Middle East/Africa

The Shariah-complaint real assets and project finance vehicle will pursue biogas energy projects in the UK, in a similar strategy to the firm’s predecessors.

Co-founder Ryan Lefers describes informal discussions with US government entities regarding potential equity support for its controlled-environment farming systems in water-scarce markets worldwide.

New Forests is partnering with CDC Group, Finnfund and Norfund to launch the strategy, its first major foray into the African market.

Rapid execution of investments designed to enhance Abu Dhabi’s food chain resiliency reflects evolution in a public-private partnership model that bodes well for ag-focused private capital.

Executive director Gil Adotevi describes how ADQ is supporting production of crops in Abu Dhabi and the role it is carving out in global supply chains.

A final close is expected within months, 8F Asset Management said, with further funds focused on the Middle East and China to follow soon.

The land-based aquaculture company will establish facilities in Abu Dhabi, China and Brunei as it targets to produce 260,000 tonnes of salmon per annum.

The firm is close to fully divesting its 2008-vintage Agri-Vie Fund I, while its $146 million successor vehicle is now close to being fully deployed.

The $750m vehicle follows the same buy-and-build strategy of its $433m predecessor and is likely to attract LPs from Europe and the Middle East as well as North America.

Debt commitment to ETG will allow the agricultural conglomerate to strengthen its food value chains which support more than 550,000 smallholder farmers in Africa alone.