This news roundup has been collected on behalf of the China and Brazil in African Agriculture (CBAA) project. For regular updates from the project, sign up to the CBAA newsletter.
Gadco’s rice farming investments in Ghana
Case study of a company making large investments into rice production in Ghana’s Volta region. Wary of being accused of land grabs, they formed a partnership with a local community called Fievie and tied their profits together. This article covers the benefits and critiques of that partnership and could be an interesting point of comparison for those working on Brazilian and Chinese rice-development projects in Ghana.
(Think Africa Press)
Ethiopia prepares 50,000 hectares of land for horticulture
The Ethiopian Horticulture Producers Exporters Association (EHPEA) has readied 50,000ha of land to be leased for horticulture development. Currently there are 120 companies involved in the sector, and with 12,552ha of land developed between 2011-2012. In 2010 China signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ethiopia to work with its horticulture sector.
(Farmlandgrab.org)
Chinese company in Mozambique to address labour concerns
The China Road and Bridge Corporation has been given 15 days by the Mozambican General Labour Inspectorate to address labour concerns raised by its workers. Poor health and safety are the greatest concerns.
(AllAfrica)
China wavers over GM crops
Agricultural policy adviser Chen Xi gave a talk on last week’s no.1 Policy Document, saying the Chinese government was still wary to approve the commercialisation of GM foods, although this year’s document again called for investment in research. However, Chinese farmers are said to be very eager to gain access to genetically modified seeds that can resist drought or pests.
(Dim Sums blog)
Chinese Migrants in Africa
This working paper produced by Giles Mohan and Dinar Kale in 2007, looks at a variety of economic activities performed by the Chinese diaspora in Africa, their interactions with local communities, and their links with their families and friends back home.
The invisible hand of South-South globalisation: Chinese migrants in Africa (pdf)
China aid projects’ planning and evaluation
This new paper from the Stellenbosch Center for Chinese Studies looks at China’s aid structure in comparison with the OECD’s. It largely concludes that it is hard to assert decisively whether China really does conduct planning and evaluation practices due to a lack of information. This study is mainly based on secondary materials.
Does China plan and evaluate foreign aid projects like traditional donors? (pdf)
