ABU DHABI — Agriscape 2017, the first international exhibition on agricultural investments abroad, wrapped up a highly successful inaugural edition at Rosewood Abu Dhabi, facilitating business deals worth over AED4 billion ($1.089 billion) during its two-day run.
Held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the event drew the participation of 51 exhibitors offering agri-land and other agri-assets from more than 40 countries, as well as 300 buyers and key decision makers from companies active in the food security, farmland and agro-processing sectors from across the globe.
Khalifa Al Ali, CEO of the Food Security Center – Abu Dhabi (FSCAD), said: "We are proud of the huge success achieved by the inaugural edition of Agriscape that generated significant business leads for its participants and helped them forge strategic alliances. Agriscape has now established itself as the definitive platform to gain valuable insight into the latest trends and showcase a diverse array of global agri-land investment opportunities. I am confident that the event will go a long way in supporting food security in the UAE and stepping up awareness about the opportunities available in farmland sector across the world.”
During the event, representatives of major agribusiness companies investing abroad expressed their satisfaction with the unique opportunities highlighted, quality business leads secured and business-to-business meetings facilitated by the event. They also confirmed their intention to participate in the upcoming edition of Agriscape.
Sake van der Wal, Consul (Economic), South African Consulate General, Dubai, said: “We are happy with our participation in the inaugural edition of Agriscape. The well-attended event provided us with an ideal platform to meet the right stakeholders within the industry and highlight potential opportunities within South Africa’s agri-land sector. The response from prospective investors has been overwhelming and surpassed our expectations. We are grateful to the organizers for creating this platform and look forward to participating in the upcoming editions.”
Dr Alan B Pearson, Group Chairman, Prime Consulting International, New Zealand, said: “Agriscape 2017 has proven to be a well-organized event with high quality participants from a diverse range of geographies. Unlike regular tradeshows, the event’s unique concept as a by-invitation-only platform provided participants with an exclusive opportunity to network with the right business partners and stakeholders, address the challenges faced by the global food supply chain, and find solutions that are best suited to them. We commend Abu Dhabi Food Security Alliance for organizing this industry-focused event and look forward to participating in its future editions.”
Maxim Popov, Agriculture and Food Processing Sector Expert, Moldova Investment and Export Promotion Organization, said: “We have marked a highly successful participation in Agriscape 2017, generating 20 good business leads and agreeing with three companies to reciprocally visit Moldova to cement synergies. The opportunity to promote investment opportunities in Moldova and form valuable partnerships makes Agriscape a must-attend event for the agri-business sector.”
Agriscape 2017 was organized by the Abu Dhabi Food Security Alliance (ADFSA) and Food Security Center – Abu Dhabi (FSCAD) in collaboration with the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Abu Dhabi Ports, Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Abu Dhabi Chamber), Department of Culture and Tourism, and Al Dahra Agriculture. The event featured a unique format combining an exhibition, a conference, and scheduled one-on-one meetings and networking sessions among agri-land buyers.
The Abu Dhabi Food Security Alliance is a consortium of government institutions and private sector companies that work towards the common goal of achieving sustainable food security. — SG
