Land Grabbing: Land Grabbing A New Political Strategy for Arab Countries

Jul 31, 2014 | Independent European Daily Express
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BEIRUT, Jul 30 (IPS) - Food price rises as far back as 2008 are believed to be the partial culprits behind the instability plaguing Arab countries and they have become increasingly aware of the importance of securing food needs through an international strategy of land grabs which are often detrimental to local populations.

Between 2007 and 2008, rises in food prices caused protest movements in Egypt and Morocco.This has become an important concern for countries in the Arab region which want to meet the growing demands of their populations, notes Devlin Kuyek, a researcher at GRAIN, a non-profit organisation supporting small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems.