Deal #1950

Ugandan officials denied knowledge of deal; land is 2.2% of Uganda's total land. Hoped to be done through small-scale agriculture. "The Ugandan government has reportedly leased 2m feddans of land (840,127 ha) – a staggering 2.2% of Uganda’s total area – in various parts of the country to Egypt, so that Egypt’s private sector may come in and produce wheat and maize for export to Cairo. The deal was apparently struck in late August 2008 and would involve seven Egyptian agribusiness firms, according to Reuters’ discussions with Egyptian officials. The details have been denied by Ugandan ministers as well as Egypt’s ambassador to Uganda, though he did confirm that: a deal of this nature is under preparation; it will focus on wheat and organic beef for export to Egypt; they hope small farmers, not large, will be contracted for production; the Egyptians may build abattoirs in Uganda for the scheme; and it will be financed by the private sector. A delegation of Egyptian businessmen and scientists is expected to go to Kampala in October to work out details with Ugandan counterparts. Initial activities will include setting up trials to determine which varieties will grow well in Uganda." (Seized! GRAIN Briefing Annex. The 2008 land grabbers for food and financial security. Data Source #2) Grain states the project was never materialised and the year of failure was 2008.