CFC and Malaysia Discuss Strengthening Collaboration on Sustainable Commodity Development and Value Chain Transformation through ACT Fund
Amsterdam, 21 October 2025 – The Managing Director of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), Ambassador Sheikh Mohammed Belal, held a virtual meeting with Dr. Sharifah Adlina Syed Abdullah, Deputy Secretary-General (Strategic Planning & Management) of the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities of Malaysia, and the newly appointed Alternate Governor of the CFC for Malaysia, to discuss opportunities for deepening cooperation in sustainable commodity development and inclusive value chain transformation.
The Malaysian delegation also included Madam Roslinda Ulang, Senior Undersecretary, Strategic Planning & International Division; Dr. Cheryl Barr Kumarakulasinghe, Deputy Undersecretary, Strategic Planning & International Division; Mr. Aqmar Hamid, Principal Assistant Secretary; and Mr. Kamarul Izam Jalani, Senior Assistant Secretary. From the CFC, the meeting included Mr. Michael van den Berg, Director of the Agricultural Commodity Transformation (ACT) Fund, who presented the Fund’s objectives and operational updates, and Ms. Zahra Kahla, Research and Data Assistant.
Also participating in the meeting was Mr. Michael van den Berg, Director of the Agricultural Commodity Transformation (ACT) Fund, who presented the Fund’s objectives and operational updates. The ACT Fund, a USD 100+ million blended-finance impact initiative established by the CFC, aims to catalyse private investment in sustainable commodity value chains across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Backed by USD 20 million in first-loss capital from the CFC, and investments from Invest International (USD 10 million and EUR 10 million), the Fund provides debt instruments, including trade finance, working capital, capex loans, and quasi-equity to growth-stage agri-SMEs. Complementing this financing, the ACT Technical Assistance Facility (USD 10 million) enhances operational capacity, supports regenerative agriculture, promotes biodiversity conservation, and de-risks investment pipelines. These tools are designed to close the financing gap for agricultural SMEs that connect millions of smallholders to markets that remain critically underfunded.
During the discussion, both sides explored how Malaysia could tap into ACT’s blended-finance opportunities and technical assistance mechanisms to strengthen its commodity sectors, particularly palm oil (including the implementation of MSPO 2.0) and cocoa, where Malaysia aims to expand its market presence and support smallholder participation. Malaysia expressed interest in providing support through knowledge transfer, capacity building, and leveraging expertise in Islamic finance, exploring ways these resources could complement ACT Fund initiatives and enhance sustainable, inclusive value chains.
Ambassador Belal commended Malaysia’s long-standing leadership in sustainable commodity development, noting that “Malaysia stands as one of the world’s true commodity success stories — having turned its natural endowments into engines of inclusive growth through innovation, perseverance, and vision. From cocoa and palm oil to rubber and beyond, Malaysia has shown how to make commodities work for both producers and consumers. Our collaboration with Malaysia is therefore not only desirable, it is essential — so that others may learn from Malaysia’s journey of trial, adaptation, and success in transforming commodity sectors into sustainable sources of prosperity.”
Ambassador Belal also presented the CFC’s broader agenda on “Humanizing the Value Chain”, a vision aimed at ensuring that smallholders receive equitable value, recognition, and resilience within global commodity markets.
Dr. Sharifah Adlina expressed Malaysia’s interest in further exploring active participation in the ACT Fund and collaborative mechanisms with the CFC to enhance sustainable commodity development, highlighting how Malaysia could contribute through knowledge transfer, capacity building, and other forms of technical and in-kind support to strengthen commodity value chains.
In closing, Dr. Sharifah Adlina extended an invitation for Ambassador Belal to visit Malaysia to meet the Minister of Plantation and Commodities for further discussions. Ambassador Belal welcomed the invitation and indicated his intention to undertake the visit in early 2026 to build on the outcomes of this constructive exchange.
About the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC)
The CFC is an UN-affiliated international financial institution based in Amsterdam, working in over 100 countries to support inclusive economic development through impact investing in commodity value chains.
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