Agriterra

Agriterra's strategy is to become one of the largest agri-operators and leading food providers in Africa.

The Company is focussed on agricultural investment and sustainable development in Africa, providing high quality produce whilst simultaneously improving the livelihoods of small holder farmers by improving access to markets.

The Company currently has three main divisions: beef ranching; maize processing and farming; and cocoa buying and trading. The Company has built strong brands in its countries of operation, and the Board intends to use these foundations to further grow and diversify its product range in order to gain further market share of the agricultural sector in Africa.

The Company's directors have a wealth of experience operating in Africa, and this experience and the directors' networks of contacts will be fully utilised to fuel the Company's rapid growth.

DECA

DECA, based in Chimoio in the Manica Province of Mozambique, was founded in 2005 to treat and process maize.

The Company purchases maize directly from thousands of local smallholder farmers through a specialised, proprietary, buying system, whereby Agriterra provides and installs the necessary infrastructure at specific buying points across the Chimoio region.

Local farmers bring their produce to these designated points and are paid cash directly by DECA, thereby supporting economic activity in the relevant rural areas.

DECA is cash generative, has a strong brand, a loyal customer base and currently provides a market outlet for some 350,000 farmers. DECA's operations, involving the enfranchising of locals rather than major land acquisitions, have received strong support from local and national governments since inception, with the President of Mozambique, Armando Guebuza, opening the facility in 2005. The grain processed by DECA sustains thousands of people in the local province and approximately 15% of DECA's products are sold to the UN World Food Programme.

To read more please click here.

Compagri

Compagri was established in May 2009 in Tete, 400km to the north of Chimoio, as a second agricultural buying and processing facility in Mozambique. 

As at Chimoio, operations at Tete are focussed on the purchase of maize from indigenous out-growers, which is then processed into corn flour/maize meal, a key African food staple. The current total storage capacity for maize at the facility is 12,600 tonnes, consisting of four 1,500 tonne silos, one 600 tonne silo, and an additional two large warehouses each with the capacity to store 3,000 tonnes.

To read more please click here.

Mozbife

Mozbife is a vertically integrated cattle ranching and feedlot production business which is developing into a "field to fork" producer, to capture more of the added value available higher up the food chain, benefitting profitability.

The board believes that beef ranching offers a material value opportunity in Africa and its beef business remains an area of significant expansion and investment for the Group. The Company's objective is to build a breeding herd in excess of 10,000 with an initial target for 2012 of over 5,000 head across the 1,000ha Mavonde and 15,000ha Dombe ranches.

In line with Agriterra's vertically integrated "field to fork" strategy, has developed the Vanduzi feedlot project. The feedlot is currently housing animals ahead of slaughter at the Beira abattoir, with dress out weight percentages between 58% and 63% and an average sale price per animal in excess of US$835.

Agriterra is also in the process of establishing an abattoir at Chimoio, to ensure the Company benefits from the full value uplift of the butchered product.

To read more please click here.

Tropical Farms ltd

In July 2011, Agriterra acquired Tropical Farms Limited ('TFL'), a cocoa company based in Sierra Leone, creating a third division to the business.

TFL provides the Company with a platform from which to expand into cocoa production by making use of TFL's regional expertise and established buying operations in West Africa.

Agriterra intends to focus on securing cocoa supplies for the business through a combination of forging long term relationships with farmers and out-grower schemes, implementing farm management initiatives and in time, through the development of the Company's own cocoa plantations.

To read more please click here.

Phil Edmonds, (MA Cantab), Chairman

Mr. Edmonds is a director of a number of public and private companies and has considerable experience of introducing African focussed companies to AIM, including BioEnergy Africa Limited, African Platinum Plc, Central African Mining & Exploration Company Plc, Central African Gold Plc and White Nile Limited. Mr. Edmonds is currently chairman of Sable Mining, Agriterra Ltd, African Medical Investments Ltd and AMS.  He holds an honours degree in land economy from Cambridge University.  He was born in Lusaka, Zambia, educated in Zambia and England and played cricket for England and Middlesex from 1974 to 1987.

Andrew Groves, Executive Director

Mr. Groves has significant experience in operations management in Southern and Central Africa and is a director of a number of private companies, including companies in Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Mr. Groves also has experience of introducing several African focussed companies to AIM together with Mr. Edmonds.  Mr. Groves’ current directorships include Sable Mining, Agriterra Ltd, Central African Tantalum Limited and African Medical Investments Ltd.  He was born in Harare, Zimbabwe and educated in Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Euan Kay, Executive Director

Mr. Kay has extensive experience in the sub-Saharan agricultural sector, managing the Company’s subsidiary Desenvolvimento E Comercialização Agricola Limitada (‘DECA’) since inception in 2005.  He is based in Mozambique full-time and oversees all operational activities at DECA, Compagri and Mozbife.

Michael Pelham, Non-executive Director

Mr. Pelham is a Zimbabwean national and has worked in various countries across Africa throughout his 18 year career.  Before joining White Nile as Operations Manager in 2006, Mr. Pelham held the position of Operations Liaison Manager at Ardan Safaris, and whilst in this role built strong significant relationships with local government officials and decision makers across southern, central and east Africa.  Mr. Pelham has a wealth of experience in project management, environmental consultancy, construction and risk management accumulated through his current directorship positions with Ardan Energy Services DMCC, Soszim Limited and Ardan Risk and Support Services (HK) Limited.

Key Shareholders as at 27/01/2012 which hold more than 3% in the Company: