Natural Capital

CDPQ's Nicolas Leyssieux and CEFC's Heechung Sung set out how the unusual deal to establish a farmland investment platform while taking an equity stake in Gunn Agri Partners came about.

The close represents the first stage of a planned initial fundraise of A$65m, which will be used to acquire a mixed farming aggregation and water entitlements in NSW’s Southern Riverina.

CEFC and CDPQ will establish Wilga Farming, an open-end platform with A$200m of capital to be managed by Gunn Agri Partners, as well as taking a stake in the asset manager itself.

The bank will make a commitment of A$10m to New Harvest’s Indigenous Impact Investment Fund, attracted by its potential to support sustainable Indigenous Australian business growth.

Hancock Agriculture will buy Ottley Station and Moolan Downs, with the purchaser of Packhorse’s other asset Stuart’s Creek yet to be finalized.

goFARM and Nuveen Natural Capital told the Global Food Forum in Melbourne that sustainable agricultural practices were attractive to investors.

The sovereign debt restructuring facility seems capable of solving numerous challenges simultaneously but has some way to go before it becomes an easily replicable way of protecting natural capital.

Christof Kutscher has stepped down from the role and Berg will move up from his position as chief investment officer for the firm’s nature based carbon strategy.

Macquarie Asset Management has A$38.4bn of equity dry powder to deploy across all asset classes after another strong year of fundraising.

The Kilter Agriculture Fund will invest in farmland water and is targeting A$65m in a first fundraise that will close later this month.