Emerging Markets

The Agri-Business Capital Fund was launched in February 2019 with an initial €50 million commitment from stakeholders including the EU and the government of Luxembourg.

The Swiss impact asset manager said closure of the Fair Agriculture Fund did not reflect any change in investor demand for exposure to the vehicle, which had invested more than $1bn across 52 countries since 2011.

Investment into areas such as agtech, aquaculture, controlled environment agriculture and sustainable proteins are expected to bear the biggest opportunities.

The Canadian DFI’s commitment includes provisions to encourage gender equality in Africa’s forestry sector and within the forestry fund itself.

Head of South Asia Srini Nagarajan says food and agri investments in the region have been ‘ignored substantially’ by private equity.

The end of an unlikely surge in Iranian imports of US soy highlights risk that investors face when policymakers use ag to pursue unrelated goals.

The InsuResilience Investment Fund offers public money on concessional terms that is designed to act as first-loss capital to help attract additional private investment.

The South African private equity firm said the Gates Foundation's decision that the woven polymer storage bags had reached commercial maturity cleared the way for it to invest in the product, which is used in the cement and agriculture industries.

Soros Economic Development Fund principal Jocelyn Songco says the first-loss tranche provided to the Yield Uganda Investment Fund shows how impact finance can adapt to unorthodox strategies in high-risk sectors.

Agri-Vie Fund II falls just short of $150m target but EXEO managing partner Herman Marais says food and agri remains a ‘logical entry point’ for long-term investors who want exposure to Africa.