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.
Pressed on which countries in Africa would be suitable food sources, Hisham Abdullah Al Shirawi, the chairman of Economic Zones World, says the test would be countries where water was in abundance and which were not spoilt by strife.
"The UAE is looking not just at land [acquisitions] but developing the whole supply chain," says Nicholas Lodge, managing partner at Clarity, a consultancy that advises on investments in agricultural industries.
New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs says his country can be a logical partner for resource-rich Gulf countries as a producer of food in places like Africa, where experts say half of the potential agricultural land is under-utilised.
The intended aim is to meet Abu Dhabi's vision and strategy for long-term food security.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will become a majority owner of eight Serbian agriculture corporations that own 9,000 hectares of land and will lease an additional 14,000 hectares of arable land in Serbia for EUR 250 per hectare per year.
Dubai-based AWGAL Investments is in advanced talks with farmers in Texas to invest in cattle farms to produce Halal-certified US beef for the GCC and MENA region.
A 20,000 ha tranche of Serbian farmland bought by an Abu Dhabi firm should be providing a substantial amount of the UAE's food within the next five years.
Abu Dhabi's Al Dahra Agricultural Company is to develop 9,000 hectares of farmland in Serbia as it seeks to bolster food security in the UAE.
UAE seeks to have Argentina join the ranks of other world countries such as India, USA, Canada and Brazil in becoming a primary supplier of food to the country.
"Today, all patriotic Africans are weeping when they see how African governments are giving out African lands, dispossessing the African people of their ancestral land, for practically next to nothing, in the name of attracting foreign investors!", writes Abba Mahmood
The UAE is eying lands overseas in order to provide ongoing food supply to face the increase in the country’s population as the UAE imports steadily soared in the past few years, Ministry of Economy official said.
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Muscle Maker acquires Zambia farmland for $8.5M
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