Savills, the UK property consultancy, believes sub-Saharan Africa, in agriculture, is the Brazil of the 1970s but warns against investments in farms of over 5,000 ha because of land ownership sensitivities.

Olam is putting together an investment plan for the areas of agricultural production and food distribution, which could equal the amount of investment made since it started operating in Mozambique.

BrasilAgro flagged the buoyancy of Brazil's farmland market by selling off part of its holding for the equivalent of $6,000 an acre – more than four times the price it paid six years ago.

A visit to Mozambique dispels any notion that big business is going to ‘feed Africa’. Hazel Healy reports on a land rush in full swing.

Foreign investment in African land has been greatly fostered by the Indian Government and its business associations.

Africa’s primary food security systems are at threat from the process of relentless land degradation, dispossession, privatisation and large scale land grabs.

Black River Asset Management, a hedge fund run by an arm of the world's largest agriculture company, Cargill, has increased its stake in the unlisted agricultural company BFB Group

Land conflicts are causing delays in Sime Darby and Golden Veroleum's oil palm plantation plans in Liberia.

Global rules for investment in agriculture need to be overhauled, Sultan Al Mansouri, the UAE Minister of Economy, said yesterday, as signs emerge of rising barriers to the flow of investment around the world.

Hesham Al Shirawi, Chairman of Economic Zones World, mooted the idea of establishing free zones for agri-business in Africa during the Africa Global Business Forum 2013. The establishment of corn farms is also a lucrative business proposition, he added.

The member countries also agreed to draft a unified strategy for cooperation with other Arab countries that have agricultural land, including Sudan, Morocco and Yemen, as well as with African countries.

Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd. will work with the Department of Agriculture to identify lands in the Philippine for the production of cash crops, hoping to eventually control over 200,000ha.