BBC Learning English

BBC Learning English

Words in the news

21st November 2008

Daewoo leases land in Madagascar

Words in the news

? British Broadcasting Corporation 2008

Page 1 of 2

https://www.sodocs.net/doc/6d7363831.html,

The giant South Korean conglomerate, Daewoo, has leased a vast tract of land in Madagascar to help secure the country's access to food supplies. Daewoo Logistics has leased an area half the size of Belgium on which it will grow food crops. Martin Plaut reports:

Daewoo says it will grow corn and palm oil on huge tracts of Madagascan farmland that the company has leased for 99 years. This ambitious scheme will cover 1.2 million hectares and is part of South Korea's plans to ensure its access to food supplies in the coming years.

The scheme is designed to provide more than half the country's imports of corn when it's fully operational in fifteen years' time.

A number of Asian countries have been attempting to ensure their access to food supplies since unrest over food broke out earlier this year. And some African countries have been keen to receive overseas investment. Angola has offered farmland for development and Ethiopia's Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, said he is eager to see foreign companies take a stake in his country's agriculture.

Martin Plaut, BBC

Vocabulary and definitions

huge tracts a large area of land

leased made a legal agreement by which money is paid to use

something (here, land) for an agreed period

ambitious big/grand and difficult to achieve

its access to food supplies it has enough food

designed created with a certain aim

fully operational working to its full capacity, delivering all it can

unrest here, showing discontent

broke out started (normally used to talk about something unpleasant

or even dangerous)

is eager to see wants (something to happen) badly

take a stake get financially involved, put their money

More on this story: https://www.sodocs.net/doc/6d7363831.html,/2/hi/business/7737643.stm

Read and listen to the story and the vocabulary online:

https://www.sodocs.net/doc/6d7363831.html,/worldservice/learningenglish/newsenglish/witn/2008/11/081121_skorea_madagascar.shtml Words in the news ? British Broadcasting Corporation 2008

Page 2 of 2

https://www.sodocs.net/doc/6d7363831.html,