Why is Saudi Arabia buying up African farmland?

[Fumesucker]

http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/07/15/why_is_saudi_arabia_buying_up_african_farmland

The Christian Science Monitor highlights an April report by the International Food Policy Research Institute entitled "'Land Grabbing' by Foreign Investors in Developing Countries." The report details purchases of farmland in developing countries by China, South Korea, India, and a handful of gulf states.

Saudi Arabia recently purchased 500,000 hectares of land in Tanzania and Indian companies have bought land in Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Senegal and Mozambique.

Another analysis of the "land-grabbing" trend relased in June by the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization and two other agricultural research groups examines more closely the potential positives and negatives of the purchases.

Increased investment may bring macro-level benefits (such as GDP growth and improved government revenues), and may create opportunities for economic development and livelihood improvement in rural areas.

But as governments or markets make land available to prospecting investors, large-scale land acquisitions may result in local people losing access to the resources on which they depend for their food security – particularly as some key recipient countries are themselves faced with food security challenges.

[jwirr]

1. I think we can be pretty sure that it is not so they can feed the Africans.

[Odin2005]

2. But, I thought only the Evil Western Imperialists do this kind of stuff!

[HiPointDem]

4. No, the compradors of evil western imperialists do it too. Also evil eastern imperialists.

not to mention northern and southern imperialists. also ne x nw & other compass coordinates.

[HiPointDem]

3. Same reason European, Chinese and American corporations are. Not to mention mining and other

resource-rich land.

Africa is reportedly a free-for-all, which is one reason for all the wars, massacres, etc. going on. One would never know it from reading the MSM, though.

[Mimosa]

5. Because their own land is largely desert?

[JCMach1]

6. Countries like KSA and UAE important the vast majority of their food

UAE = 90%

I don't know the stat for Saudi Arabia off the top of my head...

[nanabugg]

7. Them that has takes! or buys!! Nothing has changed in human history.

Wealth does you no good unless you can eat and live to enjoy it.

[Quantess]

8. Interesting.

[rustydog]

9. When there is a food shortage, those with the farmland will rule

[MoreGOPoop]

10. K & R

I had this rant about Colonial Greed ready to go, but, will simply say the Human Condition broke my heart again today.