Ben Carter
Word Lit Honors Period 6
March 9, 2015
Mrs. Bennett
Selling Away the Future
We have always been encouraged to support the distant people of Africa who are suffering of starvation and thirst. Yet what if we are the reason for this thirst and hunger millions of miles away. The very water we drink could be from the people that need it most. The agricultural companies of the world have been buying water and land from African governments, leaving the struggling inhabitants to be stranded without water or food. Foreign companies buying land from other governments is called land-grabbing. The African governments have sold 40 million hectares of land, almost the size of Ukraine, making Africa the most involved in land-grabbing (Cotula). Although land-grabbing in Africa has been disastrous to the local population, it has the possibility to create economic growth.
The African governments are endangering their lives of their people by leaving them homeless and prone to starvation. One in three africans suffer from water scarcity (Grain). Those who have a reliable water source are threatened by foreign investments that are supported by their government (F.O.E). The indigenous people of the Alwero river in Ethiopia have experienced these effects of foreigners when a major foreign plantation left their river dry. They responded with force, resulting in 5 deaths (Grain). In Uganda alone, 20,000 more people have been unjustly evicted by their government in cases similar to that of the Alwero river (Cotula). The farmers of Africa have been stranded by the land-grab in Africa.
While leaving the natives homeless, the new industrial farms can create a better economy for the country its based in. Corporations have the potential to fully utilize the land that was not being farmed as efficiently as it could. The natives farmland “is often good agricultural land that isn't yet fully utilized" says PNAS researcher Paolo D'Odorico (Plumer). Industrial farms can simultaneously create jobs for the locals there so that they have financial support. Another important benefit would be the new technology that would be brought in with the corporation (Aryeetey). With employment, efficiency, and modernization, land-grabbing has the capability to improve the economy of African countries.
The reality is since the companies do not have regulations on providing these benefits , they end up having a more detrimental cause on the population (A.N.S.). Most companies only provide short-lived low paying jobs that don’t support locals (Cotula). Abandoned projects and modernization of farming is only contaminating the rich land. In contrast, the natives’ farms are environmentally friendly and able to support the community (Grain). Furthermore, some farmers work together and are able to compete on a global market (Cotula). This leads to one solution, Foreign business should invest in the farmers, not the land that they live land.
The problem of homeless natives is still prevailing in Africa even when a solution could be employed. The trend of land-grabbing has nothing to stand in its way and will continue as fresh water and food become scarcer and scarcer. As this trend continues, the rich foreigners will continue to take from the poor native farmers.
Works Cited
Aryeetey, Ernest. "African Land Grabbing: Whose Interests Are Served?" The Brookings Institution. Ed. Zenia Lewis. N.p., 25 June 2010. Web. 05 Mar. 2015. Bienkowski, Brian. "Corporations Grabbing Land and Water Overseas." Scientific American Global RSS. N.p., 12 Feb. 2013. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
China's Agricultural Investment in Africa Not "Land Grabbing" - Expert." Africa News Service 20 May 2014: n. pag. Global Issues In Context. Web. 13 Mar. 2015.
Cotula, Lorenzo. "Analysis: Land Grab or Development Opportunity?" BBC News. N.p., 21 Feb. 2012. Web. 05 Mar. 2015
GRAIN. "Squeezing Africa Dry." Grain. Grain.org, 11 June 2012. Web. 05 Mar. 2015.
"Land Grabbing." Friends of the Earth Europe. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2015.
Plumer, Brad. "Chinese Firms and Gulf Sheiks Are Snatching up Farmland Worldwide. Why?" Washington Post.
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ReplyDeleteDo the local populations understand the land-grabbing that is happening due to the government? I'd be interested to hear their opinion.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that the governments of the countries themselves were the people selling the water and land that their people need. I connected it to situations around the world where poor farmers are forced off their land. Why do African governments sell their own land and water?
ReplyDeleteI thought it was neat how you described both the positive and negative effects of land grabbing. It was interesting seeing the issue from a different view, instead of from the US perspective. What are some examples of companies that are doing this?
ReplyDeleteI thought you had a fabulous introduction and you really hooked me in right off the bat. I think that this greatly contrasts with how we live in the US, because we don't have to worry about contaminated water, but now we have to worry about running out of it. (amiright?) Why do you think that the African government does this, pal-o-mine?
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