Rich Nations Snap Up Third World Farmland

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 22, 2008 3:24 PM CST

(Newser) – Rich nations are buying up farmland in developing countries and drawing the ire of some critics, the Guardian reports. One UN official said the purchases, designed as a hedge against food shortages, could put poor nations at risk of starving to feed the wealthy. In... Read full story »

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

You need to Log in to Newser to comment. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now!

There are no comments

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Cops Shoot Naked Guy Eating Man's Face on Highway

Japanese Artist Serves Up Own Cooked Genitals

Guardian (UK) (Source Grid »)

Pakistan: a good Middle East food source?
Reuters

On growing populations and food shortages
Christian Science Monitor

Persian Gulf badly needs food
US News & World Report

World

food • Africa • globalization • farmland • Third World • food shortage • food security

More Newser Stories

KFC Looks to Conquer Africa With Fried Chicken

Chain to open hundreds of restaurants in a dozen countries

(NEWSER) - Kentucky Fried Chicken wants to take over Africa. Like McDonald's and other fast-food giants, KFC parent company Yum Brands has been countering the slowdown in American spending with expansion overseas. Having populated China with KFC outlets, Yum now plans to double the number of stores in Africa to 1,200, the Wall Street Journal reports. KFC has had an outlet in South Africa since 1971, but Yum plans to open them, and sister restaurants, in Nigeria, Namibia, Mozambique, Ghana, Zambia, and elsewhere. More»

Patent Fight Over Miracle Food for Malnutrition

Competitors say they can save millions with cheaper alternative to French peanut paste

(NEWSER) - A peanut paste that has been hailed as a miracle food for treating malnutrition is the subject of a patent battle, the BBC reports, with competitors charging the patent prevents millions of desperately ill children from receiving treatment. The French company that makes Plumpy’nut, which one competitor says is nothing more than "fortified Nutella," argues that the patent has not prevented any child from getting access to the product. But two American companies say there is widespread demand for their cheaper versions. More»

Developing Nations Were In on 'Danish Text'

China, India helped draft leaked agreement they railed against

(NEWSER) - The “Danish text”—the leaked climate change agreement that infuriated developing nations in Copenhagen and sparked accusations of bullying by rich countries—was actually drafted by a group that included China, India, and Brazil, among other countries. They had “input into the process and product” of the agreement, which seeks to impose stricter limits on developing nations’ emissions, an insider tells the Los Angeles Times . More»

Mugabe Thugs Collect for Presidential Pig-Out

Starving country's ruling party gets tough to tackle champagne, caviar shortage

(NEWSER) - Aggressive supporters of Zimbabwe's ruling party have been pressing the country's farmers and businesses for "donations" to fund Robert Mugabe's ultra-luxe 85th birthday bash, the Times of London reports. A wish list supplied to the Times includes 8,000 bottles of champagne, 8,000 lobsters, and 4,000 portions of caviar. It specifies "no mealy meal"—the ground corn staple that 7 million Zimbabweans on food aid count themselves lucky to receive. More»

As World's Belly Rumbles, Gluttonous US Tosses Food

27% of available food ends up in the trash

(NEWSER) - Americans throw out roughly a quarter of all food available for consumption, even as grocery prices skyrocket and global riots break out over food shortages, the New York Times reports. That works out to about a pound of food every day for every American—from grocery stories tossing spoiled produce to restaurants scrapping uneaten dishes to home cooks pitching uneaten leftovers in the fridge. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Rich Nations Snap Up Third World Farmland

food • Africa • globalization • farmland • Third World • food shortage • food security

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

KFC Looks to Conquer Africa With Fried Chicken

Chain to open hundreds of restaurants in a dozen countries

Patent Fight Over Miracle Food for Malnutrition

Competitors say they can save millions with cheaper alternative to French peanut paste

Developing Nations Were In on 'Danish Text'

China, India helped draft leaked agreement they railed against

Mugabe Thugs Collect for Presidential Pig-Out

Starving country's ruling party gets tough to tackle champagne, caviar shortage

As World's Belly Rumbles, Gluttonous US Tosses Food

27% of available food ends up in the trash

About Us

Site

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?