Strategic advisory to global agriculture, water, food, and natural capital.
Founded by Stephen Smith after 34 years operating, investing in, and advising agrifood businesses across five continents — from Olam International to Harvard's endowment to building an agricultural asset manager from the ground up.
Two ways to work together
Agricola Strategies advises the people putting capital into agriculture, water, and food — and the operators running the businesses that capital touches.
Investor Advisory
For institutional investors, strategic investors, venture and private equity funds, and family offices active in — or entering — agriculture and natural capital.
- Outsourced operating partner to VC and PE funds
- Technical and commercial due diligence on asset class entry
Agribusiness & Innovation Consulting
For family and global agribusinesses, food and water supply chains, and the startups building the next generation of the sector.
- Strategy, growth, and turnaround consulting
- Commercialization advisory for agtech, watertech, and foodtech
Working on a strategy, sourcing, or diligence question in agriculture or natural capital?
Start a conversationAbout Stephen Smith & Agricola Strategies
Stephen Smith is the founder of Agricola Strategies, an advisory firm working globally at two levels: advising institutional investors, strategic investors, and family offices on agriculture, water, food assets, and natural capital more broadly — the land, water, timber, and other natural asset classes increasingly held alongside traditional farmland — and consulting to agribusinesses and food supply chains on strategy, business development, restructuring, and operational improvement.
He has 34 years of experience spanning global business development, strategy, M&A, asset management, operations, and commercialization across agribusiness, agtech, and food value chains, having worked and lived across five continents. Agricola Strategies is geographically agnostic — Stephen works wherever a client's business, capital, or supply chain does; current and recent engagements span the US, New Zealand, Spain, and Israel.
He has built and scaled platforms across specialty crops, permanent agriculture, processing, and global supply chains, and holds extensive board-level experience across multiple jurisdictions.
At a glance
- Agricultural AUM managed
- $1B+ within Harvard Management Company's $3B Natural Resources portfolio
- Deal experience
- 160+ deals sourced and $700M+ in transactions directed at Olam International, across almonds, sugar, cocoa, vegetables, dairy, coffee, peanuts, and ingredients
- Board experience
- Director and board member of multiple companies across multiple jurisdictions, including Non-Executive Chairman of Kijani Agro Ltd. (Tanzania)
- Languages
- Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian, Persian, French, Hebrew, and working knowledge of Hindi and Thai
Three decades across five continents
Bear Stearns – Sun Hung Kai
Supported fixed income traders and served as chief liaison with Bear Stearns' partner Sun Hung Kai on Hong Kong and China trading and investment for US clients.
Swisscraft / Continental Pacific
Managed multinational corporate and state-owned enterprise relationships and China foreign investment approvals.
HOM Consultancy / Motus, Inc.
Dutch–US business development consultancy focused on entry strategy and partnering across Asia in agri-food, specialty chemicals, and biotechnology.
Transammonia AG
Co-managed regional trading and P&L for a leading physical commodities trader of fertilizers and hydrocarbons across Asia-Pacific.
RiceTec, Inc.
Led international strategy and business development, establishing China's first foreign-partnered rice joint venture and alliances across South America.
The View Group
Directed an Asia-wide agri-commodity trading venture and business development for portfolio companies of this venture capital firm.
Marco Polo Partners / Saffron Capital
Led cross-border M&A and strategic advisory in agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology across India, China, and Brazil.
Olam International Ltd.
Led M&A strategy and execution across North and South America for this $15B global agribusiness, building a pipeline of 160+ deals and directing over $700M in transactions. Named Olam Entrepreneur of the Year, 2009.
Kijani Agro Ltd.
Led strategy and impact fundraising for a Tanzanian agribusiness startup building perishable-goods supply chains in East Africa.
Harvard Management Company
Managed $1B+ of direct agricultural investments within an approximately $3B Natural Resources portfolio for Harvard's endowment, across multiple geographies and value chains, with board seats on multiple portfolio companies.
Farmers Gate, LLC
Co-founded this agricultural asset manager investing in vertically integrated specialty crop platforms — fresh berries, dried fruit, and table grapes — across North America; now advisor to the fund's Fresh Berry platform.
Agricola Strategies, LLC
Strategic advisory to institutional investors, family offices, and agribusinesses across agriculture, water, food, and natural capital.
Bring three decades of on-the-ground and institutional perspective to your next decision.
Get in touchFour ways to work with Agricola Strategies
Organized under two practice areas — advising capital, and advising operators.
For funds, institutional investors, and family offices
Working alongside the capital allocators active in agriculture, water, and food.
Outsourced Operating Partner
Serving as an outsourced operating partner — including fractional CEO and board-level support — to venture capital and private equity funds with agriculture, food, and water investments in their portfolios: retooling strategy, supporting domestic and international business development, improving operational efficiency, and leading turnarounds where needed.
Investor & Asset Class Advisory
For institutional investors and family offices seeking to enter agriculture and natural capital as an asset class, providing technical and commercial due diligence to inform the investment decision.
For operators, family businesses, and startups
Working alongside the businesses building and running the sector, from established supply chains to early-stage technology.
Agribusiness & Supply Chain Consulting
Working with family and non-family agribusinesses, food, and water-related companies — domestic and global — on professionalizing the business, sharpening strategy, driving growth initiatives, and managing distressed situations through to turnaround.
Agtech, Watertech & Foodtech Advisory
Working with agtech, watertech, and foodtech startups on strategy and commercialization, domestic and global business development, building organizations, board membership, and capital introductions.
Not sure which practice area fits your situation?
Let's talk it throughGet in touch
The fastest way to reach Stephen directly is by email.
Phone
Office
Agricola Strategies, LLC585 W End Ave
New York, NY 10024