Often criticized as a form of colonialism, “land grabbing” is a phenomenon in Africa and elsewhere, where foreign investors purchase the rights to a large area of land, to water and sometimes to forests, often displacing local farmers and compromising the population’s ability to feed itself.

This video was produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting for the Food for 9 Billion project. It tells the story of an Ethiopian tribe who claim to have been lured into migrating to unfertile land. What makes this case more scandalous is that the original land has been transformed by a foreign investor to produce food for export. While millions lack adequate food and many die in famine, many African countries are embroiled in complex battles over land ownership involving farmers, local governments and commercial investors. 

In the backdrop are multiple factors, including climate change and the rising demand for biofuels as well as the developing countries’ desire to attract foreign direct investments for the sake of broader economic development. Many commercial entities are looking at large-scale agriculture as an investment opportunity. Developing countries are attractive because vast tracts of land are available and land tenure is weakly governed.

Some say that foreign investment creates employment and helps transfer technology to developing countries. However, poor farmers are usually left out of the decision-making and often end up as plantation workers or without access to land or other natural resources.

In March 2012 a groundbreaking event took place. Some 96 member countries of FAO, together with civil society organizations, reached agreement to adopt a Voluntary Guideline on Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of National Food Security.  Although this is a “voluntary guideline,” it is a big first step towards resolving a difficult challenge.

 

Food for 9 Billion, is a collaborative project of Homelands Productions, the Center for Investigative Reporting, American Public Media's Marketplace, and PBS Newshour.