The school will focus on teaching students sustainable and environmentally friendly farming techniques. (Image source: Salesian Missions)

Donor funding from Salesian Missions, the US development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco has enabled Salesian Missionaries in the Atede community in the Gulu district of Uganda to purchase land for a new agriculture school

Featuring areas for livestock as well as land for growing staple crops like maize, sweet potatoes and other vegetables, the new Salesian school will provide a source of education for poor youth while also growing food to address food security issues. 

The harvest from these crops will help bolster the school’s feeding programmes for its students, who will also learn how to run an agribusiness to sell the surplus.

“The school will focus on teaching students sustainable and environmentally friendly farming techniques. They will have practical and hands-on lessons that will also incorporate education on agribusiness,” a Salesian explained. “Salesians will also focus on agriculture research, experimentation and innovation. The bonds between the school and the local community will strengthen through these agriculture initiatives.”

The acquisition of Merec Industries is Invictus Investment’s second major transaction in Africa. (Image source: Invictus Investment)

Leading agro-food enterprise in the Middle East and Africa, Invictus Investment Company Plc recently announced it has completed the acquisition of Merec Industries, Mozambique’s largest flour milling company

The deal was made through the purchase of Merec Industries’ holding entity, Stratton Africa Holdings Limited, Mauritius, from current shareholders Amethis Fund II and Merec Financial.

Merec Industries is a market leader with strategically located mills, production facilities and silos, along with a strong portfolio of leading food brands. The company operates state-of-the-art milling facilities with a total production capacity of more than 800,000 MT of wheat and corn flour per annum. It also has processing facilities for over 180,000 MT of pasta, biscuits and animal feed per annum, as well as grain silos with a total storage capacity of more than 145,000 MT. The company’s assets are strategically located in Beira, Maputo and Nacala to comprehensively cover demand in Mozambique and neighbouring countries. It also owns a grain terminal at the port of Maputo. 

“The acquisition is expected to add significant scale and synergies between the two companies, increasing our consolidated revenues by over US$272mn per annum," said Amir Daoud Abdellatif, CEO of Invictus Investment. "It will also accelerate other investments and the expansion of our trading activities, fuelling substantial EBITDA growth, which is projected to more than double in 2025."

“This move contributes to our long-term strategy to expand our agro-food business in high-potential African markets, develop new strategic partnerships and build on our operational capabilities in themidstream and downstream segments. It also brings us a step closer to our goal of becoming a fully integrated agro-food enterprise in the Middle East and Africa and achieving US$6.8bn in revenue by 2028. With a focus on key staples in the agricultural sector and food industry, the transaction is expected to positively impact food security and economic growth in Mozambique by supporting job creation and driving export growth.”

With a population of over 34 million, growing at nearly 3% annually, Mozambique is an attractive growth market for wheat-based products, where Invictus Investment expects a projected CAGR of 6% in demand from 2022 to 2027, driven by population growth, urbanisation and rising incomes. The pasta market is also expected to offer additional avenues for business growth, with a forecasted CAGR of 9.5%, driven by evolving dietary preferences over time.

Jean Sébastien, Senior Partner at AmethisFund II, said: “We are pleased to announce the sale of our Merec shareholding to Invictus Investment. Our partnership with Merec has seen it establish a strong market position and brand portfolio by consistently delivering high-quality products. Merec’s growth in its core wheat milling business and diversification into wheat value-addition has significantly contributed to job creation and has improved Mozambique’s food security to the benefit of millions of Mozambican consumers all over the country – a core pillar to Amethis’ investment strategy. We are confident that Invictus Investment will further enhance Merec’s growth by improving efficiency, product quality and seizing new opportunities. With Merec’s local expertise and Invictus Investment’s global capabilities, we are certain that the business will reach new heights.”

The acquisition of Merec Industries is Invictus Investment’s second major transaction in Africa, following the purchase of a 60% stake in Graderco, Morocco’s leading grains trading company, and its subsidiaries from Zalar Holding. Invictus Investment remains focused on exploring further acquisition opportunities, developing new joint ventures in strategic markets,and continuing its investments across key African markets.

Fons Kuijpers, a seasoned Dinnissen process expert with over 15 years of experience. (Image source: Dinnissen Process Technology)

Dinnissen Process Technology, a system integrator specialising in process technology for powders, granules, and bulk goods, announces the opening of yet another branch: Dinnissen Pacific

This marks the company’s sixth branch, in addition to its two locations in the Netherlands, one in Germany, one in Indonesia, and the recently opened office in the UK. Dinnissen Pacific will be headquartered in Auckland and daily management will be led by Fons Kuijpers, a seasoned Dinnissen process expert with over 15 years of experience.

Dinnissen has a large installed base in both New Zealand and Australia. The key difference now is that customer contact will be handled by a local expert, in combination with experts in the Netherlands. This ensures a stronger understanding of local culture, conditions and regulations.  

The company's mission is to enable producers worldwide to efficiently and reliably produce high-quality food/chemicals for people, pets and livestock, both now and in the future. As part of this commitment, the company has steadily expanded its international presence to better serve customers in key regions.

With the addition of branches in Germany, Indonesia, the UK, and now New Zealand, Dinnissen strengthens its global footprint while staying true to its core values.

“We open new branches with the clear goal of enhancing our local presence and being more responsive to the needs of our customers," explained technical & commercial director, Frans Bakker. "The ability to provide fast service and support locally makes our systems even more reliable. That reliability is at the heart of our mission to create a bigger economic footprint and ensure a stable global food supply.”

The Zambezi River Basin project is expected to benefit millions through advancements in agriculture, fisheries, and dam operations. (Image source: AfDB)

With the aim of bolstering environmental sustainability and resilience across Africa, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has secured more than US$18mn in funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) for two major projects 

The first project, 'Strengthening Zambezi River Basin Management towards Climate Resilience and Ecosystem Health,' which has been allocated US$10.57mn aims to improve the collaborative management of water, energy, food, and environmental resources within the Zambezi River Basin, which spans eight southern African countries: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 

The second project, the 'Global Electronics Management (GEM) programme (Horn of Africa Regional Child Project),' has received US$7.83mn to address the growing challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) in Somalia, Djibouti and Ethiopia. The project aims to significantly reduce e-waste generation and increase circularity in the electronics sector of developing countries.

"Through these projects, the African Development Bank continues to lead the way in promoting environmental sustainability and resilience, driving positive change for both people and the planet," stated the director of Climate Change and Green Growth at the AfDB, Anthony Nyong. "Over the years, we have also increased our interventions on issues related to chemicals and waste across the African continent."

The funding was approved by the GEF during its 67th Council meetings held from 17-20 June in Washington DC.