Land- And Water-Grabbing Increasing Worldwide
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What’s the Latest Development?
A study done by the University of Virginia and the Polytechnic University of Milan is the first-ever assessment of efforts by corporations to “grab” land and water in other countries for agricultural use. Sixty-two countries, most of them in Africa and Asia, have experienced land- and water-grabbing by entities from 41 other countries, most of them in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America. In most cases, says study co-author Paolo D’Odorico, “there is a switch from natural ecosystems — such as forests and savannas — or small-holder agriculture run by local communities, to large-scale commercial farming run by foreign corporations.”
What’s the Big Idea?
The study attributes the increase in land- and water-grabbing to an increase in global food prices that took place in 2007-2008. While at least one positive aspect is cited — corporations have the technology to make better use of the land and provide employment opportunities — many more negatives are mentioned. Most notably, says D’Odorico, “[b]y losing control of part of their land and water…local people are giving up to wealthier nations their most precious natural resources — resources that could be used now or in the future to enhance their own food security.” The study is published in the current Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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