These are truly astounding, unprecedented developments.
See also :
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/nov/22/food-biofuels-land-grab
(More from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/)
Obviously, the world needs a set of norms to abide by and some
form of global governance to implement them.
I wonder wether these norms may include the prohibition of land
grabs through the corruption of poor governments.
Daniele Conversi
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/3487668/South-Korean-company-takes-over-part-of-Madagascar-to-grow-biofuels.html
The African island state of Madagascar has agreed to
allow a South
Korean company to take over huge tracts of its territory
for
farmland in a deal showing the worldwide scramble for
resources
across the continent.
By Richard Spencer in Beijing
Last Updated: 12:29PM GMT 20 Nov 2008
Baobab trees: Of the eight species, six are native to Madagascar and
they can live for over 1,000 years
Baobab trees: Of the eight species, six are native to Madagascar and
they can live for over 1,000 years Photo: GETTY
Daewoo Logistics is taking a 99-year lease on 3.2 million acres of
land, half the size of Belgium, to grow maize and biofuels, building
its own roads and other infrastructure to service the new farms that
will be created on currently undeveloped open space.
The amount is almost half the currently farmed land in the
country.
The deal is a sign of the concern of many countries, particularly the
intensely populated nations of the far east, about ensuring the safety
and reliability of food and other supplies in an increasingly
competitive world.
Chinese companies have signed similar deals across a number of African
nations in recent years, even sending its own workforce to join local
residents in working their new estates.
The Madagascar deal is striking by its size and, according to some
reports, its financing. Daewoo Logistics, one of a new breed of Korean
companies born from the break-up of its traditional, huge
conglomerates after the Asian financial crisis, says it may have to
pay nothing for the land.
What the four Madagascar regional governments with which it has
negotiated stand to gain are jobs, roads and experience of advanced
agricultural techniques.
Shin Dong Hyun, the Daewoo manager in charge of the project, said it
was hoping to form a consortium with a Korean animal feed company and
Chinese firms to run the project.
It was hoping eventually to grow 5 million metric tons of maize a year
and 500,000 tons of palm oil, a major form of biofuel. It will use
local labour and some expertise from South Africa.
South Korea is one of the most densely populated nations on earth,
with 49 million people squeezed on to space the size of Scotland and
Wales. Its shortage of arable land makes it the world's third largest
importer of maize.
The company is working within a government-set ambition of increasing
the amount of grain it produces either at home or through its own
ventures abroad to half its supplies, from just over a quarter at
present.
"We plan to improve productivity to produce 10 metric tons of
maize per hectare but it will take quite a long time to reach that
level," Mr Shin said.
--
George Marshall,
Director of Projects,
Climate Outreach Information Network,
George Marshall contacts in Wales
Direct 01686 411 080
Mobile 0781 724 1889
E-mail [log in to unmask]
The Friary
Pen-Y-Green Rd
Llanidloes
SY18 6PG
Main COIN Office Old Music Hall, 106-108 Cowley Road, Oxford OX4
1JE.
Telephone 01865 403 334
E-mail [log in to unmask]
Web: www.COINet.org.uk
COIN is a charitable trust, registration number 1102225. It
supports
initiatives and organisations that increase public
understanding and awareness of climate change.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/3487668/South-Korean-company-takes-over-part-of-Madagascar-to-grow-biofuels.html
The African island
state of Madagascar has agreed to allow a South Korean company to take
over huge tracts of its territory for farmland in a deal showing the
worldwide scramble for resources across the continent.
By Richard Spencer in Beijing
Last Updated: 12:29PM GMT 20 Nov 2008
Baobab trees: Of the eight species, six
are native to Madagascar and they can live for over 1,000 years Photo:
GETTY
Daewoo Logistics is taking a 99-year
lease on 3.2 million acres of land, half the size of Belgium, to grow
maize and biofuels, building its own roads and other infrastructure to
service the new farms that will be created on currently undeveloped
open space.
The amount is almost half the currently
farmed land in the country.
The deal is a sign of the concern of many
countries, particularly the intensely populated nations of the far
east, about ensuring the safety and reliability of food and other
supplies in an increasingly competitive world.
Chinese companies have signed similar
deals across a number of African nations in recent years, even sending
its own workforce to join local residents in working their new
estates.
The Madagascar deal is striking by its
size and, according to some reports, its financing. Daewoo Logistics,
one of a new breed of Korean companies born from the break-up of its
traditional, huge conglomerates after the Asian financial crisis, says
it may have to pay nothing for the land.
What the four Madagascar regional
governments with which it has negotiated stand to gain are jobs, roads
and experience of advanced agricultural techniques.
Shin Dong Hyun, the Daewoo manager in
charge of the project, said it was hoping to form a consortium with a
Korean animal feed company and Chinese firms to run the
project.
It was hoping eventually to grow 5
million metric tons of maize a year and 500,000 tons of palm oil, a
major form of biofuel. It will use local labour and some expertise
from South Africa.
South Korea is one of the most densely
populated nations on earth, with 49 million people squeezed on to
space the size of Scotland and Wales. Its shortage of arable land
makes it the world's third largest importer of maize.
The company is working within a
government-set ambition of increasing the amount of grain it produces
either at home or through its own ventures abroad to half its
supplies, from just over a quarter at present.
"We plan to improve productivity to
produce 10 metric tons of maize per hectare but it will take quite a
long time to reach that level," Mr Shin said.
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