BMW: Marketing Process Analysis

BMW: Marketing Process Analysis Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain they need and want through creation and exchanging products and values with others (Kotler et al. 2005). This definition incorporates both societal and organisation involvement in the realisation of the needs and wants of consumers through delivering products that is evaluated in terms of value created for the creator as well as the consumer rather than just offering a product. According to Groucutt (2005), marketing is all about symbols, brands, and choosing of products and services which are focused and related to the customer. This definition indicates the symbolic meaning of products as socio-economic symbols to alter the ego state of the target consumer. Marketing is a process for defining markets, assessing quantitatively the need of the consumer segments within the markets, allocating value propositions to cater to the needs, conveying the value propositions within the responsible zones of the organisations in relation to the output, communicating with respect to the delivery of the value propositions, and finally monitoring the delivery of the values (McDonald 2007). This definition point out the very calculated movement from the organizations part in utilising its resources to suitably target the right markets through properly defining the market and thereby providing the right product attached with the right value. The feedback from the related market is also a part of the marketing process to ensure the commercial viability also. BMW- Marketing process (LO 1.1) : Marketing process lays down the pathway to fulfill the unfilled needs of the customers by introducing products and services in the market to satisfy growing needs of the customers. The marketing process of BMW is modeled in sequence of steps which includes situational analysis, defining marketing strategy and appropriate marketing mix which promotes products sale (Kotler 2006). One of the key advantages of marketing process of BMW lies in the fact that its marketing approach is based on the situational analysis which catches the attention of the target audience, who are the segment A of the society (BMW 2010). Situational analysis as part of marketing planning process of BMW serves as a powerful tool to capture Australian luxury market by satisfying the changing consumer trends in the market. The advantages from the elements of marketing process are discussed in the following paragraphs. the benefits and costs of a marketing orientation (LO 1.2) : Cost Benefit 1. The two recently launched models X3 and X5 of BMW are a result of the market research conducted to serve the target audience. The cost spent on the research and development activities was enormous. Besides cost, lot of time was spent to conduct analysis on the target market and to find out the requirement of the customers. These Sport car models are the result of the in-depth market research to satisfy the customer demands. 2. The cost incurred on the marketing activities including the promotion, press conference, press release to target the audience was skyrocketing high. 1. Increased customer satisfaction as many people were craving for these new models of BMW. 2. The increase in sales and profits helped the company to attain competitive advantage in the age of growing competition. Micro and Macro Factors affecting Decision Making SOWT (LO 2.1) : The success of BMW lies in the STP strategy which is based on segmentation, target audience and positioning strategy to capture the targeted population (www.bmw.co.au). By means of segmentation, BMW identifies specific buying characteristics of the target audience. BMW segments the society on the basis of geography, demography, socioeconomic and behavior characteristics of the society (Drummond and Ensor 2001). Geographically, European countries and North America serve as the main markets for BMW automobiles as these areas are most industrialized nations and the local residents are financially well off to buy high priced cars due to the increased per capita income. In respect to demographics, the men and women both aged 30-50 years are the main users of M3 and M5 models. Behaviorally, these audiences have a clear image about the company and its products. They believe in superiority, performance and excellence before making a purchase. BMW has excelled in its performance as its produc ts are high in quality and also technologically superior. BMW has been able to create a good brand image in the minds of the people by means of innovative advertising campaigns. BMW due to its strategic positioning is known for age old tradition of quality. BMW M series is among one of those luxury cars which can be recognized by the crowd at a distance due to its successful marketing strategy based on positioning, targeting and segmentation. SWOT Analysis Strengths: BMW Automobiles is consistent in delivery quality projects. The firm comprises of robust workforce for effective product delivery. The firm makes use of latest technology, owns world class equipment and all the modern facilities in the designing and development of car models. Weakness: BMW is a global leader but still faces some shortcomings which are its incapability to work on small scale projects. BMW is known for its large seated cars and its inability to target the smaller segment is the only weakness. Opportunity: BMW automobile is rapidly expanding in different parts of the world. BMW makes use of latest technology to develop best of cars and operate effectively in international markets. Threat: The survey shows that the target market for BMW car model is looking for more value in the product which serves as a serious threat to the company. Marketing Mix and Marketing Process-4ps (LO 2.2) : While considering marketing process, marketing mix of BMW cannot be kept in isolation. The marketing mix forms an important part of the decision making process. The first P is the product which provides customer with the description about the product and how it meets the customer requirement. Example BMW X3, BMW X5 models, offered by BMW go through product life cycle which determines the age and maturity of the product in the market. The products developed ensure constant income and the company also develops replacement products on consistent basis for a fair settlement. The prices of BMW cars varies depending upon model customer has asked for like sports car which are priced high, the engine size also determines the price of the product and many more. The pricing for BMW X3 is competition oriented and same for similar brands as the market is large and creating large profits is not as important as it will be for a small car. The place and location for BMW cars follows a distribution chain network comprising of manufacturer, dealer and consumer. The organization is in tie ups with the superior dealers across the world and they are further responsible to offer the product to the customers across the globe at strategic locations. To promote the BMW models X3 and X5, a broad range of advertising campaigns including print and television media are used for product launch, color supplements etc. the slogans used for BMW are smart choice, the ultimate driving machine designed for peace of mind have been used to create competitive edge in the market, change the perception of people, mould their behavior towards car consumption and differentiate their products from competitors. Target Strategy ( LO 2.3 ) BMW follows a differentiated strategy catering to people with specific segmentation (David 2006). An example, BMW M series is a super sports vehicle and refers to specific target audience. BMW made changes in its car models when introduced in India as compared to its American version. There was higher ground clearance so as to make the cars compatible to Indian road surface, high resistance to dust in Indian market, horns located on the steering and not lever were some of the changes introduced to make it suitable for Indian market. Buyer Behavior and Marketing Activities ( LO 2.4 ) Consumer buying behavior is a blend of mental and emotional process and involves elements from sociology and psychology which affects consumer behavior while making purchase. In case of exclusive products like BMW M series the consumer purchase behavior is triggered by psychological factors, status symbol which influences customers attitude and behavior to make a purchase. Product Positioning ( LO 2.5 ) BMW M series, X3 and X5 are synonymous with performance and advanced technology used in driving. Drivers can now connect sports vehicle to the roads with high performance. The sport seats provide supportive front, back and thigh comfort. There are powerful headrests for drivers comfort with leather steering wheel with the horn placed at the lever comes to the ease of the driver. The motronic engine is powerful on all road surfaces and provides smooth drive in all season (www.bmw.co.au). Sustainable Catchment Management: Principles and Practice Sustainable Catchment Management: Principles and Practice What is meant by the world water crisis? Critically assess the contribution of River Basin Management in addressing this crisis The worlds freshwater is commonly discussed in the literature as being a finite resource under increasing pressure from the greater demands being placed upon it globally (Postel 2000, Hamdey et al 2003, Oki and Kanae 2006, UNEP 2007). It has consequently become a highly contentious resource, and in recent years the focus of much debate on how best to manage it; with the latest favoured paradigm (particularly in developed countries) being that of holistic sustainability achieved using the best practice of basin-wide management (Biswas 2004, Watson et al 2007). Such an approach is particularly emphasised in key policies such as Agenda 21 and the Water Framework Directive, with the latter enforcing the creation of River Basin Management Plans by law for all EU member states. This paper will discuss whether there really is a world water crisis, and if so to what extent river basin management (RBM) can help to address this using case examples such as the Murray-Darling basin to discuss t his in context. According to the research of Oki and Kanae (2006 pp1068) the global consumption of renewable freshwater resources is well below its Malthusian limits, with only 10% of the maximum available blue water and 30% of green water being presently used. However, because its distribution both in quantity and quality for purpose is spatially and temporally uneven as shown in figure 1 water stresses exist through a demand and supply imbalance. Gleick 1998, Hamdey et al 2003, and UNEP 2007 amongst others cite figures such as already 80 countries with 40% of the world population suffer serious water shortages (Hamdey et al 2003 pp3) and more than a billion people in the developing world lack access to safe drinking water (Gleick 1998 pp487), which suggests that water stress is a major issue (as reflected in the Millennium Development Goals); and with population growth/demographics (figure 2), economic, standard of living, and climatic factors set to change, such stresses are expected to worsen on the whole through increasing the imbalance. This is especially true for developing countries since an estimated 90% of the 3 billion people expected to add to the global population by 2050 are expected to reside in such countries with many of which already experiencing high water stress (UN 2007 cited UNESCO 2009). At what point down the line an actual absolute crisis at a nation scale is reached is still yet to occur; although given the social and economic value attached to water, and its three-dimensional effect upon food supply, ecosystem health, and standard of living for example, it may already indicate a crisis is underway (Newson et al 1999 cited Newson 2000). This is especially true if freshwater access is considered as a basic human right (Gleick 1998). Assuming this, RBM is often discussed in the literature as being a viable management option to address the crisis, since its approach is holistic and all-encompassing. Its current favour comes from the fact that unlike the traditional response to water shortages assessed through developing more supplies often via unsustainable sources and hard engineering practices such as damming rivers (Hamdey et al 2003) it tries to achieve long term sustainability through encompassing land-use planning, environmental management, and agricultural policy into the management of all surface and subsurface water within a catchment. This theoretically allows for all of the direct and indirect natural and anthropogenic demands placed upon the resource to be addressed and met under a best-practice regime to achieve an optimal relevant management outcome. A classic example of where such a policy has been successful is in the Murray-Darling basin, southeast Australia. The RBM regime here is a highly evolved form of institutional arrangements first started in 1917, and consequently modified, to meet the desired outcomes and changing pressures on the 1 million Km2 five jurisdictional state catchment. At its heart the scheme seeks to promote and coordinate effective management planning for equitable, efficient and sustainable use of water, land and other resources (Pigram 1999 pp108), which it achieves through a hydraulic approach using top-down policy making and bottom-up implementation, coordinated through the central Murray-Darling Commission (Shar et al 2005). In doing this it allows for all of the key stakeholders within each state to meet and discuss how best to manage the water resources to maximise the resultant biophysical, economic and social interests not only within each state (and its respective water share), but for the whol e catchment. Theoretically this coordinates the upstream-downstream interests and encourages more productive/efficient use of water through improved technology such as crop per drop (Postel 2000), which in turn allows all of the water demands to be attained equitably. And, combined with the top-down governance system setting standards which need to be reached by every state regarding water quality and quality, ecological requirements and permitted degradation levels through land use policies, it ensures that management is not static and behind the changing catchment pressures upon the water resource. This is not to say however the system is perfect since its effectiveness depends on the cooperation of each state government, and as of yet no true full sustainability has been achieved (Pigram 1999). However, with regards to the world water crisis it is clear to see that in this instance, along with many others, RBM is having a positive impact. This is because it is encouraging through laws and other means the more efficient and equitable use of water (Postel 2000), whilst regarding the whole basin and its long term demands and pressures such as climate change. In doing so it may lessen the effect of future crises/pressures through being proactive. Similar RBM regimes also exist under other political systems such as throughout the whole of the European Union (due to Water Framework Directive legislation) and South Africa (since 1998). In the latter Gregersen et al (2007) states that although the regime is working it is not yet sustainable, since such management systems take several years to develop and offer no ready made solutions. Therefore at its national level it is not fully able to address the water crisis, although it seemingly is on the way to try to do so through using a management system which looks to achieving this from the outset. It must be said however that most of the successful RBM regimes are in developed formalised society countries where the fundamental water stresses are often far lower in the first instance (see figure 1). Such systems cannot be directly transferred between political institutions easily due to the context in which the regime was fundamentally formed to meet within the founding country regarding the hydraulic and climatic conditions, demographics, socio-economic conditions and the structure of the water sector (Barrow 1998, Hunt 1999, Shar et al 2005). For example Hu (1999), Malanu et al (1999) (cited Shar et al 2005) and Hunt (1999) each found that the Murray-Darling RBM system could not be successfully transferred to the Chinese, Vietnamese and Solomon Island contexts because of such issues; with Shar et al (2005 pp46) arguing that transferring RBM regimes between developed and developing countries is particularly problematic since the problems developing country find critical have e ither remained unresolved or irrelevant in developed country river basins such as ground water exploitation. Thus in regard to the world water crisis it provides little use in this sense, especially since the greatest stresses/crises are expected to occur here. Hunt (1999) therefore argues that the contextual fit between policy development and application is key to managing the water resource successfully. In setting the correct framework to set play and play in provides an effective environment to address the water crisis in, whether through RBM or not. In some cases I would also argue that to address the current water crisis RBM can only be used as part of the solution, due to the interconnectivity of the water resource with standard of living (relating back to the Millennium Development Goals) and economic development. If full RBM sustainability is strived for under the current conditions, inclusive of the environmental requirement, it may only serve to worsen the current crisis such as in Jordan which withdraws some of its supply unsustainably from non-renewable aquifers (Macoun and El Naser 1999). The same is true for other basins globally such as in the Colorado, Tennessee and Yangtze river basins, since in order to meet their past a nd current demands, supply had to be increased through building dams for instance. This could be seen in some cases as being unsustainable due to the impact it has on the basin, and even though the two former river basins are now managed under RBM regimes (Newson 2009) they are operating under modified conditions. RBM still has value however in promoting more efficient water use (Postel 2000) and sustainable ethical management, so should not be completely ignored in management. The contextual fit of countries as a whole is important in determining the best approach to address the world water crisis. RBM may also fail in addressing the world water crisis too if it fails to be effective itself in the first instance. For instance since RBM seeks to achieve equitable sustainability (Barrow 1998), unequal power sharing may result in such a failure. To exemplify this if a dam was allowed to hold back more water for power generation it would put increasing pressure on the quantity of flow for the ecological needs and irrigative agriculture uses amongst others. Similarly if a factory was allowed higher pollution levels then the changes in the water quality could draw a system closer experiencing a water crisis (assuming it was already highly stressed). This is especially true if a non-integrated RBM regime is used, since the different interests of each RBM stakeholder groups, such as land owners, farmers, developers and conservationists would prioritise their needs over others. This consequently may be ineffective due to the differing overall outcomes, needing some coordination and comp romising to a certain degree to be effective in terms of long-term holistic management. A similar failing may occur within international river basins also if a common-goal transboundary management agreement cannot be established in practice even if it is agreed upon politically. This is the case today between Israel and Palestine despite the fact of the road to recovery (common goal) plan. Israel in 2003 abstracted 95% of the water from the diverted Lower Jordan to meet its own abstraction needs and left Palestine with only 5%. Consequently Palestine is in a water crisis since it cannot meet its own water needs (Frederiksen 2003). To be effective therefore in the first instance RBM plans need to be authoritative, equitable, coordinated and true to RBMs initial purpose. Only then can it help in addressing the world water crisis. In conclusion therefore it can be successfully argued that RBM is a worthwhile management option to pursue in relation to addressing the world water crisis. Where such regimes are well established and operational, such as in the Murray-Darling catchment, its sustainability approach to management allows for all of the demands and threats/pressures to the freshwater resource (such as excessive nutrient runoff from poorly managed land) to be identified and dealt with equitably and accordingly within the basins long-term carrying capacity. But, given the contextual fit of each country with regards to its current resource base, water pressures, and demands/needs, it may mean that in the grand scheme of things RBM may not be the most suitable management option to address the crisis with on its own. Interestingly RBM is according to Shar et al 2005 harder to implement in developing countries due to its developed background, but it is such countries where the water stresses are already at hi gh stress levels and expected to worsen from most through the predicted population growth and climate change pressures (UNESCO 2009). Only time will tell how useful and politically favoured RBM is in addressing the crisis, and whether it is continued to be used alone or alongside other water management concepts cuch as international virtual water sharing.

Art Comparison Essay example -- essays research papers

Compare and Contrast Works of Art Bright colors jumping at you asking for attention, images so real viewers can not tell the difference. These are the thoughts that came to my head as I gazed at two works of art by two Mexican artists at MoLAA museum of art . I visited two museums, Bowers Museum of cultural Art in the heart of Southern California and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach for my report unfortunately I only liked the works in MoLAA and will talk about it through out my paper. I will talk about two Mexican artists Rafael Cauduro and David Alfaro Siqueros that caught my eye, and made me want to learn more of them and their approach to art. Siqueiros caught my eye and interest because according to his biography â€Å"no individual associated with the arts with the possible exception of Andrà © Malraux, had been involved in direct political action more than David Alfaro Siqueiros† (Siqueiros Biography online). Personally that to me said a lot and that got me intrigued, and made me want to know more about him and his work. Cauduro on the other hand got me intrigued through his illusionistic approach to art and interpretation of his view of things. Eve thought they seem like different approach to art they are both similar in different ways. My first artist is Rafael Cauduro. Rafael Cauduro was born in capital city of Mexico and now resides in the city of Cuernavaca (state of Morelos) 1950. Rafael started out making superior studies of architecture and industrial design in the Latin American University in Mexico City. According to his biography Cauduro is a self taught painter who steps outside of traditional artist’s standard. Cauduro’s paintings contain a â€Å"trompe de l’oeil† (Fool the eye) quality as indicated in by how in his paintings walls, fences, and objects are so real that people can almost touch them. To the visual realism of Cauduros work, according to critic Ruiz Soto, adds what he termed â€Å"critical illusion† which combines an extreme technical proficiency with fantasy-filled concepts(www.rafael cauduro.com). Rafael Cauduro painting technique is of a surrealism in which the reality of dreams, or subconscious mind are as more real than the surface reality of everyday life (Sayre p.51). Cauduro paints in a Surrealistic way usually portraying the forces of dreams and subconscious that he has been famous for. This artistic movement originat... ...eiros and Cauduro works are politically motivated, but like people, depict them in their own way. Siqueiros because of his military background and more no nonsense look at life is more straight forward as compared to Cauduro, but have similar objectives. Cauduro a more recent unknown artist is more contemporary in the sense that explorers the mind of viewers and makes them think and come with their own conclusion of his views. I liked both of these artist and enjoyed learning more about them and how similar they were, yet so different in terms of style. Art is a language of its own and with out he proper understanding, people are like expression goes â€Å"left on the outside looking in†. In other words, people without the proper understanding of art, technique and form as well as other elements can’t appreciate a work of art as much as when you understand why an artist painted in the way they did and what they are trying to get across to his audience. Despite artists attempts to try and make their works as viewer friendly as possible, without the understanding and knowledge gained from an art class as this one people will never fully understand the a work of art as it is meant to be.

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman Essay

How is tension created in the extract and how does it make the reader feel for Lyra? In northern light Philip Pullman takes the reader on an exciting journey which has unexpected conclusions that catch their imagination. Suspense is built up throughout as Lyra’s life is in danger. The story outlines the feelings of Lyra as she goes on the thrilling voyage. Philip Pullman has created imagery by using adjective and adverbs to give it life. In the extract tension is created and Lyra’s feelings have been expressed as she worries for Roger. The extract shows the reader a bit about Lyra’s personality. â€Å"En’t you heard of the Gobblers?† This shows that she is not well educated as her English is not correct. â€Å"†They en’t real, Gobblers. Just a story.†Ã¢â‚¬ They are!†Lyra said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Suddenly she felt very afraid. Pantalaimon as a fierce lion, sprang in her arms and growled† In these lines Philip Pullman expresses Lyra’s character; she is portrayed as someone that wants her own way and does not like it if someone argues against her. She also can be violent seeing that she got very aggressive when she heard the bad news and pantalaimon turned into a lion. â€Å"And then something else had hit her heart: where was Roger!† This sentence is very powerful as the short sentence make the reader feel as if they were Lyra. â€Å"In Mrs Coulter’s flat, everything was pretty. It was full of light†¦. and the walls were covered in delicate gold and white striped wall paper†¦. it seemed to Lyra’s innocent eye, with pretty little china boxes and shepherdesses and harlequins of porcelain.† Phillip Pullman portrays Mrs Coulter as a very nice typical lady. He represents her flat by creating a picture of a clean, open and bright place. Lyra will not suspect a thing as she seems so nice and friendly. Pullman has created a lot of tension as the audience will be worried for Lyra and what Mrs Coulter will do to her. Page 72 and the extract together create an extra special touch to the novel because they create a great deal of suspense. Lyra is being convinced by Mrs Coulter to be her partner on the journey she is going on however Lyra has no realized that she is the one that is kidnapping the children. In the story before Lyra is telling her friends about someone who eats children and at that point the audience will be pulled into the story but they don’t know if Lyra will be caught by her. As the story continues Lyra meets Mrs Coulter who is the kidnapper. Now the tension really builds. â€Å"Mrs Coulter said â€Å"So Lyra I’m to have an assistant, am I† â€Å"Yes† said Lyra simply† Now that Lyra will be assisting Mrs Coulter the audience will start to worry for Lyra. Philip Pullman uses tension very effectively as he has created suspense right from start to the end as Lyra faces many problems. He has even used imagery to portray the mystical world. He has portrayed Lyra’s character very effectively as the reader know now what her personality is like. The reader gets an understanding of how Lyra’s life has been up until now. Overall the story is a nice one because the reader goes through an adventure including sadness and happiness.

Stopping Global Land Grab - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5588 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Indigenous population protests international farmland acquisition 1) INTRODUCTION a) Executive Summary b) Problem statement c) Significance of the proposed study 2) LITERATURE REVIEW Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Stopping Global Land Grab" essay for you Create order 3) DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY a) Data collection and analysis b) Limitations 4) FARMLAND GRAB a) Background and brief history since 2006 b) Behind food price increases c) Water as battleground: securing food supply at expense of local population d) Common elements of the land acquisition deals 5) CASE STUDIES: PROTESTS TO SAVE LOCAL LAND RIGHTS a) Case study #1 Madagascar land grab and government coup b) Case study #2 Kenya proposal to rent the most fertile land causes promise to fight the deal to death c) Case study #3 Asia peasants caravan against global land grab strong message to support local land rights i) Land grab history for countries participating in the caravan ii) Protest iii) Country study: Philippines and the land reform rip-off 6) CONCLUSIONS 1) INTRODUCTION a) Executive summary Increasing food prices in 2006-2008 alarmed the world and crated new trend as a response to a global food crisis. In order to secure their food supplies investor nations are acquiring land in developing counties at much accelerated rate. According to the FAO, such deals have seen almost 2.5 million hectares of farmland allocated to foreign investor in just five sub Saharan countries since 2004. However, these deals are not always a win-win situation; rather they spark a neo-colonialism flare that is putting livelihood of local population at risk. As this report will show, land is an inherently political issue across the globe, with land reform and land rights problems often leading to violent conflicts and socio-political instability in developing countries. This report will specifically look at the backlash of the local population against land grab indicating the common elements and reasons behind these protests. Due to progression of the shape and the form of indigenous populations protests, culminating with multiple country caravan protest, the author of this paper believes that protests against land grabs are in fact opposing the same global scenario of oppression of the local population. In addition, this report will try to emphasize how participation of civil society is mandatory to secure land rights and livelihood of indigenous population. This report will focus on the country of Madagascar and the backlash of the local population against South Korean Daewoo Group intended lease for 99 years of 1.3 million hectares of Madagascars land. The second country examined by this report will be Kenya and Qatars lease of the most fertile land, the Tana River Delta. Following Kenya, this report will analyze the Five month Asia wide peasants caravan for land and livelihood -Stop Global Land Grabbing and Struggle for Genuine Agrarian Reform and Peoples Food Sovereignty. This section will include the analysis of one of the countries involved in the protest, Philippines, concluding with the identification of the common reasons behind global protests against land grab. b) Problem statement What are the common reasons behind protests led by indigenous population against rich investing nations and their land acquisition deals? c) Significance of the proposed study The issue of food security is one of the major issues that we all face on a daily basis. Increasing food prices have changed the political agenda and started the worldwide land grab operation. The land acquisitions by rich investing nations will have an effect on, not only the investing countries and their population, but more importantly on the indigenous population, their social and cultural identity, environment, and local food production. This paper will provide a better understanding behind protested land acquisition practices and the repeated land grab scenarios that threaten livelihood of local population. 2) LITERATURE RIVEW Research shows that increasing food prices in 2006-2008 had lingering effects on the world. Blas and England explain how, alarmed by exporting countries trade restrictions (Indians curbs on rice exports, Ukraines halt wheat shipments and Argentinas impositions of taxes on soy sales) importing countries have realized that their dependence on the international food market makes them vulnerable not only to an abrupt surge in prices, but more crucially to an interruption in supplies. This created a new trend within the global food crises. As Blas and England mention food security has been placed on the top of the political agenda and food crisis gave alarms for all countries to look for places to secure supplies of agricultural goods . This has led, according to Braun and Meinzen, to a world food system that is now an acquisition of farmland in developing countries by other countries seeking to ensure their food supplies. According to Braun and Meinzen, Increased pressures on natural resources, water scarcity, export restrictions imposed by major producers when food prices were high and growing distrust in the functioning of regional and global markets have pushed countries short in land and water to find alternative means of producing food. Proponents of agricultural investments, according to Braun and Meinzen, are mentioning that rural poor could benefit from creation of farm jobs, development of rural infrastructure, new agricultural technologies, schools and health posts. On the other hand, land acquisitions present a threat to peoples livelihoods and ecological sustainability. Another accusation is that land acquisition is a new form of colonialism. In the example provided by Ryall, and as a case study in this report, the riots stopped Korea to sign a 99-year lease of 1.3 million hectares in Madagascar. Ryall mentions that the opponents are emphasizing that these deals are looking far more lucrative for the buyer than for the seller. For instance, Africa, as mentioned by Blas again, is giving land way for no or minimal land fees, only with promises of jobs and infrastructure development and contracts lacks concrete and biding legal weight. Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN emphasizes that many of land acqu isition contracts lack transparency, checks, and balance. The FAO emphasize that opportunities and risks of these land deals depend on the terms and conditions of the deals and that this calls for a greater regulations, skilful negotiation, and public oversights. This is especially important in regards to the food insecure poor countries as it is going to be mentioned in the Kenya case study. There should be stronger mechanisms for protecting local right against blanked guarantee to export all the harvest. Suggestions to solve the issue of land are similar and mentioned by Blas and Braun / Meninez. Blas calls for: transparency during the negotiating deals, respect for existing land rights including customary rights, sharing of the benefits and leases rather than purchases. Where in addition to Blas, Braun / Meinsen call for environmental sustainability and adherence to national trade practices. Lennarth Bage, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development said, even though land was long thought less important then oil or mineral deposits that is no longer the case. Now as Bage emphasizes fertile land access to water has become a strategic asset. With this in mind, it is clear that foreign investment in agriculture is not going to end. It is also true that these investments have a potential to provide the countries in development with much needed investment into their rural agricultural areas, but can create risk for poor rural citizens to lose land and/or control over land that is crucial for their survival. To ensure that second does not occur there is a greater need for international law, government rules, and regulations. However, as further mentioned in this report, one of the key elements is involvement of the civil society. A p articipation of the civil society is mandatory in order to maximize benefits for the local population and to secure their rights to land and water resources. 3) DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY a) Data collection and analysis Secondary data collected through this study will come from the external data sources. These are academic publications, library sources, NGOs, government and statistical agencies. Background information on the topic of food security will come from the books and scholarly articles, not limited to the ones mentioned in the literature review. On the other hand, the statistical data needed to address the food security issues, and the food/agricultural indicators, for case study analysis and comparison between the countries, will come from the Food and Agricultural Organization , World Bank , Economic Commission for Africa , Farmland Grab, , CIA World Fact Book , FIAN Fighting Hunger with Human Rights and International Fund for Agricultural Development . The analysis of the data will provide a clearer picture related to the land use and availability of the arable land in Madagascar, Kenya, and Asian Caravan Countries. It will present the current conditions, quantity, and quality of the arable and irrigated land, which will be, together with landlessness of the indigenous population, compared to the size of the investment area. This will emphasize the importance of land to the indigenous population questioning reasons to allow investments that threaten livelihood of local population. b) Limitations The following limitation might have a small impact to this study: the object of any policy proposal is to control and direct further action in this case there are still no concrete evidence whether land acquisition is the most appropriate solution for food security issues and whether foreign investments will help the countries in development meaning these policy initiatives might carry some probability of error that will be determined in the future ; some data collected are not final figures due to lack of transparency in the land acquisition agreements; study is limited to secondary data some statistical data is in the units of analysis different than what researcher needs and the some data is several years old. 4) FARMLAND GRAB: a) Background and brief history since 20006 Delegations from China, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and many other countries have scattered the world in order to find fertile lands to satisfy their citizens needs for not only food security, but also financial returns. As Grains briefing Seized explains, two big global crises that have erupted over the last 15 months the food crisis and the financial crisis are together spawning a new and disturbing trend towards buying up land for outsourced food production. As Grains briefing further explains in relation to food security, countries around the world, financially dependant on the price of food imports, are seeking ways to feed their population by taking control over the farmland in other nations. However, as a response to financial returns, Grain further mentions how multiple players, from investment houses to private funds, are looking for a faster returns and they are turning to land. A combination of land in developing countries being cheep, and expected high returns on food and fuel production investments are representing a catalyst for unprecedented quest for this new strategic resource. b) Behind food price increases As International Monetary Fund explains, food prices have increased by 45 percentages since 2006. Besides food prices of crude oil, tin, nickel, soybeans, corn and wheat reached record highs in US $ terms. The reasons for this, as IMF explains, are the following: strong demand for food from emerging economies rising biofuel production adds to the demand for corn supply adjustments to higher prices has remained slow (especially low inventory of oil) major exporting countries introduced export taxes, export bank or other restriction on exports of agricultural products drought conditions in major wheat-producing countries (Australia and Ukraine), higher impute costs (animal feed / fertilizer) financial factors (depreciating US $ increases purchasing power of users outside the dollar area and shifts from money market instruments to higher-yielding assets such as commodity-index funds) Table 1. Price of non fuel commodities 2006-2009 in US $ Commodities Weight* 2006 2007 2008 July 2009 Wheat 1.7 125.8 167.4 213.8 161.7 Maize 1.0 123.6 165.9 226.9 154.2 Rice 0.6 105.5 115.5 243.3 216.5 Barley 0.3 122.7 181.3 210.9 147.2 Soybeans 1.2 97.5 142.2 203.2 178.4 Sunflower oil 0.2 62.3 58.8 148 89.3 Meat 3.7 95.5 99.4 103.2 101.6 Seafood 3.2 120.5 112.5 113.4 123.3 Sugar 0.9 132.5 101.7 116.6 150.1 Bananas 0.4 118.4 117.4 146.3 143.7 Coffee 0.9 111.5 129.1 149.8 127.7 * Weights based on 2002-2004 average world export earnings. c) Water as battleground: securing food supply at expense of local population As food prices went up from 2006 to 2008 securing food production became one of the main driving factors behind land grab for many countries. However, in relation to the indigenous population protests against land grabs and necessary for food production, water supply in fact became a battleground in securing food supply. As Food and Agriculture Organization mentions, irrigation is crucial to the worlds food supplies: Between 1962 and 1998, irrigate land expanded by about 1.6 percent a year, a total increase of 100 million hectares. Graph 3, illustrates use of fresh water for irrigation purposes is different in different regions. For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa is using only 2% of its fresh water resources for irrigation where Gulf States use 80%. The availability of fresh water and potential that Africa has for agriculture represents on of the main reasons of conflict between indigenous population and investors seeking to lease already irrigated land together with river deltas, and other water sources available jeopardizing local populations existence and their livelihood. As mentioned earlier in this report, countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and many others have traveled the world seeking to lease new agricultural land to secure food supply and potentially provide higher financial returns. The following table emphasizes some of the major investors and host countries, as well as size and nature of the land grab deals. As stated bellow, countries as well as private entities are heavily involved in global land acquisition. Largest recorded land grab deals Investor country Host country Size and nature of deals Date announced China Congo 2.8 million ha for bio fuels Jul-07 Libya Mali 100,000 ha for rice Apr-09 S. Korea Sudan 690,000 ha for wheat Jun-08 United Arab Emirates Sudan 378,000 ha Aug-08 Saudi Arabia Tanzania 500,000 ha Apr-09 United Arab Emirates Pakistan 324,000 ha May-08 Jarch Capital (USA) Sudan 400,000 ha signed with the local army n/a Sweden Mozambique 100,000 ha for bio fuels n/a Japan Brazil 100,000 for soybeans 2007 Morgan Stanley (USA) Ukraine 40,000 ha purchased Mar-09 International Food Policy Research Institute. Land Grabbing by foreign Investors in Developing Countries: Risks and Opportunities. IFPRI Policy Brief 13. April 2009. However, besides investments focusing specifically on irrigated land and land that includes water resources the greatest threat to the indigenous population is in the nature of the international investment contracts. As Smaller and Mann, explain the investment contracts: increasingly have a propensity to become a legal code for the investment. In several developing countries, investment contracts become enshrined in legislation. In some instances, they even have a quasi-constitutional status. When such contracts depart form the application of otherwise generally applicable national or sub-national laws, they attain a law making status for that investment that goes outside normal commercial contracts. d) Common elements of the farmland acquisition deals: duration between 50-99 years land acquisition projects often larger that 10,000 hectares, main actors states, sovereign wealth funds, private entitles, investment banks, investment contracts will set not only the price and duration of the lease, but also rights: to export production, rights to import equipment and personnel, infrastructure use, environmental issues, workplace safety and labor conditions investment contracts lack transparency (a very few contracts have been made available to the public) 5) CASE STUDIES: PROTESTS TO SAVE LOCAL LAND RIGHTS As mentioned earlier in this paper, the following three case studies will identify common reasons behind protests against land grab. The first case study will be the country of Madagascar and the government coup caused by intended lease of 1.3 million hectares of land. The second study will be the country of Kenya where proposed lease of the most fertile land caused uproar in the local population. The third and final case will cover the Asia peasants caravan against global land grab using Philippines as an example of magnitude that international quest for land has reached. a) CASE STUDY # 1 Madagascar: Land grab and government coup In the constitution, it is stipulated that Madagascars land is neither for sale nor for rent. Andry Rajoelina As multiple news agencies reported on the large farmland acquisition deal between the South Korean company Daewoo Logistics and the government of Madagascar, it became clear that indigenous people would not quietly accept landlessness. The 1.3 million hectares contract for 99 years, representing half of arable land in Madagascar sparked strong opposition among local population. As Farmland-blog reports these violent protests took more than 100 lives and resulted in government coup of the President Rovalomanana. On the road to understand Malagasy people and their connection with the land, the following pages will introduce the country of Madagascar and their struggle against global farmland grab. According to the CIA Word Fact book, Madagascar, a small island in the Indian Ocean, and a former French colony that gained independence in 1960 discarded past socialist economic policies in 1990s. World Bank and IMF policies of privatization and liberalization have placed country on a slow growth path. Despite WB and IMF new policy that promised growth, Madagascar has seen its inhabitants standard of living decline dramatically over the past 25 years. The International Fund for Agricultural Developments Rural Poverty Portal mentions also that 68.7% of population lives below the poverty line and 85% of these people live in rural areas. As CIA points out, agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. The Malagasy farmers, as Rural Poverty Portal points out, practice subsistence agriculture, producing barely enough to feed their families with average plot of 1.3 hectares. Just a comparison between the land available for a single family of 1.3 hectares and the deal offered to Daewoo Logistics of 1.3 million hectares can solely explains the feelings and resentment of the local population towards farmland grab. In addition and as Fighting Hunger with Human Rights organization reports, the former President Ravalomananas Poverty Reduction Strategy to attract foreign investment to increase production was seen as a key to help the country, together with modernization of the land tenure system and promotion of the agribusiness. As FIAN further reports, since 2003, International Finance Institutions pressured Malagasy government to allow granting land to foreigners and to pass laws that grant foreign natural, or legal entities land leases for a maximum of 99 years. The FIAN further reports that applications for land acquisition by foreigners were granted expeditiously, where as Malagasy small farmers meet overwhelming difficulties to get titles deed for their lands. There are reports of granting traditional land to investors without consent of local population which in fact is a violations of the Free Prior Informed Consent, article 32 of 2007 UN declaration on the rights of indigenous people. The announcement of the Daewoo deal, As Sam Urquhart of the Rain Forest Rescue explains was crucial in political power shift in Madagascar. As Urquhart quotes Prof. Nadia Horning of Middlebury College, Ravalomananas deal with Daewoo presented a perfect opportunity to tap into nationalistic sentiments given Malagasy peoples attachment to land, which is thought of as the land of their ancestors. Public support for the presidents reforms and foreign investment deals melted away, and presidential challenger and the coup leader Andry Rajoelina expressed his support to the indigenous population: In the constitution, it is stipulated that Madagascars land is neither for sale nor for rent, so the agreement with Daewoo is cancelled. Chart 1. This chart is important because it compares the size of irrigated land and the size of arable land directly emphasizing the importance of land and water resources for the local population questioning governments decisions to rent this land threatening the livelihood of the local population. Chart 2. Chart 2 clearly compares the size of the irrigated land in Madagascar and the size of Korean investment. The similarities in size point towards irregularities and illegalities of these deals that violate the rights of the indigenous population. b) CASE STUDY #2 Kenya: proposal to rent the most fertile land causes promise to fight the deal to death No amount of force will get us to give that land to Qatar! Omara Kalasinga, local activists Kenya Just a proposal for land acquisition deal in the Kenyans Tana River Delta by Arab emirate Qatar was enough for the local population to promise to fight the deal to death, if it comes to that. This proposal, as Wadhams explains, includes US $ 2.5 billion loan to build a second deep-water port in Kenya in exchange for 40,000 hectares of land to grow food. According to Joyce Mulama a third of Kenyas 34 million population is facing starvation which forced President Mwai Kibaki to declare the situation a national disaster, appealing for food relief bringing local activists to seek logic behind the land acquisition. The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, as CIA World Fact Book reports, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. . Further CIA elaborates, Severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenyas problems, causing water and energy rationing, reducing agricultural output, and contracting GDP by 0.2% in 2000. As CIA further reports growth in Kenya stayed at 1.1% in 2002 because of unpredictable rains, low investor confidence, insufficient donor support, and political power struggle. As country struggled through drought for several years now, the significance of Tana River Delta lease is therefore even more important. As Wadhams explain, rain is abundant there, fertile land is little developed and prime and it would be just kilometers from the proposed port bringing Qatar even closer to harvest. As similar to Madagascar, this plan was a part of governments Vision 2030 promotion to infrastructure investment and improvements in Kenya. Especially the port would be extremely beneficial to development, but for what cost? Even though Kenyan government claims that land in Tana Delta is theirs to give, local population indicates that they might not have deeds, but customary rights prevail. As Hadley Becha, the director of the East African Wildlife Society said: people were there before the state came into existence, and on the ground we will have to displace people who are not ready to be displaced. L In addition to violation of the free, prior informed consent (FPIC) and indigenous peoples right to say Yes or No to proposed development of their land, Kenyan government does not stop there. Kenya is giving away the agricultural land in the name of development while still receives food aid. As David Hallam, head of the Trade Policy Service at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization states: It does seem rather anomalous that youve got countries which are food insecure, and in receipt of food aid shipments, and at he same time handing over control of land to third countries. Even though Qatars Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani as Wadhams writes may thought that he had a deal what would help feed his 800,000 people, the deal did not go through. As soon as announcements appeared in the Kenyan newspaper, anger started to mount. Criticism came from different sides, think thanks, non-government organizations, and civil society. Tana River Delata was seized by local who have promised to fight for it to the death, if it comes to that. Chart 3 Chart 3 clearly indicates the size of agricultural land for Kenyan use. However, this chart is important because not only it indicates the size of arable land compared to the area used for permanent crops, but shows how little of irrigated land the country has making the Tana River even more important for the population. Chart 4 This chart is important because it compares the size of irrigated land to the size of Qatar investment. Qatars investment in the most fertile and the most irrigated parcel of land questions any potential idea for sustainability and agricultural investments that will help local population. c) CASE STUDY #3 Asia peasants caravan against global land grab: strong message to support local land rights At the height of the global financial crisis, state terrorism and widespread land grab the fifteen million strong Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) has kicked off a Five month Asia wide Peasant caravan for land and livelihood that started on July 20 in Shi Lanka and will end in November 2009 in India. As stated in the protest media release ten countries will participate: Sri Lanka, Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mongolia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand, and India. i) Land grab history for countries participating in the caravan Approximately 365 million people in Asia derive their livelihoods from land. Unfortunately, landlessness in Asia in intensifying at an alarming rate over the last ten years, owning to the greater degree of integration of Asian countries with the global market and increasing demands for land by big corporation interests. Landlessness, as Danilo Ramos, Secretary General of the Asian Peasant Coalition explains, is contributing to poverty and hunger and most Asians live on less that $1 a day. Majority of the farmers do not own the lands they till and are bound by feudal and semi-feudal relations of exploitation as tenants, farm workers, or lease holders. ii) Protest The problem of land grabbing by foreign investors and governments, as Sarath Fernando, Co-Secretary of the Movement for national Land and Agricultural reform (MOLNAR) states extends well elsewhere in Asia and Africa ever since high food prices in 2007 and 2008. The food price increase raised the prospect of food insecurity for countries without much farmland, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These countries have scoured Asia for land which in turn will result to more landlessness among the Asian peasants. As Ramos explains, the objective of the Asian-wide caravan is to send the Asian Peasants strong message against global land grabbing and popularize peasant victories and success stories in its struggle for genuine land reform that will inspire other peasants worldwide. iii) Country study: Philippines and land reform rip-off As an example of the government actions that violate local peasants rights to land Ramos, Secretary General of the Asian Peasant Coalition mentions Philippines. A series of high profile deals have interfered with agrarian reform, including land distribution in this country. As Ramos mentions Philippines president has kept public land for foreign leases, and especially 1.2 million hectares of land that China wanted to lease. The same land, according to Ramos and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR, was declared ready for redistribution to local peasants. This idea is only one in the row of land lease deals conducted by the Philippines. The chart below will compare the land acquisition deals with the available arable land in the Philippines emphasizing how the size of the countries irrigated land almost equals the size of potential Chinese 1.3 million hectares investment, Qatar 100,000 hectares potential investment, and already sighed 25 year deal for 94,000 he ctares to South Korea. Again, the similar situation as previously mentioned in Kenya sustainability of current investment and any further investment into agriculture that might potentially benefit local population is questionable. Chart 5. Philippines distribution of agricultural land Chart 6. Philippines proposed land grabs compared with size of available irrigated land 6) CONCLUSIONS Increasing food prices and worldwide financial crisis have influenced a new wave of global land grab. Food security is on the top of political agendas, and a quest for fertile land invite questions about neo-colonialism that will threaten livelihood of local population. As stated earlier, the land acquisition deal from 2006 till now look much more lucrative for the buyer than the seller. These deals lack transparency, checks and balance, and in many cases do not share the benefits with the indigenous population. With all these issues in mind local population in countries of this study have stood up for their rights. Madagascar, Kenya and ten countries of the Asian Peasant Coalition have protested against volitions of their land rights and allowed this study to identify major reoccurring elements that are specific for the land acquisition deals that threaten social and cultural identity, environment and local food production. The common reasons behind protests are as follows: Importance of the land to local population is emphasizes and potentially underestimated by the investing country; Deal present a great risk for landlessness; Economic situation categorizes these countries as poor, in development; Population living below poverty line, mainly in rural areas; Local food security issues at critical levels and many countries receive food aid; Agriculture is a major contributor to the economy ; Political situation indicates governments in transition, post coup, conflict or corrupt; Land acquisition deals important elements of Presidential Development and Investment Vision for the countries in question; Local government ignores indigenous populations rights; Investment deals negotiated in secrecy only in final phases reached the press Investment deals more lucrative for the investor than for the local population; Investment deals involve the most fertile and irrigated parcels of land; Invest ment deals involve the large parcels of land which lease will threaten local food production; No official mechanism, local government or international to protest local rights; Rights of the indigenous people to express their opinions on the land development issues violated {FPIC (Free, Prior Informed Consent) article 32 of 2007 UN declaration} Agricultural land ownership reforms institutionalized not in favor of peasants and influenced by International Financial Organizations. Besides the above-mentioned elements, it is important to say that indigenous population in these countries might not have the strongest government, or the most developed infrastructure, but their civil society and ability to stand up and defend their rights is what is important. The role of civil society was crucial and contributed to mobilization of peasants whose protest escalated at different phases of the international investment deals, i.e. Madagascar stopped signed deal and Kenya stopped a proposal. However, the Asian Peasants Caravan has elevated the fight of indigenous people at the highest level seen until now. The peasants from ten different countries are not only joining to worn about any potential deal that will threaten their livelihood and their land and water rights. The international community of peasants, suffering from the same oppression, joined together to share stories and knowledge, not only from village to village, but also from country to country, and continent to continent. Their strong message is heard clear, they are ready to fight for their land rights and for their livelihood. REFERENCES Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) Media Release. July 25, 2009. https://farmlandgrab.org/6501. Access 8/8/2009 Blas, Javier and England Andrew. Foreign fields: Rich states look beyond their borders for fertile soil. Financial Times. August 19, 2008. Braun Joachim Von and Meinsen-Dick Ruth. Land Grabbing by Foreign Investors in Developing Countries: Risks and Opportunities. International Food Policy Research Institute. Policy Brief No. 13. April 2009 CIA Word Fact Book. Kenya. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-fact/geos/ma.html#top. Access 7/18/2009 CIA Word Fact Book. Madagascar. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ma.html#top. Access 7/17/2009 Economic Commission for Africa of the UN. Food Security and Sustainable development. https://www.uneca.org/eca_programmes/sdd/default.htm. Accessed 6/6/2009 Farmland Grab. Food crisis and the global land grab: Sudan. https://farmlandgrab.org/cat/sudan. Accessed 5/31/2009 Financial times, Editorial, November 2008, Fighting Hunger with Human Rights. FIAN. https://www.fian.org/cases/letter-campaigns/madagascar-threat-of-large-scale-land-acquisition-by-foreign-companies/fcampaign_view. Access 7/13/2009 Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN. https://www.fao.org/faostat/foodsecurity/MDG/EN/Sudan_e.pdf. Accessed 6/2/2009 FAO Fact Sheet. Unlocking the Water Potential of Agriculture. FAO 2003 Sarath Fernando, Co-Secretary of the Movement for national Land and Agricultural reform (MOLNAR). Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) Media Release. July 25, 2009. https://farmlandgrab.org/6501. Access 8/8/2009 Grain. Making a killing from hunger. Against the grain. Barcelona. April 2008. https://www.grain.org/articles/?id=39 Grain. Seized the 2009 land grab for food and financial security! October 2008 International Fund for Agricultural Development. Sudan. https://operations.ifad.org/web/ifad/operations/country/home/tags/sudan. Accessed 6/5/2009 International Monetary Fund. Impact of High food and fuel prices on developing countries FAQ. Updated April 11,2008. Access 8/2/2009. https://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/faq/ffpfaqs.htm International Monetary Fund. Table 2. Indices of Market Prices for Non-Fuel and Fuel Commodities 2006-2009. https://www.imf.org/external/np/res/commod/table2.pdf. Access: 8/8/2009 International Food Policy Research Institute. Land Grabbing by foreign Investors in Developing Countries: Risks and Opportunities. IFPRI Policy Brief 13. April 2009. Mulma, Joyce. Kenya: Fears over new land deal. Inter Press Service. 4 July 2009. https://farmlandgrab.org/5992/print/ Ramos, Danilo. APC Secretary. Asian Peasant Coalition (APC) Media Release. July 25, 2009. https://farmlandgrab.org/6501. Access 8/8/2009 Rettet den Regenwald. Rainforest Rescue. https://www.regenwald.org/internatioanl/englisch/protestaktion.php?id+421. Access 7/1/2009 Rural Poverty Portal. Rural poverty in Madagascar. https://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/web/guest/country/home/tags/madagascar Access 6/15/2009 Ryall, Julian.Land rental deal collapses after backlash against colonialism. Telegraph. UK. Jan 14, 2009 Urquhart, Sam. The food crisis continues in the form of a global scramble for lucrative farmlands. June 17, 2009. https://farmlandgrab.org/5562/print. Access 7/12/2009 Wadhams, Nick. Kenyan activists fight land deal with Qatar. The National. June 5, 2009. https://farmalndgrab.org/4694/print/ World Bank. Country study: Sudan. https://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/SUDANEXTN/0,,menuPK:375428~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:375422,00.html. Accessed 6/4/2009