I see nothing wrong in government initial participation in business as far as it is corrupt free,the enterprise is well run,no wastage,it is for the benefit of the populace and unscrupulous business men will not hijack and hoard for business for profit and with a cache that it will be privatized in the long run.

A rice paddy will employ hundreds of people while a rice import business needs only five to ten staff to flourish. local cultivation will also help us conserve scarce foreign exchange thereby strenghtening the naira. i support the state government in this venture since our private sector are atimes parasitic in nature and do not have the stomach for long term investment

nakedall:

when Fashola leaves office the farm will become his own! (FFN)

ROFL!

deli.cious:

Western countries have been buying up African farming properties and large tracts of arable land, many of these lands are being taken in order to develop biofuel production, in place of normal food production.

I am curious, but do you have any support for the GENERAL statement you have made above? Are you certain you mean western countries OR western owned businesses?

^^Both
>
African land grab threatens food security: study

By Christine Stebbins | Reuters
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Rich countries grabbing farmland in Africa to feed their growing populations can leave rural populations there without land or jobs and make the continent's hunger problem more severe, an environmental think tank said on Tuesday.
The trend is accelerating as wealthier countries in the Middle East and Asia, particularly China, seek new land to plant crops, lacking enough fertile ground to meet their own food needs, Washington DC-based Worldwatch Institute said.

http://news.yahoo.com/african-land-grab-threatens-food-security-study-220434499.html

>
Biofuels boom in Africa as British firms lead rush on land for plantations

Controversial fuel crops linked to rising food prices and hunger, as well as increased greenhouse gas emissions.

British firms have acquired more land in Africa for controversial biofuel plantations than companies from any other country, a Guardian investigation has revealed.

Half of the 3.2m hectares (ha) of biofuel land identified – in countries from Mozambique to Senegal – is linked to 11 British companies, more than any other country.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/may/31/biofuel-plantations-africa-british-firms

^^^^ So you are saying Western BUSINESSES [/b]and [b]not [/b]Western [b]GOVERNMENTS/COUNTRIES then?? Because there is a huge difference.

^^I think those links answer your questions perfectly.

From the study you can see that not only Asian,western Governments/Countries -are grabbing land in Africa -but also private investors and firms.

Their Governments are buying up land for farming and food cultivation. E.g China.
Their firms (From the article,British firms) are buying up land for biofuel plantations.

Do you get it now?

Have Nigerians become so lazy that it is the government that would start farming for the people to have food to eat This initiative will fail like every other government run business in Nigeria. What happened to Green Revolution and Operation Feed the nation?

If the people cannot / will not farm, then they should starve (I make no apologies for saying that). We are not in a communist state where agriculture is collectivized and state run. Our young people see agriculture as poor man / villager's work while they fruitlessly seek jobs in air conditioned offices.

The average age of farmers in Nigeria is above 60. What happens when they all die off? That tells you that the  older generation have an agricultural mindset while the youths don't. A food catastrophe may happen in Nigeria in the next 10 to 20 years due to retiring farmers

nakedall:

when Fashola leaves office the farm will become his own! (FFN)

Honestly, I wish that happens if he can afford to buy it from Lagos State Government. It will only ensures the project is sustained. I have a feeling that Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) would have long died, buried and forgotten without Obasanjo Farms Nigeria (OFN) to remind us of the project.

Let's set our priorities right, the key thing is that food have to be produced and serious measures have to be taken NOW, else we will surfer in the future. It does not matter whether it's being produced by the public or by the private sector.

@ delicious

you're quite right.

i read that news report yesterday.

deli.cious:

^^I think those links answer your questions perfectly.

From the study you can see that not only Asian,western Governments/Countries -are grabbing land in Africa -but also private investors and firms.

Their Governments are buying up land for farming and food cultivation. E.g China.
Their firms (From the article,British firms) are buying up land for biofuel plantations.

Do you get it now?

Those links DO NOT point to their GOVERNMENTS actually buying up Africa. . . . instead what I read and you CLEARLY REPOSTED is that the COMPANIES/INVESTORS are the one's buying said land. Seriously, take some time to READ the links yourself.

I again point to the example I posted earlier on where the indonesian Government is in negotiations with some African countries to allows it's people to lease/buy land for rice cultivation. Please understand that this is NOT the indonesian Government buying up land but the Indonesian investors/businesses doing so.

^Which or what part of the article (which i have again highlighted below) didn't you understand? The report clearly talks about countries buying up land in Africa.

deli.cious:

^^Both
>
African land grab threatens food security: study

By Christine Stebbins | Reuters
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Rich countries grabbing farmland in Africa to feed their growing populations can leave rural populations there without land or jobs and make the continent's hunger problem more severe, an environmental think tank said on Tuesday.
The trend is accelerating as wealthier countries in the Middle East and Asia, particularly China, seek new land to plant crops, lacking enough fertile ground to meet their own food needs, Washington DC-based Worldwatch Institute said.

http://news.yahoo.com/african-land-grab-threatens-food-security-study-220434499.html

>

um . . . remember my initial question to you

Kobojunkie:

I am curious, but do you have any support for the GENERAL statement you have made above? Are you certain you mean western countries OR western owned businesses?

Remember, you claimed WESTERN COUNTRIES had been BUYING up land, and I asked that you clarify and make sure you differentiate between n Western COUNTRIES (i.e Governments themselves) and Western Investors/Businesses( i.e Private entities that happen to have a western base)?

Well that article informs you that the land was PURCHASED by foreign investors . . . NO LINK to Governments actually PURCHASING Said Land.

The International Food Policy Research Institute reports that 15 million to 20 million hectares of land in sub-Saharan Africa have been purchased by foreign investors between 2006 and mid-2009.
"There are millions more hectares that are being sold by governments that have not been documented," Nierenberg added.
In many cases, farmers whose families may have tilled the land for years are unaware the land -- owned by the government or a community-shared plot -- has been sold.
Investors say land deals help alleviate the world food crisis by tapping into a country's "unused" agricultural potential and providing poor countries with money, infrastructure and other resources that improve food security.

Please note that nowhere in the article are you told the land was BOUGHT by Govermment, but over and over, it records that land was SOLD by Governments.

If government agencies acquire land, who do they represent? The Government, or private investors?
Of course one can't expect to know all the details of land deals, but one thing i do know is that GOVERNMENTS are part of those buying land. No question about that. Private investors are at the forefront though.

>
Over the past few years, agribusiness, investment funds and[b] government agencies[/b] have been acquiring long-term rights over large areas of land in Africa.

http://pubs.iied.org/12568IIED.html

I think those states outside Lagos, that Lagos government would like to aquire land from, should enter into agreements/partnership with Lagos for rice farming etc. The agreements should be mutually beneficial rather than selling of their land full stop.


There should be an exchange which goes beyond twenty pieces of silver. All states in Nigeria need to look and plan long term.

Agreements and partnerships,yes. I'm sure there will be contract terms signed by both sides, no doubt. It's only through such partnerships that everything would be a win-win situation, both for the host communities and the investors.

We had a debate on this,not too long ago, and I believe it was clarified that much of Government involvement in these days is getting permission for its citizens and companies but not actual land acquisition as in PURCHASING.

There have been numerous documentaries on these land grabbing deals and in most every one of them, it is made clear that the Government of these countries make the deals availanble but are themselves not involved in the monitoring to ensure that the land/resource is used. That, as you may know is a problem . . . . we have cases of such in Nigeria.

The article you posted actually goes further to explain the actual Governmental involvement  . . . check it out

http://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/12568IIED.pdf?

In my opinion, I suspect that is what the Lagos Government is doing in this case(aiding Lagos businesses and investors acquire land deals in other states) --- only that in the usual culture, the media machine has chosen to twist it so the Fashola-Worshippers can have another reason to worship.

not too bad! hopefully they get it right.

I see your point. Yes i agree. That- much of government involvement is to really clear the way for its citizens, and also it's companies and or agencies.

And yes, it's probably what the Lagos government wants to achieve too-enabling it's agencies and or private firms to acquire such lands outside the state.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is an important crop consumed as a healthy and staple food. It is becoming difficult to find it missing on the daily menu of most Nigerians,


http://www.scharticles.com/effects-climate-change-rice-production/