OXFAM is inviting people of Tavistock to join it in its petition against 'land grabbing'.

An area of land as big as Devon is sold off almost every day in poor countries, resulting in hunger, homelessness and death. Over the next few weeks, Tavistock Oxfam shop is holding a petition to coincide with international protests to end land grabs.

Land grabbing is where companies, governments and investors make deals to buy large plots of land to make huge profits. In consequence the people living on the land cannot use it for growing crops to feed their families. Their jobs are also taken from them and they have no say in the matter as often this is done through violent action.

Anyone in the local area has the chance to sign the petition that will continue over the next couple weeks. It will then be sent to West Devon and Torridge MP Geoffrey Cox in the hope that this will convince him to voice this concern to parliament. The next G8 summit will be hosted by Britain in June.

Deputy manager of Tavistock Oxfam Jake Sloane, has created this petition to involve the local community in their protest against one of the most threatening current issues in fighting global poverty.

He said: 'The land these people live on is poor but for some of them it is all they have got. Investors and bankers are taking this land from them — stealing their only possession.'

He said the main reason this issue is being highlighted is the growth in amount of land taken. From 2001 to 2011 more than 561 million acres have been sold or leased — 17 times the size of England or 330 times the size of Devon.

Editor of Resurgence and Ecologist magazine Satish Kumar, when asked why land grabbing is on the increase, said: 'Good social justice and environmental justice are two wings of a bird, land is being seen as an investment commodity and a source of liveliness.'

Satish previously visited both Oxfam shops in Tavistock to show his support of the town's altruism.

Oxfam is welcoming support for this campaign, be it gifting items to Oxfam shops, volunteering with the charity and shopping in its stores.