Leaders in Agribusiness Industry to Discuss the Increasing Business Case for Investing in Agriculture & Food Production in Africa at 2008 U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum in Chicago, IL, June 25-27

3 March 2008
press release

Washington, D.C. — In response to Africa’s increasing economic growth potential, The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) will convene agribusiness leaders at the 2008 U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum to discuss and exchange ideas around investing in agricultural production, processing and marketing of food, fuel and climate change commodities, it was announced today.

The 2008 Agribusiness Forum, Investing in Agriculture Links in Africa, is being hosted by CCA’s Agribusiness Initiatives Program and will be held in Chicago, Illinois, June 25-27.   The Forum is expected to attract more than 300 leaders from the private and public sectors in the U.S. and Africa.

“Africa’s future success in large part depends upon the ability of its entrepreneurs and business leaders to create and retain wealth through private enterprise,” said CCA President Stephen Hayes. “Agribusiness partnerships between the U.S. and Africa are on the rise and this forum will offer a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas and learn of rewarding agribusiness opportunities on the horizon in Africa.”

The two-day Forum will include industry-specific sessions, networking opportunities, and panels to address cross-cutting issues such as financing, commodity trading markets and food security, infrastructure investment to connect African markets, market information systems improvement, product innovation, cash crop and livestock production and investment, pharmaceutical and bio-fuel industry growth, carbon trading, and production technology.

More information

The CCA Agribusiness Initiatives Program focuses on catalyzing the contribution that agriculture, agribusiness, and related activities make to economic growth in Africa. Initially funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to foster development of public-private partnerships and support the African Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program, (CAADP), CCA’s Agribusiness Initiatives Program seeks to increase CCA member involvement in shaping policy through education and access to finance programs.

CCA, established in 1993, is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 200 U.S. companies dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Africa.   CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the continent.

For more information on the 2008 U.S.-Africa Agribusiness Forum click here or visit www.africacncl.org

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