South Africa's white farmers lease land in Congo

South Africa’s white farmers are to rent nearly 500,000 acres of land from the Republic of Congo, according to an agreement signed late Tuesday.

Congo's agriculture minister said the lease is for 30 years. He said  the South African farmers would bring expertise to the Congo and reduce its dependence on imports.

The South African farmers' union Agri SA, which signed the deal, said its members are looking to farm so far away because the land policies of the African National Congress government are forcing white farmers to seek land abroad.

The ANC is seeking to transfer some farms, overwhelmingly white-owned, to the black majority population.

The South African farmers will lease the land in Congo for 30 years to produce food and fiber, mainly for Congo’s domestic market.

Congolese officials say the land is made up of abandoned farms that the state used to operate.
Agri SA says that nearly 2,000 farmers have expressed interest in going to Congo — most as an expansion of their South African operations.

The new deal is part of trend across Africa where governments are leasing land to foreigners to boost agricultural production. Zimbabwe’s expropriated white farmers have gone to Mozambique, Zambia and Nigeria, with mixed success. The Chinese government has also leased large swathes of land in other African countries. This latest deal between the Republic of Congo and South African farmers is thought to be the biggest of its kind.
 

http://www.globalpost.com/notebook/africa/091020/south-africas-white-farmers-lease-land-congo