Archive for May, 2009

Guidelines For Food Outsourcing?

Via The International Relations and Security Network, an interesting look at the trend towards global food outsourcing.  As the report notes: “…From Mexico to Pakistan, citizens took to the streets last summer to protest what they saw as their government’s inability to do anything about skyrocketing food prices. In Burkina Faso, rioters shut down main […]

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China’s Ground War: Africa As Its New Rice Bowl?

Via The Jamestown Foundation, a look at China’s historical tendency – and future potential – to turn its attention to Africa at the beginning of this decade to fill its people’s rice bowl.  As the article notes: “…African nations, with their vast and sparsely populated fertile lands, offer China a solution to its rising food […]

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Geopolitics: Is Food The New Oil?

Via The Financial Times, some further thoughts regarding food & farming as emerging geopolitical flashpoints.  As the article notes: “…Food commodity prices remain near historic highs. Food riots destablised countries around the world last year – more than the financial crisis – and may well return. If food was ever a soft policy issue before, […]

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Japanese Efforts to Prevent Global “Farmland Grabbing”

Via The Financial Times, a report on Japan’s efforts to spearhead a drive at the Group of Eight summit to prevent “farmland grabbing” in developing countries and encourage responsible investing in agriculture.  As the article notes: African land is being given away almost for nothing “…The move shows growing fears among leading nations that rich […]

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Africa: May Not Be The Promised (Agricultural) Land For China

Via Consultancy Africa Intelligence, a report that China may not look towards Africa as a saviour in the trend towards outsourcing food production.  As the article notes: “…China’s Deputy Agricultural Minister, Niu Dun, has announced that China will not look towards the African continent to outsource food production by investing in overseas farmland. Accoring to […]

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Food Security Concerns Fueling Global Farms Race

Via The Financial Times, another look at how international food security concerns are fueling a global farms race.  As the article notes: “…Only a short time ago, African farmland seemed of little interest to outsiders. But last year’s food crisis and water scarcity in many countries has changed foreigners’ appetite with the result being that […]

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About This Blog And Its Author
Seeds Of A Revolution is committed to defining the disruptive geopolitics of the global Farms Race.  Due to the convergence of a growing world population, increased water scarcity, and a decrease in arable land & nutrient-rich soil, a spike of international investment interest in agricultural is inevitable and apt to bring a heretofore domestic industry into a truly global realm.  Whether this transition involves global land leases or acquisitions, the fundamental need for food & the protectionist feelings this need can give rise to is highly likely to cause such transactions to move quickly into the geopolitical realm.  It is this disruptive change, and the potential for a global farms race, that Seeds Of A Revolution tracks, analyzes, and forecasts.

Educated at Yale University (Bachelor of Arts - History) and Harvard (Master in Public Policy - International Development), Monty Simus has long held a keen interest in natural resource policy and the geopolitical implications of anticipated stresses in the areas of freshwater scarcity, biodiversity reserves & parks, and farm land.  Monty has lived, worked, and traveled in more than forty countries spanning Africa, China, western Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Southeast & Central Asia, and his personal interests comprise economic development, policy, investment, technology, natural resources, and the environment, with a particular focus on globalization’s impact upon these subject areas.  Monty writes about freshwater scarcity issues at www.waterpolitics.com and frontier investment markets at www.wildcatsandblacksheep.com.