World Bank's land policies under fire (Bretton Woods Project)

World Bank's land policies under fire

In February about 200 people from across Asia demonstrated outside the World Bank office in Bangkok to highlight the failure of the Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) principles, co-authored by the Bank, to protect small farmers (see Update 77, 71). The demonstrators argued that the principles are weak and fail to consider ownership rights, and thereby indirectly endorse land grabs by speculators. Jeff Wong, of regional NGO Leaders and Organizers of Community Organizations in Asia, said the RAI principles “end up giving a green light to investors who wish to buy land in rural areas causing great displacement.” The Bank agreed to host a meeting to discuss the complaints.

Políticas agrarias del Banco Mundial bajo fuego News|Bretton Woods Project|18 April 2012|update 80|url
In February about 200 people from across Asia demonstrated outside the World Bank office in Bangkok to highlight the failure of the Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) principles, co-authored by the Bank, to protect small farmers read article...
World Bank policies "enabling" African land grab News|Bretton Woods Project|14 September 2011|update 77|url
New research claims World Bank Group's policies facilitate land grabs in Africa and favour the interests of financial markets over food security and environmental protection. read article...
World Bank work on land supports "a new form of colonialism" News|Bretton Woods Project|17 June 2010|update 71|url
A set of voluntary principles for agricultural investment in developing countries, launched by the World Bank and other institutions in April, veils the promotion of investors' interests at the expense of host populations, warn civil society groups. read article...