Private Equity

Asia Climate Partners will invest in third party agri and forestry funds as well as making direct investments. It is targeting $750m with a $1bn hard cap.

Aqua Capital's $173m fund has backed companies including Comfrio, which operates foodservice logistics in Brazil for brands like Starbucks and Outback Steakhouse.

The agri data and analytics company was sold by SFW Capital, a New York-based private equity firm; its third time to change hands in six years.

The law firm conducted a survey of 80 professionals across the agribusiness, banking, consulting, commodity trading, food retail and not-for-profit sectors and noted the improving conditions for agri investment.

CoBank, a national cooperative bank, has anchored the public-private fund with a $10bn commitment to be used in loans. The fund hopes to attract additional private capital from institutional investors.

Agri Partners and Caribbean Sustainable Agriculture are making use of debt - should more agri investment firms follow their lead?

Ascent Africa has raised $50m towards the $70m target of its debut 'Rift Valley' fund, which will invest a large portion of its capital in agri-related processing companies.

The Mexican government is anchoring its third Agribusiness Capital Fund, targeting $100m. It hopes to launch a separate fund to attract foreign private equity funds at a later date.

Baring, BlackRock and Focus Investment Banking discuss the appeal of the precision agriculture sector and the limited opportunity in the listed market.