Farmland as the new “gold”: Global investment race with geopolitical implications – What it means for Greece
For decades, farmland was simply the means of livelihood for farmers. As of February 2026, it has evolved into one of the most sought-after global investment assets, increasingly replacing gold as a safe haven.
According to GRAIN, at least 350 million stremmas (35 million hectares) of farmland across 66 countries have passed into foreign ownership in recent years. The core issue now troubling governments is ownership control: who ultimately controls the land that produces food?
The U.S. response and national security concerns
In late January 2026, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a dedicated online portal to monitor foreign ownership of American farmland. The move carries strong national security implications.
The AFIDA 2024 report shows that foreign investors own 46 million acres (approximately 186 million stremmas) of U.S. agricultural land, with specific references to China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. In an era of geopolitical tension, food security is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset.
Farmland values in the U.S. remained resilient in 2025, while major auctions in early 2026 attracted institutional investors. Land offers inflation protection, stable rental yields and absolute scarcity.
Europe: Concentration without a common framework
As early as 2017, the European Parliament warned that 52% of EU agricultural land was controlled by just 3% of landowners. Despite renewed discussions in 2025, the EU has yet to establish a unified regulatory framework.
Member states apply fragmented restrictions, leaving Europe without a cohesive land protection strategy.
Greece: Abandonment and energy pressure
Greece has approximately 30 million stremmas of cultivable land, with 6 million stremmas (20%) currently abandoned.
At the same time, high-productivity farmland is increasingly leased or sold for renewable energy installations. Offered prices often exceed what local farmers — particularly young entrants — can compete with.
Investment funds are also acquiring stakes in agri-food businesses, while strategic sectors such as olive oil attract growing corporate interest. Farmland is gradually transforming into a financial asset rather than a tool for food sovereignty.
The policy challenge
Food security depends not only on subsidies or digital agriculture, but fundamentally on land ownership structures.
Without coordinated European and national safeguards, farmers risk becoming tenants on land once owned by local communities.
Source: www.insider.gr
