The buying up of farmland by international investors is viewed highly critically. However, sweeping judgements could be inappropriate, as our author demonstrates with survey results from Ethiopia and Uganda.

During the last few years, the donor community has increased its efforts to reduce the large amounts of fish lost in the distribution chain in artisanal fishery, an endeavour that ought to be welcomed in principle.

Twenty-seven nations are classified as ‘water scarce’, a further 16 as ‘water stressed’. This situation, coupled with the fact that many surface and groundwater systems are shared between two or more states, has led governments to develop sustainable water management strategies.

Burkina Faso is already using all its possible farmland. In future the only way to feed the rapidly growing population will be by increasing yields on existing land. Building stone contour lines enables rainwater to be better used and slows erosion.

Si les investissements étrangers directs (IED) dans les terres arables peuvent stimuler la croissance économique, ils peuvent aussi, le cas échéant, affecter de manière négative la situation des revenus et la sécurité alimentaire de la population locale.