It is a bucolic scene seemingly untouched by the struggle, violence and revolution which have so dominated the country's history.
Growth Green Agriculture – Agricultural Investment News
You could call it the latest foreign invasion. No tanks this time, but a state-of-the-art agricultural army is on the move. In large swathes of the country fleets of ultra-modern combine harvesters are bringing in the harvest from new mega farms.
Food security – GGAgriculture
But it is not Ukrainian money and know-how which is driving this agricultural revolution. It is foreign governments and companies.Many governments are looking to secure land overseas as a way to ensure the food supply to their country does not fail.
In this part of Ukraine it is a British company, who are making moves which are transforming the landscape, investing millions in machinery and infrastructure.
This year the company will harvest 60,000 tonnes of wheat from Ukrainian land holdings totalling some hundred square miles.
The company, like so many others, seems to have calculated that if predictions of global food shortages prove accurate over the coming decades, there will be big money in food production.
Land grabbing – GGAgriculture
It is a sensitive issue, since by taking long leases on huge amounts of land the foreigners are actually taking control of Ukraine's famously fertile soil.We met people in Ukraine who are unhappy about the situation. They do not reject technological advances but believe overseas investors should back Ukrainian farmers rather than setting up new "foreign" enterprises in their country.
"Every human being is a patriot of their own land, so yes it would be nice to have our own companies, we'd love that, but for right now it is what it is, whoever has got the money, they control the gain," says Stepan Ryzna, a local small holding farmer.
Others go further, condemning the deals done by foreign companies as a "land-grab", as rich countries and corporations snap up huge swathes of land in poor, developing countries.
Global Trend – GGAgriculture
But while some call it "new colonialism" and "asset stripping" others defend the practice as a way of introducing new agricultural technology where it can make a real difference to the global food supply.And, if the warnings of global food shortages are accurate, the basic terms of this debate may shift.
The ethical emphasis then may not be on preserving the culture and autonomy of individual nations, but on increasing the food supply to a ravenous world.
Original source: BBC to read the original article in full click here
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