Web Review
7 jours d’agence
Cosmos
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Mr. Birinder Singh is the executive director of the Karuturi Agro Industries. On his Etiopian map the compounds of the company are market by small flags. Karuturi is the biggest producer of roses in the world, and although this activity is concentrated mainly in Kenya it is gradually moving to Ethiopia because of the favourable economical conditions granted by the Ethiopian government and the low labour costs. Karuturi also owns a lease of 100.000 hectares, to be expanded to 300.000, in the Gambella area, where they have a project for sugar cane, palm oil and rice plantations. The Ethiopian government believes that overseas investments in these monocultures will solve the problem of agricultural backwardness in the country © Alfredo Bini
Ethiopia, Gawani, Afar region. Afar workers gather cotton in Herrie Hamedi Ali's plantation. Herrie Hamedi Ali is an Afar native of this area who lives in Awash, 150km further south. He has invested in a 1000 hectare lease, of which only 14 are cultivated with cotton. he would like to increase this to 100 if only he could find extra capital and machinery © Alfredo Bini
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. In the Karuturi offices the executive director Mr. Birinder Singh, is on the telephone with a fellow manager. Karuturi is the biggest producer of roses in the world, and although this activity is concentrated mainly in Kenya it is gradually moving to Ethiopia because of the favourable economical conditions granted by the Ethiopian government and the low labour costs. Karuturi also owns a lease of 100.000 hectares, to be expanded to 300.000, in the Gambella area, where they have a project for sugar cane, palm oil and rice plantations. The Ethiopian government believes that overseas investments in these monocultures will solve the problem of agricultural backwardness in the country © Alfredo Bini
Ethiopia, Holetta. Workers in one of the Jittu Horticulture strawberry fields. In the Holetta compound there are about 400 workers and the daily payrate is no more than $1. The company declares that all the workers have access to the health care and pension programmes. Due to the particlular climatic conditions in Holetta the quality of the strawberries grown here is amongst the best on the market. Jittu belongs to Sheik Al Amoudi, a Saudi of Ethiopian origins in 63rd position in the ranks of the richest men on the planet and it is the primary exporter towards the UAE with 80% of its production. Through one of its Dubai importers, Barakat, it is exclusive supplier to the Hilton hotel chain in the UAE as well as the main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres there © Alfredo Bini
Landgrabbing in Ethiopia, Agula region of Tigray. Farming women walk along a bank to reach their allotment. The average size of the allotments cultivated by the local farmers is no more than 0.6 hectares, hardly sufficient to guarantee sustenance for the numerous members of the typical Ethiopian families. Ethiopia is the second most heavily populated country in Africa © Alfredo Bini
Landgrabbing in Ethiopia, Metahara Sugar Factory. Inside the factory. In the context of boosting sugar and biofuel production the Metahara sugar factory, which belongs to the government, has confiscated over 20 thousand hectares of land inhabited by the Afar people, provoking a certain amount of discontent amongst those who do not want to move to make room for the plantations © Alfredo Bini
Ethiopia, Awash, near Amibara and the Aledeghi natural reserve. Sugar cane cutlings are planted. This territory is included in the government-owned Metahara Sugar Factory's 20 thousand hectare expansion plan, in the context of boosting sugar and biofuel production © Alfredo Bini
Ethiopia, Holetta. Workers in the Jittu Horticulture shiiping department pack the strawberries which will leave for Dubai the same evening. In the Holetta compound there are about 400 workers and the daily payrate is no more than $1. The company declares that all the workers have access to the health care and pension programmes. Due to the particlular climatic conditions in Holetta the quality of the strawberries grown here is amongst the best on the market. Jittu belongs to Sheik Al Amoudi, a Saudi of Ethiopian origins in 63rd position in the ranks of the richest men on the planet and it is the primary exporter towards the UAE with 80% of its production. Through one of its Dubai importers, Barakat, it is exclusive supplier to the Hilton hotel chain in the UAE as well as the main hotels, restaurants and shopping centres there © Alfredo Bini
Ethiopia, Addis Ababa. Mr. Birinder Singh is the executive director of the Karuturi Agro Industries. On his Etiopian map the compounds of the company are market by small flags. Karuturi is the biggest producer of roses in the world, and although this activity is concentrated mainly in Kenya it is gradually moving to Ethiopia because of the favourable economical conditions granted by the Ethiopian government and the low labour costs. Karuturi also owns a lease of 100.000 hectares, to be expanded to 300.000, in the Gambella area, where they have a project for sugar cane, palm oil and rice plantations. The Ethiopian government believes that overseas investments in these monocultures will solve the problem of agricultural backwardness in the country © Alfredo Bini
The 30 years old French photo agency Cosmos , send us a great story on land control.
Most of us in developed countries and in cities hardly pay attention to who owns farmland, to what is cultivated and where the food that we eat in large quantities come from. In most countries, it is a big issue. A survival issue.
Photographer Alfredo Bini took upon himself to deeply document the ravaging effect that land leasing has on the already mistreated Ethiopian population. Rich arab countries, poor in agricultural land come to countries like Ethiopia to lease land and grow food for exportation only. The government is more than happy to oblige these rich land tenants as they have hardly anything else to offer. “The latifundia, leased mainly through private negotiations, are intended to meet the growing demand for food and bio-fuel of the developed countries, but Ethiopia with more than 6 million people, especially in the regions of Afar and Somaliland, who survive exclusively thanks to international food aid programs, and with an average of no more than 0,6 hectares per family for traditional land allotments, it contributes to the pauperization of the population” explains Afredo Bini.
“Whoever disagrees with this policy, though, is an enemy of progress and Ethiopia, as such is seen as a traitor, a decidedly unenviable condition since the opposition obtained just one seat out of 547 in the last elections” he continues.
Alfredo Bini was able to navigate between the rich and the poor, the ones that hold the power and those who suffer from its abuse. He has gain incredible access for this story, attending negotiation meeting as well as visiting the lands and factories. His images tells the story of a dramatic situation that shows no resolution in the immediate future. Currently, Ethiopia’s annual agricultural export figures are close to those of the food aid the country receives from the World Food Program.
The rest of this photo essay, as well as many more are available at Cosmos website : http://www.cosmosphoto.com. You can also contact Cosmos at : info@cosmosphoto.com
If you are a photo agency and would also like to participate to this weekly column, please send a note to Paul Melcher at paul.melcher@lalettredelaphotographie.com
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