SINGAPORE — Global Agri-business Alliance (GAA), a newly formed CEO-led private sector initiative, announced on Sept. 15 its goal to contribute to the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). GAA is specifically focusing on SDG 2: end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
By 2030, GAA, a group of 36 agri-businesses that includes Bidco Africa Ltd., Flour Mills of Nigeria, Olam International and Wilmar International Ltd. hopes to have made an impact on major environmental and social challenges facing agricultural supply chains and rural communities across the world. The companies already involved are headquartered across the world with representation from Africa, Asia, Australia, U.S. and South America. The companies involved currently work in multiple commodities, including grains, dairy, edible nuts, edible oils, pulses, rubber, sugar and agro-chemicals.
“The Global Agri-business Alliance is a major step in aligning this critical sector behind the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Paul Polman, chief executive officer (CEO) of Unilever, and a member of the SDG Advocacy Group. “We know the SDGs cannot be achieved without business and we must all go beyond our own individual supply chains toward broader sector wide and value chain approaches. The alliance can catalyze likeminded businesses and collaborate with other business platforms to deliver the positive impact the world needs.”
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) currently estimates that of the 795 million undernourished people, about 50% are from smallholder farming communities, surviving off marginal lands prone to natural disasters, including drought or flood. At the same time, agriculture accounts for 70% of freshwater withdrawal and generates 12% of all manmade greenhouse gases – or up to 25% if forestry and other land use are included. The sector’s ability to boost productivity, minimize food losses and reduce impacts on natural resources is critical to food security and inclusive growth for a world population projected to rise from about 7.3 billion to 8.5 billion in 2030, according to the FAO.
“Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will change our world: eradicating poverty, tackling climate change and ensuring a prosperous, safe and healthy future for our children and grandchildren,” said David Nabarro, special advisor to the UN Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change. “The launch of the Global Agri-business Alliance is excellent news for the SDGs. While many agri-companies already collaborate with non-governmental organizations, technical implementers, consumer brands and retailers, the members of the GAA will harness their collective strengths at the ‘front-line’ of agricultural production to help bring the scale and impact required to drive major change.”
GAA company members:
AFGRI, South Africa
Agrocorp International Pte Ltd., Singapore
Agropalma Group, Brazil
Balsu Gida, Turkey
Besana Group, U.K.
Bidco Africa Ltd., Kenya
Chellam Plantations Group, Malaysia
Export Trading Group (ETG), Tanzania
Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, Nigeria
Golden-Agri Resources Ltd., Singapore
Greenyield Berhad, Malaysia
Groupe Mimran, Senegal
Groupe SIFCA, The Ivory Coast
GURSOY Tarimsal Ürünler Gida Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Turkey
Hakan Agro DMCC, UAE
Halcyon Agri Corporation, Singapore
IFFCO, UAE
Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC), India
Lewis M. Carter Manufacturing Inc., U.S.
Markham Agro Pte Ltd, Singapore
Minanga Group, Indonesia
Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan
Musim Mas Group, Singapore
MWT Foods, Australia
Olam International , Singapore
PureCircle Ltd., Malaysia
Reliable Cashew Company Pvt. Ltd., India
SABIC, Saudi Arabia
Sime Darby Group, Malaysia
The Richard Franco Agency, U.S.
Triputra Agro Persada, Indonesia
Univanich Palm Oil PCL, Thailand
Vijayalaxmi Cashew Company, India
Von Bundit Co. Ltd., Thailand
Willowton Group, South Africa
Wilmar International Limited, Singapore
