Submitted by ETC Staff on
Demand for food, feed and other forms of plant-derived biomass – as well as for strategic resources such as minerals and timber – is driving the international land grab. Control of water resources is another major driver. Civil society organizations have effectively documented the dangers of massive (and ongoing) land and water grabs across the globe (for example, the international organization GRAIN and Canadian-based Polaris Institute, respectively). Though surveys are not exhaustive, an estimated 50-80 million hectares of land across the global South have been targeted by international investors, and two-thirds of the land deals are taking place in sub-Saharan Africa.9 As of 2006, 14 million hectares – about 1% of total arable land – was being used for biofuel production. One study estimates that, by 2030, 35-54 million hectares (2.5-3.8% of arable land) will be used for biofuel production.