The Italian agribusiness investors are interested in land leasing with ready engineering and transport infrastructure and access to the Chinese and Russian markets

Multiple elements are driving farmland values up such as purchases by agriculture multinationals and by institutional investors such as pension funds and trusts.

The Central Asia region has become a hot investment destination for Chinese agricultural firms, such as Huangfanqu Farm in Tajikistan.

Handing over natural resources like land to corporations and destroying small-scale agriculture will not reduce poverty.

During the event investment opportunities and the potential of Kazakhstan in the agricultural sector were presented to 60 Dutch businessmen

Dubai-based agriculture and food company Phoenix Group will invest in debt-laden Kenya operations of rose exporter Karuturi Global Ltd.

A group of Chinese companies is rolling out more premium UHT milk and planning a new "fashion milk" from its 29 New Zealand farms, almost entirely for the Chinese market.

Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, majority-owned by the Luxembourg-based Socfin group, has commissioned an 11,400 hectare oil palm plantation covering over 10 communities in Nigeria's Edo State.

Olam's Vice President says its rice farm in Nigeria, with 3,000 hectares of land currently under cultivation, will be expanded to 10,000 hectares, making it the largest rice farm in Africa.

China's richest man, Alibaba founder Jack Ma, slipped into New Zealand incognito last month. The founder of the world's largest retailer, which specialises in e-commerce, was in Waikato during Chinese New Year to check out his latest investment.

Madagascar, still chafing from a major broil in 2009 after Ravalomanana made a land deal with Daewoo, is set to have a presidential election in November.

RSPO rebukes Golden Veroleum for land grab in communities in Liberia, booking the company for not seeking the consent of communities and coercing locals into signing MOUs.