NABC |

On Monday, 11th of may, the Angola-Cameroun Agrifood Meeting took place. NABC organized this meeting together with the Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO), the Association Friends of Cameroun (VvK) and the Angola Europe Crossborder Exchange (ANEXX). In order to show possible investors the possibilities that exist in Angola and Cameroun, several interesting presentations were scheduled.

Mr. Harry Hoetink, Vice Chairman of the Friends of Cameroon association, welcomed us all and stressed the opportunities that the African continent and, more specifically, Angola and Cameroun have to offer. His suggestions for the food processing industry would be repeated by other speakers.

After his introduction he gave the floor to Mrs. Idit Miller, the Managing Director of EMRC International, who introduced the Agricultural Conference in Cape Town in June 2009. During this event, EMRC in cooperation with the Rabobank Foundation, will hand out the "Project Incubator Award". This prize of $15.000 will be given to a promising project with at least one African partner. Her son Eran Miller later addressed us about his very interesting company Emdevia that works with some agrifood projects in Cameroon.
Dr. ir R.E.E. Jongschaap from Plant Research International of Wageningen University and Research Centre spoke to us about Integrated farming systems and dynamic simulation modeling in an African environment. After what have undoubtedly been many months of thorough research, he presented us with some seemingly simple models how to increase efficiency and productivity in the African agricultural sector.
To get even more inspired, three experts spoke about the two countries and gave several examples of successful businesses in Angola and Cameroun. Both countries possess high fertile grounds and are surrounded by a pan-African market of neighboring countries with hundreds of millions consumers and an average economy growth rate of 6% in the last 15 years, in 2009 hardly touched by the global crisis. Cameroon is in a process of transition of her agrifood sector from small holder to mechanized medium scale exploration and from local markets to a more industrial market-system.

Angola on the other side is still recovering from conflict and now, with a stable politic leadership since fair elections in September 2008, is seeking for Direct Foreign Investment to start-up rural development as a pre-requisite for the diversification of its oil-based economy and self-sufficiency of the food sector. Martin van Leeuwen elaborated on opportunities in Angolan rice cultivation, using the example of a plantation in Suriname where he is partner and project manager. Leonard van Biljouw, Managing Director of ANEXX - Ecosystem Management, presented numerous other agribusiness projects in Angola.
Altogether, the different presentations resulted in a very animated networking session afterwards.