Oxfam Calls for New Rules for African Farm Investment
Food security is becoming a looming crisis in Africa due to the massive investment in agricultural lands, displacing traditional farmers. At first glance, foreign money invested in farming looks as if it would help the country’s economy. It is not without cost in the lives of the displaced farmers.
Oxfam is citing the recent example of a recent transaction in which over 22 000 people were displaced, losing homes and livestock when a British company, New Forests Company(NFC), purchased rights to it.
NFC is not some fly-by-night company. They are partially financed by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank.
Land that is purchased or leased by foreign companies/corporations often removes food from the local supply. Profits can be made growing food for wealthier customers, biofuel material or simply allowing the land to lie fallow until a profit can be made on the sale.
These land grabs affect the most vulnerable members of those societies. Women in Africa produce most of the food grown on small farms. Without their ability to grow enough food, their children suffer malnutrition and are unable to attend school. The cycle of poverty gets worse each year as foreign organizations profit on their misery.
We may say it has nothing to do with us, but it has direct impact. When those poorly fed, poorly educated people grow up they will carry a burning resentment against those countries that allowed the exploitation. The disaffected and underprivileged become easy targets for recruiters who would do our societies harm.
There is a UN conference next month in Rome that will be dealing with Food Security issues. Oxfam is urging countries to rein in the action of companies that they have jurisdiction over. In the meantime Oxfam is urging people to join its GROW campaign.
Five countries that have been particularly hard hit by land speculators are: Uganda, Indonesia, Guatemala, Honduras and South Sudan. Nile Trading and Development Inc. (NTD) registered in Delaware, is exploiting the rich agricultural lands in the new S. Sudan.
