Egypt’s Planned Agro Investment in Ogun is Colonial in Conception – HOMEF Warns
The Ecological Think Tank, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has
called for caution over the planned investment by the Government of the
Arab Republic of Egypt in the Ogun Agro Processing Zone.
The warning came from HOMEF’s Director, Nnimmo Bassey, who described the plan as what could harshly affect the access to farmland and the livelihoods of the citizens of Ogun State.
He noted that the need for caution stems from the fact that the plan may simply turn out to be a massive land grab which will subvert the achievement of food security in Nigeria.
Bassey added “It is unacceptable that our agricultural land should be taken up in this manner to plant crops, process the produce, and export the proceeds back to Egypt. It is colonial in conception and will definitely undermine the local economy of the people.
“This investment is about turning our farmers into farmhands and making
them become cheap disposable labour to produce food for Egypt while we
continue to depend largely on food imports”.
HOMEF’s programmes director and lead on Hunger Politics, Joyce Brown
warned against the practice of mono-cropping stating that it has serious
implications for biodiversity, nutritional diversity, soil fertility and, economic well-being of the people.
Brown said “It is clear that the proposed investment by the government of Egypt prioritizes mono-culture and export-oriented production at the expense of local food needs. This negates efforts at improving Nigeria’s food security. This can fuel
economic dependency and volatility.’
HOMEF further condemned the forceful uptake, transfer and redistribution
of lands to foreign speculators by state governments under the guise of
addressing food insecurity.
The organisation explained that land is central to the culture and economy,
well-being and is key to a rich tapestry of human experience besides
providing a sense of identity, belonging, and meaning to individuals and
communities alike.
HOMEF added “It is important to recognize and respect these interconnections not only for food security but for fostering cultural diversity, preserving ecosystems, and promoting sustainable practices that honour both the land and the cultural practices associated with it.
“The best investments in Agriculture at this time will be such that
priorities local food needs, and should be hinged on collaboration with
farmers, promote biodiversity, build our ecosystems, cool the planet and
assure food sovereignty/food security.”