Africa: up for grabs
The scale and impact of land grabbing for agrofuels
30 August, 2010 | Friends of the Earth Africa and Friends of the
Earth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive summary
Access to land provides food and livelihoods for billions of people
around the world, but as the availability of fertile land and water is
threatened by climate change, mismanagement and consumption
patterns, demand for land has been increasing.
“Land grabs” – where land traditionally used by local communities is
leased or sold to outside investors (from corporations and from
governments) are becoming increasingly common across Africa.
Whilst many of these deals are for food cultivation, there is a
growing interest in growing crops for fuel – agrofuels – particularly
to supply the growing EU market.
These land grabs have been taking place against a backdrop of
rising food prices which led to the food crisis in 2008. There were
food riots in some developing countries and in Haiti and
Madagascar the governments were overthrown as a result of the
crisis. Crops being used for agrofuels was a major factor in the
rising price of food.
This report looks at the extent of these deals for agrofuels and
questions the impacts on local communities and the environment. It
finds that although information is limited, there is growing evidence
that significant levels of farmland are being acquired for fuel crops,
in some cases without the consent of local communities and often
without a full assessment of the impact on the local environment.
Extent of the problem
Studies suggest that a third of the land sold or acquired in Africa is
intended for fuel crops – some 5 million hectares. Friends of the
Earth has looked at cases of land grabbing in 11 countries across
Africa, from Ethiopia to Mozambique (see appendix).
While some of this land is sold outright – to private companies, state
companies or investment funds – most is leased and some is
obtained through contracting with the farmer to grow specific crops
(known as “out growing”).
A number of, often small, EU companies are involved, sometimes
with support or involvement from their national government. Many
are keen to vaunt the social and environmental benefits of their
business, offering employment and the promise of development to
rural areas.
Green OPEC
Many of the host countries have encouraged this investment, keen
to develop a potentially lucrative export crop. Fifteen African
nations joined forces to set up what has been described as a “Green
OPEC” and a number of national governments have also introduced
domestic targets and strategies for agrofuel use at home.
But there is also a growing awareness of the downsides of this
agrofuel boom. As scientists and international institutions challenge
the climate benefits of this alternative fuel source, local communities
and in some cases national governments are waking up to the
impact of land grabs on the environment and on local livelihoods.
Local protest
In Tanzania, Madagascar and Ghana there have been protests
following land grabs by foreign companies. Companies have been
accused of providing misleading information to local farmers, of
obtaining land from fraudulent community land owners and of
bypassing environmental protection laws.
Agrofuels are competing with food crops for farmland, and agrofuel
development companies are competing with farmers for access to
that land. And this appears to be as much the case for jatropha, as
for other crops, despite the claim that it grows on non-agricultural
land. When losing their access to traditional land, local communities
face growing food insecurity and hunger – their human right to food
is threatened.
Environmental damage
Pressure on farmland has led to forest being cleared to make way
for agrofuel plantations, destroying valuable natural resources and
increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In Ethiopia, land inside an
elephant sanctuary was cleared to make way for agrofuels.
Farmers have found that the much vaunted wonder crop jatropha,
rather than bringing a guaranteed income, in fact takes valuable
water resources and needs expensive pesticides. In some cases,
food crops have been cleared to plant jatropha, leaving farmers with
no income and no source of food.
Threat from genetically modified crops What is more, there are
concerns that biotech companies, keen to find new outlets for their
products, will see agrofuels as a way into the African market.
Research is on-going into genetically modified (GM) varieties which
might be suitable for agrofuels, and biotech companies are eager to
claim that their products can help tackle climate change.
Resource exploitation
Growing European and international demand for agrofuels as a
transport fuel is creating market demand for agrofuels. While
African politicians may promise that agrofuels will bring locally
sourced energy supplies to their countries, the reality is that most of
the foreign companies are developing agrofuels to sell on the
international market. The EU’s mandatory target for increasing
agrofuels is a clear driver to the land grabbing in Africa.
Is the tide turning?
Concerns about the social and environmental impacts have caused a
backlash in a number of countries such as in Tanzania and
Swaziland. Some companies have also withdrawn their investments.
But elsewhere the enthusiasm for agrofuels continues unchecked.
Just as African countries have seen fossil fuels and other natural
resources exploited for the benefit of richer countries, there is a risk
that agrofuels, and with them, Africa’s agricultural land and natural
resources, will be exported abroad with minimal benefit for local
communities and national economies.
Recommendations for action
1. Put a brake on land grabbing
2. The real political priorities
3. Dealing with land grabbers
Download the full report (PDF): http://www.foeeurope.
org/agrofuels/FoEE_Africa_up_for_grabs_2010.pdf
The scale and impact of land grabbing for agrofuels
30 August, 2010 | Friends of the Earth Africa and Friends of the
Earth
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive summary
Access to land provides food and livelihoods for billions of people
around the world, but as the availability of fertile land and water is
threatened by climate change, mismanagement and consumption
patterns, demand for land has been increasing.
“Land grabs” – where land traditionally used by local communities is
leased or sold to outside investors (from corporations and from
governments) are becoming increasingly common across Africa.
Whilst many of these deals are for food cultivation, there is a
growing interest in growing crops for fuel – agrofuels – particularly
to supply the growing EU market.
These land grabs have been taking place against a backdrop of
rising food prices which led to the food crisis in 2008. There were
food riots in some developing countries and in Haiti and
Madagascar the governments were overthrown as a result of the
crisis. Crops being used for agrofuels was a major factor in the
rising price of food.
This report looks at the extent of these deals for agrofuels and
questions the impacts on local communities and the environment. It
finds that although information is limited, there is growing evidence
that significant levels of farmland are being acquired for fuel crops,
in some cases without the consent of local communities and often
without a full assessment of the impact on the local environment.
Extent of the problem
Studies suggest that a third of the land sold or acquired in Africa is
intended for fuel crops – some 5 million hectares. Friends of the
Earth has looked at cases of land grabbing in 11 countries across
Africa, from Ethiopia to Mozambique (see appendix).
While some of this land is sold outright – to private companies, state
companies or investment funds – most is leased and some is
obtained through contracting with the farmer to grow specific crops
(known as “out growing”).
A number of, often small, EU companies are involved, sometimes
with support or involvement from their national government. Many
are keen to vaunt the social and environmental benefits of their
business, offering employment and the promise of development to
rural areas.
Green OPEC
Many of the host countries have encouraged this investment, keen
to develop a potentially lucrative export crop. Fifteen African
nations joined forces to set up what has been described as a “Green
OPEC” and a number of national governments have also introduced
domestic targets and strategies for agrofuel use at home.
But there is also a growing awareness of the downsides of this
agrofuel boom. As scientists and international institutions challenge
the climate benefits of this alternative fuel source, local communities
and in some cases national governments are waking up to the
impact of land grabs on the environment and on local livelihoods.
Local protest
In Tanzania, Madagascar and Ghana there have been protests
following land grabs by foreign companies. Companies have been
accused of providing misleading information to local farmers, of
obtaining land from fraudulent community land owners and of
bypassing environmental protection laws.
Agrofuels are competing with food crops for farmland, and agrofuel
development companies are competing with farmers for access to
that land. And this appears to be as much the case for jatropha, as
for other crops, despite the claim that it grows on non-agricultural
land. When losing their access to traditional land, local communities
face growing food insecurity and hunger – their human right to food
is threatened.
Environmental damage
Pressure on farmland has led to forest being cleared to make way
for agrofuel plantations, destroying valuable natural resources and
increasing greenhouse gas emissions. In Ethiopia, land inside an
elephant sanctuary was cleared to make way for agrofuels.
Farmers have found that the much vaunted wonder crop jatropha,
rather than bringing a guaranteed income, in fact takes valuable
water resources and needs expensive pesticides. In some cases,
food crops have been cleared to plant jatropha, leaving farmers with
no income and no source of food.
Threat from genetically modified crops What is more, there are
concerns that biotech companies, keen to find new outlets for their
products, will see agrofuels as a way into the African market.
Research is on-going into genetically modified (GM) varieties which
might be suitable for agrofuels, and biotech companies are eager to
claim that their products can help tackle climate change.
Resource exploitation
Growing European and international demand for agrofuels as a
transport fuel is creating market demand for agrofuels. While
African politicians may promise that agrofuels will bring locally
sourced energy supplies to their countries, the reality is that most of
the foreign companies are developing agrofuels to sell on the
international market. The EU’s mandatory target for increasing
agrofuels is a clear driver to the land grabbing in Africa.
Is the tide turning?
Concerns about the social and environmental impacts have caused a
backlash in a number of countries such as in Tanzania and
Swaziland. Some companies have also withdrawn their investments.
But elsewhere the enthusiasm for agrofuels continues unchecked.
Just as African countries have seen fossil fuels and other natural
resources exploited for the benefit of richer countries, there is a risk
that agrofuels, and with them, Africa’s agricultural land and natural
resources, will be exported abroad with minimal benefit for local
communities and national economies.
Recommendations for action
1. Put a brake on land grabbing
- •Stopping the drivers – political targets that increase demand
for agrofuels should be scrapped, in particular the EU’s
mandatory target.
•African states should immediately suspend further land
acquisitions and investments in agrofuels.
2. The real political priorities
- •Farming revolution – Investments and priorities given to
develop food sovereignty– the right of people to adequate,
healthy, locally produced and controlled food.
•Energy revolution – the reduction of energy use in transport
through the rapid development of more efficient vehicles and
investment in sustainable societies through the use of public
transport, walking and cycling.
3. Dealing with land grabbers
•Full environmental and social impact assessments of
land use changes before any land sale or lease takes place
must be carried out with the participation of local
communities. These need to take into account the impacts on
biodiversity, natural resources, genetic erosion, food
sovereignty, gender, access to productive resources of the
local communities (including pastoralists or itinerant farmers)
and impacts of new technologies and investments in
infrastructure.
•Full legal liability of companies and investors: Any land
deals should include clear, legally-binding and enforceable
obligations on the investor. Investors should pay into an
obligatory liability fund to cover for cases of non-compliance.
Independent and participatory ex post impact assessments
should be made at pre-defined intervals.
•Full agreement of communities and the protection of
indigenous people: Any land sales or leases can only take
place with the free, prior and informed consent of the local
communities concerned. The customary rights of communities
and the protection of indigenous people are fundamental.
•Farmer and environment friendly farming: Priority also
needs to be given to investing and developing farming in
Africa that supports small farmers and small-scale ecological
agriculture. The farming system developed shall respect
ecological limits, not lead to climate changing emissions,
depletion of the soil and prevent the exhaustion of water
supplies. Such systems naturally forbid the use of genetically
modified crops or trees.
•Farming for the local community: Due to the historic
negative impacts created by instable international markets,
and to reduce reliance on food aid, any new uses of land
should be focused on supplying the local market. One
suggestion put forward recently is to ensure that all land deals
include a legal obligation that a certain minimum percentage
of crops produced should be sold on the local market.
Food is a natural right and agricultural products should not be
treated as commodities whose ultimate purpose is the
generation of business profits rather than meeting needs of the
people. Family and small-scale farmers should be
encouraged and strengthened in a deliberate push to sustain
the populations in urban and rural areas.
•Protection of farm workers: Agricultural waged workers
should be provided with adequate protection and their
fundamental human and labour rights should be stipulated in
legislation and enforced in practice, consistent with the
applicable ILO instruments. Increasing protection would
contribute to enhancing their ability and that of their families
to procure access to sufficient and adequate food.
Download the full report (PDF): http://www.foeeurope.
org/agrofuels/FoEE_Africa_up_for_grabs_2010.pdf
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