Saturday 4 July 2009

Fears for the world's poor countries as the rich grab land to grow food | Environment | The Guardian

 

The acquisition of farmland from the world's poor by rich countries and international corporations is accelerating at an alarming rate, with an area half the size of Europe's farmland targeted in the last six months, reports from UN officials and agriculture experts say.

New reports from the UN and analysts in India, Washington and London estimate that at least 30m hectares is being acquired to grow food for countries such as China and the Gulf states who cannot produce enough for their populations. According to the UN, the trend is accelerating and could severely impair the ability of poor countries to feed themselves

Fears for the world's poor countries as the rich grab land to grow food | Environment | The Guardian