Accelerating the shift towards large-scale, highly mechanized forms of agriculture will not solve the problem of hunger: it will make it worse.

Nehawu, the powerful union representing education and health workers, wants President Jacob Zuma to ban or at least limit foreign land ownership in South Africa.

Parliament will consider in March a draft law that would open up the possibility of agricultural land sales

Several national companies and even the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the capital's sovereign fund, are planning investments in agriculture in countries as diverse as Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Australia, Romania and the United States.

Thousands of white South African farmers are leaving their homeland to work abroad due to post-apartheid land reforms, a shortage of affordable territory and severe water shortages.

Publication from Church of Sweden, Swedish Cooperative Center and Forum Syd aims to contribute to a renewed discussion about how the world’s food supply, trade in food and different agricultural strategies are linked to world hunger.

The government also invites foreign investors to develop animal husbandry, aimed at securing livestock supplies.

Catherine Flax, JP Morgan's CEO for Commodities, says that investors and even countries are looking at assets such as agricultural land.

'We want responsible investment by Indian companies,' Gurjit Singh, joint secretary in charge of east and southern Africa said amid allegations by some critics that Indian companies are indulging in land grab in Africa.

NZ Finance Minister says new test of more than 10 times the average farm size for foreigners buying land is not a cap.

Since 2008, the kingdom has sought to lease and buy farmland in developing nations to improve its security of food supplies. Now it needs to build reserves.

Foreign farmland acquisitions are a telling vote of no confidence in international markets by food-deficient countries, which understandably fear a repeat of the 2008 food crisis may deny them opportunities to buy grains and other essential soft commodities at any price.