African Land Grab: An Environmental Justice Perspective

AFRICAN LAND GRABAN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE

MAERA SIDDIQI

AFRICAN LAND GRAB: AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE MAERA SIDDIQI

BACKGROUNDAGRICULTURAL LAND INVESTMENT INVOLVES LAND-LEASE AND LAND-PURCHASE AGREEMENTS THAT GIVEINVESTORS RIGHTS OVER THE LAND AND ALL NATURAL RESOURCES ON THE LAND.*

*TRANSLATION: LAND IS TAKEN FROM SMALL-SCALE FARMERS TO TURN INTO INDUSTRIALAGRIBUSINESS VENTURES IN WHICH PROFIT-SEEKING CORPORATIONS CONTROL NOT ONLYTHE LAND, BUT ALSO THE WATER, GAS, OIL, AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES.

ONLY 50% OF THE LAND INAFRICA IS ARABLE AND 70% OFTHE POPULATION DEPENDS ONIT FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD.


BACKGROUNDBASED ON RECENT FINDINGS BY THE FAO & WB, INVESTORS IN AFRICA PREFERFERTILE LAND, EVEN WHEN OCCUPIED, OVER INFERTILE, UNOCCUPIED AREAS ANDLAND WITH WEAK GOVERNANCE*

*TRANSLATION: MISAPPROPRIATION OF RESOURCES, INVESTORS ARE TAKING THE MOST FERTILE LAND ON THE CONTINENTFROM LOCALS THROUGH AGREEMENTS WITH CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. ONCE PUSHED OFF THEIR OWN LAND, LOCALSARE LEFT WITH UNARABLE, ARID, AND DEGRADED LAND ON WHICH IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GROW FOOD.2.4 MILLION HA OF AFRICAN LAND HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO LAND INVESTMENT. 1 HA = 2.47 ACRES.


BACKGROUNDREASONS THEY* GIVE YOU FOR WHY COUNTRIES &PRIVATE COMPANIES ARE INTERESTED IN LANDINVESTMENT IN AFRICA:

INCREASED FOOD SECURITY AND ENERGYCONCERNS

PERCEPTION OF VAST “AVAILABLE” LAND ATCHEAPER PRICE THAN LAND IN OTHERCOUNTRIES

HIGH RETURN ON INVESTMENT DUE TOINCREASED VALUE OF LAND IN THESCRAMBLE FOR FOOD AND ENERGY


BACKGROUNDREASONS THEY* SAY LAND INVESTMENT INAFRICA IS NECESSARY:

INCREASED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN THEWORLD WILL ALLEVIATE POVERTY & SOLVE THE FOOD& ENERGY CRISIS

INCREASED INVESTMENT IN AFRICA WILL CREATEJOBS FOR LOCALS & FACILITATE ECONOMIC GROWTH


*THEYUSA

CHINAJAPAN

SAUDI ARABIAEUROPEAN UNION

THE UNITED NATIONSAFRICAN OFFICIALSTHE WORLD BANK

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATIONINTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

INTERNATIONAL FOOD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

POWERFUL INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS ISSUE. REPORTS RELEASED BY THESE AGENCIES FIND LAND INVESTMENT IS BENEFICIAL, BUT OFTEN INVOLVES SEVERE INJUSTICES ON LOCALS. EX: “LAND GRAB OR DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY” FAO, 2009. ( )

AMONG MANY OTHERS...


BACKGROUNDROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON RESPONSIBLE AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT WASHINGTON DC, APRIL 25, 2010US, GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN, AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION & 130 REPRESENTATIVES FROM DEVELOPED & DEVELOPINGCOUNTRIES, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND PRIVATE SECTOR CONCLUDED AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT WAS NECESSARY, BUTVOLUNTARY INTERNATIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT* SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED TO PREVENT SOCIAL BACKLASH.

HUNDREDS OF NGOS SAY NO!

*TRANSLATION: VOLUNTARY & UNENFORCEABLE, MEANING INVESTORS & HOST GOVERNMENTS AREFREE TO IGNORE THEM WITHOUT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. SO, WHAT’S THE POINT?CASE STUDY: MASS KILLING OF FARMERS FOR FARM LAND IN COLOMBIA’S PALM OIL INDUSTRY


EJ ISSUESLACK OF TRANSPARENCY/SECRECYNOT EVEN THE WORLD BANK CAN GET INFORMATION ONTHE LAND INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS BETWEENGOVERNMENTS & INVESTORS

DISPLACEMENTLOCALS OCCUPYING THE LAND ARE FORCED OUT; LEADSTO DESTRUCTION OF LIVELIHOOD, CULTURE & RELIGIONEX: 1000 RICE FARMERS IN TANZANIA

THREAT TO FOOD SECURITYAFRICAN COUNTRIES RECEIVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OFFOOD AID, AND YET GOVERNMENTS ARE LEASING LANDON WHICH FARMERS GROW FOODEX: WFP, ETHIOPIA & SAUDI ARABIA

THREAT TO FOOD SOVEREIGNTYLOCALS LOSE THEIR RIGHT TO FOOD SELF-DETERMINATION;ARE THEY FORCED TO DEPEND ENTIRELY ON FOOD AIDPROGRAMS?

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

TRANSPARENCY

POSITIVE HOST GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT; FORMAL LAND PROGRAMS

FURTHER RESEARCH AND MONITORING

FLEXIBILITY WITH POLICY DUE TO CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF ISSUE


AFRICAN LAND GRAB: AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE© 2010 MAERA SIDDIQI ([email protected])

PHOTO CREDITSCOVER/SLIDE 1 © ERIC LAFFORGUE http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/3090155702/SLIDE 2 © RICARDO FUNARI http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488531@N08/3730260696/in/set-72157621472995753/SLIDE 4 © RICARDO FUNARI http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488531@N08/3729461943/in/set-72157621472995753/SLIDE 5 © RICARDO FUNARI http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488531@N08/3729462711/in/set-72157621472995753/SLIDE 6 © WORLD BANK PHOTO COLLECTION http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldbank/4551379665/in/set-72157623922418452/SLIDE 7 © RICARDO FUNARI http://www.flickr.com/photos/28488531@N08/3730344070/in/set-72157621472995753/SLIDE 8 © ERIC LAFFORGUE http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/3744805231/SLIDE 9 © ERIC LAFFORGUE (cut from thumbnail view) http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/sets/72157621689621690/?page=2

African Land Grab: An Environmental Justice Perspective

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