South Africa

Un bail de 50 ans, renouvable pour 50 ans, portant sur 19 254 ha au Mali.

“We plan to have invested $1bn in farms within five years,” says Petrus du Toit of Ridge Solutions, which is acquiring farmland in Angola with backing from foreign investors.

African nations are increasingly turning to South Africa to improve their own agricultural production and skills, according to industry group Agri SA.

South Africa, which became a net importer of food two years ago after two decades of net exporting, is developing African agricultural ambitions of its own.

"Local businessmen make deals with foreign investors and convince tribal authorities in the area to give them land, but the water from the river is not just for people to take," says Water Affairs Under Secretary A. Nehemia who had not been informed about the farm.

At a recent conference in Cairo, South Africa and Zimbabwe were the only African nations not considered safe havens for foreign farmland investment because of uncertainty about land-reform programmes and unfriendly labour environments.

Under the new policy, foreign land ownership would be tied to “productivity and partnership models with South African citizens,” minister Gugile Nkwinti told parliament.

Two South African asset management firms launched a 3 billion rand farmland investment fund on Wednesday that is expected to help boost agricultural development in Africa's biggest economy.

The Congo ventures are not core businesses to be based in the Congo but instead, extensions of businesses located in South Africa

SilverStreet Capital aims to raise $100m to buy farms in South Africa growing produce including corn, wheat, soya beans, fruit and tea. It will also target aquaculture.

Minister says new policy proposal will put the restriction of foreign land ownership in South Africa back on the table, as foreigners are buying lands "three times faster" than government is acquiring for redistribution and restitution

A new land deal allowing South African farmers to produce livestock, milk and fruit in Libya has been put on hold pending the finalisation of an investment protection agreement between the two countries.