Oxfam releases spoof video highlighting land grabs in poor nations

Oxfam releases an online parody of Alec Baldwin’s sales talk in the cult classic movie Glengarry Glen Ross

View and download the film here

The short film comes weeks before the international agency launches, as part of their GROW campaign, a major new report on land deals and the impact they are having on poor people around the world. A new demand for land has seen swathes being sold, leased or licensed over the past decade in a drive to produce enough food for people miles away, meet botched biofuels targets and speculate on land to make an easy profit. Many of the deals are in fact land grabs in which those who live or make a living from that land are not consulted, treated fairly or properly compensated.

Land grabs are having a devastating impact on the lives of poor and marginalized people. People lose their homes and the land which they rely on to grow enough food to eat and make a living. The scene depicted from Glengarry Glen Ross shows the moment when workers from a real estate firm meet a representative from head office sent to motivate them to sell and buy land regardless of the consequences, or lose their jobs.

Oxfam International Executive Director Jeremy Hobbs said: “The concept of this film is similar to the situation we are seeing around the world in a drive to buy up land to make a profit and meet demand. Investment in agriculture should be welcomed, but we must ensure that safeguards are in place to make sure that the needs of thousands of poor and vulnerable people are not swept aside for the interests of a few.”

Oxfam is calling on investors, national governments, and international organizations to take a variety of measures to put a stop land grabbing so that affected communities are consulted, treated fairly and have a means to grow enough food to eat.