The sell-out of African land Concerning Developments in EU policy

New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition EU involvement New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition World Bank Agri-business

The Power of Agri-Business Worldwide more than 40 million ha of land is currently purchased, leased or granted through concessions in large-scale transnational deals. Another 20 million ha is under negotiation Together this is two times the size of Italy! Roughly half of these land acquisitions are located in Africa 71 percent of African land acquisitions is in hands of foreign investors

World Bank International financial institution with the objective of reducing poverty Controversy in neoliberal agenda Structural Adjustments Programs (SAPs) 1980s – 2002 Washington Consensus Investments in private sector Foreign direct investment, focus on “trade not aid” Large-scale private investments instead of small-scale Annual doing Business (DB) ranking of countries & Benchmarking the Business of Agriculture (BBA) as key tools

Doing Business (DB) & Benchmarking the Business of Agriculture (BBA) DB: Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business for SMEs BBA: The ease of producing, selling and buying of agricultural products “One size fits all” Inconsistencies in ranking Normative nature Guides funding by bank and other donors “Race to the bottom” phenomenon for social and ecologic safeguards DB -> Out of 189 countries ranked, 42 out of 47 Sub-Saharan countries are in the bottom half!

New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Launched by G8 in 2012 To increase agricultural productivity To take 50 million out of poverty Agribusiness as key player to realise these goals Monsanto, Coca Cola, Nestlé,… Concessions from African governments: Changing seeds, land and tax laws Small-scale farmer left out Main food producers & consumers in many African countries

Declaration against New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Lack of transparency Loss of food and seed sovereignty for small-scale farmers Monoculture Land grabbing Food production ≠ Food nutrition Less tax revenues for development policy …

Declaration against New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition Endorsed by more than 100 civil society organisations