ADC: UNLOCKING THE WEALTH OF AFRICA’S AGRICULTURE, PARTNERSHIP FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS ON OFFER
ADC is a Cape Town-based firm specializing in agribusiness project identification, development, facilitation and management across the African continent. Hennie van der Merwe, the CEO, has the following to say on the company and its ventures.
“We firmly believe that the economic development and prospering of the African continent. Also, as an economic and trading bloc, is inextricably linked to its ability to unlock the economic potential and value of its rich agricultural resources. Commercial farming and agribusiness are essential for this to happen.
The agribusiness sector can and should be a major driver of economic development and job creation on the continent. The lack of commercial projects and commercial agribusiness value chains and the associated inclusive models for the development of this sector remains one of the biggest constraints in this regard.”
About the ADC
The ADC’s vision is to see the development and growth of the agribusiness sector in Africa to become a major driver of economic development, job creation and empowerment on the continent. Its core competence is its knowledge and understanding of the principles and requirements of commercial agribusiness projects in the African environment and ability to mobilise skilled professionals and other role players that can add value, enhance profitability and ensure the sustainability of interventions. It is currently working with over 60 product and service providers – from aquaculture firms and irrigation system manufactures to greenhouse suppliers and cold storage specialists – to develop agribusiness and rural development solutions for Africa.
Soil analysis – DRC sugar project
Dairy SUDAN delegation
For example, when developing a dairy project, the ADC, together with its network of companies, would put in place all the elements of the value chain from the development of the business plan to the processing and marketing arrangements. This could also include the supply of the heifers/cows/semen, support/advice from dairy production, nutrition and health specialists to ensure that the cows perform at their optimal levels; appropriate dairy parlour design and equipment supply and installation, value-adding opportunity evaluation and product development support, project management and training/mentorship as applicable. Our involvement would also support and ensure market linkage and partnership development to enable the complete dairy value chain to operate successfully and sustainably.
The ADC has been involved with numerous agribusiness projects across the continent and has experience in several countries, including Angola, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, and Ethiopia, to name a few.
A mentorship programme in NIGERIA
ADC Development of Strategy & Benefits
An essential element of the ADC business development strategy is to reach, involve and capacitate local business people to get involved in the commercial agribusiness value chain as a profitable and rewarding business activity.
Traditionally African countries and their investment promotion agencies have focused on foreign investors as the primary source of investment in commercial agribusiness, whereas we believe that there is substantial indigenous capacity and funds available from a local business that can be mobilised as investors, developers, partners and entrepreneurs in the agribusiness sector and value chains.
Additionally, the empowerment of agri-entrepreneurs all over Africa to start and expand agribusiness related enterprises, based on the exposure of this sector to new and innovative business ideas, technology and partnerships/linkages present a great challenge.
The down-stream economic benefits of activated, empowered and expanded commercial value chains across the continent, supported/underpinned by commercial farming producing the required raw materials for value-adding/processing, trading/exporting and retailing is immense. Given the fact that agriculture production (and often some level of beneficiation as well) takes place in the rural areas of Africa, it is evident that the job creation and economic empowerment outcome of this broader initiative would be very substantial.
Technical Delegation to ANGOLA
ANGOLA Irrigation
Our Offer
The ADC (therefore) calls on the entrepreneurs and business people of Africa to partner with it to develop profitable and sustainable commercial farming and related agribusiness projects across the continent.
“We will bring the commercial farming know-how and experience to develop commercial crop & animal production, processing and marketing projects along the entire agribusiness value chain. This can be done for both green and brownfield developments from business plan stages, through the mobilisation of finance and market linkage, to project implementation and management
The world is looking eagerly at Africa as the continent with the largest undeveloped arable land resource in the world. The call, therefore, goes out loud and clear to Africa’s business sector to wake up to the opportunities that the agribusiness sector has to offer and not to wait for countries and companies from elsewhere to walk away with the spoils.
Livestock development project in SUDAN
Abattoir evaluation in UGANDA
Finally / In Closing
The time has never been so opportune for Africa’s businessmen and women to benefit from the myriad of potentially lucrative business opportunities in the agribusiness sector.
The time is now!
Contact details:
If you have any questions regarding the ADC, please contact Hennie van der Merwe:
PHONE:+27 (0)21 883 9044
MAIL: agribusiness@iafrica.com
For any questions, you can mail us at marketing@agri4africa.com or visit our site for other exciting business opportunities!
For more information on the ADC, please visit their company profile on our website.
