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AgDevCo’s mezzanine loan of US$9.5mn will enable Agventure to continue to develop its canola oil production capabilities. (Image source: AgDevCo Ltd)

Specialist agricultural investor AgDevCo has announced its latest invstment into the farmer-owned business Agventure to help the latter expand its canola oil and seed processing business in Kenya

Comprising a collective of farmers, researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs working to model, promote, and share regenerative production methods throughout the food system, Agventure's objective is to enable Kenyan farmers to develop more sustainable farming practices.

AgDevCo’s mezzanine loan of US$9.5mn will enable Agventure to continue to develop its canola oil production capabilities, which sells oil under the Pure Mountain brand in Kenya, allowing the company to increase its volumes purchased from outgrower farmers. It will also help to build Agventure Seed’s platform to supply high quality certified seed to farmers.

“We are excited to be supporting Agventure in its journey to add more value commodity crops, which increases the availability of high quality, locally produced food for the domestic market and reduces reliance on imports,” said AgDevCo’s managing director for East Africa, Rebecca Sankar. The company's vision is a thriving commercial agriculture sector, which benefits both people and planet by investing in and supporting agribusinesses to grow. 

The funding will support Liberia’s agricultural sector by promoting sustainable practices aimed at increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers. (Image source: Ministry of Finance & Development Planning)

The Government of Liberia along with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have inked a grant agreement aimed at boosting agricultural development in the region

The US$5.3mn project is part of the Smallholder Agriculture Transformation and Agribusiness Revitalisation Project (STAR-P), a joint initiative co-financed by IFAD and the World Bank. This funding, provided by the European Union, will support Liberia’s agricultural sector by promoting sustainable practices aimed at increasing the resilience of smallholder farmers.

The primary objective of the project is to improve food security, strengthen the livelihoods of rural communities, and build resilience to climate change by promoting agroecological practices. It will focus on increasing horticultural production through soil fertility enhancement, sustainable water management practices, irrigation technologies, and innovative co-creation models that encourage farmer collaboration.

During the signing ceremony, Finance and Development Planning Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan represented the Government of Liberia, while IFAD Country Representative Pascaline Barankeba signed on behalf of the organisation. Minister Ngafuan understored the importance of the partnership while also extending his gratitude to the European Union for its generous contribution.  

IFAD Country Representative Barankeba also expressed her pleasure in signing these financial instruments and pledged IFAD’s commitment to supporting Liberia through ongoing and future investment in the country. Moreover, she also announced that IFAD would declare the country allocation under IFAD 13 early next year. “This will present an opportunity to increase the current investment or identify a new one, thereby taking our cooperation to new levels,” said Barenkeba. 

This initiative eliminates the need for individual plastic PLU stickers. (Image source: Westfalia Fruit)

Leading multinational avocados and fresh vegetables and fruit supplier, Westfalia Fruit has announced the launch of laser etching on mangoes

The laser project was a collaboration between Westfalia’s capabilities in The Netherlands and in Germany to ensure the fruit’s quality and shelf life were preserved. Driven by its Netherlands-based operations, this initiative eliminates the need for individual plastic PLU stickers. Customer feedback has been very positive, and the plan is to expand the range further across Europe in the near future.

“Since joining Westfalia, my focus has been on improving collaboration and efficiency," said head of operations Central Europe, Mathijs Benard. "The introduction of laser etching, which is almost like a tattoo on the mango, has been an exciting project. Not only does it make the fruit stand out in-store, but it also has the potential to save up to 10 million plastic stickers a year. What we can laser on the fruit is only limited by our imagination and customer needs. Currently, we are etching the fruit origin, customer branding, and product reference.”

Westfalia's Poeldijk production facilities showcase diverse capabilities. While the company is renowned for its expertise in avocados, these facilities also offer year-round packing solutions for sprouts, capsicum, and other vegetables.

 

Group photo following the Launch of the GSRD on 4 December 2024. (Image source: ICRISAT)

In an attempt to transform farming in arid regions and ensure sustainable food systems for future generations, the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has recently launched its visionary 2030 Global Strategy for Resilient Drylands (GSRD)

Developed collaboratively under the leadership of the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the GSRD provides a comprehensive, science-driven roadmap to improve the lives of some 2.7 billion people who call the drylands home with a particular focus on Asia and Africa. 

Based on 50 years of research and innovations from CGIAR's 15 global research centres and partners, the GSRD provides solutions aimed at enhancing food security, conserve biodiversity, and build resilient livelihoods by delivering state-of-the-art agri-research solutions including solar-powered agrivoltaics, innovative agriforestry and livestock feed practices, among others. 

Speaking at COP16 in Riyadh, CGIAR executive managing director, Dr Ismahane Elouafi said the new strategy builds on CGIAR's rich legacy of impact, uniting all fifteen centres in a stronger, more integrated effort to tackle the challenges of drylands.  

“By combining our expertise, we will deliver more innovative, context-specific, and lasting solutions to secure the livelihoods of communities that rely on these vital but fragile ecosystems,” said Dr Elouafi.

Lars-Gunnar Edh, executive vice president of the Lantmännen Energy Sector and CEO of Lantmännen Biorefineries and Mike O’Riordan, Ingredion’s senior vice president of Texture and Healthful Solutions in EMEA. (Image source: Ingredion)

Leading global provider of ingredient solutions for food, beverage and industrial applications, Ingredion Inc recently announced its long term collaboration with agricultural cooperative, Lantmännen

The partnership will aid in the development of a differentiated portfolio of plant-based protein isolates based on yellow peas. A state-of–the-art production plant will also be built in Sweden, with its completion scheduled in 2027. 

According to Ingredion’s senior vice president of texture and healthful solutions in EMEA, Mike O’Riordan, expanding their footprint in the European market marked a new milestone in their strategy to solidify their position as a global leader in the plant-based protein industry.  

“This partnership allows us to leverage our combined strengths to deliver superior, sustainably sourced pea protein isolates that meet the evolving needs of the global market,” O’Riordan added.

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  4. Strengthening Asia-Africa collaboration on soil health
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