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Invest in Africa? Some say yes, others fear the worst
- The National
- 03 July 2008
The UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization is expanding its Abu Dhabi office tenfold to broker deals with farmers in such areas as the Horn of Africa.
Hopes and Strains in China's Oversea Farming Plan
- Economic Observer
- 03 July 2008
China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) was drafting policies to encourage domestic companies to rent or buy land abroad for farming, especially for planting soy bean, the EO learned. The MOA had identified five regions, including Central Asia, Russia, Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, for five major Chinese state-owned farming companies to invest in.
Gulf food security: is there enough, and at what price?
- The Middle East
- 01 July 2008
Both public and private sector investors in the Gulf are also looking at ways to improve local food supplies, by investing in a range of outlets from arable farm land in the Sudan, Algeria and Pakistan to introduce new technology to enhance the local production of foodstuffs and grains, livestock, poultry and fish.
China: 'Going Outward' for Food Security
- Stratfor
- 30 June 2008
Beijing is adding agricultural investments to its “go outward” strategy, under which domestic businesses are encouraged to venture into foreign markets.
Solution to Gulf countries’ food scarcity lies in Africa
- Arab News
- 30 June 2008
China has taken a lead in efforts to boost Africa’s farm production, putting pressure on GCC states to also find long-term solutions for food supply in Africa
Bangladesh seeks Myanmar farm land on lease
- Reuters
- 26 June 2008
Bangladesh urged Myanmar on Thursday to lease it farm land near the border for rice cultivation to meet its growing food demand, an official said.
Mauritius: Food security
- Gvt of Mauritius
- 26 June 2008
An agreement for the allocation of 5,000 hectares of land in the Beira region was signed by Mauritius and Mozambique early this year.
Arabs diversifying overseas investment
- Dawn
- 23 June 2008
Globalisation has taken yet another twist with some Middle Eastern countries deciding to grow their crops in other countries.
Gulf states seeking food security
- Dawn
- 23 June 2008
The Dubai-based think-tank Gulf Research Centre, in its food inflation report released last month, noted that agriculture production in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council’s (GCC) countries is on the decline, and its exposure to unstable global food supplies would increase in the future. It called on the GCC to develop links with countries rich in arable land.
Leasing lands in other countries to boost food production in Bahrain proposed
- Khaleej Times
- 22 June 2008
Leasing farms on contract in Arab countries such as Iraq, Egypt and Sudan might be an option to deal with severe shortage of agriculture lands and water in Bahrain.
Deals could be ‘win-win’
- The National
- 21 June 2008
The high-profile economist Prof Jeffrey Sachs says plans by Gulf countries to invest in developing world farms could be “win-win” for both sides, but cautions that the schemes could end in “disaster” if the focus is solely on profits.
UAE ‘should invest in foreign farms’
- The National
- 21 June 2008
The UAE and its food-importing neighbours are “particularly vulnerable” to spiralling costs and should make significant investments in “contract farming” in Africa and Asia, says the UN’s Gulf food chief, Dr Kayan Jaff.