CMT’s 2nd Palm Oil Africa Explores If Africa is Ready to Emerge as the Next Palm Oil Hub

Centre for Management Technology, with supporters OLAM and Gabonese Ministry of Agriculture will host 2^nd Palm Oil Africa on 17-19 Oct, 2013 in Libreville, Gabon, a fast emerging key palm oil investment hub. It will unravel challenges as Gabon aspires to become the largest agriculture producer by 2020.

LIBREVILLE, Gabon--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Africa is tipped to emerge as a global palm oil hub due to influx of investors seeking diverse participatory models in the Africa palm oil chain. Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria are all tapping into new palm driven opportunities. Will this lead to Africa shifting from a net importer to an exporter? With sustainable protocols at its infancy in Africa how soon will it conform to RSPO norms? To what extent will Africa with inherent limitations in climate, infrastructural and production models catch up with dominant Indonesian and Malaysian players?

Held under the Patronage of His Excellency Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon, 2^nd Palm Oil Africa held on 17-19 Oct, 2013 in Libreville, Gabon and supported by OLAM, will address sustainability and viability of palm oil business models in the region; define evolving structure of the palm oil industry, foreign participation and the palm oil value chain from seeds to high end products. Gabon is fast emerging as a key palm oil centre attracting big investments and is poised to emerge as one of the largest producers by 2020 with favorable agriculture investment policies.

His Excellency Julien Nkoghe Bekale, Minister of Agriculture Gabon, in his Keynote Address, will outline palm oil business opportunities in Gabon and cash crop development programs while Sunny Varghese, Group MD and CEO, OLAM International unveils their future investments plans in Gabon.

Hon. Commissioner James Aniyom, Cross River State Ministry of Agriculture Nigeria, will provide an insight into Nigeria’s palm oil plans while Bernard Goulou from Ministry of Agriculture (Republic of Congo), elaborates on policy and investment frameworks for future palm oil investments.

Newly added to the agenda this year is a 2 hour exclusive tour of Olam’s Awala Plantations to witness land development preparation activities and visit a nursery. The site visit is optional and open for reservations to 30 delegates only.

For details on other topics and speakers, visit the Palm Oil Africa website.