Archive for February, 2024

Africa Beyond Russia’s Grains Partnerships

Via Eurasia Review, commentary on Russia’s grain supply to African nations which is viewed as a soft bait (i) to reinforce the existing time-tested relationships with Africa and (ii) to solicit endorsement for the unprovoked war in Ukraine: In a speech delivered, 20th March 2023, during the interparliamentary conference ‘Russia-Africa’ held in Moscow, President Vladimir […]

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UAE In Talks to Buy More African Land to Aid Food Security

Via Arabian Gulf Business Insight, a report on the UAE’s plans to buy more African land to aid food security: 14 farmland deals in pipeline Increase in pace of acquisitions Food security high on policy agenda The UAE has 14 land acquisition deals in the pipeline, mainly in Africa, as it looks to keep food […]

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The World Is Quietly Losing the Land It Needs to Feed Itself

Via Bloomberg, a report on how land degradation is a growing problem for not just climate change but food and water security: The greatest threats to our existence today are caused by human activity rather than nature acting alone, according to a recent United Nations report. Many people are familiar with human contribution to climate change […]

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Chinese Ownership of U.S. Farmland, Locations Raise Concerns

Via Terra Daily, an article on concerns over Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland: Foreign investment in the nation’s farmland has raised concern among U.S. lawmakers and governmental officials, particularly after reports about Chinese companies buying land near military bases. For example, a Chinese company bought farmland in 2021 for acorn-milling facility near an Air Force […]

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A New Wave of Land Grabs Strikes Tanzania

Via GRAIN, a report on a new wave of land grabs striking Tanzania: Tanzania was one of the most heavily targeted countries of a huge scramble for farmland around the world that followed the food and financial crises of 2008 and that was supposed to help solve global food insecurity. The large farm projects, which […]

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Bill to Limit Foreign “Adversaries” from Buying Indiana Farmland Advances in State House

Via Indiana Capital Chronicle, an article on a bill that proposes to limit foreign “adversaries” from buying Indiana farmland: A bill to limit who can buy agricultural land in Indiana advanced Monday with bipartisan support. House Bill 1183, authored by Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer, would prohibit purchasers from “adversarial countries” from owning or leasing Hoosier […]

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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.