Large Scale Farming in Africa,

20-21 Apr, 2010 - Cairo, EGYPT

Semiramis InterContinental Cairo

PLEASE CLICK HERE to view upcoming event. Information here is outdated

"Investing in Large Scale Farming - Opportunities, risk management & financing solutions"

 

Under the patronage of

His Excellency Amin Abaza

MINISTER of Agriculture & Land Reclamation

The Arab Republic of Egypt

 

Investment into large-scale farming is a key agenda for many companies and government, especially in today's high food price environment and to meet demands of a growing and affluent population. Africa, with available arable land for lease and ready domestic market, has become a hot spot for foreign companies looking into large-scale agriculture farm investment.

 

"South Africa has signed a deal with the Republic of Congo that will give South African farmers access to up to 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres) of farmland, the country's biggest farmers' union, Agri SA said on Tuesday. The deal, potentially one of the largest land agreements on the continent and part of Congo's plan to improve food security, will allow South African farmers to lease land for maize, soy beans, poultry and dairy cattle among other produce" 21/10/09, Sagoodnews.co.za

 

"Al Amoudi's Saudi Star Agricultural Development Plc, receives 10,000 hectares in Gambella to farm rice for 60 years rent-free. Haile Assegide, Chief Executive of the company estimates that 45 per cent of the farm's yield will be sold on the Ethiopian market". 30/1/10, www.abbaymedia.com

 

"In August 2009, Janan signed a 2nd deal with Egypt to enable the company to cultivate a further 42,000 ha of land for wheat, maize and feed... The project is expected to produce 350,000 ton of wheat/yr, & it is claimed that all grain produced will be for Egyptian consumption" 10/09, www.grain.org

 

However, companies need to assess what is the best strategy and business model to succeed in Africa. What are the challenges & pitfalls to avoid in order to maximise your investment? What are the land acquisition and utilization policies in the selected countries of Investment? In today's tight financial market, securing financial solution is one of the major challenges in farmland investment. What are the criteria for Commercial Farmers participating in the Input Finance Project?

 

Attend CMT's conference on Large Scale Farming in Africa to hear from regulators and investors who will share insights into investment climate & case study.

 

Key sessions include

  • Where are the opportunities for agricultural investment in Africa?
  • What are the "hot" commodities and regional areas to invest in?
  • Hear from Agri SA, Karuturi Global, Dina Farms & Bio-Energy Investment their investment experiences
  • Find out the various risks management solution for agriculture corporate
  • Legal issues for farmland investments & resolving disputes
  • Investors concerns on tax issues, compliance, risk & etc
  • Seek answers & clarify doubts from Government agencies in Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco with regards to investment & land policies, incentives & water resources issues.
  • How to increase farm productivity through biotechnology & modernization of farming practice
  • Infrastructure development to support trade & distribution of agriculture produce

Who Should Attend

Farm & plantation investors/owners, Asset management company, Investment banks & agricultural Funds Company, Fertilizer companies, Seed suppliers, Machinery companies, Tax & legal firm, Insurance companies & risk management consultant, Agrochemicals & biotech companies, Irrigation industry, Government organization & investment board.

 

Sign up with your team today to enjoy group discount! Send your registration to grace@cmtsp.com.sg or online at www.cmtevents.com

Industry News

 

Here's a video clip of our Cairo event in April 2010.

 

 

 

02 Aug, 2010

A quiet – and green – revolution is already growing in Africa, led by scientists, farmers and politicians. Scientists are developing new and improved crop varieties. The continent’s farmers are putting into practice techniques like drip irrigation. African governments are making transforming agriculture a top priority with fertilizer subsidies and other beneficial policies:

 

“In Tanzania, farmers plant early-maturing maize to escape the damage caused by an increasingly unreliable rainy season. Over 300,000 farmers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are using micro-dosing techniques to increase yields and reduce fertilizer use. For the last 4 years, Malawi has not only met its own food needs, but has also become able to export to its neighbors. Rwanda’s agricultural production has grown by 13 per cent and 17 per cent in the last two years.” ~ The Daily Monitor, 23 March 2010

 

Kenyashifts from rain-fed agriculture to stem food crisis” ~Daily Nation, 19 March 2010

 

In the Southeast African nation of Malawi, large new government subsidies for chemical fertilizer have led to bumper crops of corn.…Already following Malawi’s lead are Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, all of which have announced plans for expanded fertilizer subsidies.” ~The New York Times, 21 Feb 2010

 

What do these trends mean for Agri-investment in Africa?
How will they change the nature of investment and project management?

 

Answers to the above questions will be provided at the upcoming Large Scale Farming in Africa conference, meeting in Cairo on 20-21 April 2010, where SGS, Dina Farms & Syngenta Agro are sharing perspectives on water and soil management as well as increasing farm productivity through technology. Not to be missed sessions include:

  • SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT FOR LARGE FARMLANDS – MAKING GAINS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
    Addressed by: Mr. Stuart Shepherd, Soil/Leaf Analytical Service Director
    SGS South Africa (PTY) Ltd
  • WATER MANAGEMENT FOR AGRI-INVESTMENT IN EGYPT
    Addressed by: Mr. Tamer Hassan, Operations Director
    Dina Farms
  • INCREASING FARM PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
    Addressed by: Dr. Shachi Sharma, Key Account Development Manager
    Syngenta Agro AG

The Large Scale Farming in Africa conference program offers perspectives from regulators and investors on the policy environment, investment climate & project case studies, as well as the latest on increasing agri-productivity. Conference participants can look forward to clarifying their top concerns and questions on investing in Africa.

 

Those keen on participating in the Large Scale Farming in Africa conferencecan click on the links below to:

 


08 Apr, 2010

Ethiopia is betting that the World Bank is right when it says investing in agriculture is one of the most effective ways to speed economic development in Africa. To breathe new life into their stagnant agriculture sector, Ethiopia is wooing foreign firms with offers to lease huge tracts of land at rock bottom prices according to a recent report in VOANews.com.

 

The policy of the government of Ethiopia regarding agricultural land development has always been based on the small-scale farmer,” said Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in an interview. “But the strategy also included the possibility of the private sector playing a supplementary but vital role.

 

The offer of cheap land has attracted wide interest, from governments like Saudi Arabia that import most of their food, to multi-nationals like Karuturi Global.

 

At CMT’s Large Scale Farming in Africa conference, Mr. Esayas Kebede, the Director of Agricultural Investment Support at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development will be speaking on the topic, “PROSPECTS OF COMMERCIAL FARMS IN AFRICA” where he will discuss the investment experience in Ethiopia.

 

In addition to insights from Ethiopia, attendees at the Large Scale Farming in Africa conference, which meets in Cairo on 20-21 April 2010, will also get updates on investment opportunities from the Agriculture Ministries of Ghana, Kenya and Egypt.

 

In fact, H.E. Amin Abaza, Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture & Land Reclamation will be delivering the keynote address at the Cairo conference on the topic, “OPPORTUNITIES FOR AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT IN EGYPT”

 

The conference is already attracting participation from leading Farm & plantation investors/owners, Asset management companies, Investment banks & agricultural Funds Companies including AgriSA, Agricultural Management Company, Swiss Re, Karuturi Global Ltd, SGS Group Management Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank, EFG-Hermes, Bio-Energy Investments and many more.

 

Representatives from the Agriculture industry, including Fertilizer companies, Seed suppliers, Machinery companies, and Agrochem & biotech companies are also expected to participate in the conference, along with Tax & Legal experts, Insurance Companies, Risk Management Experts, Irrigation Experts and Regulators.

 

Those keen on participating in the “Large Scale Farming in Africa” conference as speakers, sponsors, media partners, exhibitors, and participants are welcome to submit their enquiries online by clicking on the link below or emailing Ms. Grace Oh at grace@cmtsp.com.sg.

 

>>Register Here<<

11 Mar, 2010

 

Les investissements dans l'agriculture en Afrique ont connu récemment une croissance remarquable, plusieurs sociétés privées d’actions injectant des fonds importants dans le secteur agroalimentaire de l'Afrique. À la lumière des opportunités d’investissements prometteurs, une conférence internationale ayant reçu le patronage de Son Excellence Amin Abaza, ministre égyptien de l'Agriculture et de la Mise en valeur des terres, se tiendra au Caire afin d’explorer et de discuter des défis, de la gestion des risques et du financement des solutions de « l’Agriculture à grande échelle en Afrique ». (Large Scale Farming in Africa)

 

Le Caire, EGYPTE-XX février 2010/Communiqué de presse /-- «  L’Agriculture à grande échelle en Afrique » (Large Scale Farming in Africa) est une conférence internationale, qui se tiendra les 20-21 avril 2010 au Caire.

 

Organisée sous le patronage de Son Excellence Amin Abaza, ministre égyptien de l'Agriculture et de la Mise en valeur des terres, la Conférence abordera des questions fondamentales qui influent sur les investissements dans l'agriculture à grande échelle et les zones agricoles sur tout le continent africain.

 

La forte progression des prix des produits agricoles de base, l’augmentation de la demande pour la bioénergie, plus la croissance des populations mondiales et des économies, ont dopé / accru la confiance entre les banques d'investissement et les fonds spéculatifs (hedge funds) pour se procurer de vastes domaines de zones agricoles et influer sur la croissance du marché des produits de base au comptant. Le continent africain, avec ses immenses parcelles de terres offre maintenant un potentiel énorme d’investissements agricoles.

 

La conférence « l’Agriculture à grande échelle en Afrique » (Large Scale Farming in Africa) fournira à ses participants une plate-forme pour explorer les possibilités d'investissements à venir ainsi que l’occasion de discuter de la gestion des risques et des solutions de financement. Le comité de la conférence, qui comprend des régulateurs clés tels que Son Excellence Amin Abaza,  ministre égyptien de l'Agriculture et de la Mise en valeur des terres et des acteurs clés de l'industrie tels AgriSA, SGS, Swiss Re, Agricultural Management Co., bio-Energy Investments, Karuturi Global, discuteront de:

 

•      Perspectives d’investissements dans l’agriculture mondiale

•      Politiques d’acquisition et d’utilisation des terres

•      Etudes de cas sur les opportunités et investissements commerciaux agricoles en Afrique

•      Commerce de souscriptions, gestion de l'investissement et du risque

•      Développement en aval des produits de l'agriculture

•      Augmentation de la productivité des exploitations et rôle de la biotechnologie

•     Développement de l'infrastructure en vue de soutenir les échanges logistiques

•     Accessibilité des matières premières et des ressources en eau

 

La Conférence est déjà assurée de la participation ’investisseurs/propriétaires d’exploitations et de plantations de première importance, de sociétés de gestion d'actifs, de banques d'investissement et de sociétés de fonds agricoles. Cette conférence verra également la participation des représentants de l'industrie de l'agriculture, comprenant des fabricants d’engrais, des fournisseurs de grains, des entreprises d’équipement mécanique  et des sociétés d’agrochimie et de biotechnologie. En outre, des experts juridiques et fiscaux, des sociétés d'assurances, des experts en gestion des risques, des experts en irrigation et des régulateurs participeront également à l’échange des idées et la recherche de compétences.

 

Les personnes désireuses de participer à la conférence « l’Agriculture à grande échelle en Afrique » (Large Scale Farming in Africa) comme intervenants, sponsors, partenaires médias, exposants et participants sont invitées à soumettre leurs demandes de renseignements en ligne à www.cmtevents.com/?ev=100421.

 

 

12 Feb, 2010

 

Here’s a round-up of Agri-Investments headlines from Africa over the past 3 months:

 

Mauritius said on January 27 it is seeking investors to buy into a plan to lease farmland in Mozambique to ease growing food security worries on the Indian Ocean Island. Mauritius intends to grow crops such as wheat, rice, pulses, maize, onions and potatoes on mainland Africa. ~ Reuters Africa, 27 Jan

 

A UNITED Arab Emirates (UAE) company is seeking a 98-year lease on vast tracts of farmland in Tanzania to grow rice in order to secure food supplies for the Gulf countries...Gulf countries, mainly reliant on food imports, have increased efforts to buy or lease land in developing nations such as Tanzania to secure food supplies and minimize the impact of food inflation. ~ This Day Tanzania, 25 Jan

 

Sudan wants to attract foreign investors to cultivate vast tracks of land that are currently unused in Africa’s largest country, State Minister for Finance Tarek Shalabi said. “We have millions of acres of land, very flat and unspoiled and it hasn’t really been even explored yet,” said Shalabi, 41, in an interview in the capital, Khartoum. “Sudan is a very good place for agricultural investment.” ~Bloomberg, 17 Dec.

 

It is increasingly evident that Africa's agricultural potential is gaining widespread recognition. As the only continent which was bypassed by the Green Revolution, there are hopes to increase the productivity of Africa’s agriculture sector through investment and off-the-shelf technologies.

 

Ghana, Madagascar, Mali and Ethiopia alone have approved 1.4 million hectares of land allocations to foreign investors since 2004, according to the International Institute for Environment and Development in London. Investors like Ramakrishna Karuturi from Karuturi Global, the world’s largest producer of Roses, have invested in farms in Kenya and Ethiopia. Others like South Africa’s Agricultural union AGRI has recently signed a land deal in Congo.

 

As a matter of fact, the Large Scale Farming in Africa conference, which meets in Cairo on 20-21 April 2010 will see H.E Amin Abaza, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Egypt providing insights on Opportunities for agriculture investment in Egypt as well as Ramakrishna Karuturi, Founder & Managing Director- Karuturi Global Ltd share perspectives on the Opportunities and Challenges of Agri-Investments in Africa.

 

The conference will also feature insights from leading Farm & plantation investors/owners, Asset management companies, Investment banks & agricultural Funds Companies.

 

Those keen on attending the Large Scale Farming in Africa conference can submit their registrations online. >>Click here for more information.<<

 

10 Feb, 2010

 

Investment in Africa’s agriculture has seen tremendous growth recently, with several private equity funds injecting large amounts in the agribusiness sector.  “Large Scale Farming in Africa” is an international conference, which meets in Cairo to explore upcoming Investment opportunities, and discuss risk management & financing solutions.

 

Large Scale Farming in Africa” is an international conference, which meets on 20-21 Apr 2010 in Cairo to explore upcoming investment opportunities in Africa’s agriculture sector, and discuss risk management and financing solutions.

 

Held under the patronage ofHis Excellency Amin Abaza, Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture & Land Reclamation, the conference will address fundamental issues impacting African agriculture including:

The conference will attract participation from leading Farm & plantation investors/owners, Asset management companies, Investment banks & agricultural Funds Companies.

 

Representatives from the Agriculture industry, including Fertilizer companies, Seed suppliers, Machinery companies, and Agrochem & biotech companies are also expected to participate in the conference. In addition, Tax & Legal experts, Insurance Companies, Risk Management Experts, Irrigation Experts and Regulators are slated to attend the conference to exchange ideas and seek expertise.

 

Those keen on participating in the “Large Scale Farming in Africa” conference as speakers, sponsors, media partners, exhibitors, and participants are welcome to submit their enquiries online by >>Clicking here<< or email Ms. Grace Oh at grace@cmtsp.com.sg.

11 Jan, 2010

Testimonials

Experts explain why increasing Agricultural Productivity is Africa's top priority at Large Scale Farming in Africa Conference in Cairo. >>Find out more here<<

08 Apr, 2010

Ethiopia is betting that the World Bank is right, and is wooing foreign firms with offers to lease huge tracts of land at rock bottom prices. Hear from a key Ethiopian Regulator at the Large Scale Farming in Africa conference in Cairo. >>Read more here<<

10 Mar, 2010

Large Scale Farming in Africa” is an international conference, which meets in Cairo to explore investment opportunities in Africa’s agriculture sector, and discuss risk management and financing solutions. >>Read More Here<<

11 Jan, 2010