Land grabbing has become a recurring phenomenon in Africa but the situation in Tanzania is a disaster; from the northern part of the country where about 40,000 of the Maasai tribe were said to have been evicted from their ancestral land so that the Dubai Royal family can hunt, to the south where the SAGCOT program (Southern Agricultural Corridors of Tanzania) of G8/NEW Alliance has driven thousands of families into penury. In December 2015, the AEFJN Secretariat took a fact-finding mission to Tanzania. Some of the journeys took as long as 17 hours but it gave the staff good firsthand experience of the disaster of land grabbing in Tanzania. This documentary studies just the tip of the iceberg of land grabbing in Africa.

Read more … Video: The Impacts of Large Scale Farming in Tanzania

Grain and RIAO have undertaken a new study into an agro-food company which is active in the DR Congo. This study is being supported by a European civil society coalition that is concerned about the involvement of European development finance institutions. It is doubtful whether their investment will make a significant contribution to the well-being of the people and the sustainable development of the country. The new study reveals that the company has been paying its workers less than the minimum wage and that questions about the ownership of the land in the zones it uses remain unresolved as far as the local people are concerned. So it will be important to find out if the production of palm oil is not a threat to the income of the artisanal producers in that area. The report also discloses that the links of the financial management of the company to an international network of companies raises a number of questions.

Read more … Land conflicts and shady finances plague DR Congo palm oil company backed by development funds

The new generation fishing deals that the EU is concluding with African countries are termed Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements. However, especially in West-Africa, overfishing together with Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing are causing environmental damage as well as squeezing the local fisheries sector, so it is hard to see how increasing fishing activity by foreign fleets in this context will be sustainable. Even if these new deals are termed sustainable, clearly the short-term economic logic prevails. Most of the funds are dedicated to gaining access to fish in African waters in order to supply the European market. Rather than acquiring extensive fishing quotas in overfished waters, higher priority should be given to fighting IUU-fishing globally and in Africa in particular, because of the threat it poses to food security.     

Read more … EU Fishing deals in Africa: Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

West Africa has become a hotspot for large commercial vessels from across the world: vessels from China, Europe, Russia and Korea all target African waters. However, African coastal states have benefited meagerly from the fishing activities in their waters, as 40% or more of the catches goes unreported. This accelerates the degradation of maritime environments and the depletion of fishing stocks, threatening local fishing economy. The problem of overfishing in western Africa the problem is severe due to the high rates of extraction of several species for commercial use, which has brought them on the brink of extinction as a consequence. The main culprit is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). A lack of strong international governance is at the hearth of this problem.

Read more … Illegal Fishing: Extracting Wealth from West-African Waters

AEFJN recently co-organized a national conference on Just Governance: The Nigerian Biosafety Acts, and GMOs – Implications for Nigerians and Africa in Nigeria. It isa follow up activity of the Land grab conference held at Nairobi in 2015. The conference was the initiative of Friends of the Earth Nigeria/ Environmental Right Action who participated at the Nairobi conference. It aimed at developing national advocacy strategies to repeal the recently passed Nigerian  biosafety law and to resist the release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) into the country because it is perceived that its negative impact on the Nigerian ecosystem and her food sovereignty, and the ripple effect on the rest of Africa would be monumental. The other members of the coalition are Africa Europe Faith and Justice Network, Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, ATAN Justice, Development and Peace Centre, Nigeria. The conference brought the Church and the Civil Society together for joint advocacy actions. The report of the conference, joint action plan, presentation materials and some photos are found here.

Read more … Nigeria Just Governance: The Nigerian Biosafety Acts, and GMOs – Implications for Nigerians and Africa

Our focus here is the investment by a local subsidiary of British company, Fuelstock International. It invested in the cultivation of 2000 hectares of jatropha, for biofuel, in the villages of Miadanasoa and Manjarisoa but results fell well below the expectations of the villagers. The arrival of the company did not enable them to significantly improve their income or living conditions. Indeed, the salary received by daily labourers is below the national poverty line and agricultural minimum wage. These salaries do not even meet the food needs of their households. Because of this low remuneration and delays of at least 15 days in payment of wages, workers are forced to borrow to meet their daily food needs, often from Fuelstock’s grocery which charges higher prices than the markets.

Read more … Madagascar: Study on Jatropha exploitation

The Western media image of Africa as a poverty stricken continent held hostage by hunger and incapable of feeding its population leaves one wondering whether living in Africa means a wedlock with death. Every now and then, pictures of malnourished children, women and men living in their shacks are flashed on the media as proof. The impression is always that Africa needs food aid from Europe and America or else her population will be wiped out by hunger. A follow-up to this image is that various Food Aid and Food security programs, and the accompanying economic policies, are designed for Africa in an effort to save Africa from total annihilation by hunger. Save Africa – beautiful and laudable mantra! But the venture of addressing Africa’s food security has been enmeshed in a cloud of integrity questions. Is it really just about solidarity with a suffering continent? 

Read more … Africa’s Enduring Hunger and the EU’s Recurrent Food Aid Programs

In December 2015 the European Parliament commissioned a report on the G8 New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition to which the EU is the second donor after the USA providing about 1,1 billion. In his report Olivier De Schutter, former UN rapporteur on the Right to Food, concluded that the New Alliance is deficient in a number of areas: shifting to sustainable modes of production, tackling the dangers of emerging land markets and contract farming. They are also weak on women’s rights. Following up on the report the DEVE Committee produced a report whose content is encouraging.

Read more … G8 discussions at the European Parliament

Last February 24 a coalition of civil society organisations and citizens conducted a symbolic action in front of the headquarters of SOCFIN in Brussels. SOCFIN is a Belgian-Luxembourg agro-industrial group specialising in the cultivation of oil palm and rubber trees. The company has plantations in ten African countries and Asia and wants to expand these activities to take advantage of the increased demand for palm oil. This expansion is at the expense of the social and environmental rights of communities and without adequate consultation and consent of local communities.

Read more … Symbolic Action in Brussels

The recent report of “Global Policy Forum” examines the role of Philanthropic organisations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations and the Rockefeller Foundation in shaping the international development agenda. Philanthropic organisations have become increasingly important players both financially and in terms of agenda setting. Indeed, the spending of philanthropic organisations has exceeded $10 billion according to estimates. At the same time these foundations have increased their influence on development programmes, in particular in the UN-setting. 

Read more … How Philanthropic is Global Philanthropy?

AEFJN & Cicodev were invited to Madrid to the University of Pontificia de Comillas to present the results of the AEFJN Study: “Koudiadiène, a mining operation under scrutiny – evidence”. The Spanish Antenna organised the event together with REDES, who had translated the AEFJN Study into Spanish. The event marked the launch of the Spanish version, which is an important step forward as several Spanish companies were mentioned in the study. The AEFJN Policy Officer presented the link with Europe: European companies extracting phosphorous rock for processing into fertilizers. Then, Amadou Kanoute, Director of Cicodev, shed light on the impact of the extraction on the local population, economy and environment. The event was attended by 60 people.

Read more … Presentation AEFJN Study on Phosphate Mining in Senegal in Madrid

Together with SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar), AFJN (Africa Faith & Justice Network) and CIDSE (network of Catholic development agencies) the Secretariat organised a conference on Land Grabbing and Just Governance in Nairobi, Kenya from 23 to 26 November ahead of the Pope’s visit to Kenya. Land grabbing and just governance, issues that constitute a significant threat to food sovereignty, were discussed during plenaries and a variety of workshops. The event gathered about 150 participants from the African continent and beyond, including many people directly involved in land grabbing struggles. Please read a press statement and the statement adopted at the conference on the next page.

Read more … Kenya: Conference on Land Grabbing and Just Governance

The case study conducted at Koudiadiène, Senegal, known for its rich subsoil minerals, highlights the land acquisition process for mining and the impact of the activity on the population, the local economy, the land and the living environment of Koudiadiène. The activities of the mining companies installed in Koudiadiène and operating on the land around the neighbouring villages have a socio-economic impact that weakens the environmental and socio-economic rights of local people. These companies are owned by European groups specializing in the production of various forms of fertilizers and other chemicals. The phosphate mined in Koudiadiène is destined mainly for export to the European market where it will be processed and used as fertiliser and other chemicals.

Read more … AEFJN & CICODEV Afrique: Koudiadiène, a mining operation under scrutiny – evidence

CICODEV Africa and AEFJN have conducted a case study of the impact of land acquisition for phosphate rock mining on the community of Koudiadiène in Senegal. The study exposes the consequences for the local economy and the environment as well as for the livelihoods and food security of the villagers. The phosphate rock mining industry is concentrated in a few countries and is subject to geopolitical dynamics. The phosphate, derived from the phosphate rocks, is a key ingredient in chemical fertilizers used in industrial agriculture. Therefore the industry claims that securing a reliable supply of phosphate rock is essential to food security. However, our study demonstrates that phosphate rock extraction is instead creating food insecurity for local communities around the mining sites due to loss of land, livelihood and income.

Read more … 1507-1508 Phosphate Mining: an Unsustainable Business

On the 3rd of June the Leadership Council of the G7 New Alliance holds its annual meeting in South Africa. At the same time civil society organisations across the world raise their concerns on this initiative, because this is a threat to African food sovereignty and family farmers’ control over land and seeds. The exchanges between different civil society organisations at the World Social Forum amounted to a declaration.

Read more … Civil society opposes G7's New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition

The Secretariat was invited to a town meeting (attendance 50-60) in Koudiadiène where the AEFJN policy officer presented the results of the study and the advocacy efforts both in Europe and Senegal. Afterwards, the town meeting agreed that the organization of advocacy efforts on a local level should be strengthened, especially in voicing their concerns to the local government for which the study provides input. At the meeting villagers from neighbouring villages like, Lamlam, also raised their concerns, stating that they are suffering from the same harmful impacts of phosphate operations in their towns. So, the participants called for a strengthening of solidarity between the villages. Next, the villagers conveyed to the Secretariat that the situation had not improved in the last year. The mango trees and tomato plants had stopped producing and yields from palm trees were down; cattle were dying, poisoned by the dust emitted by the companies.

Read more … Meeting between AEFJN and the villagers of Koudiadiène

The Secretariat participated in the Global Land Forum in Dakar, organized by the International Land Coalition (ILC), an alliance of civil society and intergovernmental agencies consisting of 152 organisations from 56 countries. This year’s conference theme was “Land governance for inclusive development, justice and sustainability: Time for action”. At the end of the conference a common declaration was adopted by the 152 members, regrouping common commitments for Action. During the event AEFJN & CICODEV Africa presented the case study on Koudiadiène. Mr Amadou Kanouté, the Executive Director of CICODEV Africa who carried out the study, gave a presentation on the case study during his speech in the plenary session where several Senegalese government officials were present. At the same time Mr Kanouté called for a moratorium on large scale land acquisitions in Senegal, in order to establish an inclusive land reform.

Read more … Global Land Forum Dakar

In the framework of the campaign ‘Our Land Our Business’, more than 260 civil society organisations have formulated a series of critical questions to the World Bank, mainly related to the Bank’s preference for large-scale agriculture. The questions were asked in the run-up to the Bank’s annual spring meetings.

Read more … Civil Society asks critical questions of the World Bank

Following the conference “Bridging the Gap between Policy and Practice: International Soft Law and Large Scale Land Acquisitions” the secretariat has made available the main points of the speakers on its website. On the site, you can also consult the PowerPoint presentations of several speakers, the audio of the full conference and the preliminary main findings of the case study conducted in Senegal which was presented during the conference. Together with CICODEV Africa from Senegal, we have formulated recommendations for European and Senegalese policymakers.

Read more … Conference Report: “Bridging the gap between policy and practice: international soft law and large scale land acquisitions in Africa”

The GRAIN association has published a new report on global production of palm oil which has increased dramatically in recent years. Palm oil, being cheap and plentiful, is used by companies in many food products. To meet the demand for processed food and biofuels, major palm oil producers have turned to Africa as in Asia, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia, it is becoming more difficult to establish monoculture plantations. Palm oil production in developing countries is associated with deforestation, exploitation of plantation workers and seizure of land held by local communities.

Read more … 1412-1411 Planet Palm Oil

African agriculture and its farmers are evermore under pressure to maintain local food systems that produce culturally adapted food. For decades African agriculture has been in dire need of investment. In the latter half of the 20^th century, investment came to the continent, but it was not targeted at African farmers. The current flow of agricultural investment is focused just on export-based industrial agriculture, while smallholders and family agriculture remain deprived of investment. African family farmers are subject to the vagaries of international markets as well as international policies, while supporting family farmers is crucial to improve food security, combat rural poverty and climate change, create income opportunities for the rural youth, conserve biodiversity and strengthen the functioning of local markets.

Read more … 1410 Sell out of African food & farming system

Policymakers around the world often equate increased investment by foreign agribusinesses in Africa to improved food security. However, Dr Destaw Andargie argues that this is mainly a false promise, because a lot of the production from these companies will be used to satisfy the demand of rich consumers. The author argues that the market is “need-blind”, because the market determines a “competitive” price for food based on the competition between consumers around the world. This means that the market will not allocate food where it is most needed, namely to poor consumers. The author suggests that in order to tackle hunger rather than supporting large foreign companies producing for world markets, African food producers, i.e. family farmers, should be sufficiently supported in improving their productivity and urban poverty should be tackled allowing the urban poor to afford sufficient food.

Read more … 1409 Land Grab and the False Promise of Food Security

The people of the village of Koudiadiene in Senegal are suffering from the effects of phosphate mining by European investors. The mines surround the village and the machinery churns up a toxic dust that is polluting the atmosphere and damaging the health of the village people. When their land was expropriated the villagers were not consulted, but were forced to hand over their land to companies with little compensation. Then the companies began to clear the land for phosphate extraction. The loss of their land and the pollution of what remained have increased hunger and malnutrition and poverty has made its home in the village. In addition, the Senegalese laws were not respected. For example according to the mining code, mines should not be located too close to the village. Moreover, companies contribute little to local development because they export almost the entire production and give work to very few local people.

Read more … 1406 Dust in Their Eyes

Access to land will be a crucial issue for Africa’s economic development in the near future, because it is essential for the welfare and survival of the rural population. Family farmers play an important role as food producers as and as stewards of natural resources. They are increasingly under pressure from the threat of land grabbing, where foreign investors buy or lease large areas of land in the African countryside. This land is often presented to investors as “idle”, “underused” or “empty”. However, a sustainable commercial agriculture based on cultural wisdom will require improved access for family farmers to inputs, local markets and distribution channels, not just a focus on expanding large plantations. It will also require policymakers to take into account forms of collective ownership as well as cooperative models of land use.

Read more … 1406 Significance of Land in African Economics, Politics and Culture

According to a report by World Development Movement, the G8’s Initiative for Food Security and Nutrition will advance the interests of extractive agribusiness in Africa at the expense of family farmers. African countries that sign up to the initiative are urged to change policies in order to receive aid money. The required policy changes favour the expansion of activities in Africa of the companies involved in the G8’s Initiative. These companies are interested in securing their supply of agricultural raw materials in order to ensure the manufacture of their food products. Other companies involved are interested in accessing or taking over new markets for their products, especially the hybrid seed, fertilizer and pesticide producers. The land and seed sovereignty of family farmers is endangered by the G8’s Initiative, because it could amplify the phenomenon of land grabbing.

Read more … 1405 Food and Farmers: When Public-Private Partnerships Become Corporate Takeovers

Amid concerns about land grabbing and the lack of laws governing agricultural investment, civil society around the world has pressed for more regulation which has led to the endorsement in 2012, by the Committee on World Food Security, of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines (VG). The purpose of the VG is to serve as a reference for land governance in order to realize the Right to Food. The VG mention that small-scale family farmers, the most important food producers in developing countries, should be supported and that their tenure rights should be guaranteed. The VG contain a number of positive elements, however, they remain a voluntary tool. On top of that policy, initiatives aiming to improve food security, such as the G8’s New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition, favour large-scale industrial agriculture, contrary to the VG’s focus on improving tenure rights of family farmers. In this light it is unlikely that the VG will be implemented widely, until they are made binding under legislation governing agricultural investments. 

Read more … 1404 The Voluntary Guidelines: a valuable tool or window dressing?

In 2012, the G8 launched the “New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition” for Africa; the objectives are to increase agricultural productivity and take 50 million out of poverty. The agribusiness companies are seen as key players to achieve these goals and many large companies are involved, while the main food producers in many African countries, family farmers, are not being consulted. The G8’s Alliance risks increasing land grabbing and hunger across the continent because there are no safeguards to protect the land and seed rights of the local population and, in particular, of family farmers.

Read more … 1403 G8’s Alliance on Food Security and the commitments made by African countries

An agro-industry project jointly financed by capital from Italy, the US and Senegal has aroused resistance from the rural communities living of Gnith in Senegal. The people are opposed to the current development of land that is part of the project. The Italo-Senegalese company acquires vast tracts of land to produce biofuels for the European market.

Read more … 1401 Senhuile-Senéthanol: Farmers determined to oppose it

The trade preferences in Africa are increasingly being captured by foreign agribusinesses and this gives another motive for foreign enterprises to acquire land in Africa. These trade structures restrict Africa to being a supplier of resources and raw material for consumer markets elsewhere.

Read more … 1312 - 1311 Trade & Agribusiness are destroying Family Farming

Read more … 1312 - 1311 African peasants reject the assault on peasant seeds

EU member states granted billions of taxpayer money to subsidize biofuels in order to attain the consumption targets set by the EU. However, this is a failing policy, which is driving up consumer food bills worldwide, stimulating land grabbing, worsening air quality round the globe and increasing hunger and poverty in Africa and other developing nations.

Read more … 1309 Agrofuels: Fuel for Hunger and Deforestation

Read more … 1308 - 1307 The Role of European Development Finance Institutions in Land Grabs

The G8 is preparing the launch of the Global Land Transparency Initiative in readiness for the summit in the United Kingdom, June 2013. Both this Initiative and the G8’s New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition in Africa are corporate-driven initiatives, based on public-private partnerships, which risk surrendering African agriculture to large corporations and increasing land grabs in Africa.

Read more … 1306 - 1305 Africa under threat from corporate-driven G8 policies

The World Bank Group (WB-G) has been preparing the ground for the private investment in Africa by encouraging the commercialisation of farmland through its investment and structural adjustment programs in Africa. Equally, the World Bank has been supervising land reforms in several African countries, with the aim to establish a western-styled property system. The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) is building on this preparatory work and promotes private sector interest in African agriculture.

Read more … 1304 - 1303 The World Bank and the private sector: partners in land grabbing?

For years, Pierre Rabhi has been recognised as a pioneer in agro-ecology. Currently, he is farming agro-ecologically in France and he shared his knowledge of farming practices at a conference last February.

Read more … 1304 - 1303 Agro-ecology: for life

Read more … 1304 - 1303 Organic Agriculture: Uganda’s Food Security Lifeline

EU biofuel mandates have stimulated demand for biofuels, which is one of the principal factors contributing to the current food price volatility. This is equally a cause of large-scale land acquisitions by EU biofuel companies, which divert cropland away from food-producing family farmers. These large scale investments reduce family farmers’ access to land and water.

Read more … 1302 The EU Biofuels policy: Fuelling food insecurity in Africa

Read more … 1302 More than ever, let’s watch out for land-grabbing in Madagascar!