11/26/08 Tenet Farming

The term "tenant farmer" brings back a mental image of the depression era and family farmers down on their luck, having to toil for a living on land they don't own. Tenant farming seems to be reemerging, only today it isn't struggling families, its big business and governments searching to fill land shortages in their own countries by purchasing large amounts of land abroad in order to establish massive industrial farms. South Korea is the most recent addition to the modern era "tenant farmers", having purchased 3.2 million acres of farmland, with a 99 year lease, on the tropical island of Madagascar, off Africa's coast; claiming the purchase as a move that would ensure their food supply. I can't help feeling however that there is probably an underlying motive which in the long run will not serve the struggling and poor African countries that are selling off their soil. The promise of jobs for the thousands of unemployed seems a godsend. But in the event of another and even more devastating world food shortage how will the scenario of the poor people of Madagascar having to purchase their own food from foreign investors play back ethically and politically? It seems time will tell whether foresight or hindsight is the better.