There are growing concerns that a legislative loophole could allow vast tracks of Australia's farmland to be sold to the Chinese Government.

"Agricultural lands being leased by Saudis have been increasing by the day in Ethiopia," Ethiopian Consul General Tekleab Kebede says.

"As more investors look into the opportunities that developed nations present there will be no need to go underground or be ashamed of these deals," said Hakan Agro's Tomar.

Farmland, whose $5,000bn value equates to about 7-10% of the value of world equity markets, could be worth 15-25% of share values by 2020, Hardman & Co analysts say

Vaughan-Smith and his team of seven professionals are scouting for commercial farms in five countries — Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia — where conditions are deemed to be the most favorable.

"The ONLY place where agriculture businesses and investors come together to discuss farmland investment" says the promoters

Government of Namibia has leased land to Namibia Development Corporation and the Abu Dhabi-based Al Dhahra Agricultural Company to produce farm grapes and dates on a large commercial scale

NCB Capital estimates that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the main buyers of African land, have acquired some 6 million acres worldwide, largely in Sudan, Pakistan and Indonesia. Other estimates are much higher.

An increasing number of Indian companies are expected to use Singapore as a springboard for their global operations, including overseas farmland investments

Better food and know-how for China, more food for Singapore: if the deal actually comes to pass, it strikes me as a fairly solid bargain, writes Te-Ping Chen.

Argentina will welcome investment from Saudi Arabia in its agricultural sector so the Kingdom can guarantee its own food security, the Argentine Embassy has said.

Amid much talk about the need for "codes of conduct" to help regulate this new phenomenon, I found myself wondering whether Cecil Rhodes would have signed such a code. He probably would, and have then gone on to completely disregard it.