become a millionaire farmer
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/yes...mer-2012-05-03Impossible? Yes, the planet’s “carrying capacity” cannot feed the 10 billion people UN demographers predict on the planet as we add three billion more by 2050. So that’s a constraint on the world’s future. Grantham concluded, “as the population continues to grow, we will be stressed by recurrent shortages of hydrocarbons, metals, water, and, especially, fertilizer. Our global agriculture, though, will clearly bear the greatest stresses.”
In short, agriculture is the world’s biggest commodity problem, biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity, bigger than Wall Street banking on the path to a successful and satisfying life. Below are some ideas and leads on the four paths to success.
Invest in farmland, local, national and worldwide
Here’s another way to leveraging your talents and passion for agriculture, investing in farmland. Bigger players include Canada’s Agcapita, Brazil’s Agrifirma plus American investors like Ceres and Chess Partners. Earlier we wrote about 416 agricultural real estate deals across the world .
This is already happening in Australia with investors/corporations buying the traditional family farm and food processing factories. (i think there is one milk/dairy processor left in Australian ownership)
With land also being the only viable way of( presently) sequestering carbon this is a double incentive for canny corporations to 'invest'
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/hot...als-2012-03-06Unfortunately, most agri-innovations are more for the short-term export demands of the new absentee owners, while they undermine “self-sufficiency” for small local farmers.
In short capital-rich nations are actually accelerating the global food crisis.
As a result, after the deals, hundreds of millions of poor people no longer own their own land. Rich capitalists and rich nations do. The poor are selling their wealth, heritage, future and pride; “This huge transfer of natural wealth to outside investors is eroding food security, water security and cultural integrity for local people.”
So why are capital-rich nations like China and the Saudis buying, investing, leasing and hoarding agricultural land beyond their borders, in poor nations?
Many Permaculture workers/educators have first hand experience of this.
Even when ownership is still in the hands of poor owners, large corporations encourage the growing of cash craps like tobacco or florists flowers. Seed, fertiliser, and advice,(indoctrination) are given out..
In about four years, in tropical countries, the soil is useless and the multinationals walk away
Mostly in Oz we have no idea of who owns what. One day this will present food security and land conservation (erosion, depletion) problems
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/new...-1226281573668FOREIGN countries are "secretly" buying up large chunks of NSW farmland by establishing shelf companies, trust funds, and extended settlements to avoid scrutiny.
More than 800,000ha of prime and fertile land, from Moree in the north to Deniliquin in the south, is foreign owned, with Korea's Ho Myoung Farm company the largest stakeholder with 500,000ha.
According to the latest figures from PRDnationwide Research, Korea's investment has almost doubled in the past six months, while Switzerland ranks third with 74,448ha of crop and livestock properties scattered throughout NSW.
The government only looks at big mega investments
WAThe Foreign Investment Review Board assesses all investment proposals from foreign
government-owned enterprises, and all other proposals of 15 per cent or more of a business
where the total assets exceed $231 million (in 2011), unless subject to higher thresholds under
particular bilateral agreements.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-0...-fears/3985198
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