The investment opportunity in agriculture

ON FOOD

While turmoil in global financial markets has dominated headlines and investor sentiment since early 2008, there have been significant shifts occurring in global population and food self-sufficiency. These changes are expected to have a major impact on agriculture.

Global population growth of roughly 57 millon people per annum means there will be substantially more people on the planet to feed in the years to come. Simultaneously, the number of people living in urban centres is expected to rise from 50% to 70% of the world’s population by 2050. The urbanisation occurring in emerging economies has resulted in people moving to cities for work, and buying rather than growing their food. The United Nations has forecast that around 70 million people will come to live in cities each year until at least 2050. With higher incomes, they will be able t...