The Global Farms Race: Land Grabs, Agricultural Investment, And The Scramble For Food Secuirty

Description

We have entered a new phase of the global food crisis. Wealthy countries that import much of their food, along with private investors, are racing to buy or lease huge swaths of farmland abroad. "The Global Farms Race" is the first book to examine this burgeoning trend in all its complexity, considering the implications for investors, host countries, and the world as a whole. The debate over large-scale land acquisition is typically polarised, with critics lambasting it as a form of "neocolonialism," and proponents lauding it as a cure-all for global agriculture. "The Global Farms Race" instead offers diverse perspectives, featuring contributions from agricultural investment consultants, farmers' organisations, international NGOs, and academics. This critical resource addresses historical context, environmental impacts, and social effects, and covers all the major geographic areas of investment.

Reviews

"A timely, carefully researched survey of one of the most important new developments in the global food economy. Essential reading for anyone interested in the increasingly complex future of food security."--Paul Roberts "author of"The End of Food" "

Author description

Michael Kugelman is Program Associate for South and Southeast Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Susan L. Levenstein is Program Specialist with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.