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:

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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

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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

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