Agriculture = Business in Africa
If agriculture seems like the investment story of the moment, then Africa is its most exciting chapter, states the Financial Times. A transformation of African agriculture is opening up opportunities for investors to access the continent’s vast agricultural potential. With more available cropland than in the rest of the world combined, low cost of land and water in great quantities – no wonder 62% of all large-scale land acquisitions since 2000 have occurred in Africa.An African Green Revolution could raise agriculture production to 880 billion USD per annum by 2030, according to a McKinsey&Co study. Early marked entry may secure dividends for both production and related business activities in this transforming sector.The World Bank Vice President for Africa Ms Obiageli Ezekwesili portrays agriculture as an engine for growth in Africa: “If you ask me what the next ‘big thing’ in Africa will be, I’d say without hesitation agriculture and agri-business.”In the agriculture session on the Norwegian African Business Summit we will focus on agriculture opportunities in Africa – what are the opportunities and what are the challenges? What have investors learned?The following investors, analysts and policy-makers come to share their experiences:
- Minister of the Higher Council for Investment, Republic of Sudan, H.E. Dr. Mustafa Osman Ismail
- Mr Samuel Afari-Dartey, Chief Executive Officer, Forestry Commission of Ghana
- Regional Manager Africa, Head of Banking Advisory, Rabobank, Frank Nagel
- Senior Analyst, Oxford Analytica, Dr. Jolyon Ford
- Head of Industrial Partnerships, Norfund, Elin Ersdal