8 April 2011
"We want our land back – we don’t want the money the company has because it is not enough to feed all of us. We want to earn our living on our own farms like we have always done."
Anisia was a farmer in her village in Mozambique. She grew maize, beans and sweet potatoes on her three plots of land, to feed the 15 people in her household.
In 2008, she heard that a British biofuel company was coming to her local area to grow sugar cane for biofuels. Soon after, Anisia was told that all three of her plots of land would be given to the biofuel company, but that she would be compensated.The amount of money she would receive was never discussed. Some other farmers were so angry that they refused to accept the money but it made no difference: the company took their land anyway.
The company eventually gave her $100 - barely enough for one month’s supply of rice.