CM – Institutional investors consciously choose sustainable farmland, says Kempen

After the launch of the Kempen SDG Farmland Fund, two leading insurance companies, Coöperatie DELA and De Goudse, joined forces with Stichting Pensioenfonds PostNL (PostNL Pensionsfondsstiftung) to invest in efforts to create more sustainable agricultural land.

As part of this investment round, a total of EUR 150 million was secured, which means that the fund has reached a volume of around EUR 350 million since it was founded exactly six months ago.

The Kempen SDG Farmland Fund invests worldwide in arable land that offers both an attractive return and contributes to sustainable food production. To this end, we have identified specific and measurable indicators (KPIs) in the areas of climate, soil health, biodiversity, water quality and resource use. Examples of crops are avocados, olives, and almonds in Australia, Portugal, New Zealand, and the United States, and annual crops such as cereals, beans, and vegetables in Denmark, the United States, and Australia.

With this fund, institutional investors have the opportunity to contribute directly to their sustainability goals. Kempen assumes that the demand for this type of investment will continue to grow.

Frank Eizinga, Chief Investment Officer of Coöperatie DELA, says: “We are further diversifying our portfolio and at the same time helping to achieve our sustainability goals. What fascinates us most about the Kempen SDG Farmland Fund is that a sustainability plan is drawn up for every investment that specifies the sustainable goals and creates responsibility for achieving them. « 

Pieter de Frel, De Goudse Verzekeringen’s Chief Financial Risk Officer, adds: “As a family company, we attach great importance to sustainable management. This investment, completely grafted on sustainability and entrepreneurship, will allow us to contribute to a healthy climate and biodiversity. We also consider arable land to be an attractive diversifier in our portfolio. « 

Richard Jacobs and Edzard Potgieser, portfolio managers of the fund, added: “In addition to the return and the ecological aspects of this fund, the social factor is also very important to us. By investing in this fund, we enable young farmers to deploy new capital to achieve their long-term sustainability goals. We are very pleased to welcome Coöperatie DELA and De Goudse as investors after thoroughly examining our philosophy, processes and procedures as well as our approach. We look forward to the dialogue with these customers, to discuss things together and to take further steps in the area of ​​sustainability. «