad for food cultivation should also educate the poor about agricultural methods, so that food production can be increased to a level at which poor people can produce enough for investing countries as well as themselves, says Bob Geldof.
A new report from the Samsung chaebol advocates a Korean domestic and international food revolution
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner made the announcement during a televised speech at Government House saying she was sending a bill to Congress which will cap land ownership for foreigners.
The South Koreans are looking for as much as 100,000 in idle agricultural land in the Philippines that can be planted to crops for domestic consumption and for export.
Saudi Arabia foresees investment of $600 billion in Turkey during the next 20 years, with Saudi food security high on the agenda
More than 50 percent of land concessions granted for investment projects result in detrimental affects to Laos, according to an expert from the National Land Management Authority
From the Middle East to Madagascar, high prices are spawning land grabs and ousting dictators. Welcome to the 21st-century food wars.
Agricultural land is once again attracting global investors but the sector is far from risk free.
