In 2015, Ethiopia, the land of my ancestors, experienced one of the worst food insecurities in over 30 years. Over eight million people were hit hard by crop failures and food shortages. While these people were desperately awaiting food assistance from international aid organizations and charities, Ethiopia had been leasing millions of hectares of arable land to foreign governments and countries.
Large scale land acquisitions have received international attention following the 2007-2008 world food price crisis, prompting developed and emerging countries to secure food production for their citizens by looking for land in the Global South. More than 70% of these unprecedented land acquisitions have been taking place in Africa, with Ethiopia being one of 20 countries where land is being bought or leased for intensive agriculture on an immense scale. Why has there been increased interest in large scale agricultural investment in Africa? Well, Africa accounts for about 60 percent of the world’s arable land but it has not achieved the green revolution. The continent has been struggling with low yields, often achieving less than 25% of its potential. Many African countries have not been able to guarantee food security but are rather selling their lands to foreign investors.
There is consensus that efficient agricultural production is integral to sustainable development in many developing countries. In most African countries, agriculture supports the survival and well-being of up to 70 percent of the population but agricultural productivity remains very low. The recent rise in international land leases was initially hailed by investors, development experts and developing countries as a new way towards efficient and sustainable agricultural development, job creation, technology transfer and social progress. Despite profit being the primary driver of such projects, proponents initially argued that developing countries would benefit from the multiplier effects of these large scale investments. However, recent studies have shown that local communities were often subjected to forceful displacement in the name of development. I would support these projects if it were known that such upheaval for some is the unfortunate price to be paid for the progress of many. However, the evidence thus far cannot support this position.
So far, several World Bank studies have shown very mixed results and do not conclusively answer the question whether these land deals have contributed to economic progress. In Mozambique, the World Bank found that one project had promised 2,650 jobs and created a mere 35-40 full-time positions. A Swiss company that leased over 40,000 of hectares in Sierra Leone to grow biofuels for Europe, promised to create over 2,000 jobs. Three years into the project, only 50 jobs were created.
In some cases local governments, who often support these large scale foreign projects, have failed to assist displaced local communities in securing food and shelter, sometimes even increasing the number of people who go to sleep hungry. If my grandmother hadn’t been taken in by relatives, she would have faced food shortage as she had relied on our ancestry’s land for food production. With parts of my ancestors’ land now being used for mass scale production, our family has experienced not only emotional and physical loss of property but also the opportunity to further cultivate sustainably.
Small scale farmers are knowledgeable about their lands but are often underestimated by global development organizations and NGOs who fail to consult them in initial stages of policy and program development. Many local farmers have formed or joined powerful cooperatives to exchange, share and learn from each other. In Ghana, for example, a co-operative of 60,000 cocoa farmers has run a successful business for nearly 20 years and owns 45% of a UK company that manufactures and distributes chocolate.
In my opinion, social enterprises, NGOs, multi-national corporations and local governments need to create a space in which local community leaders can also contribute to objectives that support sustainable development. Knowledge transfer is reciprocal. We all can greatly benefit from local wisdom to advance programs that create sustainable and equitable growth. Local governments need to also step up and allow for the creation of policies that provide transparency and stimulate collaborative action.
Small scale farmers are knowledgeable about their lands but are often underestimated by global development organizations and NGOs who fail to consult them in initial stages of policy and program development. Many local farmers have formed or joined powerful cooperatives to exchange, share and learn from each other. In Ghana, for example, a co-operative of 60,000 cocoa farmers has run a successful business for nearly 20 years and owns 45% of a UK company that manufactures and distributes chocolate.
In my opinion, social enterprises, NGOs, multi-national corporations and local governments need to create a space in which local community leaders can also contribute to objectives that support sustainable development. Knowledge transfer is reciprocal. We all can greatly benefit from local wisdom to advance programs that create sustainable and equitable growth. Local governments need to also step up and allow for the creation of policies that provide transparency and stimulate collaborative action.
The World Bank and Coca Cola are empowering female entrepreneurs in developing countries to create sustainable businesses and promote local employment. Companies like Microsoft and Google are pushing to bridge the digital divide by empowering young local entrepreneurs to become technology visionaries. These companies and organizations can tap into partnership opportunities with social enterprises like One Acre Fund to help break the curse of poverty. Any entity that is truly and genuinely interested in the economic progress of the poorest communities, whether private or public, local or international, needs to believe in harnessing the power of partnerships.
With the 2015 declaration of the new 17 development goals, the international community has committed to a plan of action that seeks to end global poverty in all its forms. The second goal seeks “to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”. This goal further articulates the vision to double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers, in particular women, indigenous peoples, family farmers, and pastoralists by 2030. In my opinion, these goals can only be achieved by investing into farmers rather than into farmlands that are currently being cultivated for the benefit of foreign countries and to the detriment of local communities.
