Just a few years back, Bangladesh’s foreign policy was ‘look east policy’ oriented. But at present it seems there is a shift in the policy; now it is one of ‘looking to Africa’. This Look Africa policy is not a holistic approach; it is only a minor change in foreign policy direction for ‘agro-economic’ purpose. Bangladesh is building and strengthening its foreign relations with many Sub-Saharan countries on specific economic terms. The country wants to buy or lease land in Africa via its private entrepreneurs. Bangladesh is anticipating that these initiatives will ensure food security, which continues to be a matter of headache for it for a few years. Another thing Bangladesh expects is to send a good number of unemployed people there as expatriate workers. The government is consistently looking for new markets for migrant workers as the existing markets have been shrinking for the last two or three years. So, apparently it seems that ‘look Africa policy’ is going to be an all-round boost up for Bangladesh and its economy. But let’s see what the realities behind all these ‘flat appearances’ are.
For the last few years ‘look Africa policy’ has been a global phenomenon. China is the first in this move followed by India, Bangladesh, South Korea and others. Every country has a single motive – economic objectives in different areas of interests. China is looking for energy potentials for its burgeoning economy; India is making room for its private entrepreneurs to invest in education, telecommunications and software infrastructures while Bangladesh is looking for arable land for crop production. For all these initiatives ‘land grab in Africa’ has been a buzzword in recent time.
Why are countries in ‘land rush’?
The question of ‘land grab’ or ‘land rush’ in Africa is internally connected with various complex realities. First of all, I would like to draw attention of the readers to the fact that land-grab in Africa is not a new thing. Before this, US and many European countries leased or bought land for cultivation. But at present the number of participating countries has increased. This quantitative change has been propelled by various factors. Thinkers deem that worldwide food shortage and food security concern following oil price rise in 2008, water shortage and the European Union’s insistence that 10 percent of all transport fuel would come from plant-based bio fuels by 2015 have led to this change. Others say population growth is also a factor. In a report it is revealed that global hunger rates decreased slightly in recent years but 925 million people still suffer from hunger, while high food price threatens more. But, please, note that the foreign investors want to feed their own people first, not the Africans who are the largest hungry populace in the world.
What do Africans think?
The local inhabitants are at a loss with this sort of land rush by foreign investors. They are puzzled with the names of states like Bangladesh, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia etc. Many prudent Africans are suspecting the rebirth of colonialism in Africa in a different form. In a write up, a columnist called Ethiopian president a ‘goat’. The writer questions how a country like Ethiopia can afford leasing land to foreign countries whereas that country itself is bearing the burden of the world’s largest starving population. (Bangladesh has plans to buy or lease land from Ethiopia.)
In the latest UN conference for food, Kofi Aannan, ex-UN chief, defined the situation as ‘rich countries grabbing Poor’s land’. He called for united action for global food security. But as we know, in this realist world common effort for common interest is a far cry; so, Annan’s appeal for ‘global food security’ is very likely to end in smoke.
Can investment bring breakthrough in Africa?
Foreign investors say that the present time can be a new African era for these inhabitants. Foreign investment will bring capital and new technologies to outmoded farming in Africa. Investors say these acquisitions will fuel development, but opponents call the move a “land-grab” that will threaten Africa’s own food security.
Investors argue bringing in large areas of land under cultivation and building infrastructure will generate large scale employment opportunities even if these sectors are completely mechanised. Since land utilisation in this continent is very low compared to other continents, there is not going to be any ecological problems. It is also to be remembered that some European countries including Russia have sold/leased out land to foreigners with a view to increasing local food grain production.
Ethiopia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom said that his country must significantly develop mechanised agriculture. Ethiopia is planning to double its agriculture output and so the government has put aside 3 million hectares of land to be leased. The government says, in that case, the country may not even need food aid within five years.
Many farmers, land rights advocates, various reports and non-governmental organisations disagree with this proposition. They call the situation a “land-grab” that may lead to environmental destruction, displacement of small, local landholders and workers, and resource exploitation as well as loss of livelihood and food insecurity. Some say it’s a new form of colonialism.
It is really tough to comment on the African ‘land-grab’ for ‘food security’ purpose because of being absolutely ignorant about the real local realities. From the point of view of a Bangladeshi, this move towards Africa is an intelligent one given all these potentialities. Successes depend upon the implementation level: How successfully Bangladesh utilises the lands using its technological know-how for cultivation. For the Africans, it can be a good initiative if their government can formulate a proper policy for capital investment and to develop farmers’ skill and expertise in using new technology so that they need not remain dependent upon foreign investors years after years.
This article was first published in the Daily Sun on 13th July 2011.
For the last few years ‘look Africa policy’ has been a global phenomenon. China is the first in this move followed by India, Bangladesh, South Korea and others. Every country has a single motive – economic objectives in different areas of interests. China is looking for energy potentials for its burgeoning economy; India is making room for its private entrepreneurs to invest in education, telecommunications and software infrastructures while Bangladesh is looking for arable land for crop production. For all these initiatives ‘land grab in Africa’ has been a buzzword in recent time.
Why are countries in ‘land rush’?
The question of ‘land grab’ or ‘land rush’ in Africa is internally connected with various complex realities. First of all, I would like to draw attention of the readers to the fact that land-grab in Africa is not a new thing. Before this, US and many European countries leased or bought land for cultivation. But at present the number of participating countries has increased. This quantitative change has been propelled by various factors. Thinkers deem that worldwide food shortage and food security concern following oil price rise in 2008, water shortage and the European Union’s insistence that 10 percent of all transport fuel would come from plant-based bio fuels by 2015 have led to this change. Others say population growth is also a factor. In a report it is revealed that global hunger rates decreased slightly in recent years but 925 million people still suffer from hunger, while high food price threatens more. But, please, note that the foreign investors want to feed their own people first, not the Africans who are the largest hungry populace in the world.
What do Africans think?
The local inhabitants are at a loss with this sort of land rush by foreign investors. They are puzzled with the names of states like Bangladesh, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia etc. Many prudent Africans are suspecting the rebirth of colonialism in Africa in a different form. In a write up, a columnist called Ethiopian president a ‘goat’. The writer questions how a country like Ethiopia can afford leasing land to foreign countries whereas that country itself is bearing the burden of the world’s largest starving population. (Bangladesh has plans to buy or lease land from Ethiopia.)
In the latest UN conference for food, Kofi Aannan, ex-UN chief, defined the situation as ‘rich countries grabbing Poor’s land’. He called for united action for global food security. But as we know, in this realist world common effort for common interest is a far cry; so, Annan’s appeal for ‘global food security’ is very likely to end in smoke.
Can investment bring breakthrough in Africa?
Foreign investors say that the present time can be a new African era for these inhabitants. Foreign investment will bring capital and new technologies to outmoded farming in Africa. Investors say these acquisitions will fuel development, but opponents call the move a “land-grab” that will threaten Africa’s own food security.
Investors argue bringing in large areas of land under cultivation and building infrastructure will generate large scale employment opportunities even if these sectors are completely mechanised. Since land utilisation in this continent is very low compared to other continents, there is not going to be any ecological problems. It is also to be remembered that some European countries including Russia have sold/leased out land to foreigners with a view to increasing local food grain production.
Ethiopia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom said that his country must significantly develop mechanised agriculture. Ethiopia is planning to double its agriculture output and so the government has put aside 3 million hectares of land to be leased. The government says, in that case, the country may not even need food aid within five years.
Many farmers, land rights advocates, various reports and non-governmental organisations disagree with this proposition. They call the situation a “land-grab” that may lead to environmental destruction, displacement of small, local landholders and workers, and resource exploitation as well as loss of livelihood and food insecurity. Some say it’s a new form of colonialism.
It is really tough to comment on the African ‘land-grab’ for ‘food security’ purpose because of being absolutely ignorant about the real local realities. From the point of view of a Bangladeshi, this move towards Africa is an intelligent one given all these potentialities. Successes depend upon the implementation level: How successfully Bangladesh utilises the lands using its technological know-how for cultivation. For the Africans, it can be a good initiative if their government can formulate a proper policy for capital investment and to develop farmers’ skill and expertise in using new technology so that they need not remain dependent upon foreign investors years after years.
This article was first published in the Daily Sun on 13th July 2011.
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