https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/rssfeed/country/east%20asia east asia https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4751/adb-raises-2026-asia-growth-forecast-warns-el-nio-and-energy-shock-could-push-up-food-prices.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4751/adb-raises-2026-asia-growth-forecast-warns-el-nio-and-energy-shock-could-push-up-food-prices.html Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:01:31 +0530 Economic growth across developing Asia and the Pacific is expected to slow from 5.5 per cent in 2025 to 5 per cent in 2026, before recovering marginally to 5.1 per cent in 2027, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Asian Development Outlook (ADO) September 2026. The bank has raised its 2026 growth forecast by 0.1 percentage point from its July outlook, reflecting stronger-than-expected economic performance in parts of the region. But the improved projection comes against a backdrop of growing risks, particularly from geopolitical conflicts, energy-market disruptions, financial-market volatility and a strengthening El Niño. ADB President Masato Kanda said the region has remained resilient, but warned that the risks to growth and household welfare are increasing. “A strengthening El Niño with drier conditions means smaller harvests and reduced hydropower, pushing food and energy prices higher, and hitting the most vulnerable the hardest,” Kanda said. He added that the prolonged energy crisis and renewed risks in financial markets make it more important for governments to prepare for disruptions and protect vulnerable populations. ADB said it is supporting governments across the region in addressing these risks. Investment and AI Cycle Support Growth The regional economy continues to benefit from several sources of domestic and external momentum. Strong investment, government stimulus and robust technology exports are helping sustain growth, with technology exports benefiting from the global investment cycle around artificial intelligence. These factors are providing a buffer against geopolitical tensions and rising energy and food costs. However, the bank expects growth to remain below the pace recorded in 2025 as external and climate-related pressures build. The outlook also highlights the increasingly important role of the global AI investment cycle in supporting technology-related exports across developing Asia, particularly as demand for technology products and associated investment remains strong. Inflation Forecast Revised for 2026 ADB has marginally lowered its regional inflation projection for 2026 to 4.2 per cent, from 4.3 per cent in its July outlook. The revision comes despite persistently high energy prices, with price-stabilisation measures in several economies helping partly offset their impact. For 2027, however, ADB has raised its inflation forecast slightly to 3.5 per cent, compared with 3.4 per cent previously. Both projections remain above the 3 per cent inflation recorded in 2025, pointing to continued price pressures across developing Asia and the Pacific. The combination of high energy costs and potential food-supply disruptions is particularly important for agricultural economies, where higher fuel, electricity, transport and input costs can quickly feed into food prices. El Niño Emerges as a Major Agricultural Risk A strengthening El Niño is one of the central risks identified in the September outlook. ADB expects the climate phenomenon to persist through the first quarter of 2027, bringing drier conditions to parts of the region. The consequences could extend well beyond weather patterns. Lower rainfall can reduce agricultural production while also affecting hydropower generation, potentially creating simultaneous pressures on food supplies and energy availability. The bank expects a strong El Niño to raise energy demand while reducing agricultural production, creating upward pressure on fuel and food prices. For agricultural economies, the combination could affect crop yields, farm incomes, food inflation and rural livelihoods. Lower hydropower generation could also increase dependence on alternative energy sources at a time when global energy markets remain vulnerable to disruption. Geopolitical Conflict Adds to Commodity Risk ADB identifies escalating conflict as another major risk to the regional outlook. A broadening conflict in the Middle East and an intensification of Russia’s war in Ukraine could keep global energy prices elevated and volatile, while also spilling over into other commodity markets. Higher energy prices would raise production and transportation costs across economies, while disruptions in commodity markets could add pressure to food and agricultural input prices. AI Markets and Trade Policy Add Further Uncertainty The economic outlook also faces downside risks from financial markets. ADB warns that a sharp correction in AI-related equity valuations could weaken investment and financial conditions. Tightening financial conditions could further affect economies that depend on external financing. Renewed trade policy uncertainty is another risk, particularly for export-oriented economies integrated into regional and global supply chains. The combination of weaker external demand, financial-market volatility and trade uncertainty could complicate the investment and export momentum currently supporting growth. Southeast Asia Outlook Improves The outlook differs significantly across the region. Developing Southeast Asia has received a modest upgrade following stronger-than-expected economic performance during the first half of 2026. ADB now expects the subregion to grow 4.7 per cent in 2026 and 4.9 per cent in 2027, compared with previous forecasts of 4.6 per cent and 4.8 per cent, respectively. The improvement reflects stronger economic momentum during the first half of the year, although the subregion remains exposed to global trade, energy and financial-market developments. For developing East Asia, including the People’s Republic of China, the growth outlook remains unchanged from the July forecast. South Asia Gets a Sharper 2026 Upgrade South Asia has received one of the largest positive revisions in the latest outlook. ADB has raised its 2026 growth forecast for South Asia to 6.4 per cent, from 6 per cent in July. The upgrade is being driven by strong public investment and firm export growth in India, highlighting the importance of domestic investment and external demand to the subregion’s current expansion. The outlook for 2027, however, has been reduced by 0.2 percentage point to 6.5 per cent. ADB attributed the downward revision to weaker forecasts for Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal, reflecting the potential impact of trade, energy and weather-related shocks. The contrasting revisions underline the uneven nature of the region's growth trajectory: strong investment and exports are supporting near-term expansion, while climate and external economic risks could weigh on growth further ahead. Central and West Asia Faces Weaker External Demand For the Caucasus and Central and West Asia, ADB has reduced its growth forecasts by 0.1 percentage point for both 2026 and 2027. The revised projections stand at 3.7 per cent for 2026 and 4.1 per cent for 2027. The downgrade is mainly linked to weaker-than-expected external demand, particularly in Türkiye. The revision highlights the sensitivity of economies in the subregion to external trade conditions and global demand. Pacific Economies Face Steepest Downgrades The Pacific faces the largest downward revisions among the subregions covered by ADB. Growth projections have been cut by 0.3 percentage point for both 2026 and 2027, to 3 per cent and 2.9 per cent, respectively. ADB attributed the downgrades to prolonged disruptions in energy markets and the expected effects of El Niño on mining and agriculture. The impact is particularly significant for Pacific economies where agricultural production and resource industries play an important role in economic activity and where energy-market disruptions can have outsized effects. Resilience Meets a More Difficult Risk Environment The September outlook presents a regional economy that continues to expand despite a challenging external environment. Investment, government stimulus and the global AI-driven technology cycle are providing important support. But the composition of risks is becoming more complex. A stronger El Niño could simultaneously affect crop production, hydropower generation and food prices. Geopolitical conflicts could keep energy markets volatile. Financial-market corrections could weaken investment, while trade-policy uncertainty could undermine export demand. The ADB's latest projections suggest that developing Asia and the Pacific will remain a significant engine of global growth through 2027, but the region's resilience will increasingly depend on how effectively governments manage the intersection of climate risk, food security, energy security, investment and trade. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4744/velocity-agri-capital-raises-150-million-to-back-canadian-agri-food-expansion-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4744/velocity-agri-capital-raises-150-million-to-back-canadian-agri-food-expansion-in-southeast-asia.html Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:02:54 +0530 A new growth-equity fund is targeting $500 million to help Canadian agriculture and food companies expand into Southeast Asia, with Farm Credit Canada committing $150 million as the lead investor. Velocity Agri-Capital has secured the initial commitment as it seeks to close the remaining $350 million from Canadian and international investors. The fund will focus on middle-market companies across the agriculture and food value chain, with plans to invest in about 12 businesses through initial cheques of at least $25 million each. Its investment mandate spans emerging and established segments of the food economy, including vertical farming, aquaculture, food processing and packaging. The strategy is designed to provide growth capital to companies moving beyond domestic markets and build commercial links between Canadian businesses and Southeast Asian markets. The fund will also consider investments in Southeast Asian companies establishing operations in Canada, provided those businesses contribute to domestic job creation. Closing the agri-food growth capital gap Velocity Agri-Capital is positioning itself around a financing gap between early-stage venture capital and larger institutional capital. The fund will focus on companies that have moved beyond the start-up phase but require substantial capital to expand production, develop new markets and build international operations. The strategy comes against a broader push to increase the economic value captured within Canada’s agriculture and food system. Canada has historically been a major exporter of agricultural commodities and ingredients, while a larger share of processing and manufacturing value is captured further along the supply chain. Greater investment in domestic food processing could create additional value before products enter international markets, while giving Canadian companies greater control over branded and processed food exports. Farm Credit Canada estimated in a June report that stronger growth in Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing sector could add C$40 billion to the country’s GDP over the next decade and create 217,000 jobs, assuming annual sector growth of 3 per cent. The report identified investment, infrastructure, skills and trade as key requirements for achieving that expansion. Southeast Asia becomes the growth market Velocity’s geographic strategy reflects the growing importance of Southeast Asia as a destination for food, agriculture and technology companies seeking new markets. The fund plans to maintain a presence in the region to support portfolio companies with market entry, commercial relationships and local business development. Its investment thesis is built around the region’s large consumer base, rising food-security requirements and existing trade links with Canada. Southeast Asia offers an alternative growth pathway at a time when businesses and policymakers are looking to diversify export markets and reduce exposure to the US. The fund’s approach extends beyond traditional commodity exports, focusing instead on companies capable of exporting higher-value products, technologies and processing capabilities. From commodities to higher-value agriculture The launch comes as Canada looks to strengthen domestic investment across its agriculture and food economy and capture more value within the country. Velocity Agri-Capital will operate independently of District Ventures Capital, an earlier-stage venture capital fund focused primarily on consumer businesses across food, beverage, health and wellness and beauty. The new vehicle represents a later-stage investment model, with substantially larger individual commitments aimed at businesses with established operations and ambitions for international expansion. Its $500 million target therefore places the focus not simply on financing Canadian agriculture, but on building companies that can compete across international food and agriculture markets while creating additional economic activity at home. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4707/asia-biologicals-platform-moves-into-deployment-with-first-crop-programmes-across-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4707/asia-biologicals-platform-moves-into-deployment-with-first-crop-programmes-across-southeast-asia.html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 16:32:01 +0530 One year after convening its first regional dialogue on what it would take to advance agricultural biologicals across Asia, the Asia Biologicals Platform is moving into implementation. Convened by Agrifood Futures, the Platform is developing its first crop deployment programmes across rice, cassava and cocoa, generating comparable evidence and learning what it takes for biologicals to move into use across different production environments and markets. The three crops provide deliberately different starting points: rice as one of Asia’s most important staple systems, cassava as a major industrial crop, and cocoa as a globally connected value chain. “The opportunity is to generate evidence we can compare across countries and production environments, and use that learning to make each subsequent deployment better informed,” said Joshua Soo, Co-founder of Agrifood Futures. “When something genuinely works, we want to understand what it takes to get it into the hands of farmers and industry, creating a clearer pathway to scale where it can make a meaningful difference.” The goal is not simply wider use of biologicals. It is to understand where they can contribute to more productive, healthier and resilient agricultural systems, and build the conditions for those solutions to scale. Building science and adoption into deployment The Platform is working with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and CABI as scientific and institutional partners, connecting scientific validation with questions of where and under what conditions biologicals perform, and what is needed to support adoption in practice. “There is still much we need to understand about the complex interactions between plants, soils and their microbiomes,” said Dr Yvonne Pinto, Director General of the International Rice Research Institute. “Understanding a biological solution also means understanding the environment into which it is being introduced, and the conditions needed for it to perform reliably and responsibly.” Crop deployment partners including Thai Wah Public Company Limited, Mars and Salim Agrochemicals Division bring production, commercialisation and distribution perspectives to the Platform, helping ensure industry requirements and pathways to market are considered alongside scientific evidence. Rather than validating technologies in isolation and addressing commercialisation later, the Platform brings scientific, farmer and industry perspectives together around defined agricultural problems from the beginning. “We have real production challenges that need solutions, but identifying the right biological solution is not straightforward,” said Hataikan Kamolsirisakul, Head of Strategy, Sustainability and New Business Group, Thai Wah. “We need practical ways to find promising solutions and test that they deliver under real conditions before asking our farmers to change their practices.” The programmes build on work that began with the inaugural Asia Biologicals Symposium in November 2025, developed in partnership with Wharf42, where more than 120 participants helped shape the Platform’s priorities. Building the next crop programmes The longer-term ambition is a multi-crop, multi-country approach that builds confidence in biological performance and creates pathways for trusted solutions to scale. The work also has wider relevance to soil and plant health, input efficiency, and how biologicals can complement other agricultural inputs and practices within more integrated and regenerative approaches to agriculture. The Platform is now looking to work with partners who can bring agricultural challenges, production environments, scientific capabilities and resources to develop its next programmes. Future crop programmes will also create opportunities for biological companies to put forward relevant solutions as individual challenges are defined. The Asia Biologicals Summit 2026, taking place on 26 October at CHIJMES in Singapore, will continue the conversation, with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) as Strategic Summit Partner. Leaders across science, industry, government and investment will examine critical questions shaping biological deployment across Asia and surface priorities to inform the Platform’s next phase. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4713/global-almond-market-rebounds-in-july-as-demand-shifts-across-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4713/global-almond-market-rebounds-in-july-as-demand-shifts-across-asia.html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 17:17:08 +0530 The global almond trade through July 2026 presents a picture of recovery without yet quite amounting to resurgence. Export shipments accelerated sharply in July, rising 12 per cent year-on-year to 18,867 KWE from 16,810 KWE a year earlier. Yet the cumulative position remains marginally weaker: shipments between March and July stood at 59,054 KWE, compared with 59,978 KWE during the corresponding period of the previous marketing year, leaving the season 2 per cent behind. The apparent contradiction is instructive. July was the strongest month of the marketing year so far, surpassing June's 15,351 KWE and May's 12,507 KWE. But the gains of the past two months have merely narrowed, rather than erased, the deficit created earlier in the season. What is emerging, therefore, is not a simple story of expanding or contracting global demand, but one of redistribution: volumes are migrating between geographies, with some destinations gathering momentum even as others lose ground. That distinction matters because the headline 12 per cent increase in July could easily be mistaken for evidence of a broad-based recovery. The underlying numbers tell a more nuanced tale. Demand is becoming increasingly differentiated, with Asia-Pacific retaining its commanding weight, Southeast Asia acquiring greater significance, Europe displaying pockets of strength, the Middle East rebounding sharply in July after a weak season, and the Americas advancing from a relatively modest base. July marks a decisive acceleration The current marketing year began on distinctly softer footing. March shipments fell 29 per cent year-on-year to 4,144 KWE, before April produced a modest 2 per cent increase to 8,186 KWE. May then slipped 18 per cent to 12,507 KWE, while June finally restored some momentum with a 9 per cent rise to 15,351 KWE. July extended that recovery with considerably greater force. At 18,867 KWE, exports were 12 per cent higher than in July 2025 and represented the highest monthly volume recorded so far in the 2026 marketing year. The figure also exceeded July 2025's 16,810 KWE and July 2024's 17,909 KWE, although it remains below some of the stronger July performances recorded historically. The significance of the July number lies not merely in its year-on-year increase, but in the trajectory it represents. After a weak March, a subdued April and another contraction in May, shipments have now expanded for two consecutive months. The question is whether this constitutes the beginning of a durable acceleration or merely a favourable interlude within a still-uneven season. The cumulative number offers a measure of caution. At 59,054 KWE, March-July shipments remain 924 KWE below the previous year's 59,978 KWE. With seven months of the marketing year still ahead, that deficit is hardly insurmountable. But neither can it yet be dismissed as statistically inconsequential. Asia-Pacific remains the indispensable anchor Asia-Pacific continues to dominate the shipment map, accounting for 16,593 KWE in July. Yet the apparent stability of the regional aggregate masks considerable internal churn. July shipments to the region were virtually unchanged from the 16,599 KWE recorded a year earlier. Beneath that flat headline, however, Northeast Asia contracted sharply while Southeast Asia expanded at a distinctly faster clip. The geography of demand is therefore changing even where the regional total appears static. Northeast Asia recorded 7,971 KWE in July, down 13 per cent from 9,202 KWE in July 2025. China accounted for almost the entire volume, with shipments falling to 7,951 KWE from 9,192 KWE, a decline of 14 per cent. Yet China's cumulative position is considerably more reassuring. Shipments from March through July reached 32,384 KWE, 4 per cent above the 31,070 KWE recorded during the comparable period last year. The July contraction, in other words, has not overturned the gains accumulated earlier in the marketing year. This is precisely why monthly and cumulative data must be read together. A single month's performance can reveal an abrupt change in purchasing behaviour, but the cumulative number provides a better indication of whether that change has materially altered the season's trajectory. Southeast Asia emerges as an increasingly consequential growth market If China remains the principal pillar of Asian demand, Southeast Asia is emerging as one of the more compelling sources of incremental growth. Shipments to Southeast Asia reached 2,227 KWE in July, an increase of 21 per cent over the 1,837 KWE recorded a year earlier. Vietnam remained the principal destination, absorbing 1,815 KWE, compared with 1,546 KWE in July 2025. Thailand, albeit from a much smaller base, recorded an extraordinary 119 per cent increase to 206 KWE from 94 KWE. Singapore rose 136 per cent to 45 KWE, while Indonesia moved in the opposite direction, declining 9 per cent to 162 KWE. More tellingly, the strength is not confined to July. Southeast Asian shipments during March-July reached 6,057 KWE, 23 per cent higher than the 4,917 KWE recorded in the corresponding period last year. Vietnam alone rose 28 per cent to 4,640 KWE from 3,616 KWE. This cumulative performance gives the Southeast Asian story greater substance than a mere monthly spike. It suggests that the region is not simply absorbing occasional surplus volumes but is becoming a more consequential component of the export geography. India rebounds in July, but the season remains in deficit India offers another illustration of the difference between monthly momentum and cumulative performance. Shipments to India increased 20 per cent in July, reaching 3,568 KWE compared with 2,977 KWE a year earlier. The July recovery is substantial and points to firmer demand than the market was registering during the same month last year. But the cumulative position remains considerably weaker. Between March and July, shipments to India amounted to 9,499 KWE, compared with 11,345 KWE during the corresponding period of the previous marketing year. That represents a decline of 16 per cent. The July improvement has therefore neither eliminated the seasonal deficit nor persisted long enough to establish a reversal in the market. It is better understood as a welcome acceleration within a destination that remains below last year's cumulative trajectory. The wider South and Central Asian region presents a comparable picture. July shipments rose 35 per cent to 4,016 KWE, yet cumulative shipments remained 12 per cent below last year at 9,962 KWE. Pakistan stands out as an exception, with cumulative shipments reaching 463 KWE compared with just 19 KWE previously. The emerging lesson is that regional averages increasingly conceal divergent national trajectories. Market expansion is becoming more granular, and the performance of individual destinations is exerting a disproportionate influence on the broader regional balance. Europe produces a striking July, but not yet a structural turnaround Europe delivered one of the more dramatic year-on-year increases in July. Shipments climbed 51 per cent to 1,772 KWE from 1,176 KWE a year earlier, with Western Europe accounting for 1,754 KWE. Spain was the conspicuous outlier. Shipments soared to 732 KWE from just 50 KWE, producing a spectacular 1,359 per cent increase. Germany rose 17 per cent to 447 KWE, while the Netherlands increased 46 per cent to 133 KWE. Italy, too, registered a sharp increase of 97 per cent, albeit from a considerably smaller base, to 36 KWE. Such numbers inevitably command attention. Yet the cumulative picture is far less theatrical. European shipments for March-July stood at 4,700 KWE, only 1 per cent above the 4,657 KWE recorded during the corresponding period last year. The implication is not that Europe's July performance should be discounted, but that it should be placed in proportion. A spectacular monthly increase can materially alter the narrative only when it persists. At present, the European data indicate pockets of strong demand rather than an unequivocal region-wide resurgence. Middle East stages the sharpest July recovery The Middle East produced the most dramatic regional growth in July. Shipments more than doubled to 2,592 KWE, representing a 107 per cent increase from the 1,252 KWE recorded in July 2025. Turkiye accounted for much of the acceleration, with shipments rising 105 per cent to 1,801 KWE. Saudi Arabia increased 142 per cent to 250 KWE, while the UAE rose 73 per cent to 465 KWE. Yet once again, the cumulative position imposes a necessary corrective to the monthly exuberance. March-July shipments to the Middle East amounted to 4,393 KWE, 31 per cent below the 6,379 KWE recorded during the same period last year. Turkiye's cumulative shipments were down 35 per cent at 3,251 KWE, compared with 4,999 KWE previously, while UAE shipments declined 25 per cent to 642 KWE. July is therefore encouraging, but it would be premature to construe one exceptionally strong month as evidence of a sustained regional recovery. The Middle East enters the latter part of the marketing year from a considerably lower cumulative base. Americas remain modest in scale but positive in direction The Americas remain a relatively small component of the overall shipment picture, but their direction of travel is favourable. July shipments increased to 40 KWE from just 12 KWE a year earlier. On a cumulative basis, March-July shipments reached 640 KWE, 38 per cent higher than the 465 KWE recorded during the corresponding period last year. The United States accounted for 637 KWE of the cumulative volume, compared with 450 KWE previously, representing a 42 per cent increase. The absolute volumes remain modest beside those of Asia-Pacific, but the growth is nevertheless noteworthy. In an increasingly diversified market, smaller destinations can acquire strategic importance if their growth is sustained over successive marketing years. Australian domestic shipments soften Domestic Australian shipments, meanwhile, moved in the opposite direction. July domestic shipments stood at 2,186 KWE, down 3 per cent from 2,247 KWE a year earlier. On a cumulative March-July basis, domestic shipments reached 8,777 KWE, 10 per cent below the 9,804 KWE recorded during the comparable period last year. When domestic shipments are combined with exports, total July shipments reached 21,052 KWE, an increase of 10.47 per cent over the 19,057 KWE recorded in July 2025. The cumulative combined position, however, remains weaker. March-July shipments totalled 67,832 KWE, compared with 69,782 KWE a year earlier, representing a decline of 2.8 per cent. That combined figure arguably offers the clearest snapshot of the market's present position: momentum has improved, but the season has not yet returned to last year's level. July's acceleration must be viewed against the full season The historical monthly sequence illustrates how rapidly the shipment trajectory can change. March was down 29 per cent year-on-year, April was up 2 per cent, May declined 18 per cent, June rose 9 per cent and July advanced 12 per cent. The progression is unmistakable: after a distinctly weak opening to the marketing year, shipment momentum has improved. But improvement is not synonymous with recovery. The cumulative export position remains 2 per cent below last year, and the combined export-plus-domestic position is down 2.8 per cent. The remaining seven months will therefore be critical in determining whether the recent acceleration is sufficiently durable to eliminate the accumulated deficit. The historical context reinforces the point. Annual export shipments reached 154,043 KWE in 2025, compared with 169,363 KWE in 2024 and 131,021 KWE in 2023. The current marketing year has so far generated 59,054 KWE through July. The eventual full-year outcome will depend substantially on whether the second half can sustain the momentum now visible in the July figures. The real story is diversification, not simply growth The most consequential message in the July report may therefore have little to do with the headline 12 per cent increase. What the data reveal is an export market undergoing geographical rebalancing. China remains the dominant Asian destination, yet its July shipments have weakened even as its cumulative position remains ahead of last year. Southeast Asia is demonstrating stronger and more consistent growth, with Vietnam at its centre. India has delivered a substantial July rebound but remains in cumulative deficit. Europe has produced striking gains in individual destinations without yet generating comparable season-to-date expansion. The Middle East has staged an extraordinary July recovery after a deeply weaker cumulative performance. Meanwhile, the United States continues to expand from a much smaller base. This is not the profile of a market moving in unison. It is the profile of a market in transition. The July data consequently counsel against reading the 12 per cent export increase as evidence of a comprehensive global recovery. The more revealing interpretation is that demand is being redistributed, with established markets behaving unevenly and newer or faster-growing destinations acquiring greater weight. Asia-Pacific remains the indispensable volume anchor. Within it, however, Southeast Asia is acquiring increasing significance. Europe is showing selective strength rather than uniform expansion. The Middle East remains volatile but capable of rapid rebounds. The Americas are growing from a relatively narrow base. With only five months of the 2026 marketing year completed, the central question is therefore not merely whether shipments will rise. It is whether the July acceleration can be sustained long enough to close the cumulative gap—and, just as importantly, whether the recovery will be driven by a revival in established destinations or by the continued emergence of new centres of demand. For now, the numbers offer encouragement, but not yet vindication. The global almond trade has regained momentum; whether it has regained its equilibrium remains a question for the months ahead. Source: Report ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4673/adb-reaffirms-support-for-imt-gt-with-more-than-3-7-billion-in-regional-initiatives.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4673/adb-reaffirms-support-for-imt-gt-with-more-than-3-7-billion-in-regional-initiatives.html Wed, 16 Sep 2026 16:57:36 +0530 The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reaffirmed its support for the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT), positioning regional connectivity, sustainable development and cross-border economic integration as priorities for the next phase of cooperation across the three countries. “As the region’s main bank, ADB remains committed to supporting ASEAN and its subregional cooperation programs, including IMT-GT, in advancing connectivity, sustainability, resilience, and economic opportunity,” said Nianshan Zhang, Director General of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department, at the 32nd IMT-GT Ministerial Meeting. In a joint ministerial statement, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand welcomed ADB’s continued role as IMT-GT’s regional development partner and recognised its broader role in ASEAN. The ministers highlighted ADB’s financial and technical support across green cities, tourism, economic corridors and zones, institutional strengthening and project management. The meeting comes as IMT-GT prepares to enter a new implementation cycle. ADB commended the preparation of the group’s Implementation Blueprint 2027–2031, which places greater emphasis on economic resilience, integrated networks and shared prosperity. The development bank supported preparation of the blueprint and said it is ready to assist with implementation, including project identification and financing mobilisation. ADB’s involvement in IMT-GT has already built a substantial portfolio across the subregion. As of August 2026, ADB-supported initiatives benefiting IMT-GT areas were valued at more than $3.7 billion, spanning transport, energy, agriculture, education, health, water, urban services, finance and trade. The portfolio includes 23 sovereign loans and grants totalling almost $2.7 billion, alongside eight private-sector investments worth about $805 million in energy and information and communication technology. ADB has also provided 40 technical assistance initiatives valued at more than $24 million. The scale and breadth of the portfolio underline the increasingly integrated nature of IMT-GT’s development agenda, where infrastructure investment is being combined with private-sector participation, institutional capacity building and initiatives aimed at strengthening regional economic links. With the 2027–2031 blueprint now taking shape, ADB’s role is expected to extend beyond project financing towards helping the three countries translate regional priorities into investable projects and mobilise capital for implementation. The focus on connectivity, resilience and integrated networks also reflects the growing importance of subregional platforms in supporting more diversified and sustainable economic growth across Southeast Asia. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/interviews/66/4550/food-manufacturers-chase-ai-gains-but-data-remains-the-missing-link.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/interviews/66/4550/food-manufacturers-chase-ai-gains-but-data-remains-the-missing-link.html Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:50:03 +0530 For years, artificial intelligence in the food and beverage industry has carried an almost ornamental aura—full of promise, possibility and, often, more excitement than real-world impact. That is beginning to change. In this exclusive interview with AgroSpectrum, Michael Guantiero, Vice President and Head, Solution Consulting – Asia Pacific, Japan and India, looks at how AI is gradually finding its way from boardroom conversations and pilot projects into the everyday workings of food businesses. The discussion moves beyond the noise around generative AI to ask a more practical question: can technology actually help companies cut waste, improve efficiency and navigate an increasingly unpredictable marketplace? Guantiero’s answer comes with an important caveat—AI is only as useful as the data, systems and people behind it. As the industry looks towards 2030, the real winners may not be those chasing the most sophisticated technology, but those quietly building smarter, more connected and more responsive businesses. Food and beverage manufacturers have spent the last few years experimenting with AI. Are we now entering the era where AI is becoming a boardroom investment decision rather than an innovation initiative? What signals convince you that the industry has reached this inflection point ? We are seeing AI move from experimentation to becoming a boardroom priority. Over the past few years, many food and beverage manufacturers explored AI through pilots. Today, the conversation is centred on measurable business outcomes. Rising input costs, supply chain disruption, labour shortages, evolving consumer demand and increasing sustainability expectations have made AI a strategic investment rather than an innovation initiative. The clearest signal is that business leaders are no longer asking, "How do we use AI?" but "Where can AI deliver the greatest operational impact?" Success is increasingly measured through improvements in production efficiency, demand forecasting, yield optimisation, waste reduction and supply chain resilience. At Infor, we see this reflected in customer outcomes. More than 1,000 food and beverage companies run on Infor, with customers achieving up to 30 per cent faster time to market for new products, €500K in annual savings through improved yield and significantly faster AI-driven product and pricing recommendations. These are tangible operational and commercial gains that demonstrate why AI is now being evaluated on measurable business impact rather than technical potential. For food and beverage manufacturers, the real value comes when AI is embedded into the operational systems that manage production, quality, inventory and distribution. Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage and Infor Velocity Suite, enables organisations to combine industry-specific AI, automation and process intelligence to improve operational performance while addressing the unique requirements of sectors such as dairy, bakery, meat processing and beverages. The industry has reached an inflection point because organisations now have the evidence to treat AI as a business investment with measurable financial and operational returns, rather than simply an innovation initiative. Many manufacturers still operate on decades-old ERP systems that were never designed for AI-driven decision-making. In your experience, what is the biggest misconception companies have about digital transformation, and why do so many modernization programs fail to deliver the expected business value? The biggest misconception is that digital transformation is simply a technology replacement exercise. Replacing an ERP system alone does not create business value. Successful transformation starts by identifying the business outcomes an organisation wants to achieve and then aligning technology to those priorities. Many programmes fall short because organisations focus on deploying new technology rather than improving business performance. At Infor, we believe the process should begin with understanding what the business needs to do faster or better, defining measurable outcomes, and then building a roadmap around those priorities. For food and beverage manufacturers, industry context is equally important. A bakery, dairy processor or beverage manufacturer all operate differently, and those processes need to be reflected in the ERP, data model and AI capabilities from the outset. Hence, our industry-specific CloudSuites are designed around the operational realities of each sector, helping organisations modernise faster while delivering measurable business value. Generative AI has dominated headlines, but factory floors depend equally on predictive analytics, automation, IoT and machine learning. Which of these technologies do you believe will create the greatest competitive advantage for food manufacturers over the next five years, and why? While Generative AI has captured the spotlight, the greatest competitive advantage will not come from any single technology. Over the next five years, food manufacturers will differentiate themselves by combining predictive analytics, machine learning, IoT, automation and Generative AI within industry-specific operational workflows. Each technology contributes a different layer of intelligence. IoT and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) provide real-time visibility into production, equipment and quality, while predictive analytics and machine learning help improve forecast accuracy, optimise production schedules, manage raw material variability, increase yield and reduce waste. Generative AI builds on these capabilities by making insights easier to access and act upon, enabling employees to interact with enterprise systems using natural language, accelerate product innovation and optimise recipes and formulations. The real opportunity lies in embedding these capabilities into the day-to-day flow of work rather than treating them as standalone technologies.  Manufacturers that connect data across the value chain and combine AI with automation and advanced analytics will be better positioned to improve productivity, resilience and innovation. Ultimately, competitive advantage will not come from having the latest AI model; it will come from applying AI with industry context. Manufacturers that can connect data across the value chain and turn real-time insights into operational decisions will be better positioned to innovate faster, reduce costs and build more resilient, profitable businesses. The food industry operates on extremely thin margins while facing rising input costs, labour shortages and increasing sustainability pressures. Can AI realistically solve these structural challenges, or is there a risk that companies are overestimating what technology alone can achieve? AI is not a silver bullet for the structural challenges facing the food industry and there is certainly a risk of overestimating what technology alone can achieve. Rising input costs, labour shortages and climate-driven supply chain disruptions are complex issues that require a combination of business strategy, operational excellence and workforce transformation. AI can support these efforts, but it cannot replace them. Where AI delivers the best value is by helping manufacturers make faster, more informed decisions in the face of these challenges. It can improve demand forecasting, optimise production schedules, reduce waste by managing raw material variability, enhance yield, strengthen inventory planning and identify inefficiencies before they impact operations. These capabilities help manufacturers protect margins, improve resilience and make better use of limited resources. The greatest value comes when AI is applied to real operational challenges using trusted data and industry-specific processes. When manufacturers integrate AI into planning, production and supply chain decision-making, they are better equipped to respond to volatility while maintaining quality, regulatory compliance and sustainability goals. One of AI's greatest promises is real-time decision intelligence across procurement, production, inventory and distribution. What are the most compelling examples you've seen where AI has translated directly into measurable gains in productivity, waste reduction or profitability? One of the strongest examples is production and yield optimisation. By combining machine learning with production and quality data, manufacturers can better manage raw material variability, optimise recipes, improve yields and reduce waste all while maintaining food safety and compliance. Another is supplying chain planning, where AI improves demand forecasting and inventory decisions by helping manufacturers respond more quickly to changing demand, optimise stock levels and strengthen end-to-end traceability. This enables better service levels while reducing excess inventory and waste. We are also seeing measurable gains through process automation and real-time decision intelligence. Infor Velocity Suite, organisations can combine AI agents, process mining and automation to streamline routine processes, accelerate decision-making and improve operational efficiency. The impact is already measurable: for example, Frontier Co-op reduced reporting time by more than 95 per cent, giving leaders faster access to real-time business insights and enabling quicker decisions. Whether it is improving yield, reducing waste, accelerating decision-making or strengthening supply chain performance, the organisations seeing the greatest success are those applying AI to high-value business processes where the return on investment can be clearly measured. Asia-Pacific is an incredibly diverse manufacturing landscape, ranging from digitally mature multinational enterprises to family-owned processors beginning their transformation journey. How should organisations calibrate their AI strategies to match their digital maturity rather than simply chasing the latest technology trends? The single biggest strategic mistake I see is a company benchmarking its AI ambitions against a peer at a completely different stage of maturity. A digitally mature multinational and a family-owned processor starting their cloud journey should not be running the same playbook, even if they are competing in the same category. The right starting point is not "what is the latest AI capability" it is  an honest assessment of your data and process foundation. If you do not yet have clean, trusted, real-time data flowing from your core operations, deploying an advanced AI agent on top of that foundation just automates bad decisions faster. That is not transformation, that is amplified risk. For organisations earlier in their journey, the highest-value first move is usually foundational: establishing a trusted cloud-based system of record that connects core ERP and operational data. Once that foundation is in place, organisations are in a much stronger position to scale AI and automation with confidence. For more digitally mature organisations, the conversation shifts to orchestration: how do you combine multiple proven use cases and let them compound, rather than deploying AI point solutions in isolation? The most successful organisations do not chase technology trends; they align AI investments with their digital maturity and business priorities. A well-executed, "boring" data foundation project will outperform an ambitious AI pilot built on shaky ground every time. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in enterprise operations, concerns around data quality, cybersecurity, governance and workforce readiness are growing just as quickly. Which of these do you see as the biggest barrier to enterprise-scale AI adoption, and how should business leaders address it ? Data quality and context, without question. It is not just about having clean data; it is about ensuring the data accurately reflects the way a business operates. AI is only as effective as the operational context it is built on. Many organisations invest significant time and resources in building clean, consolidated data platforms, only to discover that the data lacks the industry-specific context needed to generate meaningful insights. The operational challenges of a food and beverage manufacturer, for example, are fundamentally different from those of a hospital or an industrial manufacturer. Clean data without business context still cannot power good AI decisions, and retrofitting that context later is often a costly and time-consuming exercise. Cybersecurity and governance are equally important, particularly as AI evolves from generating recommendations to taking autonomous actions through agentic AI. As organisations deploy more AI agents, strong governance becomes essential to ensure they operate on trusted data, follow clearly defined policies and remain transparent and accountable. That means establishing governance from the outset through role-based access controls, explainable decision-making, clear data ownership and strong security policies. The organisations that scale AI successfully are the ones that invest in the foundations first. Trusted, contextual and well-governed data should come before ambitious AI initiatives. While AI applications often attract the most attention, it is the strength of the underlying data and governance framework that ultimately determines whether enterprise-scale AI adoption succeeds. Looking ahead to 2030, what will distinguish the next generation of food manufacturers from those that fail to remain competitive? Will the defining advantage come from better AI models, stronger data ecosystems, more intelligent supply chains, or a fundamentally different way of running the  enterprise? By 2030, I do not believe the defining advantage will come from better AI models alone. It will come from operating a fundamentally different kind of enterprise: one that is connected, intelligent and able to respond continuously to change. AI models will become increasingly accessible. The real differentiator will be how effectively manufacturers connect data, people and processes across the value chain to make faster and better operational decisions. The manufacturers that lead will not simply automate individual tasks. They will build connected operations where procurement, production, inventory, quality and supply chain functions work together using real-time intelligence. That will allow them to anticipate disruption, optimise resources and adapt much faster to changing customer demand, ingredient availability and regulatory requirements. This is the vision behind the Agentic Enterprise, where AI agents, process intelligence and automation work together to orchestrate business processes rather than simply support them. The goal is not to replace people, but to enable smarter, faster and more consistent decision-making across the organisation. By the end of the decade, the manufacturers that remain competitive will not necessarily be those with the most advanced AI; they will be the ones that have built the most intelligent, connected and resilient way of running their business. -- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/interviews/66/4495/geopolitics-reshapes-poultry-economics-as-feed-energy-and-health-costs-rise.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/interviews/66/4495/geopolitics-reshapes-poultry-economics-as-feed-energy-and-health-costs-rise.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:47:17 +0530 In an exclusive AgroSpectrum interview, Eric Cheah, Head of Poultry, ASEAN, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Boehringer Ingelheim, examines how geopolitical disruptions, particularly those affecting major energy and maritime corridors, are reshaping the risk landscape for Asia-Pacific poultry. He explains why feed remains the dominant cost pressure, while rising energy, logistics and veterinary input costs add further strain to producers across ASEAN, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Cheah argues that although countries with stronger domestic feed capacity may have greater short-term resilience, no poultry market is completely insulated from global supply-chain pressures. He stresses that vaccination, biosecurity and effective flock-health management must remain priorities, as cutting disease-prevention investment can ultimately increase mortality, reduce productivity and undermine affordability. The interview highlights the growing convergence of feed security, energy security and biosecurity, with production efficiency becoming increasingly critical for maintaining resilient poultry systems. Cheah also positions poultry as a strategic food-security asset in the region, calling for stronger regional cooperation, supply-chain resilience and alignment among stakeholders to safeguard affordable protein supplies. The Strait of Hormuz is traditionally viewed as an energy chokepoint, but with rising spillovers into feed grains, veterinary inputs, and logistics, is the global poultry industry now effectively being reshaped by energy geopolitics rather than agricultural fundamentals? All industries are being affected by the geopolitics situation, and global poultry industry is of no exclusion. Rising logistics and energy costs impact all aspects of poultry production with feed accounting for the largest share of production costs. Veterinary related cost for farm operations are comparatively a much smaller component. That said, agricultural fundamentals still matter. Factors such as crop harvests, feed ingredient availability, and global supply and demand continue to play a major role in determining feed prices. While geopolitics can create short-term disruptions, the industry's long-term direction remains closely tied to these fundamentals. Across ASEAN, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, poultry systems vary in scale and integration—but are they all now exposed to a single shared vulnerability: imported feed inflation driven by energy-linked commodity pricing? Feed costs are certainly one of the major areas affected by energy-linked commodity prices, and they can account for up to 60 per cent of total poultry production costs. However, the degree of exposure varies from country to country, depending on the extent to which individual markets rely on imported feed ingredients. In the near term, countries with stronger domestic feed production capabilities may be relatively less affected by international disruptions. However, they are not completely insulated. Over time, higher fertilizer prices and increases in the cost of other agricultural inputs can also raise the cost of producing feed domestically. Therefore, even markets with stronger domestic feed capacity can eventually feel the effects of broader global cost pressures. To what extent is poultry health management—vaccines, diagnostics, and biologics—becoming a second inflation channel in addition to feed, as pharmaceutical supply chains tighten under global freight and energy stress? Poultry health management costs can increase as a result of higher transportation expenses, cold-chain requirements and the overall cost of delivering veterinary services. However, compared with feed, animal health generally represents a smaller proportion of total poultry production costs. At the same time, poultry health management should not be overlooked simply because it represents a smaller cost component. Reducing investment in disease prevention and control can ultimately have much more serious consequences for producers. Disease outbreaks can result in higher mortality, poorer flock performance and increased production costs. Maintaining strong vaccination, biosecurity and disease-management programmes therefore remains essential for sustainable poultry production. In an environment where producers are already facing cost pressures, maintaining flock health is critical to ensuring that production efficiency is not compromised. Is the poultry trade across Asia-Pacific still best understood as a set of regional markets, or has it effectively become a synchronized system where shocks in energy corridors instantly transmit into protein pricing across continents? The poultry trade continues to differ significantly from one country to another. Some countries are net exporters of poultry products, while others are net importers. Although disruptions in major energy corridors can affect producers across global markets, the nature and magnitude of the impact are not necessarily the same in every country. For example, poultry producers operating advanced climate-controlled housing systems may face higher operating costs when energy prices increase. However, electricity tariffs, production systems and market structures vary significantly between countries. As a result, an increase in energy costs does not automatically translate into a corresponding increase in poultry or protein prices for consumers in every market. The ability of individual markets and producers to absorb or manage these cost increases depends on their specific production structures, operating environments and overall efficiency. In highly import-dependent markets like South Korea and parts of ASEAN, is poultry affordability increasingly determined not by domestic production efficiency but by external geopolitical risk embedded in feed and input pricing? Countries that are more dependent on imported feed ingredients are naturally more exposed to fluctuations in feed costs arising from external developments. However, this makes domestic production efficiency even more important, rather than less important. Good farm management, strong biosecurity and effective vaccination programmes can help improve feed conversion and overall flock performance. When birds remain healthy and productive, producers are able to make better and more efficient use of available feed resources. Therefore, even when external geopolitical factors create pressure on feed and other input costs, maintaining strong production efficiency can help producers manage those pressures and support both production and affordability. Australia and New Zealand are often considered more resilient due to domestic feed capacity—does the current global shock validate that assumption, or are even these systems now structurally exposed through imported veterinary inputs and energy-linked logistics? Australia and New Zealand may be relatively better positioned in the short term because of their domestic feed production capacity. However, this does not mean that they are completely insulated from global developments. There is still exposure to increases in veterinary input costs, logistics expenses and broader supply-chain pressures. Even where feed can be produced domestically, other components of the production system remain connected to global markets. Furthermore, while feed remains the largest cost component in poultry production, increases in fertilizer prices and the cost of other agricultural inputs could eventually have a flow-on effect on the cost of domestic feed production. Therefore, domestic feed capacity provides a degree of resilience, but it does not eliminate exposure to wider global supply-chain and cost pressures. As feed and poultry health costs rise simultaneously, are producers globally being forced into a structural consolidation cycle that favors vertically integrated agribusiness players over independent growers? With rising costs, the situation favours poultry production systems that are able to manage output efficiency most effectively. Integrators are likely to have an advantage when it comes to managing feed-related costs because of their scale and ability to coordinate different parts of the production system. However, independent growers can also have an advantage in terms of agility. They may be able to adapt more quickly to changes in market conditions and modify their production strategies accordingly. Ultimately, success is not determined solely by whether a producer is vertically integrated or independent. It depends on how effectively producers manage flock health, production efficiency and overall operating costs in a changing environment. How significant is the role of maritime insurance premiums and freight volatility—rather than actual feed shortages—in reshaping poultry trade flows between exporting hubs like Australia/New Zealand and importing ASEAN economies? Maritime insurance premiums and freight-market dynamics are outside my area of expertise, so I would defer to logistics and trade specialists on their specific significance and impact on regional poultry trade flows. From a poultry producer's perspective, however, reliable access to feed ingredients, animal health tools and stable supply chains remains a key consideration. Any factor that affects the movement and availability of these inputs can influence production planning and market dynamics. For producers, therefore, the broader issue is ensuring that critical inputs remain reliably accessible and that supply chains are sufficiently stable to support continuous production. Is the Asia-Pacific poultry ecosystem entering a phase where biosecurity, feed security, and energy security are converging into a single integrated risk framework rather than separate policy domains? Biosecurity, feed security and energy security are interconnected elements of poultry production. A disruption in feed or energy security can put production and biosecurity at risk, particularly when it affects the ability of producers to maintain effective disease-control and prevention measures. Likewise, disease challenges can reduce production efficiency and increase costs. Poor flock health can affect productivity and feed utilisation, creating additional pressure at a time when producers may already be dealing with higher input costs. For this reason, these risks should not be viewed in isolation. Maintaining resilience across feed supply, energy availability and disease prevention is important for the overall sustainability and efficiency of poultry production. At what point does poultry shift from being treated as a commodity market into a strategic food security asset across ASEAN, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand—requiring coordinated regional buffers for feed, veterinary inputs, and trade stability? Poultry meat and eggs remain among the most affordable and accessible sources of protein across many countries in the region. For that reason alone, poultry plays an important role in food security and is already much more than just another commodity. We are also seeing greater attention being given to strengthening domestic production capabilities and reducing vulnerabilities within food and agricultural supply chains. This is particularly important during periods of uncertainty, when disruptions can affect the availability and cost of critical inputs. Regional cooperation, transparency and greater alignment among stakeholders can help support a stable supply of feed ingredients, animal health resources and poultry products for consumers. Strengthening these areas will be important in ensuring that poultry continues to provide an affordable and reliable source of protein across the region. -- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/reports-white-papers/66/4190/defining-trends-in-asian-agriculture-during-h1-2026.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/reports-white-papers/66/4190/defining-trends-in-asian-agriculture-during-h1-2026.html Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0530 The first six months of 2026 will be remembered in Asian agriculture as a season of two clocks running at very different speeds. One clock — the one ticking inside research institutes, regulatory agencies and the slide decks of agri-food investors — moved unusually fast. Genome-edited rice advanced toward farmers' fields in India. China finalised its second registration list of genetically modified corn and soybean varieties. Singapore quietly logged its fourth cultivated-meat approval and published, for the first time, a consolidated public list of every novel food it has cleared. India's Union Budget rewrote the language of farm policy around artificial intelligence and digital public infrastructure. By almost any measure of institutional momentum, the science and the statecraft of agriculture in Asia accelerated. The other clock belongs to the weather, the soil and the balance sheet — and it told a harder story. The India Meteorological Department opened the year with its most pessimistic monsoon forecast in more than two decades. Venture capital into the region's agritech sector remained roughly two-thirds below its peak. And the gap between a technology cleared in a lab and a technology working on a smallholding the size of a tennis court stayed stubbornly, frustratingly wide. The defining tension of H1 2026 was not whether Asian agriculture is innovating. It plainly is. The question is whether that innovation is reaching the ground fast enough to matter when the rains fall short. The science finally moves For more than a decade, the story of crop biotechnology in much of Asia was a story of stalled promise. India had approved exactly one genetically modified crop for commercial cultivation — Bt cotton, back in 2006 — and the political and regulatory machinery around transgenics had effectively seized up. What changed, and what came into sharper focus through H1 2026, is that the region has found a way around that impasse: genome editing. The distinction matters enormously. Where conventional GM crops carry foreign DNA and trigger the full weight of biosafety regulation, genome-edited varieties produced through SDN-1 and SDN-2 techniques edit a plant's own genes and leave no foreign genetic material behind. A 2022 office memorandum from India's environment ministry exempted such transgene-free edited plants from the strictest tier of approval, requiring only that an institutional biosafety committee certify the absence of exogenous DNA. That single regulatory differentiation has done what years of debate over GM could not: it has put new traits on a credible path to farmers. The proof points are now real rather than theoretical. India's two genome-edited rice lines — an improved Samba Mahsuri and an edited version of MTU-1010 — cleared multi-location trials, with the enhanced Samba Mahsuri showing a roughly 19 percent average yield uplift and the MTU-1010 variant demonstrating tolerance to saline and alkaline soils. A third candidate, a canola-quality mustard edited for disease and pest resistance, has been moving through its second year of trials across sixteen locations, with a possible release flagged for later in 2026. Behind these headline varieties sits a deeper strategic play: Indian scientists have been advancing indigenous gene-editing tools — TnpB-based miniature editors and platforms beyond the patent-heavy Cas9 — explicitly to reduce dependence on foreign intellectual property. A pipeline that includes drought-tolerant rice and maize, beta-carotene-rich banana, and high-oleic groundnut is no longer a wish list; it is a regulatory queue. China spent the half-year pressing in the same direction, but from a position of far greater scale and urgency. As the world's largest importer of corn and soybeans, Beijing has framed seed self-reliance as a matter of national security, and its biotechnology programme reflects that framing. By early 2026 the country had finalised its second registration list of GM corn and soybean varieties — building on the first batch of production licences issued at the end of 2023 — and had approved its first gene-edited wheat and corn for domestic cultivation. The government's own projections put potential yield gains from these varieties at around 12 percent, and some industry analysts believe the eventual planted area could reach tens of millions of hectares. China still moves cautiously, public ambivalence about GM food remains real, and foreign investment in its agricultural biotech sector is largely walled off. But the trajectory through H1 2026 was unmistakable: a deliberate, state-driven push to close the yield gap with the Americas using domestically owned genetics. Two of Asia's largest agricultural economies, in other words, spent the first half of 2026 demonstrating that the long biotech stalemate is breaking — not through the transgenic crops that dominated the last era's debates, but through precision editing that sidesteps both the regulatory burden and much of the political resistance. Policy learns to speak in code If genome editing was the science story of H1 2026, the digitalisation of farm policy was its administrative counterpart — and nowhere was the shift more explicit than in India's Union Budget for 2026-27, presented at the start of February. The numbers themselves told a story of consolidation rather than transformation. Agriculture and allied activities drew an allocation in the region of ₹1.62 lakh crore, up around 7 percent on the previous year's revised estimates, with a separate fertiliser subsidy of roughly ₹1.71 lakh crore continuing to absorb global price shocks on farmers' behalf. Direct income support under PM-KISAN held flat at ₹63,500 crore for a third consecutive year — a sign that the transfer is now treated as a baseline entitlement rather than a lever to be pulled. The more revealing signals lay in where new money and new language went. The budget leaned hard into what one agtech commentator described as an "AI-first" vision of agriculture. The headline instrument was Bharat-VISTAAR, a multilingual, AI-enabled advisory platform funded at ₹150 crore and designed to knit together the AgriStack digital identity framework and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's package of practices into something a farmer can actually query in their own language. Alongside it sat the continuing build-out of the Digital Agriculture Mission, with a stated ambition to generate unique digital IDs for 110 million farmers. The thematic centre of gravity shifted, too — away from the wheat-and-rice staples and toward high-value agriculture, with dedicated promotion schemes for coconut, cashew, cocoa and sandalwood, and a record allocation for fisheries built around the integrated development of 500 reservoirs. It would be easy to read all of this as unambiguous progress, and harder but more honest to note the tensions inside it. The same budget trimmed the flagship crop-insurance scheme, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, to its lowest allocation in years — a striking choice in a year when, by the government's own Economic Survey, weather shocks were inflicting heavier and more frequent yield losses. Allocations for agricultural research and education edged down even as the rhetoric of innovation rose. The architecture being built is genuinely impressive: a data layer, an AI advisory layer, a diversification push toward crops with better margins. Whether that architecture reaches the rainfed smallholder before the next failed monsoon does — that remains the open question of the entire enterprise. What the budget made unambiguous is the direction of travel. Across Asia, the policy conversation has moved decisively from inputs and subsidies toward data, diversification and digital infrastructure. The instruments now carry names like AgriStack and Bharat-VISTAAR rather than minimum support prices. The bet is that intelligence — delivered cheaply, at scale, in the right language — can do what decades of input subsidy could not: make 140 million Indian farmers more resilient to climate and market volatility. It is a serious bet. H1 2026 placed it; the field will settle it. The protein frontier grows up Few corners of Asian agri-food have generated more heat over the past five years than alternative protein, and few entered 2026 in greater need of a reality check. The first half of the year delivered both fresh regulatory milestones and a sober recalibration of expectations — and Singapore, as ever, sat at the centre of the story. The city-state remains the only place in Asia to have built a working, repeatable regulatory pathway for novel foods, and in H1 2026 it made that pathway newly transparent. In March, the Singapore Food Agency published its first consolidated public list of approved novel foods — fourteen products and ingredients spanning cultivated meat, algal protein and a range of fermentation-derived foods. For an industry that had long operated against a backdrop of case-by-case decisions, a centralised, citable register was more than housekeeping; it was a signal of regulatory maturity that the rest of the region will study closely. The approvals kept coming, too. In April, the Paris-based startup Parima — formed from the merger of Gourmey and Vital Meat — won clearance for cultivated duck, six months after its cultivated chicken was approved, making it the first company anywhere to hold regulatory green lights for two animal species and bringing Singapore's tally of approved cultivated-meat products to four. Parima's stated playbook is instructive: begin in high-end gastronomy, where a cultivated duck endorsed by Michelin-starred chefs can command a premium, then move toward targeted retail. Its production model — cells grown in suspension in standard industrial bioreactors, deployable in partner infrastructure across Asia-Pacific without rebuilding a facility from scratch — points to where the economics of this sector may eventually have to land. And yet the most important alternative-protein development of the half-year was arguably a step back rather than a step forward. Singapore confirmed that it is retiring its long-standing "30 by 30" local-production target in favour of a broader strategy — the Singapore Food Story 2 — built on four pillars: local production of protein and fibre, import diversification, stockpiling and global partnerships. Cultivated meat and other alternative proteins, the government made clear, are no longer counted as part of the near-term food-security plan. The reasons were candid: higher-than-expected production costs and weaker-than-expected consumer acceptance globally. The sector has not been abandoned — R&D funding continues, and officials left the door open to a larger future role "if and when" the economics turn — but the framing changed from imminent solution to long-term option. That recalibration is healthy, and it captures something true about the whole alternative-protein moment in Asia. The regulatory science is maturing; the regulatory transparency is improving; the species count is climbing. What has not yet arrived is the cost curve and the consumer pull that would turn a string of approvals into a meaningful share of the protein on Asian plates. H1 2026 was the half-year in which the industry stopped over-promising and started, more usefully, to grow up. The capital reckoning Underwriting all of this — the gene-editing pipelines, the digital platforms, the bioreactors — is capital, and the capital story of H1 2026 was one of hard-won discipline after an exuberant boom. The defining document arrived in April, when Omnivore, Beanstalk AgTech and Briter released a data-driven analysis of the agritech landscape across thirteen Southeast Asian markets, backed by the IFC, FMO Ventures and the Rabo Foundation. Its central claim was bullish: digitalisation and agritech adoption could unlock more than US$90 billion in annual GDP gains across Southeast Asia by 2033, in a region where agriculture contributes roughly 15 percent of GDP and employs up to 40 percent of the workforce. But the report's value lay in its candour about how that prize had been pursued so far. Agritech investment across the region peaked at over US$750 million in 2022 before falling nearly 70 percent by 2025 — a sharp correction as investors confronted the structural realities of fragmented value chains and the genuine difficulty of scaling ventures across markets that share a map but little else. The report's most useful conclusions were its uncomfortable ones. There is, it argued, no unified Southeast Asian market to conquer; roughly two-thirds of documented cross-border expansion attempts had failed, and premature regional expansion was the cause of more than 60 percent of venture collapses between 2022 and 2025. The most defensible opportunities, it concluded, are single-market plays built around the right value chain, the right business model and a local execution team — not the pan-regional land grabs that defined the boom years. As Omnivore's Mark Kahn put it, patient, disciplined capital that understands local market dynamics is what actually moves these ecosystems forward. Tellingly, the authors held up India as the instructive model — a market whose venture ecosystem matured through a hard decade of governance reform, exits and the unglamorous work of building market infrastructure. Development finance institutions and impact investors have committed a combined US$650 million to agrifood funds across the region and remain central to the capital stack, but the report was clear that the next phase of scaling will require a blend of equity, credit and concessional capital rather than venture money alone. For an industry that spent the early 2020s chasing valuations, this is a more sober and more durable foundation. The money flowing into Asian agritech in 2026 is more patient, more local and more honest about the structural friction of fragmented smallholder agriculture. That is not a retreat. It is the sector learning, expensively, how the region actually works. The field doesn't care about any of this And then there is the weather, which has the disconcerting habit of ignoring every register of approved novel foods and every line of an AI advisory platform. The single most consequential development of H1 2026 for hundreds of millions of Asian farmers was not a clearance or a funding round. It was the India Meteorological Department's first-stage forecast, issued in April, that the 2026 southwest monsoon would deliver around 92 percent of the long-period average — a below-normal season, and by some accounts the lowest first-stage forecast in at least twenty-five years. The climate signals behind the number were ominous: weak La Niña conditions transitioning toward neutral, with a meaningful probability of El Niño developing during the monsoon season itself. The historical record is unforgiving on this point — across the El Niño years India logged between 1951 and 2022, every drought year was an El Niño year. By mid-year the strain was already visible. The season opened well below normal, agriculture officials flagged El Niño risk across a dozen states and called for district-level contingency plans, and crop-weather monitors issued severe dry alerts across the soybean and groundnut belts, threatening to delay sowing and shorten the growing window. Roughly 60 percent of India's farmers depend on monsoon rainfall, and close to half the country's farmland lacks assured irrigation; the kharif crops sown from June — rice, soybean, cotton, pulses, groundnut — rely almost entirely on those rains. Reservoir buffers, fuller than in recent years, offer some cushion, and a late-developing positive Indian Ocean Dipole could yet offset part of the El Niño signal as it did in 2023. But variability, not the aggregate number, will decide the season. Ratings agencies were already pencilling in downside risks to agricultural growth and upside risks to food inflation. This is the context against which every laboratory triumph of the half-year has to be read. A genome-edited drought-tolerant rice is precisely the kind of innovation that matters in a 92-percent monsoon year — but the edited Samba Mahsuri reaching commercial scale and the drought-tolerant lines reaching farmers are still future events, not present realities. An AI advisory platform is exactly what a smallholder facing an erratic kharif season could use — but Bharat-VISTAAR's value depends entirely on whether it reaches remote, rainfed districts in time to change a planting decision. The crop-insurance scheme that would cushion a failed season was trimmed in the same budget that funded the AI platform. There is a related, quieter argument that gained traction in the region's agtech commentary at the start of 2026: that the sector has over-indexed on inventing new tools and under-invested in deploying the ones it already has. Asia-Pacific accounts for half of the 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted globally each year; in South Asia, where a staggering share of the population is born underweight or stunted, around 40 percent of all food perishes before it is eaten. The toolbox to address this — from biologicals to gene-editing to AI robotics — is already substantial. The constraint is rarely the technology. It is the absence of a safety net that lets a smallholder absorb the risk of trying something new, and the persistent difficulty of tracing a benefit back to the tool that produced it. The most important agricultural work of 2026, on this reading, is less about the next breakthrough than about closing the distance between the breakthrough and the farm. Where the two clocks meet If H1 2026 had a single physical setting where its two clocks were visibly synchronised, it was the exhibition floor. In May, Agritechnica Asia returned to Bangkok under the theme "Farm. Farmer. Future." — co-located with HortEx Thailand, drawing around 350 exhibitors and an expected 18,000-plus visitors from across the region, and headlined by a new conference on smart agriculture and unmanned agricultural systems. Taiwan's Asia Agri-Tech Expo ran in the same month with a comparable emphasis on AI smart farming, automation and aquaculture. The Southeast Asian agricultural mechanisation market that these events serve is projected to keep growing at around 4 percent annually toward US$2.5 billion by 2028, driven by rice, sugarcane, cassava and maize across the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. What these gatherings made tangible is the through-line of the entire half-year: physical AI is moving from the conference panel to the field. Robotics, sensors, unmanned systems and data platforms are no longer the speculative content of a startup zone; they are increasingly the practical content of a mechanisation strategy adapted to Asian production systems and smallholder economics. The relevant question across the region has shifted from whether the technology works to whether it can be put, affordably and durably, into the hands of the farmer who needs it. That is the right question, and it frames what the second half of 2026 will test. Watch for India's genome-edited mustard, which could secure release in the coming months and would mark the first edited oilseed to reach the field. Watch how the kharif season actually resolves once July and August — the months that carry the bulk of the rainfall and cover the critical growth stages — deliver their verdict on the El Niño signal. Watch whether the capital discipline the Omnivore report prescribed translates into the patient, single-market, locally led ventures it championed. And watch, at October's Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore, whether the alternative-protein sector can show a cost curve to match its lengthening list of approvals. The first half of 2026 proved that Asian agriculture can innovate at speed across science, policy and capital. The genome editors are working, the AI platforms are funded, the regulatory pathways are maturing, and the money is wiser than it was. What the half-year could not yet prove is the only thing that ultimately counts: that this acceleration reaches the field before the field runs dry. The lab clock is fast. The field clock is the one keeping real time. Closing the distance between them is the work that remains. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4175/global-fish-production-to-reach-200-5-mt-in-2026-as-aquaculture-growth-offsets-decline-in-capture-fisheries-fao.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4175/global-fish-production-to-reach-200-5-mt-in-2026-as-aquaculture-growth-offsets-decline-in-capture-fisheries-fao.html Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:35:21 +0530 Global fisheries and aquaculture production is forecast to reach 200.5 million tonnes in 2026, an increase of 1.0 percent compared with 2025, according to the latest outlook from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The overall growth masks a deep structural divergence within the sector, with aquaculture continuing to expand steadily while capture fisheries face tightening biological limits, regulatory constraints, and climate-related volatility. Aquaculture output is expected to rise by 2.9 percent to 108.7 million tonnes, driven by stronger harvests of carp, shrimp, and salmon, while capture fisheries are projected to decline by 1.1 percent to 91.8 million tonnes due to reduced quotas in key stocks and adverse climatic conditions, including expected El Niño impacts affecting the Peruvian anchoveta fishery and continued scientific tightening of North Atlantic cod catch limits. Global trade in aquatic animal products is projected to reach $ 202.3 billion in 2026, reflecting a 2.5 percent increase year-on-year, even as traded volumes remain broadly stable at 71.1 million tonnes in live weight equivalent, indicating that value growth is increasingly outpacing physical expansion. On the import side, China and the European Union remain the dominant global buyers, with China’s import value expected to grow by around 3 percent and the European Union by about 7 percent, supported by sustained consumer demand and diversified sourcing strategies. In contrast, the United States is expected to record a 4 percent decline in imports, as tariff measures and related trade disruptions weigh particularly on shrimp, tilapia, and processed fish products, reshaping global seafood trade flows and redirecting volumes toward alternative markets. On the export side, Norway and Viet Nam are expected to lead global gains in export value, with growth of around 4 percent and 7 percent respectively, underpinned by strong aquaculture performance and resilient demand in key destination markets. Norway continues to consolidate its position as a leading global seafood exporter, with salmon exports reaching 1.4 million tonnes valued at $ 12.4 billion, supported by strong shipments to the United States and expanding Asia-Pacific demand, which rose 12 percent in volume terms. Viet Nam’s gains are similarly supported by diversified aquaculture exports and processed seafood trade. Ecuador, India, and Chile also remain central to global supply dynamics, with Ecuador’s shrimp exports rising to 1.4 million tonnes worth $ 8.5 billion, reflecting strong demand from China, the United States, and Spain, while India shipped 804,000 tonnes of shrimp valued at $ 5.7 billion, influenced by tariff-driven trade shifts and front-loading of exports ahead of higher US duties. Chile continues to reinforce its role as a key salmon supplier to North American markets, particularly the United States, where import demand remains structurally strong despite price fluctuations. Shrimp trade expanded significantly in 2025, rising 4.1 percent in volume to 4 million tonnes and 10.7 percent in value to $ 29.7 billion, with strong import growth in both the United States and the European Union, which increased purchases by 8.7 percent and 9.4 percent respectively. Salmon trade also remained robust, supported by rising consumption in the United States and Asia-Pacific, where imports increased by 7 percent to 513,000 tonnes and 12 percent to 705,000 tonnes respectively, even as price dynamics softened in some markets. In contrast, tuna trade weakened, declining by 5.7 percent to 3.3 million tonnes, driven by a sharp fall in frozen skipjack imports and weaker demand for processed tuna products following tariff increases in the United States, which affected supply chains across China, Thailand, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. Despite volume declines, skipjack prices remained relatively stable at around $ 1,500 per tonne CFR Thailand in May 2026. Global fish prices have strengthened notably, with the FAO Fish Price Index averaging 127 points in the first four months of 2026, its highest level since 2022 and about 8 percent higher than the same period in 2025. The increase has been driven primarily by the capture fisheries segment, where reduced supply of pelagics and whitefish pushed the index sharply higher, while aquaculture prices remained relatively stable despite firming trends in salmon and shrimp. Overall, the outlook highlights a global seafood economy increasingly shaped by aquaculture-led expansion, tightening capture fisheries supply, and shifting trade patterns influenced by tariffs, logistics disruptions, and evolving demand centres, particularly in Asia, Europe, and North America. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4167/indonesias-wmu-bets-big-on-cage-free-eggs-as-animal-welfare-demand-reshapes-poultry-industry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/4167/indonesias-wmu-bets-big-on-cage-free-eggs-as-animal-welfare-demand-reshapes-poultry-industry.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:14:06 +0530 Indonesia's poultry sector is witnessing a significant shift toward higher animal welfare standards, and PT Widodo Makmur Unggas Tbk (WMU) is positioning itself at the forefront of that transformation. The integrated poultry farming and processing company has unveiled plans to more than double its cage-free egg production capacity, aiming to become the largest cage-free egg producer in Southeast Asia by 2027. The move reflects a broader evolution in food supply chains across the region, where multinational corporations, hospitality groups and food-service operators are increasingly adopting cage-free sourcing commitments in response to changing consumer expectations and sustainability requirements. WMU currently operates a cage-free flock of approximately 200,000 laying hens and plans to increase that number to 500,000 hens by 2027. If achieved, the expansion would place the company among the region's largest producers of cage-free eggs and strengthen Indonesia's position in the rapidly growing premium egg market. The company's strategy comes as cage-free production transitions from a niche category to a mainstream procurement requirement among major global food brands. More than 2,000 food companies worldwide have committed to sourcing 100% cage-free eggs, including several international brands with significant operations in Indonesia such as KFC, Burger King, Hyatt and Marriott. For WMU, the expansion is not merely a production increase but a strategic bet on a structural change in consumer behavior and corporate sourcing practices. Demand for cage-free eggs has been accelerating across Indonesia's food-service, hospitality, restaurant and catering sectors as companies seek to align their supply chains with international animal welfare standards. The trend is increasingly being reinforced by consumers who are paying closer attention to how food products are produced and sourced. Consumer sentiment appears to support that shift. Survey data from GMO Research indicates that 55% of Indonesian consumers prefer products made using cage-free eggs, while 72% believe food companies should implement animal welfare standards throughout their supply chains. These findings suggest that cage-free eggs are no longer viewed solely as a premium ethical product but are becoming part of a broader conversation around responsible food production. WMU's growth strategy currently focuses on business-to-business sales, supplying cage-free eggs to commercial customers across food service, hospitality and restaurant segments. However, the company is also preparing to enter the consumer retail market with its own cage-free egg brand, signaling confidence that demand will extend beyond institutional buyers into household consumption. The move mirrors developments in more mature food markets, where cage-free eggs have steadily gained market share as consumers increasingly associate animal welfare with food quality, sustainability and responsible production practices. Beyond ethical considerations, cage-free systems are also attracting attention for their potential food safety advantages. Research from the European Food Safety Authority suggests that the risk of Salmonella contamination on cage-free farms may be significantly lower than in conventional caged production systems, adding another layer of appeal for food companies and consumers alike. The shift also aligns with the growing emphasis on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards across global food supply chains. As multinational companies strengthen sustainability commitments, suppliers that can meet animal welfare requirements are likely to enjoy a competitive advantage in securing long-term contracts and accessing premium markets. Industry observers view WMU's expansion as an important milestone for Indonesia's poultry sector, which has traditionally focused on production efficiency and affordability. The emergence of cage-free farming at scale suggests the market is beginning to evolve toward higher-value production systems that balance productivity with welfare and sustainability considerations. The company's investment also highlights a broader transformation taking place across Southeast Asia's food industry. As incomes rise and consumers become more conscious of production practices, demand is increasingly shifting toward products that offer assurances around quality, safety, sustainability and animal welfare. For Indonesia, one of the region's largest food markets, that transition could create significant opportunities for producers willing to adapt early. WMU's expansion plan signals that cage-free eggs are no longer a peripheral trend but an emerging growth segment with the potential to reshape poultry supply chains across the region. By investing ahead of demand and positioning itself as a large-scale supplier, the company is betting that the future of egg production in Southeast Asia will be defined not only by volume, but by how those eggs are produced. If consumer preferences, corporate commitments and regulatory trends continue moving in the same direction, WMU's wager on cage-free production could become one of the most significant shifts in Southeast Asia's poultry industry over the next decade. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3509/from-additives-to-spices-cac48-redraws-rules-of-global-food-trade.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3509/from-additives-to-spices-cac48-redraws-rules-of-global-food-trade.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:50:16 +0530 Codex and FAO officials detail how updated standards aim to protect consumers without triggering disproportionate trade disruption for export-dependent economies In an exclusive Agrospectrum and NUFFOODS Spectrum interview with global food-standards leaders — Sarah Cahill, Codex Secretary; Lingping Zhang, Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat; Markus Lipp, Senior Food Safety Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Gracia Brisco, Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat; and Hilde Kruse, Senior Food Standards Officer, Codex Secretariat — CAC48 emerges as a decisive moment for Codex amid rising geopolitical fragmentation. The experts reaffirm Codex’s science-based, consensus-driven mandate, which shaped major reforms including additive reviews, aflatoxin updates, pesticide-residue reference guidelines and new maximum lead levels for spices. They underline how improved Codes of Practice, surveillance support and harmonised quality parameters enable consumer protection while minimising trade disruption for export-reliant economies. Looking ahead, they highlight the Codex Strategic Plan 2026–2031, which places digital traceability, climate-risk foresight, and advanced analytical technologies at the core of modernising global food safety governance. Edited excerpts; Codex at a Geopolitical Crossroads The 48th Session saw critical standards adopted across additives, contaminants, and fresh-produce quality. At a time when food systems face geopolitical fragmentation, supply-chain shocks, and rising protectionism, how does Codex ensure these standards remain science-led, globally harmonized, and insulated from political pressure? The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is a Member-driven body with its commitment to a science-based approach to standard setting enshrined in its procedures. Its work is guided by its strategic goals, and its core values of collaboration, inclusiveness, consensus building and transparency. Codex texts are the benchmark for food safety under the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and are relevant to the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) where WTO members refer to harmonization with international standards such as the Codex Alimentarius for food-related issues such as labelling. Codex standards play an important role in addressing specific trade concerns or for dispute settlement cases. Wherever you are, whatever you do, safe food is an everyday need. And it is a global commodity. These aspects are integral to every discussion in the Codex Alimentarius Commission. “Together” was also the theme of CAC48, which served to highlight that when it comes to food safety and quality it is only by working together that we can effectively and efficiently ensure food is safe and of good quality.  The GSFA Overhaul: Science, Safety, and Consumer Trust More than 500 food additive provisions were reviewed, leading to revocations and new inclusions. What principles guided the reassessment—particularly for colourants like annatto extracts—and how does FAO ensure regulators and industry transition smoothly to these updated provisions without disrupting product availability or trade flows? All Codex work is conducted following approval by CAC. Thus, the decision for reassessment was taken by Members. In the case of annatto extracts, this decision was based on: The need to align the General standard for food additives with relevant sections of commodity standards. In this case, for example, there was a need to align with the Standard for fermented milks, which does not provide for the addition of annatto extracts in plain milk. Codex texts are developed through consensus by all its Members in a deliberate manner that often spans a timeframe of several years. The national Codex contact points serve as a primary node to disseminate all applicable information to national stakeholders. In addition, FAO provides support when requested by Member Countries to strengthen national Codex structures, thereby enhancing national capabilities in disseminating all relevant Codex texts to national stakeholders. Aflatoxins in Peanuts: New Science, New Responsibilities The revised Code of Practice on aflatoxins integrates updated agronomic science, maturity-stage tables, and roasting effects. How will FAO help producing countries—especially smallholder-dependent economies—translate these best practices into field-level change? Are new surveillance, extension, or capacity-building mechanisms planned? FAO stays ready to support its members needs and will respond to requests by its members for additional capacity building measures correspondingly. FAO and Codex furthermore have published numerous guidance documents, codes of practice and related texts that is publicly available, ready to be used by any other organization that would like to use this information in order to support producers of peanuts. Lead Limits in Spices: Balancing Public Health and Trade facilitation With new maximum levels now set for dried bark (cinnamon) and culinary herbs, exporting nations such as —India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia—face compliance pressure. How does Codex balance the dual mandate of protecting consumers health while ensuring fair practices in trade, in this case, preventing trade disruptions for economies reliant on spice exports? The mandate to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade is the statutory purpose of CAC. This means that, when it comes to food safety standards such as maximum levels for contaminants in foods, CAC will not establish more stringent measures than necessary to protect consumers health so that the measures themselves do not become a technical barrier to trade which may then translate in trade disruption that may impact economic growth and ultimately food security.   Although spices and culinary herbs are consumed in small amounts, as opposed to other foods, it remains important to assess the safety of lead levels in these foods due to the impact of lead toxicity on human health that may include neurodevelopmental effects such as decreases in Intelligence Quota (IQ) and attention span in children, impaired renal function, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, impaired fertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes and therefore the ALARA continued to apply when CCCF discusses risk management considerations related to health and trade so that while ensuring the safety of the food, this does not imply high rejections rate of lot consignments, at import control point. CCCF does provide support to Codex Members to enable them to comply with MLs, by developing codes of practice, a compendium of risk management measures and practices to assist in reducing food contamination, in this case CAC40 adopted in 2017 the Code of practice for the prevention and reduction of mycotoxins in spices (CXC 78-2017). FAO does have a role to play in assisting countries with the implementation of the CoP, helping them to identify specific risk management measures that may not be included in the CoP, as they are usually overarching texts, that can complement the measures applicable worldwide that are described in these CoPs. The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted MLs for lead in spices and culinary herbs, specifically, dried bark (cinnamon) and dried culinary herbs. The MLs are 2.5 mg/kg for lead in spices, dried bark and 2.0 mg/kg for lead in culinary herbs, dried and will now be added to the General Standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed (CXS 193-1995).  Pesticide Reference Materials: A Quiet but Critical Reform The guidelines allowing extended use of pesticide reference materials beyond labelled expiry dates could significantly reduce laboratory costs and waste. What drove this reform? And how does FAO envision it strengthening residue monitoring systems in low- and middle-income countries where testing infrastructure remains limited? Pesticide residues in food are a subject of particular concern for consumers and in the food trade. To ensure the safety of food, the regulation of pesticide use, and relevant residues, must be enforced and guaranteed. Part of the process of testing for pesticide residues relies on laboratories being able to access what are known as reference materials, or RMs. But these are costly and sold with 2-to-5-year short-term expiry dates, though there is no requirement to find maximum shelf life. This can force laboratories to buy new RMs more frequently than potentially necessary. This leads to additional work and additional costs, and that can hinder how much testing can be done.  The Codex Alimentarius Commission has now adopted guidelines that provide a scientifically sound framework to monitor the purity and stability of reference materials under defined conditions, which, if implemented correctly, may allow continued use of RMs beyond their expiry date - where purity remains within acceptable limits. This reduces recurring costs, minimizes waste, and ensures confidence in the reliability of pesticide residue analysis.  The work on the development of guidelines for monitoring the purity and stability of reference materials of pesticides during prolonged storage commenced at CCPR51 in 2019, when some delegations expressed concerns regarding the limitation of the use of reference materials beyond the expiry date, leading to significant recurring costs for laboratories. As chair of the electronic working group (EWG), India led the work to develop these guidelines. FAO stays ready to support its members needs and will respond to requests by its members for additional capacity building measures correspondingly.  Read more about this work in the 2025 edition of the CODEX magazine   Standard for Fresh Dates: Trade Enablement for Climate-Stressed Regions The new standard comes after a decade of negotiations and is deeply important for date-producing regions across the Middle East and North Africa. How will harmonized quality parameters—size, colour, uniformity, defects—reshape global trade? Can such standards help climate-stressed producers secure better prices in high-value retail markets ? By adopting the new Standard for fresh dates, Codex Members now have an international reference that provides the baseline for international trade of this commodity upon which trading partners can agree on additional quality provisions based on their consumers’ preferences. For producing countries, this opens up trade possibilities across the globe, which, in many cases, will support the livelihoods of small producers, bolster economies and provide a safe, good quality product for consumers worldwide. Castilla Lulo (Naranjilla): Regional Standards as a Strategic Tool This new regional standard reflects the fruit’s cultural importance and emerging trade value in Latin America. What criteria does Codex use to decide when a product merits a regional rather than global standard? And do regional standards serve as testbeds for potential future global adoption? When considering new work proposed by FAO/WHO regional coordinating committees, CAC considers, amongst other things, whether the new work is justified on the grounds that the product in question is significantly traded intraregionally and that there is no significant trade between or within other regions When a commodity for which there is a regional standard, sees increased trade at a global level, the coordinating committee concerned, or a Member, can propose extension of the territorial application of the standard. This involves new work, which has to be approved by CAC. CAC48 approved, for example, new work on converting the Regional standard for laver products (Asia) to a worldwide standard, work that will be carried out by the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (CCFFP). The Next Frontier: Modernizing Codex for a New Era of Food Risks From AI-driven food systems to precision fermentation, novel ingredients, and climate-linked contaminants, food safety risks are evolving faster than many national regulatory systems. What are FAO’s top priorities for modernizing Codex over the next decade? How will future standards incorporate digital traceability, climate risk modelling, and new analytical technologies? FAO is a parent organization of Codex, together with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, work prioritization in Codex is the remit of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. CAC47 adopted the Codex strategic plan 2026–2031 and CAC48 its monitoring framework. The purpose of the Codex strategic plan and its renewal and renegotiation every five years is to ensure that Codex work is aimed at achieving the most appropriate objectives. FAO has a very long-standing tradition to inform the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies with all relevant information to facilitate forward looking workplanning. FAO continues to offer its support to all its members and the members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission to assist in national capacity building activities to strengthen food control systems, food safety governance and all related aspects. The new strategic plan has as its first Strategic Goal to: Respond to Members’ needs for protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade in an evolving global landscape, by developing science-based standards and related texts 1.1 Foresight and horizon-scanning activities are used to support the identification of issues likely to impact food safety, quality and trade. 1.2 Scientific advice that addresses the needs identified by CAC and its subsidiary bodies is primarily provided by FAO and WHO and their joint scientific advisory bodies, informed by globally representative data and appropriate international expertise and methodology. 1.3 Scientific advice is used by CAC and subsidiary bodies in line with Codex risk analysis principles. 1.4 Codex standards and related texts are developed, reviewed and adopted in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner. Thus, with reference to FAO’s foresight programme ( https://www.fao.org/food-safety/scientific-advice/foresight/en/ ), Codex will aim to keep ahead of emerging trends Codex work is already addressing some of the key emerging issues and adapting based on Members’ priorities: Digital traceability is already a key topic of discussion in the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), and work is ongoing to develop texts for the digitalization of national food control systems. CAC47 adopted the Codex Committee on Food Labelling’s (CCFL’s) Guidelines on the provision of food information for pre-packaged foods to be offered via e-commerce New food sources and production systems have been discussed extensively in Codex in recent years. In this context several areas of new work are under discussion which will help define how codex addresses this emerging area moving forward. Changing climate is also impacting food safety and this is also impacting the standard setting work of Codex. For example, the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) elaborated and CAC47 adopted the Code of practice for the prevention or reduction of ciguatera poisoning, in response to the evolving nature of this issue, which is related to climate factors. The Codex Committee on Food Hygiene developed and CAC46 adopted Guidelines for the safe use and reuse of water in food production and processing in response to Members concerns about the need to ensure that in the context of water resource challenges, the safety of food was not negatively impacted. There is a continued emphasis, particularly within CCCF, on the issue of mycotoxins, the threat of which is evolving and possibly expanding as climate factors change. —---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3435/fresh-del-monte-produce-inc-and-thaco-agri-sign-strategic-sourcing-partnership-for-bananas.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3435/fresh-del-monte-produce-inc-and-thaco-agri-sign-strategic-sourcing-partnership-for-bananas.html Mon, 01 Dec 2025 10:10:24 +0530 New partnership strengthens Fresh Del Monte’s sourcing diversification strategy and expands banana production ties in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables, announced it has entered into a strategic partnership with THACO Agri, the agricultural division of Vietnam’s THACO Group and a leading regional producer with large-scale farming operations in Vietnam and Cambodia. The agreement, signed during a ceremony at THACO Group headquarters in Ho Chi Minh City, establishes a long-term partnership for the sourcing of bananas from THACO AGRI’s operations and aligns with Fresh Del Monte’s strategy to broaden its global sourcing footprint and expand its presence in Southeast Asia. In addition, THACO AGRI will develop dedicated pineapple cultivation areas to meet Fresh Del Monte’s demand through a suitable and phased roadmap. “Partnering with THACO AGRI is an important step in strengthening our sourcing capabilities in Southeast Asia,” said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Fresh Del Monte’s Chairman and CEO. “Their scale and integrated-circular operations align with our long-term strategy to build a more resilient and diversified supply network.” The partnership also supports Fresh Del Monte’s efforts to address rising global production challenges across the banana industry, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supply-chain stability and long-term resilience. THACO AGRI’s agricultural platform spans more than 85,000 hectares across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, applying a large-scale integrated-circular and organic production model—including fruit cultivation and livestock farming—in pursuit of its vision “to become the leading agricultural corporation in ASEAN by 2027.” The partnership further enables THACO INDUSTRIES, THACO’s mechanical engineering sub-holding, to work with Fresh Del Monte on mechanization and automation solutions, leveraging its work with THACO AGRI to enhance agricultural productivity and operational efficiency. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3418/taiwan-unveils-draft-circular-economy-roadmap-eyes-deeper-collaboration-with-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3418/taiwan-unveils-draft-circular-economy-roadmap-eyes-deeper-collaboration-with-southeast-asia.html Fri, 21 Nov 2025 11:43:33 +0530 As Taiwan accelerates in circular industries, the test for Southeast Asia is whether the region can align with the island’s new circular economy roadmap fast enough to unlock advantages in cross-border trade.Taiwan is sharpening its long-term vision for a more resource-efficient, low-waste future, unveiling a new draft blueprint that outlines how the island plans to scale up circular economy solutions across industries.  A circular economy minimises waste by keeping materials in use for as long as possible through reuse, repair and recycling. Governments and businesses worldwide are turning to circular models that reduce dependence on constant extraction and cut the amount of rubbish sent to landfills or incinerators. “Taiwan aims to become the hub of the circular economy in Asia,” said the island’s environment minister Chi-Ming Peng at Asia Pacific Circular Economy Roundtable & Hotspot (APCER) on 22 October, where the draft roadmap, formally titled the 2050 Taiwan Circular Economy Roadmap, was released. The roadmap, slated for finalisation in 2026, sets long-term targets to double resource productivity, cut per-capita material use by about 30 per cent and increase the island’s circularity rate to 2.5 times its 2020 level, while outlining reforms in eco-design, circular procurement and innovation to shift the country from waste management toward a full resource-circulation system. “Circular economy is highly localised yet not something that can be done by one country alone,” said Peng who emphasised the importance of regional collaboration. Taiwan has made the circular economy a central part of its long-term sustainability agenda, saying the shift is critical for an island with limited natural resources and one of the world’s most export-dependent industrial bases.  Officials argue that circular systems can reduce reliance on imported raw materials, lower waste-management pressures and improve the resilience of supply chains that support sectors such as semiconductors, petrochemicals and machinery. The government has expanded recycling rules, introduced extended-producer-responsibility schemes and funded pilot programmes in remanufacturing, industrial symbiosis and eco-design. It has also promoted collaboration between local manufacturers and multinational brands under growing pressure to cut emissions and shrink the environmental footprint of their products.  Taipei says stronger circularity can give Taiwanese companies a competitive edge as global buyers demand lower-carbon, resource-efficient goods. Stephanie Downes, Asia-Pacific executive director at the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), said Taiwan’s roadmap could position the island as “a new reference point for circular economy standards in Asia”, offering a policy anchor similar to the European Union but with a stronger focus on practical collaboration and technology sharing.  She added that Taiwan may provide a more relatable set of benchmarks for Asean countries, given the similar environmental pressures and resource challenges faced across the region. Many Taiwanese supply chains run through Asean, and officials say aligning circular standards across the region, such as improving waste segregation, developing cross-border recycling infrastructure and adopting closed-loop production, would reduce pollution and strengthen regional industrial ties.  Taiwan has been steadily building the foundations for regional cooperation through its New Southbound Policy, launched in 2016, to deepen trade and diplomatic ties with Southeast Asia.  The policy encourages Taiwanese firms to assess market needs across Asean and invest in local resource, capital and technology gaps. It has also led to the establishment of Taiwan External Trade Development Council offices in eight Asean countries, creating channels for two-way investment and market access. Alice Chou, vice president of the Taiwan Institute of Economic Research, said Taiwan’s circular-economy ambitions will only succeed overseas if they are adapted to local conditions. “There’s a need to adapt to local population needs and government policies,” she said, noting that advanced technologies alone will not guarantee uptake. Analysts believe Taiwanese industries that already comply with extended-producer-responsibility rules may become early movers in seeking circular partnerships in Southeast Asia. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3353/reefs-as-climate-infrastructure-case-for-treating-coral-systems-like-coastal-assets.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3353/reefs-as-climate-infrastructure-case-for-treating-coral-systems-like-coastal-assets.html Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:38:41 +0530 he traditional logic of reef conservation—protect the habitat, and the habitat will recover—is breaking down under the realities of a warming ocean. MPAs still matter, but they are being outpaced by global environmental change that local policies cannot contain. The future of coral reefs will depend on dynamic, data-driven management, active restoration, and financial mechanisms that treat reef health as essential climate-resilience infrastructure. In this new era, the question is not whether reefs can be protected—but how fast we can redesign the systems meant to save them. For decades, the global conservation community placed its faith in marine protected areas (MPAs) as the primary shield for coral reef ecosystems. The theory was simple: Designate zones where fishing is curtailed, run-off is controlled, and coastal development is managed—and healthy coral systems will recover, thrive, and resist shocks. However, the fundamental logic of that model is now under grave pressure. As marine heatwaves grow in frequency, intensity and duration, and ocean chemistry shifts with acidification, the assumption that protection from local threats alone can ensure reef survival has proven increasingly inadequate. “The speed of climate change is pushing coral reefs beyond the environmental boundaries they evolved to survive in. A reef functions much like an underwater city—dense, highly organized, and full of interdependent life. Corals rely on a narrow band of temperatures and water chemistry, and when waters warm, they expel their symbiotic algae, zooxanthellae, which provide most of their energy. Without that partnership, corals begin to starve, and pollution or disease can accelerate the decline. When corals die, the reef’s architecture breaks down, fish lose habitat, invertebrates lose food, and the ecosystem shifts into a simpler state with far less ecological function and economic value. Reef restoration is advancing, from coral nurseries to selective breeding and assisted evolution. Some coral–algae partnerships show natural heat tolerance, and herbivore-rich reefs in the South Pacific have demonstrated surprising capacity to rebound. But the communities that return are not the same, and we are only beginning to understand the implications for fisheries, tourism, and coastal protection.” --- Camille Gaynus, Chief Science Officer, BIMS (Black in Marine Science) Inside key reef systems—from the vast expanse of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to the unique ecosystems of the Red Sea and the island-state reefs of the Seychelles—this truth is becoming ever more apparent. MPAs remain essential, but they are no longer sufficient. In this new era, reef resilience demands a fundamentally re-engineered approach: One that blends dynamic management, cutting-edge restoration, climate-smart zoning, real-time monitoring, and financial innovation. Equally, coral reef ecosystems must be woven into the climate-finance architecture—not simply as biodiversity assets, but as resilience infrastructure for coastal societies. This article examines three intertwined themes. First, the limitations of the traditional MPA model in a climate-changed ocean. Second, the emergence of what we might call “climate-smart MPAs” that attempt to address the new stress regime. Third, the critical gap in global finance: reefs are largely excluded from blue-carbon frameworks despite their enormous value, and that must change if scaled resilience is to be achieved. Why MPAs Are Failing in the Face of Global Stressors For much of the late twentieth and early twenty-first century, marine protected areas (MPAs) stood at the center of global coral reef conservation strategy. The theory behind them was straightforward: if reefs were shielded from local, human-driven pressures, their natural ecological resilience would give them the capacity to withstand shocks and regenerate over time. The traditional MPA model focused on what were understood as the primary drivers of degradation: unsustainable and destructive fishing practices, nutrient and sediment runoff from agriculture and coastal development, and physical damage from tourism or dredging. In many cases, this approach worked. Where MPAs were institutionally strong—backed by enforcement, ecological monitoring, and community participation—indicators such as fish biomass, herbivore abundance, and coral recruitment showed measurable improvement. These reefs, free from chronic local stress, were able to maintain healthier ecological structure and clearer competitive balances, particularly the crucial balance between corals and macro-algae. In this sense, MPAs succeeded in delivering what they were designed to do. " Coral reefs are one of the ecosystems that have been most devastated by climate range, with 14 per cent of the world's coral dying from 2009 to 2018. Climate change has multiple impacts on coral reefs, including sea level rise, that brings sedimentation, stronger and more frequent storms that destroy reefs, changing precipitation patterns that bring increased runoff, freshwater and land pollutants, often causing algal blooms or infectious diseases, and altered ocean currents that can affect coral larval dispersal. But the biggest effects of climate change on coral reefs are increased ocean acidification and ocean warming, which lead to coral bleaching events.  However corals are resilient. Although right now 80 per cent + of world corals are in a mass bleaching event because the ocean is so warm, that does not mean that all of those corals are going to die. It means those corals are incredibly stressed, and their zooxanthellae (the photosynthetic organisms that live inside corals and give them food) have left the corals, leaving them vulnerable to starvation and disease. But when the temperature goes down and the bleaching event is over, the zooxanthellae can return. The coral can survive. There are also pockets of coral that are surviving and adapting to these very hot temperatures, like in the Red Sea, where corals seem to be evolving to the hotter waters. And corals near cold upwelling waters from the deep seem to be surviving and then dispersing to farther reefs after heat wave events. Corals are in an incredibly vulnerable spot right now, but they are not doomed. " -- Jenni Brandon, PhD, Science and Sustainability Consultant, Wild Beacon Consulting Yet in the past decade, the conservation narrative has shifted dramatically. The stressors now driving coral reef decline are no longer predominantly local; they are global, atmospheric, and systemic. Marine heatwaves have emerged as the most immediate and widespread threat. As oceans warm, corals expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that give them both color and metabolic energy. The result is bleaching—an outwardly visible symptom of profound physiological stress. Where heatwaves were once rare, today they are more frequent, more intense, and longer in duration, leaving insufficient time for reefs to recover between events. Ocean chemistry has also begun to turn against corals. As the ocean absorbs increasing amounts of atmospheric CO₂, its pH gradually drops. This process of acidification diminishes the availability of aragonite, a mineral corals need to build their calcium-carbonate skeletons. Even corals that survive bleaching events may struggle to rebuild structure, weakening reefs in the long term and reducing their capacity to provide habitat and shoreline protection. “Mauritius has experienced multiple mass bleaching events over the past three decades, each revealing both vulnerability and resilience within its reef systems. The first major bleaching in 1998, during an exceptionally strong El Niño, caused widespread stress but relatively low coral mortality compared to neighboring Seychelles and Maldives. Local cooling from cyclonic activity helped buffer the reefs, though shallow, poorly flushed lagoons were significantly affected. Subsequent surveys in 2005 showed coral cover below 5 per cent at many sites, with nutrient pollution, algal overgrowth, and crown-of-thorns starfish driving further decline. However, some locations like Bel Ombre retained high coral cover and species diversity, illustrating the importance of site-specific conditions and local management. During the global bleaching of 2016, Mauritius again saw widespread bleaching but limited mortality at monitored sites. Factors such as water circulation, herbivore populations, and depth played key roles in recovery potential. The most recent 2024 bleaching event underscores growing pressure, with regional data showing high rates of bleaching and mortality across the Western Indian Ocean. While comprehensive national assessments remain limited, these recurring events highlight the urgent need for sustained monitoring, improved wastewater management, reef restoration, and climate-adaptive marine protection strategies.” --- Anusha Devi Nawoor, PhD - Environmental Scientist, Tunley Environmental Case studies from around the world echo this conclusion. The Great Barrier Reef, widely considered the gold standard of marine protection and monitoring, has suffered multiple mass-bleaching events in the past decade and recently recorded its worst coral loss in nearly four decades. These outcomes occurred despite comprehensive zoning systems, restrictions on fishing, and sustained management investment. In the Red Sea, which has been viewed as a natural thermal refugia due to its unusually warm baseline conditions and the presence of heat-tolerant coral lineages, reefs are now beginning to show signs of climate-linked stress. The message here is not that the Red Sea is “safe,” but that even systems with higher inherent resistance face limits in a rapidly warming ocean. In the Seychelles, long held up as a model for island-state marine governance, reef systems remain deeply vulnerable to bleaching and acidification despite sustained conservation commitments and the establishment of extensive MPAs. These national efforts have strengthened governance, protected fisheries, and improved local ecological conditions—yet none of these interventions can halt the rise in sea temperature or shift the chemistry of the global ocean. Taken together, the pattern is undeniable. The MPA remains a critical conservation tool, but it is no longer sufficient as the foundation of reef survival strategy. It can control fishing pressure and pollution; it cannot control heat. It can restore ecological function; it cannot rewrite the physics of ocean-atmosphere carbon exchange. The challenge now is not to abandon MPAs, but to rethink what they are for, how they operate, and how they integrate into broader climate adaptation frameworks. The era of “protection alone” has ended. The era of “protection plus climate-resilience intervention” must begin. Emergence of Climate-Smart MPAs If the traditional model falters, what does the next generation of reef protection look like? Conservation practitioners, marine scientists and policy innovators are converging on a new paradigm we might call “climate-smart MPAs.” These have several defining features. First, they adopt dynamic zoning and adaptive management rather than fixed boundaries and static rules. In a warming, acidifying ocean, it makes sense to manage based on real-time risk: closing regions temporarily during heatwave projections, prioritizing coral refuges, relocating species to cooler or deeper waters when viable. In essence, the MPA becomes a living, adaptive system, not a static map overlay. Second, they integrate active resilience-reinforcement: restoration at scale, assisted evolution (breeding heat-tolerant coral strains), microbiome manipulation, artificial reef structures and shading technologies. In this model the MPA is not only a “do not touch” zone—it is a hub of intervention. Given the intensity of climate stress, passive protection alone is insufficient. Active adaptation is required. Restoration practitioners are now embedding interventions inside MPA frameworks to complement protection with adaptation. Third, monitoring and technology become central. Climate-smart MPAs invest in satellite–drone–autonomous vehicle systems, AI image-analysis, heat-anomaly forecasting and rapid response capacity. This allows managers to anticipate threat windows, execute intervention strategies, and adapt governance accordingly. Without such capability, MPA management risks being reactive rather than proactive. Fourth—and perhaps most critically—these next-gen MPAs are tied into financial and governance models aligned with climate-resilience outcomes. This means moving beyond donor-driven conservation budgets to resilience bonds, insurance-linked protection, private-sector risk sharing and credit flows tied to ecosystem services. In short, the reef becomes an asset class for coastal resilience. Some pioneering efforts hint at this shift. The Global Fund for Coral Reefs (under the World Bank/GEF umbrella) is exploring reef-plus financing models, integrating reef health with coastal-defense economics and tourism-risk mitigation. Island nations with tourism-dependent reefs (such as the Seychelles) are beginning to explore parametric insurance tied to reef condition. While these efforts are nascent, they mark the transition from protection-only to resilience-oriented financial design. One of the key challenges remains prioritising within MPAs those reef systems that have the greatest chance of persisting—so-called climate refugia. These are reefs naturally exposed to cooler upwelling, shading, or adaptive coral strains. Protecting these first may offer higher bang-for-buck than attempting to protect all reefs equally. This shift requires sophisticated data analytics, modelling, and risk-mapping. Policy: Where It’s Adapting—and Where It’s Stagnating On the policy front, there is both movement and inertia. A growing number of national adaptation plans, especially among small island developing states (SIDS), now recognise coral reef resilience as a critical adaptation pathway. International bodies, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), now emphasise reef protection within climate adaptation agendas. Yet significant policy gaps endure. Many MPAs continue to be designed primarily for fishing-pressure reduction or pollution control—not thermal-stress mitigation or adaptive zoning. Institutional capacity in many reef nations remains weak, particularly for technical monitoring, dynamic governance or financial innovation. Perhaps most fundamentally, the global climate regime has no dedicated mechanism for reef protection—no reef-specific emissions target, no international reef insurance fund, no global carbon-market equivalency for reef resilience. In the absence of such mechanisms, MPAs remain dependent on national budgets or donor grants alone, limiting scale and innovation. Some countries show flashes of policy innovation. The Seychelles, for instance, has piloted marine-resilience bonds and sustainable tourism-linked reef protection. In Australia, the management of the Great Barrier Reef has begun to incorporate resilience-based interventions and climate-risk forecasting. Still, these remain exceptions, not yet the norm. A further policy bottleneck is the disconnect between conservation agencies and finance ministries. Reefs have long been viewed through a biodiversity lens rather than as climate-resilience infrastructure. This framing limits access to adaptation finance, risk‐finance instruments, and climate-resilience capital flows. Changing this framing is essential. The Coral-Carbon Paradox: Why Reefs Are Missing from Blue Carbon Finance—and How That Can Change In parallel to governance reform, there is a glaring gap in how coral reefs are treated within the climate-finance architecture. The concept of “blue carbon” has gained traction in recent years, describing the capacity of coastal and marine habitats to absorb and store CO₂—mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes being the primary beneficiaries. These ecosystems have measurable carbon stocks, standardised accounting methodologies, and thus meaningful access to carbon-finance instruments. By contrast, coral reefs are largely absent from blue-carbon markets—and yet the logic for including them is compelling. Reefs provide vast ecosystem services: they support fisheries, protect coastlines from storm surge and erosion, undergird tourism economies and harbour biodiversity. Their failure imposes heavy social, economic and adaptation costs on coastal communities. So why haven’t they entered the carbon-finance agenda in any meaningful way? The answer lies in several structural and technical impediments. First, reefs store comparatively little long-term organic carbon. Their skeletal calcium-carbonate structures do not translate easily into the carbon-sequestration units used in current carbon markets. As one ecosystem-finance review notes: “Limited evidence is hindering uptake and progress” of blue-carbon schemes for non-traditional habitats. Second, the vulnerability and high risk of reef decline make them unattractive as long-term assets for investors. Third, policy definitions of blue carbon rarely include reef habitats, so the institutional pathways for finance are largely closed. Yet the time is right for change. If we shift the metric from pure carbon-storage to resilience value, reefs merit serious inclusion. Reefs reduce wave energy, limit coastal erosion, support fisheries and tourism livelihoods—all of which have measurable economic value. The emerging field of parametric insurance for reefs—linking reef health to payouts after storm events—is one frontier. Another is biodiversity-credit systems coupling conservation outcomes with finance. For global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the opportunity is two-fold. First, they can catalyse reef-resilience finance by underwriting pilot instruments, setting standards, and integrating reef metrics into adaptation funding. Second, they can shift national budgeting paradigms—treating reef health as climate-adaptation infrastructure rather than discretionary conservation. Doing so unlocks funding, elevates reef protection in national priorities, and draws in risk-capital. Toward a Resilient Future for Coral Reefs Re-designing reef management and finance for the climate-era means doing several things concurrently. We must actively identify and protect climate-refugia reefs—those naturally more resistant to heat stress or acidification—and prioritise them for interventions. We must equip MPAs with the technical capacity, real-time monitoring and adaptive governance necessary to anticipate and respond to heatwaves, bleaching events and acidification pulses. We must expand restoration and assisted-evolution tools: transplanting resilient strains, manipulating symbionts, deploying artificial reef frameworks and experimenting with shading or cooling technologies. From a finance and policy perspective, the shift is equally urgent. Reefs must enter the adaptation finance agenda, not just the conservation agenda. Carbon-finance definitions must evolve to resilience-finance definitions, making reef health a measurable asset. Incentives need to shift: tourism operators, insurers, coastal developers and governments all benefit from healthy reefs—so they should help pay for them. Multilateral institutions must create frameworks for reef-linked resilience bonds, parametric reef insurance, biodiversity credits and adaptation trusts. Finally—and critically—none of this will succeed if global greenhouse-gas emissions continue to rise unchecked. The best-designed MPAs, the most sophisticated monitoring systems, the most resilient coral strains will still collapse under the weight of relentless warming. A recent mapping study warns that reef futures are “intrinsically tied to global emission trajectories.” Local action buys time—but it does not buy immunity. Conclusion Coral reefs were once assumed to be savable with well-designed marine parks, strong fisheries management and clean-water regulation. In a warming, acidifying ocean, that assumption is no longer sufficient. The model of “protect and leave alone” must give way to “protect, adapt and finance.” MPAs should evolve into climate-smart hubs of resilience. Reefs should be reframed not simply as biodiversity-treasures, but as critical infrastructure for coastal protection, food security and climate adaptation. Reef resilience must be embedded within the climate-finance system—bridging conservation budgets and adaptation capital, drawing private and public investment into the blue economy. The path ahead is formidable. But the choice is stark: evolve the model—or let thousands of reef systems crumble under the tide of climate change. For the millions who depend on them for food, income, and coastal protection, there is no other option. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3312/spotify-for-kitchens-daniel-baven-on-future-of-digital-food-hubs.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3312/spotify-for-kitchens-daniel-baven-on-future-of-digital-food-hubs.html Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:08:23 +0530 In an exclusive AgroSpectrum and NUFFOODS Spectrum Asia interview, Daniel Baven, CEO and Co-founder of Noahs, unveils how his company is turning everyday convenience stores into digital food hubs — the new crossroads of food, tech, and community. With its plug-and-play platform, Noahs lets retailers “stream” culinary brands like Spotify streams music, giving chefs global reach and consumers fresh, data-driven dining experiences on demand. The results speak volumes — Q8 stations powered by Noahs saw food sales surge 374 per cent and basket sizes climb 228 per cent. Unlike ghost kitchens or delivery aggregators, Noahs taps into existing retail kitchens, transforming them into profitable, AI-ready food networks overnight. Baven predicts that by 2030, food will replace fuel as the heartbeat of convenience retail — Noahs will be the invisible engine powering that revolution. Section I: Vision & Market Disruption Reimagining C-Stores: What inspired you to launch Noahs, and why is now the inflection point for reinventing convenience retail? The spark for Noahs came from watching how every major content industry—music, film, travel—has gone through its streaming revolution. Food hasn’t. Yet we have millions of kitchens sitting in prime retail locations, underutilized and disconnected from the digital economy. We saw an opportunity to turn those kitchens into digital food hubs. The real inflection point is convergence: consumers expect convenience, platforms demand supply, and retailers need new revenue streams to replace declining categories like tobacco and fuel. Convenience stores are sitting on the infrastructure of the future—they just need the operating system. That’s what Noahs provides. Digital-First Food Revolution: With the C-store market set to surpass $1T by 2029, how do you see technology reshaping the future of food retail? We’re standing on the edge of a complete reset. In five years, most people won’t cook at home the way they do today. It will simply make more sense to tap into a network of nearby retailers streaming great food, made fresh, faster, and cheaper than a home kitchen could ever compete with. Convenience stores and supermarkets are sitting on the most valuable real estate of the future — the crossroads of local communities. When those spaces go digital, they’ll stop being “shops” and start becoming marketplace hubs for food, experiences, and daily life. Technology is the enabler, but the change is cultural. It’s about food creators having a new stage, communities having new choices, and retailers becoming the backbone of the next food economy. Noahs was built exactly for that — to power this transformation and give retailers the tools to move from analogue to intelligent, from transactional to experiential. What’s coming is bigger than food tech. It’s a reinvention of how food exists in society. Section II: The Noahs Model – Technology + Brand + Kitchen Plug-and-Play Platform: Your tech platform can digitize a store with just a Wi-Fi connection. What makes this solution scalable across global chains with different IT maturity levels? The secret is simplicity. Most retailers are trapped in heavy legacy systems that make every new integration a nightmare. We flipped that logic. Noahs runs as a layer on top of existing infrastructure, connecting to what’s already there instead of trying to replace it. That means a store can go live in hours — not months — with zero capex and no new labor. The system plugs into delivery aggregators, POS systems, kitchen screens, and loyalty tools. The moment it connects to Wi-Fi, the store becomes part of a digital network that can sell, operate, and analyze in real time. It’s built for diversity. Whether it’s a gas station in Denmark, a supermarket in Belgium, or a convenience store in the Philippines, the platform automatically adapts to local tech setups and market conditions. That’s why it scales — because it doesn’t force uniformity, it enables it. Noahs is not just a tool; it’s a translator between the analogue world and the digital food economy. It’s what the retailers has been looking for, but it didn’t exist until now. Spotify for Kitchens: You’ve called Noahs’ Brand Platform a “Spotify for Kitchens,” letting retailers stream proven brands and menus directly into their stores. How do you curate the catalogue, and what data drives menu updates? We’re building a world where food moves like music. In the same way streaming opened a global stage for artists, we believe culinary creators will soon reach audiences anywhere — not through physical expansion, but through digital distribution. A chef in Copenhagen could see their tacos sold in Dubai the same week. That’s the future we’re shaping with Noahs. Our brand platform is the foundation for that future. It lets retailers activate proven food concepts directly into their stores, adapting to local tastes and neighborhoods instead of being locked into a single global brand deal. That flexibility is what the industry has been missing — agility, creativity, and cultural relevance. This shift also enables a complete rework of the food supply chain — simplifying how ingredients, inventory, and production flow through the system. It creates a feedback loop between real-time demand and supply, throttling production, reducing waste, and preparing the industry to fully harness AI. We’re still early in this journey, but the vision is clear: menus that evolve like playlists, brands that scale without borders, and a supply chain that finally moves as intelligently as the data behind it. For culinary entrepreneurs, it’s a new way to monetize creativity. For retailers, it’s the chance to become curators of food culture — not just sellers of products. That’s what “Spotify for Kitchens” really means: a living, breathing ecosystem where food, data, and creativity stream together. Modular Smart Kitchens: Your kitchens range from 1 to 20 m². How do you ensure operational efficiency, quality control, and food safety across distributed sites? The next decade will blur the line between retail and hospitality. We believe the world’s biggest food operators won’t be restaurant chains — they’ll be retailers. To make that leap, retailers will recruit from the culinary world, bringing in chefs, kitchen managers, and operational talent who can run hospitality at scale. What used to be a store will evolve into a network of kitchens, each designed for efficiency, consistency, and speed — powered by technology, not tradition. Noahs is the platform that enables this transformation. We don’t operate the kitchens — we power them. Our system acts as the operating layer that keeps every recipe, process, and temperature consistent across hundreds of locations. Retailers become the operators; Noahs becomes their digital backbone. On the hardware side, we’ve developed a full suite of modular kitchens — from compact 1 m² single-brand setups to 20 m² multi-brand environments for service stations, food courts, and supermarket delis. These units are engineered for throughput, safety, and profitability, with built-in monitoring and data loops that ensure every kitchen runs to the same standard. We also anticipate a wave of cross-company innovation in this space — robotics, automated production, drone delivery, and robotaxis changing the future states of the hardware component. Restaurant kitchens, as we know them today, simply can’t compete with that model. A Noahs-powered multi-brand kitchen can serve multiple food concepts with a fraction of the space, labor, and cost — while maintaining higher quality and consistency. That’s the future we see unfolding. Section III: Business Impact & Results Q8 Case Study: The Q8 transformation saw food sales jump 374 per cent and basket size rise 228 per cent. Which parts of the Noahs model (tech, brands, kitchens) drove the biggest lift? Those numbers from Q8 aren’t isolated results — they’re a preview of what happens when retail locations evolve through Noahs’ three-layer model. Every site that connects our technology platform, brand platform, and modular kitchens can experience a similar transformation. The tech layer creates instant digital access and operational visibility. The brand layer adds proven food concepts that attract new customers and expand sales channels. And the kitchen layer converts that demand into consistent, scalable output with an engine fit for the purpose. In the quoted Q8 case, all three layers came together at once — which is why the impact was so dramatic. But in most rollouts, we see a natural progression: first digitalize existing shop catalogues, then layer in easy-to-operate brands suited to the current store format, and finally scale through modular smart-kitchens and more advanced brand concepts. Each layer amplifies the next. What Q8 showed is that this isn’t theory — it’s the future playbook for every retailer. Service stations, supermarkets, and convenience stores can all become high-performing food hubs simply by activating the system step by step. The model works anywhere, because it’s built for the way people live now — connected, on-demand, and expecting quality food wherever they are. ROI & Adoption Curve: How quickly can retailers expect payback when adopting Noahs, and how do you help de-risk the investment decision? The short answer: fast. Because Noahs requires no upfront investment in new labor or capex, most retailers see positive returns within the first few months of activation. The payback curve depends on the depth of adoption — tech alone delivers immediate efficiency and access to new revenue channels, while layering in brands and kitchens compounds the effect. But beyond ROI, what really de-risks adoption is our model itself. We don’t ask retailers to change who they are — we enhance what’s already there. Noahs plugs into existing infrastructure and workflows, building value on top of current systems instead of replacing them. We also start small. A single pilot location can validate the impact before scaling to dozens or hundreds. The data from those first sites creates a clear business case — not projections, but proof. Retailers everywhere are under pressure to reinvent fast, but the risk tolerance is low. Our approach makes innovation incremental, measurable, and cash-positive from day one. That’s why Noahs scales — it rewards courage without demanding blind faith. Section IV: Competitive Landscape & Future of Food-Tech Standing Out in a Crowded Space: How does Noahs differentiate from ghost kitchens, Q-commerce players, and aggregator-led solutions? Ghost kitchens and Q-commerce were great experiments — but they’re built on isolated infrastructure. Each new location means new costs, new staff, and new risk. Aggregators, on the other hand, built digital demand but not digital supply — they own the customers, not the kitchens. Noahs connects the dots. We’re not building more kitchens; we’re activating the millions that already exist inside retailers. Instead of competing with delivery platforms, we empower retailers to integrate directly with them — turning stores into digital food hubs that can sell across every channel instantly. Where ghost kitchens chase scale through real estate, Noahs achieves it through connectivity. Where Q-commerce promises speed, we deliver sustainability — a model that actually works economically for both retailers and creators. Most importantly, we’re not just solving delivery — we’re reinventing food infrastructure. We give retailers the OS, brands, and hardware they need to own their role in the digital food economy. The future of food won’t belong to aggregators or ghost kitchens — it’ll belong to the platforms that make everyone else scalable. That’s where Noahs sits. 2025 Trends: What’s next for food-tech—robotic kitchens, AI menu personalization, functional food boom? Which of these will most affect the C-store ecosystem? The short answer? Noahs. Beyond that, it’s too early to expect any real leapfrogs in robotics. The robotics we see today are impressive, but they’re trapped between eras — built for a world that’s already shifting beneath them. The real step change will come when humanoid robots, like the ones Tesla and Figure are developing, can integrate naturally into existing operations. That’s a 2030 story, not 2025. The real 2025 trend in food will be the convergence of retailers into food — moving away from being simple convenience hubs to becoming food operators in their own right. That shift will ignite the most dramatic transformation the industry has seen in decades. AI will play a major role, but not yet in the way most imagine. Everyone’s talking about AI, but its real power depends on something far more fundamental: digitization. That’s what Noahs is building — the digital foundation that makes the intelligent food economy possible. Section V: Scaling & Strategy Geographic Expansion: Which regions outside Denmark and Thailand are next on your radar—and what makes a market “Noahs-ready”? Officially, we’re now expanding in 4 countries - Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Ireland. Within 2026, we expect to announce at least ten more countries across three continents joining the Noahs platform. We are currently preparing the best we can to meet the increasing demand for our solution. A market becomes “Noahs-ready” when retailers recognize that the old model no longer works — when rising costs, labor shortages, and changing customer behavior force a rethink of what retail really is. Europe is leading that shift. High operational costs and rapid transformation are pushing retailers to act faster than ever, and we’re positioned to help them do it in a scalable, low-risk way. Being Noahs-ready isn’t only about geography and necessity — it’s also about mindset. The retailers who will win this decade are the ones willing to reimagine themselves as food operators. That’s where our platform fits in: as the bridge between today’s analogue retail world and tomorrow’s fast paced food economy. Capital & Investors: Are you seeking growth capital, and if so, what kind of investors (VC, strategic, corporate) best align with your vision? We are currently finalizing our latest seed round and are well-capitalized for the current growth phase. Our next major raise — a Series A — is planned for 2026, and preparations are already underway. Right now, our focus is execution and scale. That said, we’re always open to conversations with investors who see what we see — those who understand that the future of food isn’t about building more restaurants, but about enabling the platforms that connect them. The best fit for us are partners who bring more than capital — those who share the vision of redefining food infrastructure globally and can accelerate that journey through strategic reach, technology, or market access. Vision 2030: Paint us a picture: what does a Noahs-enabled convenience store look like in 2030, and what share of its revenue will come from food vs. fuel? By 2030, the traditional service station will be unrecognizable. The era of fuel as the defining anchor is ending — what comes next will be built around food, experiences, and premium retail. We’re already seeing early signs of that leapfrog. Elon Musk’s new Tesla Diner is a perfect example — a glimpse of how technology, design, and hospitality can fuse into something people actually want to visit. That’s what excites me: not a finished blueprint, but the open canvas ahead. I prefer not to lock in a final vision. The real innovation will come from collaboration — from working with retailers, chefs, designers, and local communities to build places that fit their rhythm. Some will focus on food and digital ordering, others on community spaces or hybrid retail experiences. The beauty is that the platform allows for all of it. What I do know is that the transformation is imminent, and food will be the catalyst that starts it. Once retailers take that step, everything else follows — design, operations, social experiences, even how we define “convenience.” Over time, Noahs will simply become part of that ecosystem — the invisible layer powering whatever comes next. The real story won’t be about us. It’ll be about how retailers use this opportunity to reinvent what it means to serve their communities. ---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3180/adb-president-highlights-innovation-and-support-for-sustainable-agriculture-and-energy-in-indonesia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/3180/adb-president-highlights-innovation-and-support-for-sustainable-agriculture-and-energy-in-indonesia.html Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:43:16 +0530 ADB President Masato Kanda emphasized the critical role of science, technology, and innovation in fostering inclusive and sustainable growth across Southeast Asia ADB President Calls for Innovation to Drive Inclusive Growth in Southeast Asia Jakarta, Indonesia – Asian Development Bank (ADB). President Masato Kanda emphasized the critical role of science, technology, and innovation in fostering inclusive and sustainable growth across Southeast Asia during his keynote address at the 9th Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum ASEAN–Japan Conference in Jakarta. Highlighting ASEAN’s extraordinary potential, Mr. Kanda stated, “Countries that innovate are countries that thrive. By connecting ideas with resources and leveraging platforms like the STS Forum, we can create opportunities that reach every community.” He stressed the need to prioritize innovation in regional strategies to address pressing challenges and unlock opportunities for inclusive prosperity. Mr. Kanda outlined three key areas of focus: modern, interconnected energy systems; resilient food systems; and smart, inclusive cities. He reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to providing up to $10 billion over the next decade to support the ASEAN Power Grid and $40 billion by 2030 for food systems transformation. These investments aim to enhance regional energy security, improve food and water security, and promote sustainable urban development. The ADB President also underscored the importance of regional cooperation, increased investment in research and development, and partnerships with the private sector to close technology gaps. He highlighted the need for innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to address complex challenges and advance sustainable growth across the region. During his visit to Indonesia, Mr. Kanda toured ADB-supported projects in Lombok, showcasing the bank’s commitment to practical solutions for regional challenges. These included an irrigation initiative led by women-led water user associations, which aims to enhance food and water security, and a solar farm developed by Vena Energy, a leading renewable energy producer. These projects underscore ADB’s support for Indonesia’s energy transition and private sector investment. ADB, founded in 1966 and owned by 69 members—50 from the region—continues to play a pivotal role in fostering inclusive and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. By harnessing innovative financial tools and forming strategic partnerships, ADB remains dedicated to transforming lives, building quality infrastructure, and safeguarding the planet. As Mr. Kanda concluded, “Innovation must remain central to our strategies. Together, we can create a future where every community benefits from sustainable and inclusive growth.” This renewed focus on innovation aligns with ADB’s broader mission to address the region’s most pressing challenges, from energy security to food systems transformation, while promoting resilience and sustainability. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2662/buhler-launches-optical-sorter-spark-pro-to-enhance-yield-in-southeast-asias-milling-industry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2662/buhler-launches-optical-sorter-spark-pro-to-enhance-yield-in-southeast-asias-milling-industry.html Fri, 10 Jan 2025 11:47:57 +0530 SPARK Pro, is set to revolutionize wheat cleaning - offering performance, reliability and ease of use to maximize yields Bühler’s latest optical sorter, SPARK Pro, is set to revolutionize cleaning in the milling industry, offering performance, reliability and ease of use to maximize yields in flour mills. SPARK Pro addresses the market need by combining cutting edge technology with user-friendly design to help millers achieve consistent quality yields no matter the changing market conditions. SPARK Pro is Bühler’s new generation optical sorter, combining solid performance, reliability and ease of use. Equipped with newly developed high-definition full colour cameras and a full spectrum LED lighting system, SPARK Pro detects even the slightest in colour variations and imperfections and sorts out the common defects and alkaloids in wheat. The advanced machine can detect and successfully eject all visible and invisible defects down to a size of only 0.0025mm². The sorter adopts the Hue Saturation Value (HSV) color model, which is a way to describe and identify color accurately. Unlike the common RGB model, the HSV color model can represent all colors with three components:1. Hue: Identifies the color, for example, red, blue, green.2. Saturation: Measures how vibrant the color is. Highly saturated colors are bright and less saturated colors appear greyer.3. Value: Defines how light or dark a color is. A high value means a bright colour and a low value indicates a darker color. Using the HSV color model combined with the proprietary DynamoAI advanced sorting algorithms, SPARK Pro accurately recognizes defects to separate and assists the user with setting the machine up for optimum performance. Thanks to its intuitive design, SPARK Pro is 5X faster to set up in comparison to any other sorter. To meet different capacity requirements, the machine is available in all sizes ranging from 1 to 10 chutes. Wheat consumption is growing in Asia – it has increased more than 30% over the past decade, as people diversified their diets to include foods such as bread, noodles. The need for quality and efficient wheat product has never been greater. Southeast Asia’s milling industry plays an important role to feed the growing appetite of the Asian population. As the region relies on wheat imports, millers here are subjected to fluctuating grain prices, inconsistent weather patterns affecting wheat quality. For instance, heat stress can have irreversible physiological effects on wheat quality. With more extreme weather events happening around the world, this is one of few challenges that modern millers must tackle. “With increasing grain supply chain volatility, defects such as ergot, diseased or immature grain and even foreign grains can become a headache to millers as it impacts their yield. Optical sorting is a proven solution to ensure consistent quality yield, rather than be swayed by market conditions. Choosing a reliable and efficient sorter becomes the crucial task.” comments Davide Bellemo, Regional Manager Optical Solutions, Bühler Southeast Asia. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2432/icrisat-unveils-groundbreaking-study-on-geospatial-mapping-for-sustainable-agriculture-in-south-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2432/icrisat-unveils-groundbreaking-study-on-geospatial-mapping-for-sustainable-agriculture-in-south-asia.html Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:10:45 +0530 Focusing on South Asia, the research underscores how these advanced tools can significantly enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability across across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) recently released a study highlighting the role of geospatial maps and satellite data in shaping the future of food security. With only 6 annual harvests remaining before the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) deadline, the need to sustainably intensify agricultural production has never been more urgent. Drylands, in particular, present a significant opportunity to enhance agricultural productivity and contribute to global food security. “Dryland cropping systems are complex, shaped by biophysical, social, and economic factors. The use of geospatial products and satellite data for mapping these systems can be invaluable. These tools provide critical insights for decision-making, unlocking opportunities for increased production, and enhancing farmers' incomes in these challenging environments,” said Dr Stanford Blade, Deputy Director General-Research at ICRISAT.  The study covering an area of 477 million hectares spanning across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, identified and mapped 27 major cropping systems.  Highlighting the uniqueness of this research, Dr ML Jat, Global Research Program Director, Resilient Farm and Food Systems, stated “Predominantly, studies use spatial data to map single or major crops such as rice, wheat and sugarcane or to monitor crop intensity, natural vegetation and more.  This study is a trailblazer in understanding the entire cropping system, i.e., crops grown in a sequence over the entire year.”  This time series data provides a fresh perspective on rethinking and redesigning cropping systems, addressing food security and climate resilience challenges in the near future.  “This data serves as a foundational layer and can be used in various ways to understand and improve agricultural performance. When combined with climate and soil data, it can aid in planning for resource optimization and enhancing agricultural productivity,” noted the study’s lead author, Dr Muralikrishna Gumma.  On a global scale, these geospatial maps provide essential data that can guide climate change mitigation efforts. At the national level, these data sets offer a detailed understanding of regional cropping patterns, enabling governments to optimize resource allocation.   Geospatial mapping can inform policies that ensure the efficient distribution of resources like water, fertilizer, and seeds, based on the specific needs of different cropping systems. Additionally, these maps can be integrated into disaster management strategies, helping to identify areas vulnerable to agricultural stress, such as droughts or floods, and allowing for more targeted and effective responses. The study Spatial Distribution of Cropping Systems in South Asia Using Time-Series Satellite Data Enriched with Ground Data (mdpi.com) was funded by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific financed by the Government of Japan through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Mahalanobis National Crop Forecasting Centre (MNCFC), the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, WRI Land & Carbon Lab grant convened by World Resources Institute, and the Bezos Earth Fund.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2334/vietnam-laos-trade-fair-establishes-an-potential-business-bridge-between-the-two-countries.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2334/vietnam-laos-trade-fair-establishes-an-potential-business-bridge-between-the-two-countries.html Mon, 29 Jul 2024 10:23:00 +0530 The fair aims to increase the export of Vietnamese products with strengths and the capability to develop export markets in Laos, northeast Thailand, and Cambodia The Vietnam - Laos Trade Fair 2024 (VIETLAO EXPO) was held from July 25 to 29, 2024, at the Lao International Exhibition and Convention Center, Vientiane, Laos. This is the largest trade promotion activity jointly organized by the Ministriesof Industry and Trade of Vietnam and Laos annually in Vientiane, Laos since 2007. The fair aims to promote the national image, the image of Vietnamese enterprises and brands; increase the export of Vietnamese products with strengths and the ability to develop export markets in Laos and the Northeast of Thailand; organize network of goods consumption in the Lao market; develop investment projects in Laos and more. This year, the Fair has 250 booths displaying and introducing products and services: agricultural and aquatic products and processed foods, garments - fashion, electricity - electronics and household appliances, industrial machinery and equipment, construction and building materials, wooden furniture and handicrafts, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, trade services, investment Over the years, the Vietnam - Laos Trade Fair has become a prestigious event where Vietnamese and Lao enterprises attend to promote and introduce their products, and is a destination for business and investment startups between the two countries' markets. Economic exchange activities as well as travel, import and export of goods and labor between Vietnam and Laos have always been of interest to the senior leaders of the two countries, creating favorable conditions for development over the past many years. Vietnam has always been in the Top 3 largest trade partners of Laos for many years, the two-way trade turnover between Vietnam and Laos in June 2024 reached $928 million, an increase of 11%; of which, Vietnam's exports to Laos reached $289 million, an increase of 7.4%, and imports from Laos reached $639 million, an increase of 12.8%. We hope that the trade turnover between the two countries in 2024 will achieve an increase of over 10% according to the target set by the two countries' senior leaders at the 46th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee. In the coming time, the Governments of Laos and Vietnam wish to increase bilateral trade value to $2 billion by maximizing the potential for trade cooperation that the two countries can bring. Regarding investment cooperation, Vietnam is the third largest foreign investor in Laos after China and Thailand. Vietnamese enterprises have invested in Laos in over 245 operating projects with a total committed capital of over $5.47 billion. Many investment projects of Vietnamese enterprises in Laos are operating effectively, contributing positively to socio-economic development, creating jobs and increasing income for thousands of workers, and supplementing the budget revenue of Laos. It can be seen that in the current period of deep international integration, the relationship in the fields of industry, trade and investment between the two countries is extremely important and needs to be promoted. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2328/singapores-uvaxx-has-developed-novel-epitope-based-vaccine-for-asian-sea-bass-barramundi.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2328/singapores-uvaxx-has-developed-novel-epitope-based-vaccine-for-asian-sea-bass-barramundi.html Fri, 26 Jul 2024 08:15:56 +0530 The first ever commercially available vaccine against Scale Drop Disease Virus (SDDV) infection in Asian sea bass Singapore's Barramundi Group, under its subsidiary UVAXX, collaborated with A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs - ID Labs, to develop a novel epitope-based vaccine that can defend against the Scale Drop Disease Virus (SDDV) infection in Asian sea bass, Barramundi. The new epitope-based vaccine, has fewer side effects compared with traditional vaccines. The novel synthetic immuno-specific vaccine target specific antigens in the SDDV Virus and thus eliminates added risk. The vaccine can be integrated into routine operations at hatcheries, and administered to juvenile fish before they are transferred to the sea farms, where they become more susceptible to an SDDV infection. Under the leadership of Professor Laurent Renia, A*STAR Senior Fellow (ID Labs), and support from the Singapore Food Agency, National Research Foundation Singapore, and Dr Ken Loh Zhixuan, Senior Scientist (ID Labs), the 12 extensive research has made the first ever commercially available solutions for Scale Drop Disease Virus (SDDV). Efficacious vaccines remain the most critical tool for enabling a paradigm shift in aquaculture disease management from a reactive to a preventative approach and transforming farm production unit economics. The team aims collaborating with A*Star to develop more impactful vaccine solutions for farmers. Fish farms in the Johor Strait, where the majority of the businesses are located, have occasionally reported signs of the virus, which affects barramundi and yellowfin seabream. An SDDV outbreak in June 2023 had forced fish farm operator Barramundi Group to temporarily stop farming in the southern waters. UVAXX recalls a loss of $31.9 million for financial year 2022. Nevertheless, Barramundi Group continued its research and development in Singapore with fish vaccines development through UVAXX, under a selective breeding programme. The team is now looking to further refine the vaccine formulations and prepare the product for market launch in Singapore and other regional markets that have SDDV outbreaks, such as Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.  At the same time, the team is conducting commercial-scale field trials with local farm partners, while evaluating the vaccine’s safety and efficacy. The team is working towards regulatory approvals to facilitate further mass production. The vaccine development was one of 12 projects that were awarded a total of $23 million in grant funding from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) to develop the agri-food system and support Singapore’s goal of producing 30% of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2310/south-korean-smart-farm-sector-is-gaining-momentum-to-enter-the-southeast-asian-market.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2310/south-korean-smart-farm-sector-is-gaining-momentum-to-enter-the-southeast-asian-market.html Fri, 19 Jul 2024 11:17:24 +0530 Korean smart-farm companies had 105 one-on-one trade meetings with Vietnamese buyers and companies and signed eight MoUs worth $2.69 million in July 2024 The South Korean smart-farm sector is gaining more momentum to enter the Southeast Asian market, driven by its advanced information and communications technologies. At the 2024 Korea-Vietnam Partnership Plus Week held on 16 July in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Vietnamese government officials and business people showed great interest in Korean smart farms and the related technologies.   The trade promotion event was organized to take economic cooperation between the two countries to the next level in three industrial sectors for future growth—smart farming, eco-friendlier energy, and medical and health care. During the event, fifteen Korean smart-farm companies had 105 one-on-one trade meetings with Vietnamese buyers and companies and signed eight Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth $2.69 million. In particular, South Korean smart farm company AVALVE, at the business forum session of the event, drew special attention from Vietnamese government officials and buyers, with its presentation on the successes it has achieved in Vietnam and on the ways to advance South Korea-Vietnam cooperation in smart agriculture. In November 2022, AVALVE signed an MoU for cooperation in smart agriculture with the Vietnamese National Centre for Fertilizer Testing (NCFT) and then built a vertical farm for ginseng sprout cultivation in Vietnam in February 2023.     Also, export efforts based on the Demo Smart Farm, a model smart greenhouse, built in Hanoi, Vietnam are bearing fruit. Korean company AFFES, which leads the construction project of the Demo Smart Farm in Vietnam, signed a contract worth approximately $370,000 in February this year to build a smart farm in Indonesia. The project aims to showcase South Korea’s advanced smart-farm technologies in promising markets overseas and thereby lay stepping-stones for Korean companies to export their products and technologies around the world. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Republic of Korea (MAFRA) selected Vietnam as an export foothold of Southeast Asia for promoting and exporting South Korean smart-farm products and technologies, and built the Demo Smart Farm in Hanoi, in 2022, through cooperation with the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The Demo Smart Farm in Hanoi is a steel-framed vinyl greenhouse equipped with environment control systems. The smart farm, currently being built in Indonesia by AFFES, is the same model and scheduled to be completed in July this year. Director-General LEE Sang-man of the MAFRA’s Agri-Food Innovation Policy Bureau said: “Southeast Asian countries have great interest in smart farming as it helps address climate change and other challenges of our time, and they are keen to adopt advanced smart-farm technologies of South Korea. The MAFRA will continue to develop various export support policies, such as expanding business networks, creating a regional export base, and others, to help Korean smart-farm companies to actively enter Southeast Asian markets.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2274/fao-provides-technical-tools-for-satellite-data-based-forest-monitoring-across-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2274/fao-provides-technical-tools-for-satellite-data-based-forest-monitoring-across-southeast-asia.html Mon, 08 Jul 2024 11:21:11 +0530 Provides essential information for understanding the extent of forest resources, their condition, management and uses across the globe The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has shared the latest tools and techniques to support data collection from satellite imagery for monitoring forests with experts across Southeast Asia, including for the subregion’s mangroves. Participants will contribute to the Remote Sensing Survey of FAO’s 2025 Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), which provides essential information for understanding the extent of forest resources, their condition, management and uses across the globe. Experts from Bhutan, Cambodia, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Viet Nam attended the training week from 24 to 28 June 2024 in Bangkok, which was organized with the assistance of the European Union and Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative. Trainers provided an overview of methodology, implementation and definitions as well as lessons on the physics of remote sensing, theory of photointerpretation and utilizing FAO’s dedicated platform, Collect Earth Online (CEO), for data collection. "The extensive field knowledge of the region’s experts is essential for better capturing complex land-use change patterns in Southeast Asia, such as shifting cultivation," said Adolfo Kindgard, FAO Forestry Officer. Conserving and protecting mangrove forests Experts also compared satellite images from the FRA 2025 Remote Sensing Survey with the actual conditions on the ground in the Royal Thai Army Nature Study Center, Bang Pu, Samut Prakan Province, for further practical instruction in image interpretation, with a special focus on Bang Pu’s mangroves. As of 2020, nearly 44 percent (6.48 million hectares) of the total global area of mangroves (14.8 million hectares) is found in South and Southeast Asia, which also hosts the highest mangrove species diversity.  However, this subregion also has the highest rate of net mangrove loss due to primary drivers such as the conversion to aquaculture and agriculture, losing 0.11 percent of mangrove cover per year from 2010 to 2020. Mangroves provide hundreds of millions of people living along coastal areas with services such as protection from natural disasters, timber and non/wood forest products, and pollution control. They also protect and conserve biodiversity by providing homes, breeding grounds and food for diverse types of animals, and are key to combatting climate change through carbon storage.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2235/australia-and-png-fisheries-strengthens-partnership-to-protect-illegal-fishing.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2235/australia-and-png-fisheries-strengthens-partnership-to-protect-illegal-fishing.html Mon, 24 Jun 2024 10:59:49 +0530 Signs MoU to formalise and broaden fisheries cooperation in Torres Strait and beyond, while creating opportunities to undertake joint monitoring and compliance activities Australia’s Fisheries Minister Murray Watt has met with his Papua New Guinea counterpart Jelta Wong to reaffirm the commitment of both countries to protecting the region from illegal fishing. Minister Watt said the importance of cooperation between Australia and PNG, particularly in the Torres Strait, could not be understated. “We see the benefits of cooperation through opportunities like the management of the commercially-valuable tropical rock lobster, with both Australia and Papua New Guinea contributing to scientific assessments and catch monitoring,” Minister Watt said. “Both countries share in the benefits that sustainable fisheries can deliver given they are the same fish stocks. Australia committed to ensuring that sustainable fisheries, to support the livelihoods and traditional way of life for Torres Strait Traditional Inhabitants, are not undermined by illegal fishing. It’s a crucial part of the local economy, with the annual value of commercial fishing industry in the Torres Strait around $20 million thanks to produce like tropical rock lobster and beche-de-mer (sea cucumbers)" Minister Watt explained. Additional funding of $1.7 million has been provided to AFMA in the 2024-25 Budget to conduct high visibility patrols and deterrence operations in the Torres Strait and northern Australia, in support of the Australian Border Force. This will benefit Australian and Papua New Guinean Traditional Inhabitants by helping to ensure that commercial fishing is undertaken only by those that are entitled to do so. The funding also provides the opportunity for AFMA to work more closely with officials and communities in other countries to deter illegal fishing ventures and promote cooperative surveillance, enforcement, and prosecution where possible. Work is underway by the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) and the National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further enhance fisheries cooperation in the Torres Strait and beyond. The new MoU will formalise and broaden this, including opportunities to undertake joint monitoring and compliance activities. The enhanced compliance activity will target high risk areas for fishing by vessels from other countries as well as addressing the significant issue of boats from outside of Papua New Guinea Treaty Villages fishing illegally in the Torres Strait Protected Zone ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2136/kraig-biocraft-laboratories-signs-landmark-sericulture-agreements-in-south-east-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2136/kraig-biocraft-laboratories-signs-landmark-sericulture-agreements-in-south-east-asia.html Wed, 15 May 2024 11:15:21 +0530 Collaborative working effort between the Company and the Vietnam's LAREC to integrate the Company’s silk technologies Kraig Biocraft Laboratories, Inc. has signed key agreements with the Lam Dong Agro-Forestry Research Experiment Center (LAREC), the sericulture authority in central Vietnam, pertaining to the rearing and breeding of the Company's specialized silkworm. Within these agreements, Kraig Labs outlined its operational plans for expansion. These agreements outline a collaborative working effort between the Company and the LAREC to integrate the Company’s silk technologies. Under the terms of the agreements, the LAREC will provide insights and assistance in the selective breeding of the Company's BAM-1 parental strains tailored for the local climate and rearing conditions. The LAREC will also raise one generation of the BAM-1 strain at LAREC facilities and deliver the resulting eggs back to Kraig Labs for use in its operations. This definitive agreement further strengthens the collaboration between Kraig Labs and governmental agencies. The agreement builds on the Memorandum of Understanding that the Company announced on January 30, 2024. "Building these key working relationships is near the top of our agenda, as we expand and grow. We see this agreement as an opportunity to work together to integrate new technologies and deepen our ties in the region," said Company founder and CEO, Kim K. Thompson. "Forming these working agreements with key sericulture leaders and governmental agencies in South East Asia is a key piece of our unfolding expansion. We look forward to seeing this relationship grow as we work to strengthen our ties in the region. Simultaneously, our operations are exceeding expectations, with the spring production trials now near completion. We have consistently hit our marks over the last two quarters and will soon be ready to enter the next phase of our business plan" continued Thompson, Thompson remains in South East Asia with renowned sericultural expert, Dr. Nirmal Kumar, overseeing operations as the Company completes the spring production trials and transitions into phase two of its production plan. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2112/pepsico-drives-sustainable-innovation-in-apac-food-beverage-arena.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2112/pepsico-drives-sustainable-innovation-in-apac-food-beverage-arena.html Thu, 09 May 2024 10:50:41 +0530 Announces 10 Startup finalists from Australia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines for the second edition of APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program PepsiCo, a global leader in convenient foods and beverages, has unveiled the 10 finalists selected for the APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program 2024. The Greenhouse Accelerator program launched in January this year invited applications from startups across APAC. The finalists were selected by a committee of leaders within PepsiCo based on their ability to deliver innovative solutions in sustainable agriculture, circular economy, and climate action. Each finalist was chosen for their unique approach to addressing environmental and sustainability challenges—key criteria aligning with PepsiCo's transformative pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) initiative. The program underscores PepsiCo’s commitment to a future-forward food system where both people and the planet thrive. In 2024, PepsiCo has expanded the APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program to include a critical new focus area: sustainable agriculture. Recognizing the essential role that agriculture plays in our food systems, PepsiCo has identified two trailblazing startups from this sector as finalists, each contributing innovative approaches to sustainable farming practices. In a significant step to widen the scope of the program further, PepsiCo has also forged new partnerships with its bottlers Suntory PepsiCo Beverage in Thailand and Vietnam, which both are strongly committed to creating positive impact on the environment and driving impactful sustainability initiatives across their operations. These alliances aim to deepen the sustainability efforts across the region by engaging stakeholders and amplifying the scope of impact through collaborative action. The Greenhouse Accelerator aims to catalyze the growth of these startups, enhancing their capability to contribute meaningful advancements within the industry. Representing a broad spectrum of APAC’s entrepreneurial talent, the finalists embody PepsiCo’s pursuit of diverse and potent environmental solutions. Central to PepsiCo’s mission is the integration of these innovative approaches into its global value chain, furthering the company’s commitment to improve its ecological footprint. By 2025, PepsiCo aims to ensure all packaging is recyclable, compostable, biodegradable, or reusable, alongside a targeted 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Providing an ecosystem of support, the APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program connects finalists with PepsiCo’s extensive network of mentors, industry experts, and resources. This framework is designed to foster development, accelerate market readiness, and enhance the scalability of their solutions. “As we welcome the newest cohort of startups to the APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program 2024, I’m excited about the potential these innovators bring,” stated Wern-Yuen Tan, CEO of PepsiCo APAC and Chief Commercial Officer. Their inventive solutions are tackling pivotal issues within the circular economy, sustainable agriculture, and climate change — all of which are critical to our pep+ agenda. We're optimistic about the prospects of how these partnerships will expedite progress. This year, our collaboration with bottlers has significantly expanded our ability to pilot and scale these innovative solutions across a broader spectrum.” The 2023 APAC edition saw seven pilots across the PepsiCo network, which drove 110% growth in six months for the finalists, along with $1.5 million in sales growth. The finalists selected for the APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program 2024* are: AIIEV, Thailand; CIRAC, Thailand; Alternō, Vietnam; Grac, Vietnam; Mi Terro, China; Takachar, the Philippines; ELIoT Energy, Australia; Wildfire Energy, Australia; X-Centric, Australia; Captivate Technology, New Zealand; ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2100/southeast-asia-prepares-to-implement-asean-guidelines-for-sustainable-investment-in-food-agriculture-and-forestry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2100/southeast-asia-prepares-to-implement-asean-guidelines-for-sustainable-investment-in-food-agriculture-and-forestry.html Fri, 03 May 2024 11:12:07 +0530 Southeast Asia's agriculture sector plays a pivotal role in the region's economy The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is preparing for the implementation of ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food Agriculture and Forestry Sector (RAI), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and partners announced today. Delegates marked a significant step towards promoting sustainable development and responsible investment in the agriculture sector across the ASEAN region in a recent meeting in Vientiane. FAO and the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD), with technical support from the National Assembly of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, were among the major participents which currently holds the AIPA Presidency (2023-2024). Southeast Asia's agriculture sector plays a pivotal role in the region's economy, contributing 12 percent to the region’s GDP and employing more than 100 million people. With increasing urbanization and rising incomes, the demand for food, fisheries, and forestry products is on the rise. To ensure food security, safety, and nutrition for future generations, amid rapid industrialization and population growth, sustainable investment in these sectors is paramount. Collaboration for responsible investment in food security In 2018, ASEAN Member States adopted the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry (ASEAN RAI), highlighting their commitment to responsible and sustainable investments. Recognizing the significance of parliamentary support, the 44th AIPA General Assembly in 2023 adopted a Resolution encouraging AIPA Member Parliaments to implement the ASEAN RAI. Given this context, the workshop aimed to deepen the understanding of parliamentarians and stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of the ASEAN RAI through the development of a Parliamentary Implementation Framework. The Resolution on Encouraging the Application of the ASEAN Guidelines on Promoting Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry Sectors adopted at the 44th AIPA General Assembly last year, not only reaffirms AIPA's dedication to the sustainability of our region's food, agriculture, and forestry sectors but also underscores our collective resolve to foster economic growth, enhance regional integration, and advance the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. As we convene for this joint event, it is crucial to emphasize parliamentarians' pivotal role in complementing the ASEAN RAI through targeted actions. Through these events, we aim to empower parliamentarians, foster expertise exchange, and enhance oversight,” said H.E. Ar. Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, Secretary General of AIPA. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2084/an-integrated-approach-to-combat-canine-rabies-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2084/an-integrated-approach-to-combat-canine-rabies-in-southeast-asia.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:28:24 +0530 Dr. Armin Wiesler, Regional Managing Director & Head of Animal Health, Regional Operating Unit ASEAN, Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Boehringer Ingelheim How is the Southeast Asia region addressing rabies vaccination challenges? Is Southeast Asia on track to achieve the 'Zero by 30' global goal? Rabies is a neglected tropical disease that is endemic in eight of the 10 countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Member States. Challenges such as a large population of free-roaming dogs, low vaccination coverage and cross-border transmission in Southeast Asia are putting more than 600 million people at potential risk of rabies exposure, especially those in marginalized and remote areas. Guided by the ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy, the aspiration is to vaccinate at least 70% of the dog population, to achieve herd immunity and control. Yet, this target is not reached in most settings presently. Reaching herd immunity has been a challenge, due to the high volume of free-roaming dogs in the region, a lack of resources and competing health priorities. Multi-disciplinary collaboration across various levels of society is and will be crucial to rabies prevention and the region’s progress towards achieving the joint World Health Organization (WHO), World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) Zero by 30 global goal. How can Southeast Asian countries mitigate human rabies vaccine shortages, improve treatment affordability, and provide more equitable access to rabies vaccination? Varying country needs and contexts have to be regarded. While ensuring immunization is available and accessible, education and awareness about the disease is equally important. Under-resourced communities are generally more vulnerable to rabies infection because they do not seek timely treatment due to a lack of understanding about the disease. In addition, though post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) vaccine is free of charge in Vietnam for vulnerable communities and in government-run clinics in the Philippines, travel costs to and from the clinics which administer the vaccine is often a hindrance to vaccine access. Nevertheless, vaccinating dogs against rabies must be the primary target to prevent transmission to humans. According to WHO, vaccinating dogs is the most cost-effective strategy for preventing rabies in people because it stops the transmission at its source. The prevention of animal disease benefits human and environmental health too. How should the legislative frameworks shape canine rabies elimination around compliance, resource mobilization and policy enforcement? A holistic rabies control program that involves legislation involvement has seen favorable outcomes, such as in Mexico. Home to an estimated 26 million free-roaming dogs, Mexico became the first country to receive validation from the WHO for eliminating dog-mediated human rabies in November 2019. Besides a One Health approach to guide efforts to control rabies in Mexico, rabies was made a priority in national budgets. In addition, pet animal travel restrictions were enforced to prevent rabies from spreading across borders, and the government maintains a variety of alliances with different actors. Exploring similar legislative techniques could be considered in the region. Thus far, mandatory pet registration or licensing policies have been in place in most Southeast Asian countries for years and the majority of countries across Southeast Asia also have a national strategy for rabies control. Most recently, due to the increasing number of rabies deaths and people undergoing rabies preventive treatment, the Vietnamese government directed to impose tough fines on owners who breach the regulations in raising and managing dogs and cats, including declaring vaccination status and not allowing them to roam freely.   Controlling and preventing rabies is a shared responsibility. Collaboration between health authorities, veterinarians, dog owners and local communities, cross-border cooperation in data sharing, education and mass vaccination, especially in at-risk areas, are also crucial for progress. How can regional response capacities synergize with global stakeholders in an effort to promote international frameworks and multi-sectoral collaborations in Southeast Asia? Given Southeast Asia is a diverse region with varying contexts and capacities, it is essential to customize the approach to rabies elimination by acclimatizing to unique cultural nuances and population sub-groups, to effectively address the regional and local challenges. Global bodies such as the United Against Rabies Forum provide a platform for rabies stakeholders to work together more efficiently, leveraging shared tools, expertise and data in a coordinated manner to advance the collective efforts in achieving Zero by 30.   Building on our experience in rabies prevention and management, Boehringer Ingelheim contributes by sharing our STOP Rabies program’s best practices for dog vaccination campaigns, collaborating with GARC, and involving local rabies community stakeholders across the region. How should be the ideal canine vaccination campaigns to break the transmission cycle? Can partnership-driven and community-led initiatives be an effective and sustainable drive in rabies prevention? Breaking the rabies transmission cycle requires targeted vaccination coverage rate of 70% of dogs in a specified area. For rabies control programs to be sustainable, local communities need to be engaged in the mission to prevent the disease and take ownership of the strategy, besides ensuring ready vaccine supply. In the Philippines, Boehringer Ingelheim consulted with the National Rabies Prevention and Control Committee (NRPCC) to identify a beneficiary at-risk community. Since 2022, we have been supporting the Puerto Galera local government unit’s efforts to vaccinate and neuter dogs in the community, and run responsible pet ownership campaigns, towards a rabies-free declaration.   Likewise in Vietnam’s Long An province, together with key local authorities, university partners and other private sector companies, we have raised the vaccination coverage rate beyond 70%, to more than 6,000 dogs and cats in 11 villages to date, while organizing rabies awareness events to keep people engaged about the disease. What is Boehringer Ingelheim’s integrated approach to combat canine rabies in Southeast Asia? The rise in rabies cases across Southeast Asia calls for regional attention and local action to manage this preventable disease through dog vaccination, education and surveillance solutions. Only when communities are engaged in the mission can we unite to improve the health of humans and animals. With more than 30 years of experience working in rabies prevention and management, Boehringer Ingelheim has a responsibility to contribute to elimination efforts and support communities that are most affected by rabies. Our STOP Rabies program aims to work in partnership with governmental and non-governmental organizations, health authorities, veterinarians, people who own or care for dogs, and other interested parties, to deliver on-the-ground solutions across three key pillars – vaccination, education, and surveillance. Through tailored solutions that are partnership-driven and community-led, we can complement and contribute to the important efforts already taking place around the world. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2059/korea-discussed-cooperation-with-cambodia-in-export-of-agri-food-products.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/2059/korea-discussed-cooperation-with-cambodia-in-export-of-agri-food-products.html Mon, 15 Apr 2024 11:43:33 +0530 Agriculture is a key economic pillar of Cambodia, with 22% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of 2022. The nation has been experiencing a rapid economic  As part of his visit to Phnom Penh in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Deputy Minister Kwon Jae-han of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, met with Korean importers who do business in the country and visited local places where Korea exports agri-food products. Cambodia's economy is largely driven by agriculture, which is expected to contribute 22% to the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2022. The nation has experienced rapid economic growth with an average annual growth rate of seven percent over the past two decades. The Korean ministry has been carrying out eight ODA projects with Cambodia.  With the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) signed between the two countries in 2022, the bilateral trade is gaining more momentum.  The export value of agri-food products from Korea to Cambodia reached approximately USD 90 million in 2023, with beverages accounting for 60% and modified milk powder and ginseng taking an increasing share. Also, Korea’s first export of “hanwoo” (Korean beef) to the Mekong region was made to Cambodia in August 2023.  * Export value of agri-food products in 2023: (a) $54 million in beverages, down by 27.2% from 2022; (b) $12 million in modified milk powder, up by 33.0% from 2022; and (c) $2 million in ginseng, up by 22.3% from 2022. In addition, Export value of modified milk power products to Cambodia: $3 million in 2019 → $4 million in 2020 → $6 million in 2021 → $9 million in 2022 → $12 million in 2023 On 28 March, Deputy Minister Kwon held meetings with Korean importers of agri-food products as well as Korean exporters and importers of hanwoo working in Cambodia to discuss the ways to expand export to the nation. The agri-food products importers said: “We want to introduce Cambodian consumers to diverse Korean agri-food products. And large companies and small- and medium-sized companies should share growth to make it possible to enter a new market like Cambodia.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1565/u-s-soybean-export-council-forges-collaborative-approach-to-revive-food-security-in-asean-region.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1565/u-s-soybean-export-council-forges-collaborative-approach-to-revive-food-security-in-asean-region.html Sun, 24 Mar 2024 23:03:00 +0530 Timothy Loh, Regional Director, S.E. Asia and Oceania, U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) How does U.S. Soy and the USDA prioritize food security through climate adaptation and proactive government policies? Can innovation and free trade contribute to global food security? U.S. Soy growers are at the forefront of global sustainability standards, emphasizing innovation and ongoing improvement through technology to enhance productivity and resource management. Precision agriculture, for instance, allows for more efficient and environmentally responsible farming practices, optimizing the use of resources such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides. It not only boosts yields but also reduces the environmental footprint of agriculture, contributing to sustainability and food security. These efforts underscore the vital role of innovation and free trade in shaping not only global economic growth but also facilitating agricultural innovation critical for global food security. Open trade policies foster knowledge sharing and technology transfer, further enhancing agricultural advancements essential for global food security. How does USSEC reinforce the importance of international collaboration, sustainability, and innovation in securing the future of global food systems? USSEC supports the global food system through its multifaceted efforts and initiatives. The organization has longstanding partnerships with Southeast Asia, spanning over four decades. USSEC has continued to help develop the region’s agricultural sector by sharing valuable trade and technical knowledge and expertise. USSEC takes a collaborative approach by actively engaging with industry stakeholders as well as engaging in knowledge sharing and networking. USSEC helps to disseminate the latest agricultural trends and practices to stakeholders, thus contributing to the global food system's resilience and sustainability, as demonstrated at events like the Agricultural Cooperators Conference in Da Nang, Vietnam. The U.S. Soy industry promotes sustainable agriculture and sustainable sourcing of food and feed ingredients through consistent innovation to grow and deliver better solutions. This commitment to sustainability extends to USSEC's collaboration with key players in the region’s food and agribusiness sectors. One such partnership is exemplified by Tempe Azaki's new factory in Bogor, West Java, which uses U.S. soybeans to produce frozen fresh tempeh for global markets, including the U.S., contributing to the international trade of sustainable products. Recognized for its eco-friendly practices, Tempe Azaki is a frontrunner in sustainable tempeh production, aligning with USSEC's aim to promote plant-based, sustainable protein sources. In summary, USSEC's active involvement in Vietnam and the region's agricultural sector, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, and its efforts to facilitate knowledge sharing among stakeholders aim to support and promote a more resilient and sustainable global food system. What is the U.S. soy supply outlook for the foreseeable impact on APAC future? What are the key influential aspects of USSEC in Asia? Southeast Asia is anticipated to remain one of the world's fastest growing regions in terms of consumption, fueled by a young workforce, an expanding middle class, and rising incomes which play a significant role in contributing to the region’s economic growth. These dynamics are driving an increased demand for high-quality protein sources, with U.S. soy products being a prime choice. Moreover, the shift towards plant-based dietary preferences further boosts the demand for soy-based products.   U.S. Soy producers and industry are committed to ensuring a consistent supply of top-quality soybeans to meet the region's growing needs for nutritious, reliable, and sustainable U.S. Soy. Can you summarize some of the recent trade and collaborative programs initiated or accomplished by USSEC with APAC countries? USSEC's contribution to the region’s soy value chain is multifaceted. In the animal feed sector, we work in partnership with feed mills to showcase the value and advantages of U.S. Soy products, emphasizing not just price considerations but also superior feed quality. This collaboration supports the growth of the animal feed sector and enhances the overall soy value chain. In the aquaculture sector, we have actively promoted the In-Pond Raceway System (IPRS) since 2013. This initiative has led to increased fish production, reduced environmental impact, and lower operating costs in aquaculture, contributing to the sustainability of the soy value chain. We collaborate with local producers to establish IPRS systems and offer ongoing technical support, thus driving further advancements in the sector. When it comes to sustainability, U.S. Soy growers are at the forefront of global sustainability standards, emphasizing innovation and ongoing improvement. Through collaboration with Vietnam Airlines, as seen at the 'Service Conference 2023'. During this event, 200 industry leaders were engaged to explore sustainability trends and the potential for eco-conscious practices within the aviation sector. USSEC takes a collaborative approach by actively engaging with industry stakeholders as well as engaging in knowledge sharing and networking. USSEC helps to disseminate the latest agricultural trends and practices to stakeholders, thus contributing to the global food system's resilience and sustainability, as demonstrated at events like the Agricultural Cooperators Conference in Da Nang, Vietnam. Looking ahead, with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USSEC is planning to expand collaborations with key organizations in the region such as the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and The Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD). These partnerships help foster sustainable practices and support the growth of the soy value chain in the region. How are investments and innovations shaping the APAC agri-tech and infrastructure sector? Investments and innovations play a pivotal role in transforming the APAC agri-tech and infrastructure sector, driving agricultural efficiency, mitigating environmental impact, and bolstering food safety and food security across the region. The emphasis on sustainable and technology-driven agricultural practices is paving the way for future advancements in the agricultural sector. This is an incredibly diverse region with markets in various stages of agri-tech and infrastructure development. It’s important to understand that this diversity presents unique challenges and opportunities for implementing innovative solutions suited to each market. How does USSEC perceive the industry's potential and limitations in light of strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors? Forging collaborations and partnerships are important to the work that USSEC does in the region. USSEC in itself is a dynamic partnership between public and private sectors, bringing together U.S. soybean producers, processors, commodity shippers, merchandisers, allied agribusinesses, and agricultural organizations to build preference for U.S. Soy throughout the world. Partnerships are an important aspect of our investment in innovation. The U.S. Soy industry builds deep partnerships, including support and expert technical assistance in areas like feed milling, poultry, aquaculture and livestock production, oil processing and soy foods. Our partnerships worldwide are essential for innovation and allow us to continue to meet demand. How is USSEC advancing sustainable sourcing of food and feed ingredients to ensure the lowest carbon footprint? A significant focus of USSEC’s sustainability efforts lies in the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) certification, a globally recognized and accredited sustainability verification program, providing certified shipments for sustainably produced U.S. Soy. Adoption of SSAP in Southeast Asia has risen from 19% in FY19 to 80% in FY23, reflecting USSEC's dedication to sustainability amidst growing concerns about sustainability, climate change, and deforestation.  USSEC's proactive approach extends to collaborations, such as the Memorandum of Understanding between Bangkok Produce Merchandising Public Company Limited (BKP), a subsidiary company of the Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) and USSEC to advance sustainable sourcing and supply chain practices for food and animal feed ingredients in Thailand and globally. Additionally, USSEC is partnering with feed miller and food producers in the region to promote the Sustainable U.S. Soy (SUSS) label. The SUSS logo represents the customer’s commitment to sustainability throughout the value chain. Through these initiatives, USSEC plays a vital role in supporting Southeast Asia’s agricultural sustainability while enhancing the sustainable production and utilization of U.S. Soy in the region. In Southeast Asia, how significant is the recent U.S.-Vietnam relationship as key trading partners reaffirming the commitment to sustainable food value chains? The elevation of the Vietnam-U.S. relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership signifies a strong commitment from both countries to deepen their ties to achieve common objectives of growth, prosperity, and sustainable development. This strategic partnership is poised to bring about considerable positive impact on trade in agricultural products, particularly in the soybean and animal feed sectors. Trade between the United States and Vietnam reached $130 billion in the past year, with $10 billion attributed to agriculture, highlighting significant growth potential. In fact, this growth in trade underscores the opportunity for knowledge exchange, technology transfer, and agricultural innovation, which can help create a robust and sustainable industry. By aligning economic growth with responsible and sustainable practices, Vietnam can position its agricultural sector as a strong and resilient contributor to the country's economy and the global community, thereby attracting foreign investment and contributing to the nation's long-term growth and prosperity. Looking ahead, with the support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USSEC is planning to expand collaborations with key organizations in Vietnam, such as the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) and The Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD). These partnerships help foster sustainable practices and support the growth of the sustainable soy value chain in Vietnam. How do you foresee APAC market prospects for U.S Soy in aquafeed and animal feed Ingredients? In light of the post-COVID recovery and the upward trend in consumption, we anticipate a promising outlook for U.S. Soy in aquafeed and animal feed ingredients across the region. As consumption continues to rise, so is the growth in demand for animal protein, and soy-based protein for aquaculture. U.S. Soy and soybean meal offer superior amino acid digestibility essential for the growth and performance of swine, poultry, fish, and seafood. The U.S. Soy industry remains committed to collaborating with aquaculture and animal producers in the region to meet expanding global nutrition needs. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1934/oceanx-embarks-on-multi-year-exploration-of-southeast-asia-waters.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1934/oceanx-embarks-on-multi-year-exploration-of-southeast-asia-waters.html Thu, 07 Mar 2024 12:15:51 +0530 Global ocean exploration nonprofit joins Southeast Asia to support the advancement of oceanscience and marine education in the region in the battle against climate change Global ocean exploration nonprofit OceanX has announced a multi-year mission to explore the waters of Southeast Asia and further global understanding of one of the most biodiverse and threatened oceanic regions in the world. Using Singapore as a central meeting point, OceanX will embark on a series of research expeditions throughout the region aboard OceanXplorer - the world’s most advanced exploration, scientific research and media production vessel. This includes upcoming missions in Indonesia (May-August 2024) and Malaysia (H2 2024), where the team will be partnering with local government agencies and scientists to conduct studies on the ocean environment that will help inform science, policy, and economic decisions. “Southeast Asia is well-known as one of the world’s largest marine biodiversity hotspots, and much of it remains undiscovered and unexplored. we’re excited at the prospect of what we might find beneath the water’s surface and 9 out 10 ASEAN countries touch the sea. From fisheries to ocean sustainability,natural disasters to climate change - there are few regions with a deeper connection to anddependence on the ocean” said Mark Dalio, Founder and co-CEO of OceanX. OceanX is committed to joining Southeast Asia in the battle against climate change by exploring the depths of its waters and bringing back critical data, so we better understand how to protect and preserve it. The OceanXplorer is fully equipped with cutting-edge technology to survey diverse marineenvironments, including deep-sea, shallow, and coastal habitats. This includes: Two 1,000 metre manned submersibles 6,000 metre remote operated vehicle (ROV) State-of-the-art research laboratories Next-gen DNA sequencing capabilities Full acoustic mapping capabilities Conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) analysis OceanX Education will also launch several new on-ship experiences and educational programmeslater in the year in partnership with universities and nonprofits around the region to develop andnurture the next generation of marine scientists, engineers and storytellers. Working in collaboration with Dalio Philanthropies – a founding core member of the Temasek Trust’s Philanthropy Asia Alliance – OceanX is expected to take on numerous projects throughout Southeast Asia for several years and is currently in active discussions with governments throughout the region to organise additional expeditions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1926/singapores-venture-capital-fund-protege-ventures-pv-invests-in-zolo-to-transfer-south-east-asias-food-sector.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1926/singapores-venture-capital-fund-protege-ventures-pv-invests-in-zolo-to-transfer-south-east-asias-food-sector.html Tue, 05 Mar 2024 11:49:58 +0530 Protégé Ventures (PV), Singapore-based student venture capital fund, has announced an undisclosed pre-seed investment in ZOLO, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered business to business (B2B) software company founded by two alumni from two Singapore universities. Investment is considered to be the 11th student-founded startup Protégé Ventures has funded since 2017. The decision to invest in ZOLO underlines PV’s commitment to backing high-growth student startups that drive positive change and innovation in their industries. Together with ZOLO’s prior investors such as Antler, GHARAGE and NTUitive (via an equity-free grant), PV is embarking on a collaborative journey to foster innovation in the B2B food marketplace. PV was established in 2017 by the Singapore Management University (SMU)’s Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE) with an earlier partnership with Kairos ASEAN and funding partners – Wavemakers Partners and Dr Jeffrey Chi of Vickers Venture Partners. To nurture the next generation of tech and entrepreneurial leaders, PV extends an opportunity for students to gain practical work experience in venture investment landscape. PV students also get to collaborate with their peers from across different tertiary institutions in Singapore. In the seven years since its inception, PV has trained a total of 320 students as VC professionals, evaluated over 1,300 deals and invested SGD 298,000 ($221,413) in 11 student start-ups. These start-ups have collectively raised over SGD 35 million ($26 million) from notable institutional investors to date. PV launched its second fund, the PV Fund II valued at SGD 500,000 ($371,499) in September 2023 – contributed by founding managing partner David Su of venture capital firm Matrix Partners China. This is to empower more investments in early-stage technology start-ups founded by students or recent graduates of Singapore’s polytechnics and universities which are seeking their pre-seed to seed funding. ZOLO joins PV’s portfolio companies – which include Lumitics, an internet of things (IoT) food waste management solution, Hypotenuse AI, an AI-content writer startup, Intellect, Asia’s largest mental health care app, and Angie’s Tempeh, a plant-based protein products manufacturer – to name a few. ZOLO strives to enhance the sustainability and profitability of Southeast Asia’s B2B food industry. The duo met through an Executive Program organized by Antler in late 2021. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1881/vietnam-installs-largest-wind-turbine-units-bolstering-the-green-energy-transformation-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1881/vietnam-installs-largest-wind-turbine-units-bolstering-the-green-energy-transformation-in-southeast-asia.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:53:50 +0530 The wind farm will cover an area of 855.25 hectares with he expertise of China and Vietnam stakeholders Electric Wind Power, a subsidiary of Shanghai Electric, has signed a deal with local firms to provide its advanced wind turbines to joint venture partners Hai Anh Wind Power Company, IPC Construction Joint Stock Company (IPC E&C), and Asia Industrial Technology Joint Stock Company (ACIT) for the Hai Anh Wind Farm Project in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam. The wind farm will cover an area of 855.25 hectares with an installed capacity of 40MW and will utilize eight of the Company's WH5.25-172 wind turbine units, bolstering the green energy transformation in Southeast Asia. Electric Wind Power is also China's leading onshore wind power equipment manufacturer and one of China's largest offshore wind power equipment makers. The Hai Anh Wind Farm Project is the Company's first wind power project in Vietnam and is utilizing Electric Wind Power's WH5.25-172 wind turbine unit, which boasts the largest onshore wind turbine diameter in the Vietnamese market to date. The Hai Anh Wind Farm Project's foundation anchor components will be delivered at the end of March 2024, and the first batch of four of the Company's wind turbines will be delivered in early June 2024, with the second batch of four due to be delivered in mid-June 2024. The hoisting of the wind turbines will be completed by the end of August 2024 and is expected to be completed and connected to the grid prior to November 2024 Electric Wind Power has a wealth of experience in international cooperation, brought its most advanced wind power technology and products, along with its most experienced team, to the Hai Anh Wind Farm Project. The Company's global green energy development strategy facilitates the transnational flow of clean and efficient energy while increasing the energy supplies of partnering countries. This optimizes the local energy consumption structure and drives green and low-carbon development around the globe. Vietnam's efforts towards Green Economy The Hai Anh Wind Farm Project with a hub center height of 125 meters, has the largest single machine capacity and the highest hub center height among all of the Company's international onshore projects. With the signing of this contract, Electric Wind Power continues its support for China's Belt and Road Initiative while actively promoting green development. Another model project that displays the Company's transnational energy is the construction of the Senj Wind Power Project in Croatia, the largest onshore wind power project in the Balkans. Vietnam has experienced rapid economic development in recent years and has huge potential for future economic growth, which will drive high growth in electricity demand. According to Vietnam's latest national power plan, Vietnam will work to rapidly develop renewable energy to meet the increasing demand for electricity while gradually reducing the proportion of thermal power generation. In recent years, coal power pollution has been a serious problem in some areas of Vietnam, so in order to stimulate a post-pandemic green economic recovery, the Vietnamese government has stated that it will give priority to the development of renewable energy. This means that renewable energy such as wind energy, which has abundant reserves in Vietnam, will receive further attention and share in the future and will grow significantly, creating huge potential in the green energy market. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1852/searca-youth-in-agri-talk-show-spotlights-on-insects-in-agriculture-while-promoting-agri-education-in-sea-youth.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1852/searca-youth-in-agri-talk-show-spotlights-on-insects-in-agriculture-while-promoting-agri-education-in-sea-youth.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 07:00:58 +0530 Explored fascinating world of insects and their crucial role in agriculture and the ecosystem Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)'s Youth in Agri Talk Show returned for its second episode on 16 February 2024. The SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show aims to promote agriculture and its importance to Southeast Asian youth, particularly those in basic education. The episode titled "Winged Warriors: The Unsung Heroes of Agri-Land" discussed fascinating world of insects and explored their crucial role in agriculture and the ecosystem. Dr. Nur Azura Adam, SEARCA deputy director for programs and an entomologist, featured as guest expert. Dr. Nur highlighted the importance of educating young people on the contributions of insects to agriculture and the ecosystem. There is a misconception that most insects are pests. Only 5% of them are harmful to the ecosystem. The majority of insects are beneficial to agriculture and play a significant role in regulating and balancing the ecosystem" Dr. Nur remarked. Students from HFSE International School based in Singapore, SMK Seri Jempol based in Malaysia, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba based in the Philippines participated during the episode. They explored an opportunity to pose their agriculture and insect-related questions directly to Dr. Nur. "Since the SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show is a non-academic and nonconventional approach to learning, it provides a more relaxed platform where students can ask what's lingering in their minds and engage with agriculture experts," Dr. Nur said. In addition, SEARCA has a Education and Collective Learning Department's scholarship programs. Recently Dr. Nur Adam has discussed the Center's joint scholarship grants, citing the collaborations with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI), National Taiwan University, and Sejong University in Korea. Dr. Nur also highlighted SEARCA and the European Commission ERASMUS+ Capacity Building in Higher Education's three-year initiative titled "Postgraduate Micro-Credentials on Food Security and Climate Change", which utilizes digital technologies to develop and offer online modules that aim to address food security and climate change. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1832/singapore-bio-tech-company-bio-ark-partner-bandung-indonesia-to-expand-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1832/singapore-bio-tech-company-bio-ark-partner-bandung-indonesia-to-expand-in-southeast-asia.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 09:47:09 +0530 Embarks into establishing resilient agricultural economy in Bandung and Pemalang region; Launches first bio-organic fertiliser plant in Bandung Bio Ark Global, a Singapore bio-technology company, expands to Southeast Asia by signing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Bandung Indonesia making significant strides in revolutionising agriculture and to providing solutions for global food security. In addtion, Bio Ark Global and the Pemalang government has inked a MoU granting Bio Ark Global with 4,000 hectares of land to launch a comprehensive corn cultivation venture. This will set the foundation for closed-loop food security solution. Under the MOU, 4,000 hectares of land for the initiative will be provided under a profit-sharing agreement underscoring the Pemalang government's confidence in Bio Ark Global's commitment to fostering mutual success and sustainability in the local agricultural sector. To redefining agriculture Bio Ark Global aims to collaborates with growers across continents and unites them in a global movement to cultivate better and provide safer food while restoring the health of the planet. "Regions such as Bandung and Pemalang possess untapped potential for sustainable agricultural growth." commented, Matthew Edward Loh founder of Bio Ark Global's interest in this particular region.  "The provincial governments have exhibited a praiseworthy proactive stance via their collaborations with Bio Ark Global's initiatives. They have strategically planned for the imminent phase of substantial advancements in the local agricultural sector, highlighting the resilience and strategic vision that defines Indonesia's multifaceted developmental landscape." Establishing a resilient agricultural ecosystem Indonesia is committed to sustainable development, aligned with the global shift towards responsible and eco-friendly practices.  Indonesia's agricultural industry makes up close to 15% of its GDP, providing diverse organic inputs to the global market, including palm products, spices, and other produce. Bio Ark Global recognises Indonesia's ability to sustainably grow crops for its rapidly growing economy is intricately intertwined with the well-being of its natural resources. Bio Ark Global aims to introduce to the local economy its bio-organic technology and agricultural inputs which are free of synthetic chemicals, GMOs, and contaminants. These products not only enhance the quality and quantity of crop yields, they also mitigate the effects of climate change on crop growth. Additionally, these fertilisers harness beneficial microbes that in the long term help to maintain soil fertility. Fostering ecological and economic sustainability: Bio Ark Global's strategies on a closed-loop and fully self-sufficient cycle, sourcing and producing all raw ingredients and fertilizers locally which eventually fosters ecological and economic sustainability. Addressing climate change threats, the unique strategy strives to implement best agricultural practices. In addition, Bio Ark Global seeks to actively reduce carbon emissions and absorb carbon from the environment, thus mitigating climate change and promoting sustainability as a force for positive change. Bio Ark Global Committee Members with Mansur Hidayat S.T., Regent of Pemalang In Bandung, a key partnership with the state-owned enterprise, BUMD PT Perdana Multi Sarana Bandung Barat (PMgS), based in West Bandung district, was officially formalised on 1st February 2024, where the executive team of Bio Ark Global, and Mr Deden Robby, Director of PMgS, inaugurated the very first bio-organic fertiliser plant in Bandung. More importantly, the partnership with PMgS heralds a new era of innovation for the agricultural industry in the region whilst fostering sustainable practices, to ensure that local and regional demands of food supply are met. Known historically as a major producer of agriculture, especially rice, Bandung has over 160,000 hectares of land dedicated to farming, of which over 35% is used for food crop. Bio Ark Global will also be collaborating with Pemalang local partner P.T. SGP Indo Fresh Produce, specialised in agricultural exports to ensure a seamless integration into the local agricultural ecosystem. Apart from corn cultivation, Bio Ark Global will also be conducting field trials on other export crops in collaboration with local farmers. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1726/fao-acclaims-thailand-as-proponent-of-sustainable-soil-management-in-the-apac-region.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1726/fao-acclaims-thailand-as-proponent-of-sustainable-soil-management-in-the-apac-region.html Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:05:51 +0530 FAO and LDD are collaborating in the joint implementation of a number of projects including establishment and operation of the Center of Excellence for Soil Research in Asia (CESRA) FAO Director-General QU Dongyu visited Thailand’s Land Development Department (LDD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, underlining the country’s key role as a proponent of sustainable soil management in the Asia and Pacific region as he began a three-day visit to Bangkok. At the Land Development Department, steward of Thailand’s Soil Museum, the Director-General examined the various types of soil collected at the facility. Pramote Yajai, Director-General of LDD, Arthit Sukhkasem, Deputy Director-General for Academic Affairs and Anuwat Pothinam, and Deputy Director-General for Operations at LDD received Director-General at the LDD. In the LDD’s soil laboratory, the Director-General participated in examinations of soil and water, including soil PH level. The Director-General was also briefed on the Soil Doctors programme which aims to provide extensive training on soil sampling, with a target of 27,000 persons - one for each village in Thailand. The Director-General encouraged the soil scientists to continue their valuable work and urged them to share their expertise with other countries, particularly those with similar ecosystems. “Transfer your knowledge through the FAO Regional Office (for Asia and the Pacific) that is what I’d really like to see - for you to make use of the Regional Office to reach out to other countries in  the Asia and the Pacific region so they can learn more from you,” Qu said to the scientists.  The Director-General signed a clay plaque at the entrance to the Soil Museum, and inscribed the Chinese proverb “soil is the mother of the earth.” Following the work initiated by Thailand’s late King Bhumibol the Great, the country made significant investments in agriculture, prioritizing soil health preservation. Thailand provided significant political support to FAO for the launch and consolidation of the Global Soil Partnership, World Soil Day, the Global Soil Doctors Programme and Global Soil Laboratory Network (including the Asian Soil Laboratory Network). In recent years, FAO has been working to strengthen the position of LDD as a strategic partner. This includes providing laboratory equipment and offering technical and financial assistance for the establishment and operation of the Center of Excellence for Soil Research in Asia (CESRA). FAO and LDD are also actively collaborating in the joint implementation of a number of projects. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1741/grow-asias-executive-director-in-singapore-revels-goal-and-trajectories-for-2024.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1741/grow-asias-executive-director-in-singapore-revels-goal-and-trajectories-for-2024.html Fri, 19 Jan 2024 10:59:54 +0530 Beverley Postma, Executive Director, Grow Asia reveals Grow Asia's projections with the Theme "Consolidate, Focus, and Scale" though four public-private programs and funds: GrowVentures, GrowHer, GrowRight, and GrowBeyond The multi stakeholder partnership platform in Southeast Asia, Grow Asia works to catalyze inclusive agriculture development by convening governments, farmers, NGOs, private sector and other stakeholders co-create value chain initiatives aimed at empowering smallholder farmers and protecting the and environmental sustainability of agriculture. Grow Asia was established by the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Grow Asia's work guided by four operating principles: Smallholder-focused, keeping the farmer at the center of all initiatives and investments Country-led and locally-driven, owned by stakeholders and aligned with national plans, strategies and goals. Multi-stakeholder and inclusive, engaging government, private sector, international organizations, civil society, farmer organizations and others. focusing on catalyzing and expanding sustainable, inclusive investments and market-based activities Beverley Postma, Executive Director, Grow Asia in her recent statement, projected Grow Asia's goals with the theme "Consolidate, Focus, and Scale" through four public-private programs and funds: GrowVentures, GrowHer, GrowRight, and GrowBeyond. Executive Director of Grow Asia says, "We know the only way to deliver transformation at scale is to increase equitable access to both technology and finance to the millions of SMEs and smallholder farmers who lie at the heart of our agri-food ecosystem. To do this, we must double down on our partnership efforts to forge effective global > regional > country impact pathways, connecting people, technology, and financial services in a way that offers a ‘win-win’ for all. This is the only route to achieving impactful global change at scale". "We must also continue to challenge silos by disrupting the fragmentation that is now our biggest barrier to scalable outcomes. The value of isolated, satellite and bilateral partnerships has waned. The time has come to work together to harvest the learnings from these projects by creating strategic, multi-stakeholder mechanisms that integrate the limited resources of individual actors - governments, companies, philanthropies, and civil society to deliver impact that is greater than the sum of their parts. With effective coordination, this approach will both streamline and amplify efforts to deliver sustainable economic growth across the region. At Grow Asia, we are committed to equipping the millions of enterprises in Southeast Asia that are integral to the sustainability of our future with the technology and financial services they need. We cannot do this without the ongoing support of our 660+ partners and I look forward to working with you this year to transform dialogue into opportunities, and commitment into action" adds Beverley Postma. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1725/ecolab-opens-a-new-manufacturing-plant-in-vietnam-to-expand-to-sea-region.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1725/ecolab-opens-a-new-manufacturing-plant-in-vietnam-to-expand-to-sea-region.html Tue, 16 Jan 2024 08:45:00 +0530 The new plant has 3,000 square meters of space with an advanced laboratory, manufacturing facility and warehouse Ecolab, a global sustainability leader offering water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services, continues its expansion to meet the growing market and increasing customer demand. Ecolab opens its new cutting-edge manufacturing plant in Ho Nai Industrial Park, near Ho Chi Minh City. Around the world, Ecolab provides innovative solutions to help improve businesses' operational efficiency, product quality, and safety while reducing water and energy use and waste. This new facility demonstrates Ecolab's continued commitment to supporting customers, innovation, and sustainability in Vietnam and throughout Southeast Asia. The new plant has 3,000 square meters of space with an advanced laboratory, manufacturing facility and warehouse. The new facility will also provide additional local job opportunities, bringing the company's workforce in Vietnam to more than 100 people. Ecolab supports customers in multiple industrial markets, including food service, lodging, healthcare, building facilities, food and beverage processing, manufacturing, transportation, pulp and paper, microelectronics, petrochemicals, and power generation. Greg Lukasik, senior vice president and Market Head for Southeast Asia, Ecolab shared:"This space is a key milestone for fostering growth and will serve as a hub of science, expertise, and support activities from the Ecolab team to better serve both our customers, as well as the local community. With the opening of the new plant, we are creating new opportunities for customer partnerships, while simultaneously bringing our commitment to supporting the development and growth of Vietnam's thriving economy". As part of the U.S. Department of Commerce Department's support of the opening, Greg Harris, Principal Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City said: "Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in ASEAN. It's great to see that Ecolab, an American-listed company, is boosting operations locally, and their industrial customers in Vietnam and Southeast Asia will benefit from the Ecolab teams' expertise, technology, and solution delivery. Water scarcity, food hygiene, and public health are some of the biggest challenges the world faces today. We look forward to deeper partnerships between Ecolab and local ecosystem players to help create a greener future." Sam de Boo, EVP and president for Ecolab Global Markets, said: "Vietnam is a key strategic market for Ecolab, and the investment in a plant marks a key step in better supporting our customers. The markets we serve will continue to benefit from our global innovation capabilities, combining chemistry, digital technology, data analytics, and service to deliver exponential customer value." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1679/philippines-to-launch-new-world-class-agri-genomics-center-in-partnership-with-koica-and-irri.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1679/philippines-to-launch-new-world-class-agri-genomics-center-in-partnership-with-koica-and-irri.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 07:49:50 +0530 The new UPLB Agricultural Genomics Research Center (AGRC) is part of a six-year collaborative venture with KOICA The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), the South Korean government through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are set to construct an on-campus agricultural genomics research facility to advance genome-based agriculture research and development capabilities in the country. The new UPLB Agricultural Genomics Research Center (AGRC) is part of a six-year collaborative venture with KOICA which involves the joint conduct of capacity building activities to strengthen academic partnerships between UPLB and Korean universities, and in turn, improve the country’s agricultural research competitiveness through the acceleration of agricultural science and technology collaborations and other innovative services. “The establishment of AGRC has a primary goal of a collaboration to initiate scientific cooperation between IRRI, the UP System, and South Korea through KOICA. As we lay the foundation of AGRC today, may it become a beacon for scientific progress and sustainability not only in the Southeast Asian region but also throughout the world,” said UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho during his welcome remarks. The collaboration includes opportunities to earn doctoral degrees from Korean universities and an MS sandwich research program at IRRI targeting incoming and continuing qualified Filipino MS students enrolled at UPLB. As the technical partner for the project, IRRI has also developed ten advanced agricultural science internship programs and provides proper guidance on the application of genomics tools in real world plant breeding programs and will supervise and support program scholars to conduct high impact-research within the facility’s new laboratories and existing facilities in IRRI. “This facility is but one of the many steps that we will be taking together as we endeavor to develop more sustainable and efficient agricultural practices for farming communities all over the world. Ultimately, we hope that this space can foster scholars who can help farmers worldwide improve their competitiveness and productivity amidst global challenges” said IRRI Interim Director General, Dr. Ajay Kohli. Ahead of the construction of the actual facility, the capability enhancement and academic partnerships component of the program has benefitted more than 1,800 participants. In addition to providing seed funding, the Republic of Korea, through KOICA, will continue to dispatch experts to provide additional technical advice and assist in finalizing the center's operational plans and training. “With the support of IRRI, which has extensive technical experience on agricultural R&D, this project promises a strengthened science and technology adaptation in agriculture. KOICA strongly believes that today's collaboration will also contribute to the country’s agricultural competitiveness and improving food security in the Philippines,” said KOICA Vice President, Hon. Lee Yun Young. The Ambassador of Korea to the Philippines, Hon. Lee Sang Hwa noted in his speech that the groundbreaking event is a testament not only of the close partnership between Korea and the Philippines in the fields of agriculture and innovation, but also a significant move toward addressing food security, poverty and rural community development in the Philippines. For his part, UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez, emphasized that science and research should be of service to the Filipino people and that the upcoming AGRC is a testament to that. Once completed, the AGRC will provide an environment which will complement the mission of the country in training and providing growth opportunities to scientists, collaborators, and partners while embracing diversity and inclusivity. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1667/searca-fuels-zero-waste-agriculture-with-biogas-innovation-in-philippines-muntinlupa.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1667/searca-fuels-zero-waste-agriculture-with-biogas-innovation-in-philippines-muntinlupa.html Wed, 27 Dec 2023 11:02:47 +0530 An anaerobic digester, which converts organic matter into biogas Philippines Muntinlupa City shows a way to turn farm waste into clean cooking fuel. Key to this innovation is a simple set-up called an anaerobic digester, which converts organic matter into biogas. With this technology, along with composting machines, the city takes the path to zero-waste agriculture and circular economy. Inspired by the potential of waste-to-energy benefits, a team from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) investigated the biogas digester technology at the Environmental Sanitation Center (ESC) in Tunasan, Muntinlupa City. As an implementer of the Rice Straw Biogas Hub (RSBH) project, the SEARCA team promotes harnessing biogas technology to add value to rice straw, a largely discarded or untapped agricultural resource. Committed to achieving a successful ecological solid waste management system, the ESC operates a citywide waste segregation project, encouraging all stakeholders to purposefully sort out waste and utilize these as inputs to production—ultimately achieving a circular economy in the metropolis. The Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) biogas digester technology proved instrumental to achieving such a feat. Composed primarily of methane and carbon dioxide, biogas is a renewable energy source that can produce heat and electricity for consumption. The ESC developed and cultivated a piece of land almost akin to a rural farmland—with its crop production area and domesticated animals—where food scraps from the public market are discarded and processed. The fruit and vegetable waste are fed to animals, whose manures are then converted to cooking gas using the biogas digester. Dr. Victor Luis, Jr., SEARCA's biogas energy consultant, and Engr. Vincent Alon, division head at ESC, discussed and showed the process of biogas and compost generation from waste. The sludge, a byproduct of the biogas digester, is used for seeding or introducing bacteria before feeding fruit, vegetable, and sawdust waste into the composter. Cleverly branded as "Muntinglupa," the generated soil compost is used for the city's greening program. Other trash materials from packaging are sewn into useful ecobags. Dr. Luis envisions scaling up the management of rice straw residues through a centralized biogas facility operated by private and public institutions. Atty. Eric Reynoso, program head of SEARCA's Emerging Innovation for Growth (EIG) Department, added that, "mechanisms, such as biogas digesters, would be instrumental in remote areas and farms where access to electricity is lacking." SEARCA initiated the field visit as part of an educational pursuit and awareness building on rice-straw-to-energy conversion. The undertaking will seek a wider reach and impact among farmers in Laguna and Nueva Ecija. The RSBH Project team is set to conduct a training on biogas technology during the first quarter of 2024. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1629/fao-and-partners-join-forces-to-mitigate-the-impact-of-el-nino-in-the-asean-region.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1629/fao-and-partners-join-forces-to-mitigate-the-impact-of-el-nino-in-the-asean-region.html Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:53:02 +0530 A key recommendation of FAO, ESCAP, and WMO was to contextualize and prioritize concrete actions at the local, national, and regional levels so that timely responses can be taken. In Southeast Asia, El Nio has made its presence felt and is expected to last for at least three months. WMO officially declared El Nio conditions for the first time in seven years in July, setting the stage for a surge in global temperatures and disruptive weather patterns. It is crucial to emphasize the critical importance of early warnings as the region prepares for the full potential impact of this climate phenomenon over the next three to six months. In response, governments are mobilizing preparations and limiting the impact on health, agrifood systems, and economies. In response to the challenge, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and WMO have called for joint action and necessary steps to take. A workshop to that effect was held this week in Bangkok “Bracing for El Niño: Getting Ready for Dry Years in ASEAN with Enhanced Early Warnings and Anticipatory Action” convened by the three. More than 50 experts, including government representatives, the ASEAN Secretariat and members from the Asia-Pacific Technical Working Group on Anticipatory Action attended the workshop. These collaborative efforts have focused on strategies to enhance regional preparedness, improve early warning systems, and strengthen anticipatory action measures. The discussions also centred around linking regional frameworks – such as the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action for Adaptation to Drought (ARPA-AD) and the ASEAN Framework on Anticipatory Action in Disaster Management (AFAADM) - as well as a global initiative, the UN Early Warnings for All initiative, to guide their next steps and boost proactive measures against potential drought. Collaborative action: getting ahead of the emerging drought risk Emphasizing the collaborative potential of regional initiatives, Ben Churchill, Director of the WMO Regional Office for Asia and the South-West Pacific, highlighted that through the UN Early Warnings for All (EW4ll) initiative we can jointly support the roll-out of the ASEAN’s ARPA-AD and AFAADM Frameworks, benefitting from ASEAN experiences and capacities. “There are three pathways which could strengthen drought adaptation. First, there is a need to shift to Transformative Adaption. Second, to minimize siloed action. And third, to adapt to protect the sustainable development of the region. The ARPA-AD and the AFAADM present a perfect opportunity for key stakeholders to do so and see real progress made on SDGs: 6 on water, 13 on Climate Action, 15 on Life on Land and 17 Partnership for the Goals” said Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood from ESCAP. By identifying drought-prone regions and implementing sustainable practices, we can mitigate adverse effects on agriculture, water supplies, and livelihoods. Investing in innovative technologies and collaborating with local stakeholders fosters a holistic approach to drought preparedness. Prioritizing early intervention not only shields communities from immediate hardships but also establishes a foundation for long-term resilience in the face of evolving climate challenges. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1499/ifad-and-grow-asia-to-modernize-agriculture-in-southeast-asia-with-digital-tools.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1499/ifad-and-grow-asia-to-modernize-agriculture-in-southeast-asia-with-digital-tools.html Wed, 25 Oct 2023 07:25:17 +0530 SEEDS aims to accelerate and scale-up social and economic development for small-scale farming families in Cambodia, the Philippines and Viet Nam The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Grow Asia launched the Smallholder Economic Empowerment through Digital Solutions (SEEDS) project with financial support from the Republic of Korea’s Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA). SEEDS aims to accelerate and scale-up social and economic development for small-scale farming families and poor rural people in Cambodia, the Philippines and Viet Nam through digital and ICT solutions. Southeast Asia is home to 660 million people across 10 countries, and has seen incredible change in recent decades, driven by the rapidly increasing availability and adoption of technology. But while digital technology has brought unprecedented opportunities and sources of income, a persistent digital gap means that small-scale farmers and rural people have been unable to tap into these new opportunities. SEEDS aims to leverage strong partnerships to bring localized solutions that bridge this gap, and ensure truly inclusive growth in the region by helping them to access services to modernize their farms and agri-enterprises. It will directly benefit 48,000 people, as well as 30 start-ups and 150 government officials across the three countries at the national or subnational level. “Around 150 million adults in Southeast Asia still lack access to digital technologies, and rural people are especially left behind. Collaboration is essential to ensure that everyone has access to, and can benefit from, the wide opportunities the new digital economy opens up,” said Reehana Raza, Regional Director, Asia and the Pacific, IFAD. “SEEDS is an initiative that attempts to bring all partners together to enhance digital inclusion, so that technology can be a real force for good.” While the interest in leveraging digital technologies to improve service delivery for small-scale farmers is growing rapidly among the governments of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and response from the private sector is picking up, there are policy and regulatory barriers that limit the uptake of innovations in service provision. Some of these barriers are low digital literacy; a gap in coverage because of poor or limited mobile internet connectivity; and inadequate data privacy policies and regulations. SEEDS will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the policy and regulatory landscape influencing the uptake of digital innovations in smallholder agriculture, with a focus on policies that promote connectivity in rural and remote regions. The goal is to collaborate with government and private sector partners to enhance the supportive policy and regulatory framework for smallholder digital technologies. In addition, SEEDS will engage governments, agribusinesses, technology, and support organizations in Cambodia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam to identify specific digital initiatives that can be supported. It will also link to existing IFAD country programmes and interventions, aligning with already existing digital components and initiatives. It will identify promising digital solutions that have already been developed and piloted through IFAD-funded projects in the three countries to be strengthened and scaled up. Importantly, the grassroots farmer organizations that work with IFAD-funded projects can allay concerns of small-scale farmers, especially those related to data privacy, and act as the last mile provider of services and training to members. To that end, SEEDS will assist these organizations in acquiring digital literacy and mastering the use of relevant digital technologies. This will allow small-scale farmers to be integrated into the evolving digital technology landscape, and to achieve higher farm productivity and incomes. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1278/japan-aim-to-achieve-food-security-in-the-apec-region.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/1278/japan-aim-to-achieve-food-security-in-the-apec-region.html Wed, 09 Aug 2023 11:00:09 +0530 Principles have been formulated to achieving food security and building sustainable agriculture and food systems in the APEC region The APEC Food Security Ministers' Meeting was held in the United States, where discussions were held on achieving food security through sustainable agriculture and food systems in the APEC region.  Fujiki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, attended from Japan. Based on the discussions at the G7 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting Miyazaki, Fujiki said, Japan aim to achieve food security in the APEC region by effectively utilizing domestic resources while promoting sustainability. Fujiki called for the expansion of sustainable agricultural production through the implementation and use of innovation. At this meeting, the APEC region's food security through sustainable agriculture and food systems. This clarified the approach for achieving food security and building sustainable agriculture and food systems in the APEC region. Principles have been formulated. No agreement was reached on issuing a joint statement, and as a result, the United States issued a chairman's statement. Japan, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, Vietnam participated in the discussion. Based on the results obtained at the G7 Miyazaki Agriculture Ministers' Meeting, (a) the sustainability of agriculture should be improved in a way that increases productivity, (b) existing domestic agricultural resources should be fully utilized, and (c) ) advocated that all forms of innovation should be exploited. Japan is promoting the Green Food System Strategy to put these points into practice. During the meeting with the Washington State Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Sandison, we exchanged views on matters such as the friendly relationship between Washington State and Japan's agriculture, forestry and fisheries industries that have spanned over many years, and the efforts of organic farming in Washington State. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/971/australian-tech-firms-to-advance-regenerative-seaweed-farming-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/971/australian-tech-firms-to-advance-regenerative-seaweed-farming-in-southeast-asia.html Tue, 23 May 2023 08:28:00 +0530 Oceanfarmr and Coast 4C collaborate to improve farm operations, finance, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) monetisation for seaweed farmers. Australia's Oceanfarmr, a leading provider of ocean farm operations management solutions, and Coast 4C, a social enterprise focused on regenerative seaweed farming, have collaborated to develop mobile technologies to enhance the livelihoods of small-scale seaweed producers in Southeast Asia. The collaboration between Oceanfarmr and Coast 4C will primarily focus on developing technologies that expedite the improvement of farm operations performance, finance, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) monetisation for seaweed farmers. In the initial phase of this collaboration, efforts will be made to capture and verify seaweed conditions through the development of scoring methodologies based on photos and manager reviews. This will enable future implementation of AI scoring, facilitating more efficient and rapid data collection for Coast 4C's R&D program on seaweed strains and methods. Oceanfarmr offers a comprehensive ocean farm operations management system, featuring smartphone and tablet apps along with web-based dashboards that provide visibility across ocean farms. The company has successfully developed automated farm management apps and farm finance solutions for Shellfish farming, which are already operational in Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the USA. As part of the collaboration, Oceanfarmr will undertake the scoping and development of a scoring methodology to encode seaweed conditions within the app. This methodology will serve as the foundation for an AI algorithm to be incorporated into the Oceanfarmr app in subsequent phases. Additionally, Oceanfarmr will explore, develop, test, and maintain customization and configuration options to enable the methodology and assess sensor data for quantity and quality analysis. Coast 4C is dedicated to building the world's largest supply chain of regenerative seaweed, with a strong focus on benefiting Communities, Commerce, Conservation, and Climate. With 500 registered farms supplying dried Eucheumatoid seaweed for the $1 billion Carrageenan market, Coast 4C not only provides marketing support but also offers farm start-up packages, disaster relief packages, and crucial research and development support on seaweed strains and production methods. Additionally, Coast 4C manages a network of 17 nurseries and actively promotes positive environmental impact through marine spatial planning and marine protected areas. Coast 4C will manage and maintain nurseries and field sites, provide valuable input to develop seaweed condition scoring, and source seedstock of known haplotypes along with farming equipment/methods. The enterprise will also provide training for nursery managers, oversee implementation, report findings from field tests, and conduct basic carrageenan analysis and data analysis. At the completion of each phase, both Coast 4C and Oceanfarmr will review the requirements for a farmer app aimed at enhancing farm operations performance, farm finance, and ESG monetization. The parties will also evaluate the outcomes achieved in the previous phase and outline the subsequent steps between the parties, potentially including the establishment of a joint venture. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/966/searca-and-ait-partner-for-sustainable-agriculture-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/966/searca-and-ait-partner-for-sustainable-agriculture-in-southeast-asia.html Mon, 22 May 2023 10:21:16 +0530 Signs MoU to promote education, training, and research programs, projects, and activities to upgrade agriculture by technology integration and to address challenges of farming practices The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) signed a formal agreement to cooperate on initiatives that promote agriculture and rural development. SEARCA has priority focus on promoting a transformational leadership mindset among stakeholders in the agricultural sector, including its scholars, training participants, and other beneficiaries of its formal education and capacity-building initiatives. Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director, and Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, AIT vice president for academics signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which intends to promote collaboration between the two institutions in undertaking education, training, and research programs, projects, and activities. Prof. Dhakal expressed his enthusiasm for institutional cooperation, stating that “the partnership between SEARCA and AIT have potential broad linkage opportunities, including scholarships, training programs, and policy development. "AIT is focused on technology and engineering, and we are focused on agriculture, but actually, we are integrating technology in agriculture to upgrade and address challenges of farming practices. This is one area of possible collaboration between our institutions. We can see the synergy of complementing priority areas of both SEARCA and AIT” explained Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director. SEARCA conducts workshops, seminars, and training programs focusing on leadership development, strategic planning, and stakeholder engagement. The end goal is to help build a new generation of leaders who are committed to promoting innovation and sustainability in the agricultural sector. Image Caption: Dr. Glenn Gregorio (second from right), SEARCA director, and Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, AIT vice president for academics, during MoU signing ceremony. They are flanked by Dr. Nur Azura Adam, SEARCA deputy director for programs, on the right and Prof. Sangam Shrestha of the AIT Water Engineering and Management Program. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/960/arbor-day-to-revive-forests-and-to-benefit-small-scale-farmers-in-sea.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/960/arbor-day-to-revive-forests-and-to-benefit-small-scale-farmers-in-sea.html Fri, 19 May 2023 09:22:00 +0530 The Foundation will partner with the Global EverGreening Alliance and WWF for its first project in Laos The Arbor Day Foundation has helped plant trees in more than 50 countries worldwide, but will plant in Laos this spring for the first time in the organization’s history. The Foundation will partner with the Global EverGreening Alliance and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to revive forests of greatest need in the Southeast Asian country. “By combining efforts with some of the world’s most respected environmental organizations on the planet —Global EverGreening Alliance and WWF — we ensure the benefits of trees reach the areas of the globe where they’re needed most,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Restoring forests in Laos is vital to establishing a healthy environment for people and wildlife in Southeast Asia and our team is excited to help serve this urgent need.” The project will consist of 30,000 trees planted in two National Protected Areas, Xe Sap and Xe Pian. Both unique ecosystems serve as a home to a variety of plant and animal species—many of which cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. Xe Sap and Xe Pian also provide critical support to their surrounding communities which rely on natural resources. This reforestation project will cover nearly 250 acres of land in Laos and is expected to be completed in August 2024. The effort in Laos aligns with the Arbor Day Foundation’s goal to plant 500 million trees with a focus in forests of greatest need by 2027. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/696/corteva-agriscience-launches-adavelt-active-new-fungicide.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/696/corteva-agriscience-launches-adavelt-active-new-fungicide.html Thu, 30 Mar 2023 16:54:41 +0530 Novel, Natural-origin disease control product available for commercial sale in Canada, South Korea and Australia Corteva Agriscience announced the commercial launch of Adavelt active, with recent product registrations in three countries – Australia, Canada and South Korea. Adavelt active is a novel fungicide with a new mode of action that protects against a wide range of diseases that can impact crop yields. Zetigo PRM fungicide with Adavelt active, now approved for sale in Canada, will be available for the 2023 growing season for use in lentil crops. Commercial sales of products containing Adavelt active will also begin this year in Australia and in South Korea. Corteva plans to offer Adavelt active in additional countries and pending appropriate crop registrations in the following years, subject to regulatory approvals. "Farmers have a critical need for innovative fungicides to address the challenges they face today. Adavelt actively delivers exactly that – a new, flexible option to protect crops and preserve yield potential," said Robert King, Executive Vice President of, the Crop Protection Business Unit, Corteva Agriscience. "Corteva is investing in R&D to bring farmers differentiated, sustainable solutions like Adavelt active. The commercialisation of Adavelt active is a testament to our strong pipeline." Adavelt active is built on the discovery of Inatreq active, a natural origin fungicide developed by Corteva with proven effectiveness for many crops. Adavelt active (florylpicoxamid/FRAC Group 21) is the first broad-spectrum picolinamide fungicide for use against Ascomycota pathogens in major crops grown worldwide. Adavelt active features a novel target site of action in many crops with no cross-resistance to other modes of action, and it has a strong fit in existing integrated pest management programs as a resistance management tool.  Adavelt active offers preventative properties against a wide range of diseases severely impacting yield, along with curative properties when used in the early stages of infection. By adding Adavelt active to disease management programs, farmers can simplify fungal control efforts and reduce resistance risks, while protecting the yield potential and quality of crops, both now and in future seasons. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/683/apo-launches-new-center-of-excellence-on-climate-smart-agriculture-in-japan.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/683/apo-launches-new-center-of-excellence-on-climate-smart-agriculture-in-japan.html Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:09:41 +0530 The COE on Climate Smart Agriculture will start its activities from April 2023 which includes implementing climate-change mitigation and adaptation technologies. In efforts to enhance agricultural productivity, improve farmers’ profits, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the sector regionwide, the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) announced the designation of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) of Japan as its new Center of Excellence on Climate-smart Agriculture (COE on CSA). This is a result of the long-term partnership between the two institutions in disseminating know-how in the focus area of the new COE. The COE on CSA will start its activities from April 2023, including a need and readiness assessment of APO members for implementing climate-change mitigation and adaptation technologies, two international conferences on CSA and other COE focus areas, and pilot projects to apply technologies developed by the COE on CSA starting from 2024 as well as seminars, study missions, workshops, and on-site training for customizing the know-how to meet local needs in APO members. The COE on CSA may provide technical knowledge and skills such as technologies to reduce methane emissions from paddy fields; agricultural weather data systems for rice, wheat, and soybean production; web-based soil carbon sequestration visualization tool for greenhouse gas reduction in various crops such as rice, wheat, and soybean. The APO COE Program showcases excellence in specific productivity fields to promote the adoption of the know-how and best practices of one member by others while adapting them to suit local contexts. The COE on CSA will focus on the deployment of climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies, know-how, and frameworks for low-carbon rice, wheat, and soybean production as staple foods in the Asia-Pacific. Specific focus areas will be sharing technical knowledge and methods to reduce methane emissions from paddy fields; adoption of agricultural weather data systems for rice, wheat, and soybean production; web-based soil carbon sequestration visualization tools for GHG reductions in various crops such as rice, wheat, and soybean; application of biochar and development of carbon credit methodologies; and water management practices in rice cultivation and treatment of livestock waste. The agriculture sector is crucial in most APO members and essential for global food security. However, it is also a significant contributor to GHG emissions and is vulnerable to climate change. Droughts, floods, and extreme weather events may cause food scarcity. GHG emissions due agriculture, livestock operations, and land use are estimated to account for 24 per cent of the global total. The introduction of climate-friendly agricultural practices combined with the adoption of smart technologies can bring multiple benefits in the form of higher productivity, increased agricultural and food production, and reduced GHG emissions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/654/mayanmar-launches-national-pulses-roadmap.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/654/mayanmar-launches-national-pulses-roadmap.html Thu, 23 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0530 Under IFAD funded project 'ATMI-ASEAN' and in collaboration with SEARCA Myanmar stives to develop of agricultural value chains and support farmers in Myanmar and Southeast Asia The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (MOALI) of Myanmar has launched its national pulses roadmap for Scaling Up Myanmar Pulses Value Chain (2021–25). The roadmap was developed under the recently completed International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-funded project, “Agricultural Transformation and Market Integration in the ASEAN Region: Responding to Food Security and Inclusiveness Concerns” (ATMI-ASEAN). The project was co-implemented by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA). U Min Naung, MOALI union minister, opened the program in presence of IFAD, IFPRI, and SEARCA, who are involved in technical assistance and capacity-building to develop the national pulses roadmap. The MOALI's the national pulses roadmap is an accomplishment of the ATMI-ASEAN project, in association with SEARCA supporting the development of agricultural value chains and elevate the quality of life of agricultural families in Myanmar and the whole Southeast Asian region. Further collaboration between the two agencies particularly in areas of human resource development, project management, and agricultural extension. Minister U Min Naung said, "Being one of the largest producers and exporters of pulses in the world, Myanmar’s development of its national pulses roadmap is essential for its economy and sustained prosperity". The roadmap is in line with the country’s existing policies and strategies. The roadmap aims to foster a demand-driven pulses sector that is  propelled by modernization, diversification, intensification, and value-addition. Also, Minister U Min Naung encouraged all pulses value chain actors to work together to achieve the goal of having a globally competitive pulses industry that could support the livelihood and socioeconomic wellbeing of smallholder farmers in Myanmar. The roadmap envisions a “progressive and productive pulses sector through a more inclusive, integrated, resilient, and globally competitive and recognized pulses value chain to contribute to rural economic growth of Myanmar,” said Director General U Kyaw Swe Lin of the Department of Planning of MOALI. Myanmar has been continuously producing 7.28 million metric tons of pulses annually. With this, MOALI intends to focus more on value addition rather than the export of raw pulses. Myanmar is one of the five Southeast Asian countries that were supported by the ATMI-ASEAN project in developing and implementing policies and programs that would help the integration of smallholders in the regional agricultural and food markets. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/618/green-climate-fund-approves-151-3-mn-for-climate-action-in-bolivia-cambodia-and-the-philippines.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/618/green-climate-fund-approves-151-3-mn-for-climate-action-in-bolivia-cambodia-and-the-philippines.html Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:23:27 +0530 The initiatives in partnership with FAO are focused on fostering climate adaptation and resilience for smallholder farmers The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF) decision to approve funding for three new projects in Bolivia, Cambodia and the Philippines, valued at $151.3 million. The national initiatives, supported by FAO, are focused on fostering climate change adaptation and resilience for smallholder farmers, local communities, and other value chain actors in three nations facing increasing weather and climate-related threats to their agricultural practices and livelihoods. “Innovation in climate finance can trigger transformative change towards more inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems”, said Maria Helena Semedo, FAO Deputy Director-General. “The approval of these three projects shows how, by leveraging global partnerships, FAO can help strengthen adaptation and resilience capacities of rural communities, especially women and Indigenous Peoples. This contributes to the implementation of the FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022-2031.” The funding announcement was made during the thirty-fifth meeting of the GCF Board held in Songdo, Incheon, Republic of Korea from 13-16 March. “These projects in Cambodia, Bolivia and the Philippines demonstrate how partnerships can deliver innovative climate solutions for some of the world’s most vulnerable countries”, said Yannick Glemarec, GCF Executive Director. “Supporting efforts to transition to climate-resilient food and agriculture systems is a key priority for GCF.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/609/pusan-university-researchers-use-calcium-materials-to-reduce-arsenic-availability-in-soil.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/609/pusan-university-researchers-use-calcium-materials-to-reduce-arsenic-availability-in-soil.html Mon, 13 Mar 2023 15:34:45 +0530 As is a common pollutant in upland arable soils, which account for nearly 90 per cent of the world's agricultural soil Upland arable soil constitutes 90 per cent of the world's agricultural soil. Worryingly enough, these soils often contain arsenic (As), which can enter the human body through the crops grown. Calcium materials such as calcite and phosphogypsum are known to immobilise heavy metals in soils. In a new study, researchers from Korea evaluated and compared the effectiveness of these two materials in mitigating As availability for crops in soils spiked with arsenate, a pentavalent form of As. Of all the heavy metals appearing as pollutants in agricultural soil, arsenic (As) poses the greatest threat to human health. As is a common pollutant in upland arable soils, which account for nearly 90 per cent of the world's agricultural soil. In its pentavalent form, known as arsenate [As(V)], As is easily absorbed by crops grown in these soils and, through them, enters the human body. Much effort has, therefore, gone into mitigating the uptake of heavy metal pollutants by crops grown in contaminated soil. Previous studies have shown that calcium materials such as calcite and phosphogypsum are effective in immobilising heavy metal pollutants. However, their efficacy in reducing As(V) availability for crops is not clear. To address this knowledge gap, a team of researchers led by Professor Chang Oh Hong from Pusan National University (PNU) in Korea evaluated the efficacies of calcite and phosphogypsum in reducing the availability of As(V) for crops. Their findings were made available online on 1 February 2022. "Phosphogypsum is a by-product generated from phosphate fertiliser generation, while calcite is a very common mineral found in limestone. Both of these, essentially, change the pH of the soil which, in turn, affects the As(V) availability to crops. Yet, previous studies have not looked at the effect of calcium materials on As(V) phytoavailability nor have they explored the mechanism through which this may occur. This study is, therefore, an important step towards that direction," says Prof. Hong. Accordingly, the researchers spiked samples of upland, arable soils collected from an experimental farm at PNU with As(V) to have maximum control over the conditions of the soil. Next, following a wet ageing period to allow the development of stable As ions, they added either calcite or phosphogypsum at varying rates and left the soils for incubation for 8 weeks. Upon performing a chemical analysis of the soils after the incubation period, the researchers found that phosphogypsum was more effective at immobilising As(V) in the soil than calcite. They suggested that this was due to a mechanism induced by phosphogypsum in which sulfate (SO42-) ions were exchanged with hydrogen arsenate (HAsO42-) ions that, in turn, led to a reduced As(V) availability. The substitution mechanism was particularly suitable for upland, arable soils, which explained the higher effectiveness of phosphogypsum. While the finding is exciting, Prof. Song is cautious about its implications. "While our study shows that phosphogypsum is an optimum calcium fertiliser for soil amendment, further research is still required to see the long-term effects of its use," he says. "However, our results do bring us one step closer to making agricultural products safe for consumption," concludes Prof. Hong. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/590/basf-and-cargill-expand-partnership-to-south-korea.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/590/basf-and-cargill-expand-partnership-to-south-korea.html Wed, 08 Mar 2023 13:10:46 +0530 South Korea is the first market to launch Enzae Manno, made with Natupulse TS, a preparation of mannanase, produced by BASF’s new production strain Thermothelomyces thermophiles.  BASF and Cargill (Provimi) expand their partnership, adding South Korea, the first Asian nation, to their existing feed enzymes development and distribution agreement. Together, the two companies are committed to bringing innovative enzyme-based solutions to the market, generating distinctive value for animal feed customers. By combining the enzyme research and development strengths of BASF with Cargill’s know-how in the application and broad market reach, the partners will form a joint innovation pipeline for animal protein producers.  In fact, South Korea is the first market to launch Enzae Manno, made with Natupulse TS, a preparation of mannanase, produced by BASF’s new production strain Thermothelomyces thermophiles. With the expanded geographical reach, BASF and Cargill (Provimi) aim to bring the voice and commercial insights of South Korean protein producers to craft the next generation of enzymes jointly. Through this next stage of collaboration, the partners strive to deliver even more solutions that address productivity, sustainability, and cost challenges for South Korean customers. “We are honoured to be the first country in our region to join the alliance with BASF and to be the first in the world to launch Enzae Manno,” said Bill So-Woong Kim, the North Asia commercial director for Cargill (Provimi) premix & nutrition business. “The collaboration will provide more of our customers with access to high-performance enzyme solutions that we have seen reduce nutrient waste, improve feed efficiency, and sustainably promote animal performance.”  In 2021, BASF and Cargill (Provimi) moved the relationship beyond pure distribution agreements into the joint development of new enzyme technologies and applications. This extended partnership builds upon the successful go-to-market collaboration between the companies across Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, the Middle East and Africa, and the United States. As part of the partnership, they will co-develop, produce, market, and sell customer-centric enzyme products and solutions.  “The expansion of our collaboration to South Korea is a true milestone as we add the first market on the Asian continent to our enzymes partnership. We are proud to be on this journey with Cargill to further increase value for animal feed customers globally with our science-based solutions "adds Gisele Santos Bin, Global Sales Director of Feed Enzymes & Feed Performance Ingredients at BASF. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/471/adb-500-mn-loans-to-support-philippine-agriculture-reforms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/471/adb-500-mn-loans-to-support-philippine-agriculture-reforms.html Fri, 27 Jan 2023 13:21:42 +0530 This new program supports effective rice buffer stock management for emergency situations and relief programs to ensure food security in the Philippines. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million policy-based loan to help the Government of the Philippines expand economic opportunities in agriculture while ensuring near- to long-term food security for the population. The loan supports Subprogram 2 of the Competitive and Inclusive Agriculture Development Program, which aims to further develop the agriculture sector with trade policy and regulatory framework reforms. It also seeks to enhance public services and finance for the sector and social protection for rural families affected by the program’s reforms. “Extreme climate events and economic shocks are exacerbating the struggles of the agriculture sector to raise their productivity,” said Takeshi Ueda ADB Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Economist for Southeast Asia. “This new loan aims to support the Philippines’ efforts to attain food security by building a competitive and inclusive agriculture sector that is characterized by improved efficiency, enhanced diversity, strengthened climate resilience, and higher farm incomes.” The second subprogram continues support for policy measures introduced in the first subprogram approved in 2020. Those policy measures are aligned with the recently launched Philippine Development Plan, 2023–2028. Building on the rice trade liberalisation under subprogram 1, this new program supports effective rice buffer stock management for emergency situations and relief programs to ensure food security in the Philippines. The new loan promotes new government initiatives, including the provision of unconditional cash transfers to smallholder rice farmers and concessional loans to agriculture- and fishery-based micro and small enterprises and smallholder farmers and fisherfolk under COVID-19 recovery and other credit assistance programs. The government provides substantive financing through the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund to strengthen the country’s rice sector. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/401/japan-culls-10-mn-of-flu-infected-birds.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/401/japan-culls-10-mn-of-flu-infected-birds.html Tue, 10 Jan 2023 11:40:42 +0530 In Japan, 56 infections have been detected in 23 prefectures. Due to a record high spread of avian influenza in Japan approximately 10 million birds at poultry farms have been culled across the country, according to the farm ministry. Genetic testing presence of bird flu has been confirmed. In Shirosato town, 93,000 chickens had been culled and in Ibaraki prefecture, 9.98 million birds had been killed. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, previously during November 2020 to March 2021, 9.98 million birds had killed. In Japan, 56 infections have been detected in 23 prefectures. The first case of bird flu was found in the month of October in Okayama. Earlier this month in the Fukuoka region 430 emus were culled due to avian flu. It is said that this season bird flu has been caused by migrated birds. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/372/taiwan-becomes-swine-fever-and-disease-free-country.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/372/taiwan-becomes-swine-fever-and-disease-free-country.html Mon, 02 Jan 2023 15:16:37 +0530 Taiwan would become one of the few nations free of the three major diseases that affect pigs Taiwan has become a swine fever and disease-free country, without the need for vaccination, according to the Council of Agriculture (COA) of Taiwan. Taiwan took only six years to alleviate swine disease Huang Chin-cheng, Deputy Minister CAO said. After keeping African swine fever at bay in 2018, the World Organisation for Animal Health declared Taiwan proper, Penghu and Matsu free of foot-and-mouth disease and in 2020 allowed pork exports from those areas. According to the local media, nations such as Japan still ban imports of pork products from areas with classical swine fever, including Taiwan. The council announced that from next year, domestic pigs and piglets would not have to receive vaccinations for classical swine fever. From July 1, breeding pigs would also not have to receive that vaccination, it added. Ending classical swine fever vaccinations can lift pig farmers’ confidence and save up to NT$700 million ($22.8 million) a year in vaccination and labour costs, Huang said. The council plans to apply to the world animal health body in June 2024 for Taiwan to be recognised as free from classical swine fever when vaccinations have not been used for a year. The application is to undergo a review process, which takes about two months, Tu Wen-jane, Director-General, of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said. If the application is successful, Taiwan would be declared a swine fever-free area at the organisation’s conference in 2025 and would be the first Asian nation to be approved, she said. Taiwan would become one of the few nations free of the three major diseases that affect pigs — foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and African swine fever — which would boost the competitiveness of the nation’s pork products, Chen Chi-Chung said. The achievement is a result of pig farmers’ cooperation, the COA’s policies and leadership, and the implementation of a plan by the bureau and the institute, Chen said. Stepping up quarantine measures at customs and checking mail and packages to guard against African swine fever were crucial to preventing it from entering Taiwan, and also reducing the risk of foot-and-mouth disease and classical swine fever, he said. The COA would continue to help meat processing plants obtain hazard analysis and critical control points certification, set up a slaughterhouse-to-butcher cold chain in the pork industry and upgrade facilities on pig farms, he added. The government would continue to strictly control foreign pork products entering Taiwan and improve the treatment of kitchen waste before feeding it to pigs, Huang said. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/357/korean-fortified-food-development-for-un-organisations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/357/korean-fortified-food-development-for-un-organisations.html Thu, 29 Dec 2022 12:33:31 +0530 The manufacturers have developed emergency relief food with Korean rice as the main ingredient for 3 years to contribute to sustainable communities. Under the Fortified Food Project funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), for the purposes of vendor registration for UN procurement and development of the export business model, a consortium has been formed by the Korea Institute of Procurement (KIP), BSR KOREA Corp and Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) for the three beneficiary Korean food manufacturers (Soul Nature Food, J Food Service and KEIL Corp). The manufacturers have developed emergency relief food with Korean rice as the main ingredient for 3 years (2020~2022) to contribute to sustainable communities. BSR KOREA, one of the host organisations indicated that this project is to support the manufacturers to enter the public procurement markets in UN organisations such as World Food Programme (WFP) by assisting with strict quality control, due diligence, bidding strategies, invitation to international organisations, and global marketing strategies, as well as the product development. Soul Nature Food, one of the manufacturers with ISO 14001 and 9001, specialises in both general and healthy functional food. They recently have developed cereal-type food called Super Powder and Super Cereal as relief food to enable nutrition intake by simply cooking in remote areas with the limited condition. J Food Service is well known as a food premix manufacturer, acquired HACCP, HALAL and FSSC22000. They have developed energy bars as relief food, including an 8-grain powder mix containing non-glutinous rice, wheat, brown rice, and barley. KEIL Corporation, aiming at the leader of the alternative food industries in Korea, is developing edible insect-derived hydrolyzed protein manufacturing technology. They are one of Korea's representative green biomaterial providers and the strongest players engaging in the edible mealworm business. Mealworm is considered the best alternative food to reduce carbon emissions. KEIL values their products to fight the food crisis in vulnerable communities such as African countries. On June 22nd, BSR KOREA invited officials from international organisations and government agencies in Kenya and Uganda (Minister and Vice Minister of the Health Department, and Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry) and hosted a meeting to provide opportunities for the beneficiary manufacturers to introduce their products and technologies. The local government officials, procurement prime vendors, and manufacturers had productive discussions by sharing their strategic plans for entering the procurement market. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/321/nasda-to-conduct-market-research-in-emerging-markets-in-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/321/nasda-to-conduct-market-research-in-emerging-markets-in-southeast-asia.html Mon, 19 Dec 2022 14:53:09 +0530 NASDA will sponsor up to five members on outbound trade missions to the selected countries where they will have discussions with government officials, industry leaders and agricultural producers. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has been awarded $925,000 through the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service Emerging Markets Program. NASDA will use this funding to conduct market research in emerging markets in Southeast Asia and Africa and organize outbound trade missions for the state department of agriculture leaders to learn about the markets and engage in discussions with relevant parties in each country. The research will be used to develop reports on the perception of U.S. agriculture, consumer preferences and non-tariff barriers to market access. NASDA will sponsor up to five members on outbound trade missions to the selected countries where they will have discussions with government officials, industry leaders and agricultural producers. The goal is to identify non-tariff barriers, establish partnerships with groups in the region, and strengthen relationships that will increase market access for U.S. agriculture. The Emerging Markets Program helps organisations promote exports of U.S. agricultural products to developing countries with strong growth potential. "We are excited for NASDA members to engage in critical discussions to support global market development and strengthen bilateral trade relationships," Ted McKinney, NASDA CEO said.  "NASDA members understand how important it is to spread the message about the value and quality of U.S. products and the benefits of innovation around the world. The first step in earning strong trading partners is establishing open communication and stewarding international relationships," McKinney said.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/305/cambodia-earns-funds-to-boost-blue-economy.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/305/cambodia-earns-funds-to-boost-blue-economy.html Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:17:41 +0530 The project will strengthen Cambodia’s marine fishery while supporting its contribution to shared fish stocks and ecosystems in the Gulf of Thailand. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $73 million financing package to boost the climate resilience and sustainability of coastal and marine fisheries in Cambodia. The Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project will be financed by a $41 million loan from ADB; a $22 million grant from ADB’s Asian Development Fund, which provides grants to ADB’s poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries; and a $10 million loan from the ASEAN Infrastructure Fund under its ASEAN Catalytic Green Finance Facility (ACGF). The Agence Française de Développement will also provide the cofinancing equivalent to $20 million to be administered by ADB. The fishery subsector is an important component of Cambodia’s economy, accounting for 8per cent to 10 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Marine fisheries account for 13 per cent of the fishery subsector; yet, overfishing and climate change have led to a substantial decline in fish stocks, which has impacted coastal communities and businesses and resulted in higher fish prices. The project will strengthen Cambodia’s marine fishery while supporting its contribution to shared fish stocks and ecosystems in the Gulf of Thailand. It will help the country’s four coastal provinces—Kampot, Kep, Koh Kong, and Preah Sihanouk—reverse the sharp decline in fisheries, promote sustainable mariculture, and enhance fish landing sites to improve seafood safety. It is expected that under the project about 40 per cent of the nearshore fishery will be regenerated into more productive and sustainable enterprise.  The project will promote private sector development by enabling coastal communities and small businesses to diversify their livelihoods, adopt sustainable practices, and grow into viable enterprises. It will also support women’s economic empowerment by scaling up women’s engagement in small and medium-sized enterprises. Overall, the project will benefit 25 community fisheries organisations and members of 15 community-protected areas, comprising nearly 20,000 households, as well as a wider coastal community of about 200,000 people. “This project is ADB’s first significant investment in marine fisheries and represents an important milestone for its Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies,” said Alvin Lopez ADB Senior Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist for Southeast Asia. “It responds to several key government strategies, including the Strategic Planning Framework for Fisheries 2015–2024, and the Statement of the Royal Government of Cambodia on Marine Fisheries Management Key Principles (2019) for the management, conservation, and development of sustainable marine fisheries resources.”  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/274/fao-publishes-first-global-report-on-black-soils.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/274/fao-publishes-first-global-report-on-black-soils.html Wed, 07 Dec 2022 15:05:14 +0530 The report highlights two main goals: the preservation of natural vegetation on black soil and the adoption of sustainable soil management approaches on cropped black soils. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched the first global report on black soils on World Soil Day 2022, which are at greater risk than ever due to the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and land use change. The focus of this year's World Soil Day event, held in the hybrid form at FAO’s headquarters in Rome, is the role of soils in food security and how the loss of soil fertility results in low crop yields and crop failures, leading to local populations to hunger, malnutrition and poverty. A whopping 95 per cent of the food we eat comes directly or indirectly from our soils, which have the extraordinary capacity to store, transform, and recycle nutrients that we all need to survive, allowing life to continue. Of the 18 nutrients essential to plants, 15 are supplied by soils - if they are healthy. However, about one third of soils worldwide are already degraded, and the loss of soil fertility means that land is less productive and cereals and vegetables and fruits are not as rich in vitamins and nutrients as they were 70 years ago. Participants including Janusz Wojciechowski, EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Lee Seong-ho, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to FAO, and Victor Vasiliev, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, were introduced to The Global Status of Black Soils report and the Soil Atlas of Asia. The event also saw the delivery of the Glinka World Soil Prize 2022 to Ashok Patra Kumar, a renowned soil scientist from the ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS) in Bhopal, and the King Bhumibol World Soil Day Award 2022 to the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico. The IUSS Distinguished Service Medal 2022 was presented to the Global Soil Partnership to recognize its contribution to soil science since its creation 10 years ago. In the current food and fertilizer crisis, smallholder farmers, particularly from vulnerable countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia, lack access to organic and inorganic fertilizers and are currently facing a 300 per cent increase in fertilizer prices. These crises call our attention to the crucial role of sustainable management and the restoration of our precious resource to safeguard healthy soils and their fertility. "Today, reduced availability and soaring fertilizer prices are driving increased food prices and food insecurity," QU Dongyu FAO Director-General said in his opening remarks. "We need to work together to produce safe, nutritious and micronutrient-rich food in a sustainable way that avoids soil degradation, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and decreases agrifood systems pollution." Black treasure Black soils are characterized by a thick, dark-coloured soil horizon rich in organic matter. They are found in Russia (327 million hectares), Kazakhstan (108 M ha), China (50 M ha), Argentina (40 M ha), Mongolia (39 M ha), Ukraine (34 M ha), United States of America (31 M ha), Colombia (25 M ha), Canada (13 M ha), and Mexico (12 M ha). With their inherent fertility, they are the food basket for many countries and are considered essential to the global food supply. Black soils have another key quality: they are paramount for climate change mitigation and adaptation, as they contain 8.2 per cent of the world’s soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and can provide 10 per cent of the global SOC sequestration potential. SOC sequestration provides multiple benefits for humans and the environment and is one of the most cost-effective options for climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as for fighting desertification, land degradation and food insecurity. As The Global Status of Black Soils report shows, this black treasure is under threat. Because of land use change (approximately 31 per cent of global black soils are cultivated), unsustainable management practices and excessive use of agrochemicals, most of the black soils have already lost at least half of their SOC stocks and suffer from moderate to severe erosion processes, as well as nutrient imbalances, acidification, and biodiversity loss. The report highlights two main goals: the preservation of natural vegetation on black soils such as grasslands, forests and wetlands, and the adoption of sustainable soil management approaches on cropped black soils. It also puts forward tailored recommendations for farmers, national governments, research and academia and the International Network of Black Soils. Asia Atlas World Soil Day also saw the pre-launch of the Soil Atlas of Asia, a collaborative effort between FAO’s Global Soil Partnership with the European Commission through its Joint Research Centre, and with financial support from the Korean Rural Development Administration and participating countries. The atlas is designed to raise awareness about soil health among a wide range of stakeholders. Thanks to contributions from over 100 soil experts from 45 countries, the atlas portrays the rich diversity of soils in the region. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/227/gm-crops-benefit-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/227/gm-crops-benefit-southeast-asia.html Thu, 24 Nov 2022 12:03:56 +0530 In Southeast Asia, 630,000 farmlands are planted with Bt Corn for $729 million in economic benefits. Genetically engineered crops benefit Southeast Asian regions, including the Philippines, Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduates Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Director Glenn Gregorio said in a forum on Philippines Biotech Regulations. According to the local media, Gregorio said In Southeast Asia, 630,000 hectares of farmlands are now planted with Bt Corn for $729 million in economic benefits. "The Philippines is the first country in Southeast Asia to implement a regulatory framework on genetically engineered crops. In 2003, the Philippines also became the first Southeast Asian country to commercialize and plant a biotech crop, Bt Corn. Since then its adoption rate has reached almost 100 per cent, its 97 per cent, and has covered more than half a million hectares, now it 630,000 hectares and it has led to an estimated farm level of economic benefits of $720 million," Gregorio said. "In addition to Bt Corn, we now have Bt Talong and excitingly we have the Golden Rice already. They are harvesting Golden Rice for distribution, and it is approved for commercial cultivation. These and other biotech crops in the pipelines can potentially contribute to attaining food and nutrition security, improving farmers' income, health, and economy, and ensuring environmental protection," he said. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/184/world-agricultural-centre-opens-in-harbin-china.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/184/world-agricultural-centre-opens-in-harbin-china.html Mon, 14 Nov 2022 16:38:36 +0530 The WAC is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for a host of frontier agriculture research projects. The World Agricultural Centre (WAC), a new global hub for agricultural research, has opened in Harbin, the capital city of China’s northeastern province Heilongjiang. The WAC will have in driving forward the development of the agricultural sector in China and beyond. The WAC builds on the legacy of the International Agricultural Technology Innovation Centre (IATIC) which was built as a part of Heilongjiang’s effort to build itself into a thriving international hub for agricultural innovation. A new, striking landmark for the city of Harbin, the World Agricultural Centre is the world’s tallest building dedicated to agricultural research. The WAC is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities for a host of frontier agriculture research projects. The Global Headquarters of DBN officially settled in the "World Agricultural Centre", and introduced a number of international institutions such as the International Black Soil Research Institute of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Agricultural Economic Research Centre, and the International Agricultural Think Tank, and will be built as the permanent site of the annual World Agricultural Economic Forum here. As a result, China's agricultural field will work together to build the world's agricultural science and technology innovation highland, and promote world agriculture to China, and Chinese agriculture to the world. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/179/belize-ministry-of-agriculture-and-taiwan-icdf-inaugurates-new-sheep-barn.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/179/belize-ministry-of-agriculture-and-taiwan-icdf-inaugurates-new-sheep-barn.html Mon, 14 Nov 2022 12:37:06 +0530 The facility will improve the function of the National Sheep and Goat Breeding Center by increasing the capacity of barn infrastructure from 400 to 650 sheep. Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise (MAFSE), in collaboration with the Taiwan ICDF Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project (Sheep Project Phase II), inaugurated at the National Sheep and Goat Breeding Center in Central Farm. The facility will improve the function of the National Sheep and Goat Breeding Center by increasing the capacity of barn infrastructure from 400 to 650 sheep. In addition, the related components of the new sheep barn, such as the gutter system (also known as a water harvesting system), will enhance the management and sustainability of water utilization. It is one of the main achievements so far of the Sheep Project Phase II. In his remarks, Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, spoke about the growth of the sheep and goat livestock sub-sector and the success of the Taiwan Breeding Sheep and goat program thus far with increases in the quality of lamb and goat meats available for consumption due to better breeds and higher local production. He said there is much more to achieve as Belize keeps an eye on export market opportunities. The ceremony not only marked a historic milestone of the Breeding Sheep and Goat Project in Belize but also gives evidence of the strong ties between Taiwan and Belize. The governments of Belize and the Republic of China (Taiwan) are committed to working closely together to strengthen Belize's sheep and goat industry by further bilateral cooperation in agriculture, which will enhance the welfare of the Belizean people. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/172/japan-confirms-the-first-case-of-bird-flu.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/172/japan-confirms-the-first-case-of-bird-flu.html Fri, 11 Nov 2022 11:28:16 +0530 The ministry is calling on chicken farmers and others to take measures to prevent a further flu outbreak. The Okayama prefectural government in Japan said that a highly pathogenic bird flu outbreak has been confirmed at a chicken farm in the city of Kurashiki in the western Japan prefecture. It is the first such case found this season at farms in Japan. The Okayama government requested the dispatch of Self-Defense Forces personnel to cull around 170,000 chickens at the Kurashiki farm. According to the agriculture ministry, no avian influenza outbreak had occurred at any farms in Japan as early as October. Previously, the earliest case in a season was the one confirmed on Nov. 5 in 2020.    As the bird flu has been spreading in Europe and Asia for a few years, the ministry is calling on chicken farmers and others to take measures to prevent a further flu outbreak. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/168/researchers-in-japan-uncover-genes-can-protect-crops-from-flood.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/168/researchers-in-japan-uncover-genes-can-protect-crops-from-flood.html Thu, 10 Nov 2022 16:53:46 +0530 Researchers identified 29 pairs of RNA-sequencing data for thale cress and 26 pairs for rice for the plants in both normal oxygen and oxygen-deprived states from the available datasets. Researchers from Japan are getting closer to identifying the molecular processes underlying how floods deprive plants of oxygen — and how to engineer hardier crops. The team from Hiroshima University’s Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life uncovered several common genes and their related mechanisms in rice(Oryza sativa) and thale cress(Arabidopsis thaliana). “Hypoxia is an abiotic stress for plants often caused by flooding,” said first author Keita Tamura, referring to the oxygen deprivation caused by oversaturation. “Although many studies have been performed previously, we thought hidden biological mechanisms might be found by analysing multiple studies through a meta-analysis of publicly available data.” The researchers identified 29 pairs of RNA-sequencing data for thale cress and 26 pairs for rice for the plants in both normal oxygen and oxygen-deprived states from the available datasets. RNA-sequencing involves transcribing the genetic blueprints of the subject in a specific moment, meaning the data can be used to investigate which genes triggered which changes, according to corresponding author Professor Hidemasa Bono. “Our meta-analysis suggests distinct molecular mechanisms under hypoxia in plants and animals,” Bono said. “The candidate genes identified in this study are expected to elucidate novel molecular mechanisms of hypoxia responses in plants. Ultimately, we plan to manipulate one of the candidate genes through genome editing technology to create flood-tolerant plants.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/148/chinas-jize-city-cultivates-a-new-variety-of-chilli.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/148/chinas-jize-city-cultivates-a-new-variety-of-chilli.html Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:26:04 +0530 On 650 square metres of land can produce 3000 kilograms new variety of Chilli China’s city of Jize has come up with a new variety of Chilli. On 650 square metres of land, more than 3000 kilograms of chillies production can be taken. This year Peng Ruiling a farmer in Jize city will get 20,000 RMB (2.792USD) income from the production of a new variety of Chilli. A new variety of Chilli has been planted over 1000 acres of land this year. In May 2021 Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, the Agricultural University of Hebei and Tianxia Red Chilli Company established Hebei Chilli Industry Technology Research Institute in Jize city. This research institute has launched this new variety of chilli last year. Peng Ruiling is the first farmer who cultivated a new variety of Chilli. Hebei Chilli Research institute is promoting a new variety of Chilli. Like Peng Ruiling other farmers may take the production of a new variety of chilli next year.  Jize is a city in the Hebei province of China known as the ‘Hometown of Chilli Peppers'. In the Jize city, nearly 13,000 acres of land is under chilli cultivation, with an annual production of more than 200,000 tons of chilli. More than 130 chilli processing units are there in the Jize city with an annual processing capacity of 600,000 tons of fresh chilli. More than 1 lacks workers are involved in chilli farming in Jize city.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/142/china-to-speed-up-food-transformation-system-develop-nutrition-oriented-agriculture-caas.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/142/china-to-speed-up-food-transformation-system-develop-nutrition-oriented-agriculture-caas.html Fri, 04 Nov 2022 13:44:25 +0530 The report on China's food and nutrition, by The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) suggested, speeding up the transformation of the food system and developing nutrition-oriented agriculture.  The innovation of key and core technologies in poultry and aquaculture industries should be strengthened to increase white meat production and promote healthy diets among residents, the report said.  The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) released a report on China's food and nutrition development. The report summed up the trends in China's food and nutrition in recent decades and presented a series of problems and suggestions.  According to the report, China's food production and supply have increased significantly, with its annual per capita grain supply reaching 600 kilograms.  The daily energy supply of Chinese residents has reached 3,400 kcal per person, while the energy, protein, and fat supply has continued to increase, said the report, adding that Chinese residents' overall energy supply has reached the average level of middle and high-income countries around the world.  The report also pointed out various problems with the food and nutrition of Chinese residents.  The unreasonable dietary structure of Chinese residents is a prominent problem. Excessive intake of oil, salt, and sugar has brought health risks. In addition, the excessive processing of food has led to a loss of nutrition.  Because of the problems, the report put forward a series of policy recommendations.  The report is based on data including the National Bureau of Statistics' macro statistics, the National Health Commission's population nutrition monitoring data, as well as typical sample survey data of rural and urban areas in China. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/137/bayer-launches-geodata-driven-early-warning-system-for-late-blight-in-potatoes-2.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/137/bayer-launches-geodata-driven-early-warning-system-for-late-blight-in-potatoes-2.html Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:02:29 +0530 The company has announced a full commercial roll-out in Bangladesh Bayer has launched GeoPotato, a geodata-driven early warning system for late blight in potatoes, and has entered a full commercial roll-out in Bangladesh. It could potentially reach as many as 1 million smallholder farmers in the coming years. Devised by Wageningen Plant Research, Terrasphere, mPower, Bayer and governmental institutions, GeoPotato’s cutting-edge technology employs a sophisticated risk assessment algorithm evaluating many factors impacting crop development on the field– including satellite data, weather forecasts, disease cycles and crop biomass growth – to assess key risk factors for late blight development (susceptible host, conducive environment and pathogen presence) on a highly localised basis. When it predicts a disease outbreak, it sends farmers an early alert via SMS or voicemail, three days before the outbreak is forecasted to occur. It also advises which fungicidal product would be most effective to help growers take action in a fast and efficient manner. After running trials for the last five seasons, GeoPotato was launched publicly in November 2021. To maximise its impact, project partners have reached out to more than 50,000 farmers in key potato-producing areas. Ultimately, they intend to expand it to all of Bangladesh, as well as parts of India, reaching more than 1 million farmers and making a significant step toward Bayer’s commitment to empower 100 million smallholder farmers by 2030. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/136/can-harmful-insects-turn-useful-pollinators.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/136/can-harmful-insects-turn-useful-pollinators.html Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:00:10 +0530 An international team of researchers including Florian Etl and Jürg Schönenberger from the University of Vienna, Stefan Dötterl and Mario Schubert from the University of Salzburg, and Oliver Reiser and Christian Kaiser from the University of Regensburg, succeed in providing evidence for an important hypothesis on the evolution and diversity of animal pollination. The hypothesis states that insect flower pests can become useful pollinators during the course of evolution. Botanists call this “antagonist capture”, meaning that plants are able to turn a harmful insect into a pollinator through evolutionary adaptations in their flowers or inflorescences. This theory has now been confirmed for the first time in Syngonium hastiferum, an aroid plant (arum family, Araceae) from Costa Rica. While all other members of the genus Syngonium studied so far are pollinated by nocturnal beetles, Syngonium hastiferum is exclusively pollinated by a hitherto unknown diurnal plant bug species. Interestingly, plant bugs also occur as flower visitors in beetle-pollinated aroids, but only as pests that eat pollen and flower tissue and thus damage the plants without pollinating them. The study offers a new perspective on the evolution of flowering plants and the spectacular diversity of their flowers and their pollinators by providing the first evidence that pest insects can become efficient pollinators through changes in the flowers.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/106/ajinomoto-invests-in-agri-firm-saka-no-tochu.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/106/ajinomoto-invests-in-agri-firm-saka-no-tochu.html Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:46:24 +0530 Accelerating corporate venture capital activities to create a new business model. Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has recently invested in SAKA NO TOCHU Co., Ltd., which sells agricultural products, as its first corporate venture capital project. With this project, Ajinomoto, will support SAKA NO TOCHU’s business growth as a shareholder and start investigating a new business model that utilises the vegetables, specialty coffee beans, and other items sold by the company. The e-commerce market for food products is estimated to be approximately JPY 1.8 trillion, but e-commerce accounts for only about 3 per cent of total food product sales. While this level is low, the growth rate stood at a year-on-year increase of 8 per cent in fiscal 2019, and the e-commerce market is expected to grow further in the future. Meanwhile, interest in specialty coffees continues to rise in Japan. That market is expected to grow from JPY 35.6 billion in fiscal 2018 to JPY 49.8 billion yen in fiscal 2022. Ajinomoto Co. will be able to investigate possibilities for providing new value and can look forward to new points of consumer contact through initiatives with SAKA NO TOCHU, which has extensive experience in the field of online sales. For these reasons, Ajinomoto Co. decided to invest in the company. Ajinomoto Co. has set four areas for its corporate venture capital investment: Health and Well-being; Sustainable Society and the Earth; The Culture of Food, and Dining Innovation; and Evolution of Cooking. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/105/japanese-law-doesnt-distinguish-between-cannabis-hemp-cbd-report.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/105/japanese-law-doesnt-distinguish-between-cannabis-hemp-cbd-report.html Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:44:40 +0530 The report describes the implications in detail The Regulatory CBD Report: No distinction between Cannabis and Hemp in Japan, has been recently added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. According to the report, the Cannabis Control Act in Japan does not make any distinction between cannabis and hemp, nor does it refer to any permitted level of THC content for hemp cultivation. While there is a licensing regime in place, it appears to be unclear and as such has apparently had a fairly negative impact on cultivators and a once booming industry. This report provides an overview of the current framework, covering all areas from cultivation and processing to import and export, a tricky subject in the country. Japan’s CBD and hemp market report not only attempt to navigate through some of the more problematic areas of the law, such as import and export, but it also provides a detailed analysis of extracts, finished products including food, cosmetics, and vaping, and both medical and recreational cannabis laws. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/104/proteon-pharma-appoints-dr-sachin-ingewar-as-regional-sales-director-india-subcontinent-and-se-asia-region.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/104/proteon-pharma-appoints-dr-sachin-ingewar-as-regional-sales-director-india-subcontinent-and-se-asia-region.html Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:40:41 +0530 Dr Ingewar will drive Proteon’s growth strategies across the regions to support the poultry industry in achieving safe and sustainable production In line with its expansion plans, Proteon Pharmaceuticals India, a subsidiary of Proteon Pharmaceuticals SA Poland, announced the appointment of Dr Sachin Ingewar as Regional Sales Director for the Indian subcontinent and South-East Asia Region. Dr Ingewar will drive Proteon’s growth strategies across the regions to support the poultry industry in achieving safe and sustainable production. As a poultry nutritionist with over 20 years of comprehensive experience in sales and marketing, Dr Sachin has been highly successful in spearheading business in the industry through sustained revenue growth, specifically in the South East Asian markets. Having strong technical knowledge and expertise in strategic planning and execution, together with account management focused on precise pre and post-sales efforts, Dr Ingewar has been known for improving organisational performance and unlocking new business opportunities through strategic alliances with key decision-makers. He is a visionary who drives revenues and rapid growth profitability with a focus on building a strong corporate culture. Dr Ingewar has completed his Masters in Animal Nutrition with Poultry Major. Elaborating on his new role at Proteon Pharmaceuticals, Dr Ingewar said, “This leadership role at Proteon is to develop our business in bacteriophages in the ISC and SEA and strengthen the presence of Proteon in the region. We aim to help poultry, aqua and the ruminant industry to achieve safe and sustainable production. We aim to build awareness about the need to reduce the usage of antibiotics in animal production. All in all, we are here to stay: #CareForAll- environment, humans and animal wellbeing.” Commenting on Dr Ingewar’s joining, Dr Paolo Doncecchi, Global Sales Director, Proteon Pharmaceuticals, said, “I am excited about this critical addition to our ISC Proteon organisation. Dr Sachin will bring market knowledge, business acumen and an empathic approach to people. Together, we will bring Proteon to new heights by serving customer needs.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/103/seed-treatment-market-worth-9-2-bn-by-2027-marketsandmarkets-2.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/66/103/seed-treatment-market-worth-9-2-bn-by-2027-marketsandmarkets-2.html Sat, 10 Sep 2022 10:38:54 +0530 The Asia Pacific accounted for the fastest region, during the forecast period, in terms of volume and value According to the report titled ‘Seed Treatment Market by Type, Application Technique (Coating, Dressing, Pelleting), Function (Seed Protection and Seed Enhancement), Formulation, Crop Type (Cereals & Grains, Oilseeds, Fruits & Vegetables), and Region – Global Forecast to 2027’, published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is estimated at $6.1 billion in 2022; it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.3 per cent to reach $9.2 billion by 2027. The Asia Pacific accounted for the fastest region, during the forecast period, in terms of volume and value, respectively. The Asia Pacific consists of the largest developing countries with vast agricultural lands as compared to other regions. The per capita income of the region depends on the agricultural activities conducted in the countries. The key countries that play an important role in the agriculture sector in this region are India, China, Japan, and Thailand. Cereals and grains, fruits and vegetables, are the leading agricultural commodities grown in these countries. Rice cultivation and the predominance of small-scale manufacturers are widely seen across all the countries of Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific seed treatment market is projected to grow with the highest CAGR due to the growing agriculture industry in China and Japan. Demand for seed treatment has been growing in this region, due to global players increasing their investments of business lines in agricultural inputs to exclusively meet the demand of crop growers to attain export quality. Additionally, the regulations for seed treatment are favourable in this region. China is estimated to account for the largest share in the Asia Pacific seed treatment market. ]]>