Fact Sheet Land Grabbing

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

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.

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Symbolic Action in Brussels

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.

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G8 discussions at the European Parliament

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.

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Presentation AEFJN Study on Phosphate Mining in Senegal in Madrid

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_1_Icons/madrid25.jpgAEFJN & 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.

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Madagascar: Study on Jatropha exploitation

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.

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Kenya: Conference on Land Grabbing and Just Governance

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.

 

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

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.

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AEFJN Factsheet Land Grabbing

1507-1508 Phosphate Mining: an Unsustainable Business

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_aefjn_ntw/Visits of the Secretariat/2014 Senegal/Engins.jpgCICODEV 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.

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

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_aefjn_ntw/aefjn celebration/conference.jpgFollowing 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.

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AEFJN - Ethical and Biblical View on Land Grabbing in Africa

Presentation of the report: “The Rush for Land: Is Belgium complicit in the new global Wild West?”

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_aefjn_lobby/Ruees vers les terres.jpgOn June 10, 2013, in cooperation with other Belgian civil society organisations, AEFJN presented the report “The Rush for Land, Is Belgium complicit in the new global Wild West?” to the Belgian parliament. This report analyses the involvement of Belgians in land-grabbing abroad and includes case studies from Africa and other parts of the world. (Report only in French)

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1410 Sell out of African food & farming system

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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 20th 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.

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1406 Dust in Their Eyes

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_aefjn_ntw/Visits of the Secretariat/2014 Senegal/thumbs.jpgThe 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.

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

tl_files/aefjn-files/Food sovereignty/Biofuels/Zambia rural community.jpgAmid 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. 

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1312 - 1311 Trade & Agribusiness are destroying Family Farming

tl_files/aefjn-images/aa/trade3_0EU-ACP.jpgThe 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.

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1309 Agrofuels: Fuel for Hunger and Deforestation

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_1_Icons/nofoodforfuel.pngEU 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.

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1306 - 1305 Africa under threat from corporate-driven G8 policies

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_Africa/im_Afr_GdNw/Land grabbing image The Guardian.jpgThe 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.

 

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

tl_files/aefjn-files/Food sovereignty/Biofuels/original_images.jpgThe 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.

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1302 The EU Biofuels policy: Fuelling food insecurity in Africa

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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.

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The World Bank - a major player in land grabbing

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In most African countries the rush for land has been well prepared by the World Bank Group, through its investment promotion agencies that focus on helping investors. They have played an essential role in facilitating land grabbing in developing countries. The World Bank advised in the drafting of bills that would allow investors greater investment mobility. With these benefits provided to foreign investors, it is no surprise that interest in African land markets has increased in recent years.

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The exploitation of natural resources and land grabbing

tl_files/aefjn-images/im_epas/im_csr/mining land.jpgThe global need of land and its resources like water, plants, timber or minerals is continually increasing. This leads governments and private investors to look for cheap resource-rich land close to infrastructure. The land is often taken from farmers who are the traditional users. Extractive industries are part of this phenomenon. Concessions are smaller but extraction activities cause ecological catastrophes in the surrounding area and accelerate climate change. As a result, the land seized from local users becomes unusable.

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Nyeleni : Stop Land Grabbing Now !

 

November 17- 19, 2011 : women and men peasants, pastoralists, indigenous peoples and their allies gathered together in Nyeleni. Their aim is to defend food sovereignty, the commons and the rights of small scale food providers to natural resources. To read the Final Declaration: Stop Land-Grabbing Now!

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WSF 2011 - Dakar Appeal against the land grab

Participants of various social movements, faith-based groups, etc gathered in the assembly of convergence adopted a common declaration.

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100507 ROPPA - monitoring the land grabbing

The Convention has expressed his concerns on the recently emerged ever-increasing proportions of sale of agricultural land to foreign and national private companies,  individuals and elite. It also recommended to the Board of ROPPA to accelerate the development of a monitoring and alerting system to provide ...

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LAND - Voluntary Guideline still to be adopted

The adoption of the international guidelines to regulate the so-called "land grab” has been postponed until next year (first 3 months). It was previously expected at the 37th session of the new Commission for Food Security (CFS) at FAO in October.

The negotiators agreed on the text in general, but this is so complicate and sensitive issue, that they need more time to agree on terms of investment property on a large scale and of the application. The text agreed generally meets the baseline benchmarks regarding recognition of hunger/poverty eradication.

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Land acquisition : what happens in Africa?

From the point of view, some people call this fact: ‘Land grab’, ‘Land acquisition’ or ‘trade pressure on land’. This trend is not new, BUT the rate of negotiations and the amount of spaces concerned have become higher than in the past. What is also new is the extent of South-South transactions.

Is it profitable for people?

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Impacts of some EU companies involved in large piece of land acquisition for biofuels investment in African countries

Table of social and economical impacts of some cases  + lists of countries and of companies

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Land Grabbing - Religious and ethical dimensions

What have the biblical tradition, social ethics and human rights to say about land? by W. Schonecke, AEFJN-Germany

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Land grabbing - Ethical and biblical view

This AEFJN paper provides biblical and ethical guidelines for groups in Africa and Europe who are working with communities that are facing the human tragedy of land grabbing.

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BIOFUELS - unethical policy

April 13, 2011 - Current UK and European policies on biofuels encourage unethical practices, says a report by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics following an 18-month inquiry

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Land in Africa for EU biofuels

Some cases of EU companies involved in large piece of land for biofuels investment in African countries

To read the table:

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LAND: African Bishops take position

African Bishops take position on Land, Water and social justice for eradication of poverty.

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Does EU policy increase land grab outside Europe?

EU has become the world’s largest net importer of agricultural produce, and therefore the largest user of agricultural land that is not its own.

The OPERA report ...

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List of African countries where EU Biofuels companies invest

List of EU Biofuels companies investing in Africa

List of countries of origini of agrofuels companies investing in Africa