Agrofood-feed-fuel Agrofood-feed-fuel complex & the land grabcomplex & the land grab

Philip McMichaelPhilip McMichael

Cornell UniversityCornell University

Agro-food-feed-fuel complex?Agro-food-feed-fuel complex?

Integrated agro-industrial sector: Integrated agro-industrial sector:

crops interchangeable as fungible crops interchangeable as fungible investments investments indiscriminate production indiscriminate production

Food regime vector:Food regime vector:

with class & conjunctural conditionswith class & conjunctural conditions

structuring policy & marketsstructuring policy & markets

‘‘security mercantilism’security mercantilism’

New development ~ food/energy crisesNew development ~ food/energy crises Replacing ‘free trade driven ‘food security’Replacing ‘free trade driven ‘food security’ State/investor compacts to guarantee food State/investor compacts to guarantee food

& fuel supplies for consumer citizens vs & fuel supplies for consumer citizens vs food insecure.food insecure.

‘‘aginvestment’ emphasisaginvestment’ emphasis

National food security strategiesNational food security strategies Protection of land & natural resource rightsProtection of land & natural resource rights How can these be met?How can these be met? Investment in sustaining smallholders, Investment in sustaining smallholders,

pastoralists, fishers and indigenous people pastoralists, fishers and indigenous people rather than sustaining consumersrather than sustaining consumers

World Bank, WDR 2008World Bank, WDR 2008

‘‘new agriculture’ – containing smallholders new agriculture’ – containing smallholders w/in value chainsw/in value chains

Peasant agriculture as impoverished Peasant agriculture as impoverished baseline for development (paradigm)baseline for development (paradigm)

Peasant out-migration = Peasant out-migration = underachievement or choiceunderachievement or choice

Alternative explanation of Alternative explanation of peasant out-migrationpeasant out-migration

““the massive movement of food around thethe massive movement of food around the

world is forcing the increased movement ofworld is forcing the increased movement of

people” (Via Campesina 2000)people” (Via Campesina 2000)

Displacement: planet of slums Displacement: planet of slums For India: by 2015 peasant migrants to be “equal For India: by 2015 peasant migrants to be “equal

to twice the combined population of the UK, to twice the combined population of the UK, France & Germany” (W/Bank).France & Germany” (W/Bank).

Re-centering of agricultureRe-centering of agriculture

Official (W/Bank) version: outgrower Official (W/Bank) version: outgrower model + value chainsmodel + value chains

Philanthropic version (Gates F’n): ‘some Philanthropic version (Gates F’n): ‘some degree of land mobility and a lower % of degree of land mobility and a lower % of total employment involved in direct total employment involved in direct agricultural production’agricultural production’

IAASTD version: multifunctionality, valuing IAASTD version: multifunctionality, valuing farmer knowledge & biodiversityfarmer knowledge & biodiversity

Commodification of foodCommodification of food

Even so, industrial agr. heavily subsidizedEven so, industrial agr. heavily subsidized Global inequality deepened by:Global inequality deepened by:

1.1. ‘‘ghost acres’ghost acres’

2.2. Inertia of rising energy & meat Inertia of rising energy & meat consumptionconsumption

‘‘Ghost acres’: food from nowhereGhost acres’: food from nowhere

Kenya: 90% of horticulture is destined for Kenya: 90% of horticulture is destined for Europe, produced by Europe, produced by ♀ ♀ migrant labormigrant labor

UK supermarkets (76% of organic foods) UK supermarkets (76% of organic foods) imported 34% of organic food sold in imported 34% of organic food sold in 2006, including from China….2006, including from China….

Mexican Mexican agro-maquilasagro-maquilas depend on migrant depend on migrant labor force of indigenous women, labor force of indigenous women, displaced by US corn dumpingdisplaced by US corn dumping

Consuming the AmazonConsuming the Amazon

2006 Greenpeace Report:

“Meat reared on rainforest soya finds its way onto supermarket shelves and fast food counters across Europe.”

‘‘Meatification’ – meat consumption Meatification’ – meat consumption per capita (kg per annum)per capita (kg per annum)

19681968 2008 2008 Incr. Incr.

USUS 89 89 124 124 40% 40%

SpainSpain 22 22 119 119 440% 440%

EuropeEurope 56 56 89 89 59% 59%

BrazilBrazil 39 39 68 68 74% 74%

ChinaChina 4 4 54 54 1250% 1250%

JapanJapan 8 8 42 42 425% 425%

Mangroves become aquaculture: Mangroves become aquaculture: “We have turned the blood of our “We have turned the blood of our people [shrimp] into an appetiser” people [shrimp] into an appetiser”

Agricultural investment frontier?Agricultural investment frontier?

Commodity index funds speculationCommodity index funds speculation Safe haven in global economic recessionSafe haven in global economic recession Profit squeeze on agribusinessProfit squeeze on agribusiness Investment fund fungibilityInvestment fund fungibility Subsidies (energy, food)Subsidies (energy, food)

-- incl. cheap land & labor in global South-- incl. cheap land & labor in global South

Deforestation in Sumatra for pulp and palm Deforestation in Sumatra for pulp and palm [Greenpeace, [Greenpeace, The Guardian The Guardian 8-20-10]8-20-10]

Infrastructure of land grabInfrastructure of land grab

Millennium Challenge Corporation: Millennium Challenge Corporation: market-based solutions to food securitymarket-based solutions to food security

Externalizes rights through inordinate Externalizes rights through inordinate valorization of land as economic resource valorization of land as economic resource [WB land grab price-mechanism omits [WB land grab price-mechanism omits eco-system values]eco-system values]

Infrastructure for global consumers rather Infrastructure for global consumers rather than local producers as citizensthan local producers as citizens

Global consumer footprint Global consumer footprint

Development?Development?

Paradigm of growth values yield per plant Paradigm of growth values yield per plant = industrial ‘agriculture without farmers.’ = industrial ‘agriculture without farmers.’

Ecological paradigm values yield per ha. Ecological paradigm values yield per ha. from small-scale, biodiverse farming.from small-scale, biodiverse farming.

Choice: land-grabbing on behalf of global Choice: land-grabbing on behalf of global consumer sovereignty, vs. local food & consumer sovereignty, vs. local food & energy sovereignty…energy sovereignty…