https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/rssfeed/r-and-d/innovation innovation https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4750/hortiya-brings-generative-ai-to-greenhouse.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4750/hortiya-brings-generative-ai-to-greenhouse.html Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:44:30 +0530 Generative AI is moving into an unexpected domain: plant biology. German agtech startup Hortiya, founded in Duisburg in 2020, is developing a generative AI model designed to understand how plants respond to environmental conditions and production inputs. The ambition is to give growers a new way to interpret plant signals and make decisions on energy, lighting, nutrients and other costly resources. The company’s approach applies principles associated with large language models to biological data. Instead of learning patterns in human language, Hortiya wants its model to learn relationships between plant conditions, environmental variables and growth outcomes. If successful, the technology could help food producers make controlled-environment agriculture more resource-efficient, particularly in greenhouses where lighting and climate control can account for a significant share of production costs. Teaching AI to Read Plant Signals Hortiya is building a dataset that will allow its model to understand how different inputs and climatic conditions affect the internal systems and growth of plants. The data is expected to come partly from greenhouse sensors monitoring factors such as light, temperature and soil conditions. The company is also exploring less conventional biological signals, including electrical communication between plant roots and leaves and ultrasonic sounds associated with plant stress. Adding market and weather information could eventually allow the system to move beyond monitoring plants to predicting how external events affect production decisions. For example, growers could use the model to assess how a period of drought or a change in electricity prices might alter the optimal allocation of light and nutrients. From Sensors to Smarter Lighting Hortiya has already developed a system combining greenhouse sensors and AI to improve the timing and efficiency of artificial lighting. The underlying idea is that plants do not continuously process energy at the same rate. Their physiological state changes, including periods of rest and stress, and neighbouring plants affected by disease can also influence performance. Hortiya’s technology therefore aims to provide energy when plants are most receptive to using it rather than applying lighting according to a fixed schedule. The system is being used in two research pilots and by one commercial customer operating a 54,000 sq ft greenhouse. According to CEO Marc Weimer-Hablitzel, laboratory testing has shown that the existing technology can reduce energy consumption by as much as 30 per cent while maintaining the same yield. He cautions that savings in commercial environments are likely to be lower. Even a 5–10 per cent reduction could have meaningful implications for greenhouse operators, given the large amounts of electricity required to produce crops such as tomatoes during periods when natural light is limited. A Foundation Model for Food Production The next stage for Hortiya is considerably more ambitious. The startup wants to develop a general-purpose model that could allow growers to test different production scenarios before making operational decisions. A grower could potentially provide information about expected weather conditions and ask the system how to manage lighting and nutrients under different scenarios, such as a prolonged period of drought or changes in electricity availability and cost. That would shift the role of AI from automating individual greenhouse functions to supporting longer-term production strategy. The value proposition is particularly relevant as controlled-environment agriculture faces pressure to reduce its energy and resource intensity while maintaining reliable yields. Funding and Data Remain the Hurdles Hortiya had raised around $1 million in pre-seed funding, combining grants and convertible loan notes, as it worked towards developing its foundation model. The company sees growing investor interest in both foundation-model technology and climate-focused innovation as potential tailwinds. At the same time, building a biological foundation model presents a fundamentally different data challenge from training conventional language models. The system requires large volumes of high-quality information connecting environmental conditions with plant physiology and growth. Collecting, standardising and interpreting that data can be expensive and technically demanding. Hortiya believes advances in AI infrastructure could make model training more efficient by the time its dataset is sufficiently mature. Agriculture’s Next Data Layer The company's proposition points to a broader evolution in digital agriculture. Sensors are already generating increasing volumes of information about crops and growing environments; the next challenge is turning those streams into decisions that growers can act on. If that ambition can be translated into a commercially scalable model, the technology could give greenhouse operators a more dynamic way to manage energy and inputs—moving controlled-environment farming another step towards data-driven resource optimisation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4742/microlub-raises-10-mn-to-cut-fat-without-sacrificing-mouthfeel.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4742/microlub-raises-10-mn-to-cut-fat-without-sacrificing-mouthfeel.html Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:46:43 +0530 UK food technology company MicroLub has raised $10 million to accelerate the commercialisation of its protein-based fat reduction technology, expand manufacturing capacity and support market entry in the US and Asia. The University of Leeds spinout has developed patented ingredients designed to replicate the lubrication properties of fat using water, addressing one of the central challenges in reduced-fat food formulation: cutting calories without sacrificing creaminess, smoothness and overall eating experience. MicroLub says its technology has demonstrated fat and calorie reductions of up to 75 per cent in some formulations, although the level of reduction varies according to the application. The platform is being evaluated across dairy and plant-based dairy products, bakery, sauces, dips and other food categories. The latest financing was led by Northern Gritstone, with existing investors also participating, including NPIF II – PXN Equity Finance, managed by PXN Ventures. Founded by Professor Anwesha Sarkar, MicroLub continues to collaborate with the University of Leeds and operates a food innovation laboratory at Nexus in Leeds. “We have already moved from laboratory-scale development to industrial-scale manufacturing and are working with some of the world’s largest food and ingredient companies,” said David Peters, CEO of MicroLub. “The $10 million investment allows us to accelerate the next step: converting those development programs and customer trials into products that can be manufactured commercially and ultimately reach the shelf,” he added. Targeting fat without losing mouthfeel Fat plays several roles in food beyond its calorie contribution. It influences lubrication, creaminess, texture, flavour release and the way food behaves during consumption. Replacing it therefore requires more than simply matching its nutritional function. MicroLub's technology focuses specifically on lubrication and friction, using protein-based ingredients to create a sensory experience closer to that of conventional fat. The company uses tribology to measure friction and lubrication, alongside rheology and other instrumental techniques that assess texture and flow. Reformulated products are then compared with full-fat equivalents through sensory testing. According to Peters, blind sensory trials across several food categories have found that tasters were unable to distinguish between products containing MicroLub technology and their full-fat counterparts. “In some formulations, fat and calorie content can be reduced by up to 75 per cent,” Peters said, while emphasising that the maximum reduction is not necessarily the objective for every formulation. The technology can also potentially reduce the need for other formulation components, including certain emulsifiers and thickeners, depending on the application. A platform rather than a single fat replacer MicroLub is positioning its technology as an ingredient platform rather than a universal drop-in replacement for fats. The role of fat varies significantly between food products. In formulations where a solid fat network provides structure, replacing fat can be more complex. Fat-soluble flavour compounds can also require additional formulation work because removing or reducing fat can affect flavour delivery. “This is why we approach MicroLub as an ingredient technology platform rather than a single drop-in fat replacer,” Peters said. “We develop application-specific solutions around the particular role fat is playing in that product.” The company draws on dairy and plant proteins as well as polysaccharides to develop formulations according to customers' technical, cost and supply-chain requirements. It says the technology is being designed to work with existing food manufacturing infrastructure, with the precise addition point and processing conditions established through trials on individual manufacturers' production lines. Protein trend creates another opening The company's expansion comes as food manufacturers face growing demand for products that combine higher protein content with lower calorie density. Peters said MicroLub's opportunity extends beyond the growing market for foods associated with GLP-1 use. Instead, he sees the broader shift towards protein-enriched and nutrient-dense foods as a driver for the technology. Higher protein formulations can introduce sensory challenges including grittiness, astringency and undesirable mouth-coating. By addressing lubrication and mouthfeel, MicroLub believes its technology could help manufacturers increase protein levels while maintaining consumer acceptance. Potential applications include high-protein drinks and yogurts, reduced-fat dairy products, sauces and dips, desserts and other nutrient-dense foods. Commercial scale-up takes centre stage MicroLub has already moved from laboratory development to industrial-scale manufacturing, but the latest funding is intended to accelerate the transition from customer development programmes to commercial products. The company has not disclosed its customers or provided a specific launch timetable. Its next steps include completing customer qualification and validation, transferring formulations to commercial production lines, strengthening supply chains and meeting regulatory and labelling requirements across individual markets. With the new capital, MicroLub plans to work more closely with both large and smaller food manufacturers as it expands commercial validation. The company's proposition ultimately rests on a familiar food industry challenge: consumers increasingly want products with improved nutritional profiles, but remain unwilling to compromise on taste and texture. MicroLub is betting that controlling the friction and lubrication properties of food can help narrow that gap. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4741/mushroom-fermentation-could-turn-okara-into-higher-value-food-ingredient.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4741/mushroom-fermentation-could-turn-okara-into-higher-value-food-ingredient.html Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:39:22 +0530 A soybean processing by-product often relegated to waste or low-value feed could have a larger role in food formulations, according to researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, who have used oyster mushroom fermentation to improve the nutritional and sensory characteristics of okara. Okara is the fibrous pulp generated during the production of soy milk and tofu. Although it contains protein, fibre and other nutrients, its high moisture content, coarse texture, high insoluble-fibre content and relatively sour flavour have constrained its use in mainstream food applications. In a lab-scale study conducted with Japanese food manufacturer Ichimasa Kamaboko and published in Food Chemistry: X, the NTU researchers found that solid-state fermentation with oyster mushroom mycelium increased protein content to 27.7–30.2 per cent on a dry-weight basis. Glucose concentrations also increased by as much as 6.4 times. The process could offer food manufacturers a way to extract greater value from a material generated in large volumes by the soy processing industry, while addressing some of the characteristics that have traditionally limited okara's incorporation into consumer foods. Fungal fermentation changes okara's composition The research team used solid-state fermentation, growing oyster mushroom mycelium directly on moist okara rather than converting the material into a liquid fermentation system. As the mycelium developed, enzymes produced by the fungus broke down complex plant fibres into simpler compounds. This altered the composition of the soybean by-product and increased the availability of certain nutrients. Beyond its nutritional characteristics, the fermented okara also showed changes in compounds associated with flavour. Researchers recorded increases in amino acids linked to savoury and umami notes, accompanied by a reduction in sourness. That combination could be particularly relevant for food and ingredient manufacturers looking to use okara in products where flavour and texture are critical to consumer acceptance. “Okara is a soybean by-product that is rich in nutrients, but its high fiber content, short shelf life, and less appealing flavor have long limited its use in food products for people,” said Professor William Chen, director of NTU’s Food Science and Technology Programme at the School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology. The researchers believe fermentation could help shift okara from a largely underutilised processing residue towards a functional ingredient with applications in food manufacturing. Circular food systems drive the opportunity Okara's perishability is one of the major barriers to its wider utilisation. Its high moisture content can shorten its shelf life, while its coarse structure and relatively sour taste make direct incorporation into many food products challenging. Fermentation addresses several of these constraints simultaneously by changing the material's chemical composition and sensory characteristics. The approach could therefore create opportunities for food manufacturers to incorporate fermented okara into higher-value formulations rather than diverting the by-product primarily towards animal feed. “Rather than treating okara solely as a waste stream, our research demonstrates that mushroom fermentation can create new, high-value opportunities to use this soybean by-product in food applications, contributing to a more circular and sustainable food system,” said Dr. Malsha Samarasiri, first author of the study and research fellow at NTU's School of CCEB. The researchers also point to a potential opportunity involving mushrooms themselves. In separate work, the team found that oyster mushrooms grown on substrates containing okara showed enhanced nutritional value. Taken together, the findings suggest that both the soybean by-product and mushroom biomass could potentially be incorporated into more circular food production systems. Commercial scale-up remains the next test Despite the promising laboratory results, the technology remains at the proof-of-concept stage. Moving from laboratory fermentation to commercial food production will require further assessment of several technical and commercial variables. The NTU team plans to investigate food safety, shelf life, sensory properties, fermentation conditions, pre-treatment requirements and energy consumption, alongside process optimisation and the economics of large-scale production. Consumer acceptance will also be important. Improving protein content and flavour does not by itself establish a commercially viable ingredient, particularly where manufacturers must balance processing costs, consistency, regulatory requirements and supply-chain logistics. The next phase of research will therefore determine whether mushroom fermentation can move beyond its laboratory demonstration and become a practical route for converting soybean processing residues into scalable food ingredients. If successful, the approach could provide food manufacturers with another tool for valorising agricultural and food-processing by-products while supporting the development of more circular plant-based food systems. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4726/adama-and-zhixing-nano-science-forge-partnership-on-nano-pesticide-technologies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4726/adama-and-zhixing-nano-science-forge-partnership-on-nano-pesticide-technologies.html Thu, 24 Sep 2026 17:11:08 +0530 ADAMA is stepping up its push into next-generation crop protection technologies through a strategic cooperation agreement with Nanjing Zhixing Nano Science Research Institute Co., Ltd., bringing together the global crop-protection company's formulation and manufacturing capabilities with a Chinese research institution specialising in nano-pesticide technologies. The agreement was signed on September 21 at ADAMA China's regional headquarters in Beijing. Cao Zheng, head of ADAMA's China region, and relevant company executives attended the ceremony alongside Zhang Ziyong, president of Zhixing Nano Science Research Institute. The partnership comes as pesticide manufacturers face a more complex innovation challenge: improving the performance and efficiency of crop-protection products while addressing tighter expectations around environmental impact, product safety and resource use. Putting nano technology into the formulation equation ADAMA operates across more than 100 countries and has built its crop-protection business around a broad portfolio of technical materials, proprietary formulation technologies, global product registrations and manufacturing capabilities. Its portfolio spans solutions for weed, insect and disease management. Zhixing Nano Science Research Institute, meanwhile, specialises in the research and industrialisation of nano-pesticide technologies. The institute has developed an industrialisation platform built around independently developed intellectual property, including a nano-pesticide pre-blending technology developed by Professor Zhang Ziyong. The technology has been selected by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs as a key technology for promotion, positioning it within the country's broader drive to improve pesticide efficiency while reducing input intensity. The strategic significance of the collaboration lies in combining those two capabilities: scientific development in nano-pesticide technology and the industrial infrastructure required to translate formulation innovations into commercial crop-protection products. From formulation performance to product stability Under the agreement, the two companies will investigate the application of advanced nano crop-protection technologies and pursue iterative improvements to the formulation performance of existing pesticide products. The work will extend beyond simply developing new products. The partners intend to address technical challenges around pesticide stability and metabolite risk management, areas that can influence product performance, regulatory acceptance and the long-term viability of crop-protection solutions. The partnership will also examine opportunities to improve the performance of existing products through nano-enabled formulation approaches. That focus could prove important for an industry increasingly looking to extract greater value from established active ingredients. Improving formulation performance can potentially enhance how products are delivered and used, while allowing manufacturers to work within existing crop-protection portfolios rather than relying exclusively on entirely new active ingredients. Bridging research and industrial scale A central objective of the cooperation is to narrow the distance between laboratory innovation and commercial application. Nano-pesticides have attracted growing research interest because manipulating materials at the nanoscale can potentially influence properties such as dispersion, delivery and formulation behaviour. The challenge, however, is translating scientific advances into products that are stable, manufacturable, registrable and economically viable at scale. ADAMA's global industrial and registration platform gives the partnership a route towards that industrialisation challenge, while Zhixing Nano Science Research Institute contributes specialised research capabilities and intellectual property in nano-pesticide technology. The two organisations also plan to jointly develop interdisciplinary talent in nano-pesticides, signalling that the partnership is intended to build capabilities alongside products. artnership reflects a broader shift in crop protection—from simply developing products that control pests and diseases towards engineering how those products perform, persist and deliver value in the field.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4720/redox-expands-nitrogen-technology-with-new-foliar-rdx-flex-formulation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4720/redox-expands-nitrogen-technology-with-new-foliar-rdx-flex-formulation.html Wed, 23 Sep 2026 15:57:44 +0530 Redox Bio-Nutrients is expanding its nitrogen technology portfolio with RDX-Flex, a new foliar formulation designed to give growers greater flexibility in how they manage nitrogen during the growing season. The product is based on a 10 per cent urea nitrogen formulation and uses the same patented botanical-extract technology incorporated in Redox's RDX-N product. The company says the technology works within the plant to support natural processes involved in nitrogen assimilation and its conversion into amino acids and other compounds associated with plant growth, yield and crop quality. The launch extends Redox's nitrogen technology from the soil into the crop canopy, creating an additional application window after planting. Rather than positioning the product simply as another nitrogen source, Redox is focusing on nitrogen utilisation—an increasingly important consideration as growers seek to improve nutrient-use efficiency while managing input costs and crop performance. From nitrogen application to nitrogen utilisation Nitrogen is essential to crop growth, but the amount applied to a field does not necessarily translate directly into nitrogen incorporated into plant biomass. Nitrogen can be lost through several pathways, while crop uptake and utilisation vary according to crop stage, weather, soil conditions and fertility management. That creates an opportunity for technologies designed to support the plant's ability to assimilate available nitrogen. RDX-Flex is designed around that proposition. Redox says its botanical-extract technology supports the natural processes through which plants assimilate nitrogen and convert it into amino acids and other compounds needed for growth and development. The company describes the product as a way of helping crops metabolize nitrogen more efficiently inside the plant, although the extent of the agronomic and economic benefit will depend on crop, application timing, nitrogen availability and field conditions. A second application window The principal difference between RDX-Flex and Redox's existing RDX-N is the point in the crop cycle at which the products are applied. RDX-N is soil-applied at planting, while RDX-Flex is designed for later foliar applications. That gives growers the option of incorporating Redox's nitrogen technology at different stages of crop development, depending on their fertility programme and crop requirements. “RDX-Flex represents the next step in more than a decade of advancement in our nitrogen technology,” said Darin Moon, founder, owner and CEO of Redox Bio-Nutrients. “It gives growers more flexibility in how and when they put this technology to work, creating additional opportunities to support nitrogen utilisation, yield and crop quality throughout the season,” he added. The two products can be used independently or together, allowing growers to integrate them into existing nitrogen strategies rather than requiring a complete restructuring of their fertility programmes. Flexibility becomes the product proposition The launch reflects a broader change in the nutrient-management market, where product development is increasingly focused on getting more value from nutrients already applied rather than relying solely on higher application rates. For growers, flexibility can be as important as formulation. Nitrogen requirements change throughout the crop cycle, and conditions at planting may differ substantially from those encountered later in the season. A foliar formulation provides an additional opportunity to apply the technology after the crop has emerged and established its canopy. Redox says RDX-Flex is shelf stable, effective at a low use rate and compatible with a broad range of commonly applied crop inputs. These characteristics are intended to make the product easier to integrate into existing spray programmes. The product can be used independently or alongside RDX-N, depending on the crop, nitrogen strategy and existing fertility programme. Building a broader nitrogen-efficiency platform RDX-Flex represents the latest expansion of a technology platform that Redox says has been under development for more than a decade. The company's approach combines nitrogen with botanical extracts intended to influence the plant's internal nitrogen-assimilation processes. That places the technology within a growing segment of agriculture focused on nutrient-use efficiency, where biological products, enhanced-efficiency fertilisers and plant-based technologies are being developed to improve the conversion of applied nutrients into crop growth. The commercial opportunity will ultimately depend on whether these technologies can deliver consistent benefits across crops and production systems while fitting within growers' existing agronomic and economic frameworks. RDX-Flex is now available through Redox Bio-Nutrients, giving growers an additional foliar option within the company's nitrogen technology portfolio. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4711/goldoctor-seed-unveils-corn-portfolio-designed-for-heat-density-and-mechanisation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4711/goldoctor-seed-unveils-corn-portfolio-designed-for-heat-density-and-mechanisation.html Tue, 22 Sep 2026 17:06:30 +0530 Henan Goldoctor Seed Co., Ltd. is expanding its corn portfolio with four new varieties designed around a common breeding priority: more stable yields under increasingly demanding field conditions. At a new product launch in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, the company introduced Goldoctor 857, T2467, TX578 and ZQ2611, with each variety developed for distinct regional conditions and market requirements. The launch reflects a broader shift in corn breeding towards varieties that can maintain production performance despite heat stress, high planting densities, lodging risks and increasingly mechanised farm operations. Goldoctor 857 has been developed from a cross involving Huanggaixi and improved Reid lines. The variety combines a relatively short stalk with tolerance to high planting density and high-temperature conditions, while maintaining good kernel-setting performance. Its comparatively broad adaptation range is intended to give it flexibility across different production environments. T2467 targets the Northeast and Huanghuai production regions and belongs to the medium-to-large ear category. Its breeding profile emphasises high-temperature tolerance and lodging resistance, alongside strong kernel development and the absence of barren ear tips. Those traits are particularly relevant in regions where weather stress and stand stability can directly affect harvestable yield. The portfolio's focus on planting density becomes more pronounced with TX578, which can be planted at 105,000–120,000 plants per hectare. Developed jointly by Goldoctor Seed and Professor Tang Jihua of Henan Agricultural University using a north-south germplasm combination, the variety has been selected for high-density tolerance, heat resistance and green-stalk retention at maturity. Its characteristics also make it suitable for mechanised harvesting, linking varietal development more closely with changes in farm management and harvesting systems. ZQ2611, meanwhile, brings together improved Reid lines with heat- and rust-resistant germplasm from the Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Its performance across both spring and summer sowing gives the variety a broader seasonal positioning and adds another layer of adaptation to Goldoctor Seed's new portfolio. Taken together, the four varieties illustrate a breeding strategy that is increasingly centred on risk management at field level. Heat tolerance addresses temperature stress; lodging resistance protects standability; high-density tolerance allows farmers to increase plant populations; green-stalk retention can support grain filling and mechanised harvest; and disease resistance reduces exposure to crop losses. That combination matters as corn production systems become more intensive. Higher planting densities can raise yield potential, but they also place greater demands on stalk strength, resource-use efficiency and plant architecture. Similarly, mechanised harvesting requires varieties that can deliver predictable maturity and field performance rather than simply high yield under trial conditions. Goldoctor Seed, established in 2001, has built its business around corn breeding and promotion and has subsequently expanded into wheat, rice, industrial hemp and other crop segments. The company currently operates 25 branch institutions and six major processing centres. Research and development remains central to the company's strategy. Goldoctor Seed said its annual R&D expenditure accounts for nearly 10 per cent of operating revenue. It currently holds 174 plant variety rights, while more than 95 per cent of its varieties have independent intellectual property rights, according to the company. The four new corn varieties therefore represent more than an expansion of product choice. They are also a statement about where seed development is heading: toward varieties engineered not merely for peak yield, but for yield stability under heat, density, disease pressure and changing harvesting practices.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4686/iff-launches-phytase-enzyme-to-improve-nutrient-efficiency-in-dairy-cattle.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4686/iff-launches-phytase-enzyme-to-improve-nutrient-efficiency-in-dairy-cattle.html Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:10:00 +0530 IFF, a global player in flavors, fragrances and health and biosciences, has launched a new phytase enzyme designed for dairy cattle, targeting one of the sector’s biggest cost and productivity challenges: extracting greater nutritional value from existing feed ingredients. The enzyme is designed to improve nutrient utilisation and feed efficiency by breaking down phytate, a naturally occurring compound found in many feed ingredients that can bind nutrients and limit their availability to animals. The product will initially be launched across the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific markets. “We believe the future of dairy nutrition is helping cows receive more value from the nutrients in their feed,” said Regina Cortada, vice president, Animal Nutrition & Health, IFF Health & Biosciences. “Our research challenged the long-held assumption that dairy cows fully utilise the phytate contained in feed. We found that phytate breakdown is often incomplete, leaving valuable nutrients unavailable to the animal. This technology was developed to unlock those nutrients and help producers improve feed efficiency, support sustainability goals and increase profitability.” The launch comes as dairy producers face simultaneous pressure to raise productivity, contain feed costs and reduce the environmental footprint of livestock production. Global milk production is projected to grow by around 2 per cent annually over the coming decade, increasing the focus on technologies that can improve the efficiency with which animals convert feed into milk. Feed is among the largest costs in dairy production, making nutrient utilisation an increasingly important lever for farm economics. Phytate can bind phosphorus, minerals and other nutrients in feed, limiting their availability to the animal and increasing the need for additional supplementation. While phytase enzymes have been widely used in poultry and swine nutrition for decades, their application in dairy cattle has historically faced limitations linked to the digestive environment of ruminants. The new enzyme has been developed specifically for this physiology and is designed to remain active where it can break down phytate and release nutrients for absorption. “Traditional phytase enzymes were not designed to withstand the unique digestive conditions of dairy cattle,” said Ester Vinyeta, innovation director, Animal Nutrition & Health, IFF Health & Biosciences. “This technology was specifically developed for ruminants and is designed to remain active where it can unlock nutrients that would otherwise remain inaccessible. This enables dairy producers to extract more nutritional value from existing feed ingredients while reducing nutrient losses.” By improving the availability of protein, phosphorus and minerals already present in feed, the enzyme could reduce producers’ reliance on supplemental phosphorus and protected amino acids while also supporting greater flexibility in the use of alternative protein sources. The intended commercial outcome is higher feed efficiency, potentially lower feed costs and reduced nitrogen and phosphorus excretion. The enzyme can be incorporated into concentrates, premixes and total mixed rations. Product development included extensive evaluation, with one study showing an approximately 70 per cent reduction in undegraded phytate in the abomasum compared with a control diet. Additional studies in lactating dairy cows found improvements in phosphorus and phytate digestibility, alongside reductions in nitrogen and phosphorus excretion. The studies also reported higher digestibility of nutrients including crude protein and calcium. The findings position phytase as a potential new tool in dairy nutrition, where improving the efficiency of existing feed ingredients can have implications extending beyond animal performance. For producers operating under pressure from feed costs, resource constraints and sustainability requirements, the ability to extract more nutrients from the same feed base could become an increasingly important part of dairy production economics. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4679/england-approves-first-marketing-notice-for-gene-edited-vitamin-d-tomato.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4679/england-approves-first-marketing-notice-for-gene-edited-vitamin-d-tomato.html Thu, 17 Sep 2026 17:24:31 +0530 England has approved the first marketing notice for a precision-bred tomato, taking the biofortified ‘Sunshine’ tomato developed at the John Innes Centre a step closer to commercialisation and marking a significant milestone for gene-edited crops in the country. Developed in the laboratory of Professor Cathie Martin FRS, the tomato has been engineered to accumulate high levels of pro-vitamin D3 in its fruit and leaves. The development has also recently been evaluated in a landmark bioavailability study at the Quadram Institute, adding to the evidence base around its potential nutritional application. Martin said the project reflects her interest in using plant science to address public-health challenges, particularly vitamin D deficiency. “With vitamin D deficiency a widespread problem, our biofortified tomato could one day be a low-cost, simple, plant-based solution that can improve diets across the world,” she said. The marketing notice represents an important step towards bringing the tomato to market in England. It is also the first crop at the John Innes Centre to receive PBO marketing approval, making the development a milestone for the research institute’s precision-breeding programme. The science behind the tomato builds on a natural pathway already present in tomatoes. Tomato plants produce pro-vitamin D3 as an intermediate compound before converting it into other substances used in plant defence. Using gene editing, Martin and her team modified the relevant genes so that the plants accumulate substantially higher levels of pro-vitamin D3 in their fruit and leaves. The compound can subsequently be converted into vitamin D3 through exposure to sunlight or UVB light. Vitamin D3 is the more stable form relevant to human nutrition. According to the researchers, the genetic changes do not alter the plant’s appearance, growth characteristics or yield. The nutritional potential is central to the tomato’s commercial proposition. Each tomato could contain a quantity of vitamin D equivalent to that found in two eggs or 28 grams of tuna, based on the researchers’ assessment. The next stage will involve crossing the plants with sweeter-tasting and striped tomato varieties, with the resulting product intended to be marketed under the ‘Sunshine’ name, reflecting its enhanced vitamin D potential. The developers also plan to submit an application for approval to the UK Food Standards Agency. The development comes as precision breeding moves from laboratory research towards regulatory and commercial applications in England. For the John Innes Centre, the Sunshine tomato provides a test case for how targeted genetic changes can be used to develop crops with specific nutritional traits while retaining conventional agronomic characteristics. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4680/chs-expands-us-soybean-footprint-with-700-million-wisconsin-processing-plant.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4680/chs-expands-us-soybean-footprint-with-700-million-wisconsin-processing-plant.html Thu, 17 Sep 2026 17:31:41 +0530 CHS, the US’ largest farmer-owned cooperative and a global agribusiness, plans to invest approximately $700 million to build a soybean processing facility near Evansville, Wisconsin, adding substantial processing capacity to its oilseed network and creating new market opportunities for farmer-owners. Construction is expected to begin in the coming weeks, with the facility targeted for completion in fall 2028. The plant will be designed to process 80 million bushels of US-grown soybeans annually, strengthening CHS’ position in a soybean-processing market supported by demand from food, animal feed and renewable fuel industries. “Investments like this help CHS create additional value for our owners and customers by expanding market access, strengthening our processing network and creating new demand opportunities for U.S.-grown soybeans,” said John Griffith, executive vice president of agriculture business and CHS Hedging. He said demand across food, feed and renewable fuel markets, along with policies supporting domestic processing, manufacturing and energy production, was reinforcing the need for additional soybean processing capacity in the US. The Evansville facility will expand soybean processing capacity in southern Wisconsin, an important soybean-producing region that also has substantial demand for soybean meal from livestock producers. Once operational, the facility is expected to employ approximately 80 people and produce around 1 billion pounds of soybean oil and 2 million tons of soybean meal annually. Its location is expected to provide logistical advantages, with access to soybean-producing areas, rail infrastructure and major transportation corridors. This will allow soybean meal and oil to move to domestic and international markets while giving regional farmers an additional outlet for their production. The investment is also expected to generate economic activity beyond the plant itself. Construction is projected to support hundreds of contractor and skilled-trade positions, while the completed facility will create permanent jobs and increase demand for locally produced soybeans. “CHS is committed to being a long-term partner in the communities where we operate,” Griffith said. “This investment supports rural economic development, creates jobs and strengthens the agricultural supply chain for producers, customers and communities across the region.” The project adds processing capacity closer to production areas and could expand access to both soybean meal and oil markets. Wisconsin Soybean Association President Doug Rebout said the investment represents an effort to create stronger local demand for soybeans and provide growers with another market closer to their farms. The Evansville project will complement CHS’ existing oilseed processing network. The cooperative currently processes 525,000 metric tons of canola seed annually at its Hallock, Minnesota, facility and approximately 119 million bushels of soybeans at facilities in Fairmont and Mankato, Minnesota. Once Evansville becomes operational, CHS’ soybean processing capacity will increase by more than two-thirds, marking a significant expansion of the cooperative’s footprint in US oilseed processing. The project will also deepen CHS’ ability to connect farmer-owned supply with growing demand for vegetable oils, protein-rich feed ingredients and renewable fuel feedstocks. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4664/agt-launches-two-new-aph-wheat-varieties-to-give-northern-growers-more-planting-and-rotational-flexibility.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4664/agt-launches-two-new-aph-wheat-varieties-to-give-northern-growers-more-planting-and-rotational-flexibility.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 19:36:58 +0530 Australian Grain Technologies (AGT) has launched two new Australian Premium Hard (APH) wheat varieties, AGT-Agile and AGT-Glamour CL Plus, giving growers across northern New South Wales and Queensland additional tools to manage increasingly complex decisions around planting windows, disease pressure and crop rotation. The varieties were officially launched at the University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute Field Day in Narrabri, with AGT positioning the two releases as complementary additions to its northern wheat portfolio. Both varieties have been developed around practical agronomic gaps rather than simply yield potential, reflecting the growing importance of flexibility in variety selection as growers manage tighter planting windows, disease risks and herbicide-residue constraints. AGT Variety Support Manager for northern NSW and Queensland, Douglas Lush, said the two varieties address distinct requirements while maintaining the grain quality characteristics demanded by end users. “Growers are seeking varieties that combine reliable yield performance with practical agronomic advantages,” Lush said. “AGT-Agile and AGT-Glamour CL Plus have each been developed to address specific grower needs, whether that's capturing the benefits of earlier sowing opportunities or providing greater flexibility where herbicide residues may limit rotational options.” AGT-Agile targets the early planting window AGT-Agile has been developed as a very slow-maturing APH wheat suited to mid- to late-April planting, providing growers with an alternative to Sunmax while occupying a maturity position between Sunmax and LRPB Raider. That positioning is important in northern farming systems, where the choice of maturity can determine how effectively growers use available planting opportunities while managing seasonal conditions. AGT says AGT-Agile combines a broader planting window with improved grain size, stronger disease resistance and strong physical grain quality characteristics. Wheat breeder Dr Meiqin Lu said the breeding programme was focused on overcoming some of the limitations associated with existing varieties while maintaining performance and grain quality. “Our breeding objective was to provide growers with a high-performing variety that offers greater flexibility and consistency across the early planting window,” Lu said. “AGT-Agile delivers a strong package of yield potential, APH grain quality and very strong resistance to stem rust, stripe rust and leaf rust, giving growers confidence in a range of production environments.” The disease-resistance package is a significant part of the variety's proposition as growers contend with disease pressure alongside the need to optimise sowing dates. AGT says trials have demonstrated the variety's fit within northern farming systems, particularly for growers targeting mid-April sowing opportunities. According to Lush, AGT-Agile also brings improvements in grain size, disease resistance and overall performance compared with current alternatives. Its shorter and more conservative plant type, combined with good lodging tolerance, is designed to add another layer of agronomic reliability. “It combines dependable yield, excellent grain quality and a shorter, more conservative plant type with good lodging tolerance, making it a valuable addition to the northern wheat portfolio,” Lush said. AGT-Glamour CL Plus brings slower maturity to Clearfield wheat AGT's second release, AGT-Glamour CL Plus, addresses a different constraint: the need for a slower-maturing herbicide-tolerant wheat that can be incorporated into earlier planting programmes across NSW and Queensland. The variety is described by AGT as the only APH-quality Clearfield-tolerant wheat available in a slow maturity suited to earlier planting in these regions. Derived from Coolah, AGT-Glamour CL Plus combines tolerance to Clearfield Intervix herbicide with high and stable grain yield, low screenings and high test weights. Its agronomic package also includes very good resistance and tolerance to root lesion nematode, or Pratylenchus thornei, a soil-borne constraint relevant to wheat production across parts of the northern cropping belt. The variety's development reflects a long-standing demand from growers and advisers for a higher-performing Clearfield wheat that could be planted earlier without sacrificing APH-quality grain. “For many years growers and advisers have been looking for a high-performing Clearfield wheat that could be planted earlier while still delivering APH-quality grain,” Lu said. “AGT-Glamour CL Plus answers that demand, providing the performance growers expect together with the flexibility of Clearfield tolerance in a slow-maturing background.” The herbicide-tolerance characteristic could become particularly valuable where winter crop decisions follow summer cropping programmes involving imidazolinone herbicides. Residual herbicides can narrow subsequent planting choices, making crop selection a strategic part of managing the entire rotation rather than simply the next crop. Lush said AGT-Glamour CL Plus gives growers an additional plant-back option where residues could otherwise complicate the transition into winter cropping. “Growers can sometimes face difficult rotational decisions where herbicide residues remain in the soil,” he said. “AGT-Glamour CL Plus provides an excellent plant-back option in these situations, allowing growers to move confidently into their winter cropping program while maintaining strong yield and grain quality potential.” AGT is also positioning the variety as more than a specialist herbicide-tolerant release. According to Lush, its yield performance has consistently matched leading non-herbicide-tolerant competitors, while the added tolerance provides greater flexibility in crop planning. “This is not simply a niche herbicide-tolerant variety,” Lush said. “AGT-Glamour CL Plus has consistently matched the leading non-herbicide tolerant competitors for yield performance while offering the added benefit of Clearfield tolerance, making it a compelling option for a broad range of growers.” The launch highlights a broader shift in wheat breeding towards varieties that deliver multiple forms of value at farm level. Yield remains fundamental, but the commercial value of a variety increasingly depends on how well it fits into a grower's entire production system, including sowing dates, disease management, herbicide programmes, grain quality requirements and rotation planning.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4649/xinxiang-chemical-fibres-rmb1-3-bn-bet-on-next-generation-of-green-fibres.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4649/xinxiang-chemical-fibres-rmb1-3-bn-bet-on-next-generation-of-green-fibres.html Fri, 11 Sep 2026 16:59:53 +0530 Xinxiang Chemical Fibre Co., Ltd. is putting biomass at the centre of its next growth phase, with a proposed RMB1.3 billion fundraising plan that combines capacity expansion in cellulose filament yarn with a dedicated research centre focused on the high-value utilisation of Juncao. According to the company’s fundraising prospectus, net proceeds will be directed towards three areas: RMB970 million for a high-quality biomass-derived cellulose filament yarn project and supporting engineering; RMB70 million for a Juncao material high-value utilisation R&D centre; and RMB260 million to supplement working capital. The controlling shareholder, Bailu Group, together with Xinxiang State-owned Assets Group, has committed to subscribing for a combined amount of no less than RMB100 million. The largest allocation is aimed squarely at the company’s established cellulose filament yarn business. The project carries a total investment of RMB1.18 billion, is expected to take two years to construct and will add 20,000 tonnes a year of biomass-derived cellulose filament yarn capacity once fully operational. The expansion comes against a market position that is already unusually strong. Xinxiang Chemical Fibre has annual biomass-derived cellulose filament yarn capacity of 110,000 tonnes, giving it a domestic market share of more than 40 per cent and a global ranking of first. In the first half of 2026, capacity utilisation reached 93.96 per cent, leaving little spare capacity and providing a clear commercial rationale for further investment. But the more consequential signal in the fundraising plan may be the RMB70 million earmarked for a standalone Juncao material high-value utilisation R&D centre. From Fibre Experiment to Strategic Platform Xinxiang Chemical Fibre’s Juncao strategy did not begin with the latest fundraising. Over the past three years, the company has moved progressively from laboratory work and pilot production towards an industrialisation model that could extend well beyond fibre. In 2023, Xinxiang Chemical Fibre invested more than RMB30 million cumulatively in R&D, established a Juncao pulp pilot base and developed a “three-component separation” technology for Juncao. By the first half of 2026, cumulative Juncao pulp production had reached 3,000 tonnes, while the company had secured seven authorised patents — six national invention patents and one international invention patent. The company also commissioned three green-fibre routes in 2025: Juncao fibre, Shousaier fibre and Ruisaier fibre. Their underlying technologies address three different points in the sustainability equation. Juncao replaces wood as a pulp raw material; Shousaier uses a physical process aimed at zero emissions; and Ruisaier focuses on recycling waste textiles. Of the three, Juncao appears to have moved most rapidly towards commercial scale. In 2025, Tumushuke City in Xinjiang planned a 100,000-tonne-a-year Juncao fibre project. Under the plan, Juncao cultivation in Xinjiang was expected to expand from 666.67 hectares to 4,000 hectares in 2026, with the “15th Five-Year Plan” period expected to support nearly 200,000 tonnes of fibre production capacity. The proposed R&D centre now gives that trajectory a more formal industrial architecture. Rather than treating Juncao simply as an alternative source of pulp, Xinxiang Chemical Fibre plans to investigate the high-value conversion of its full biomass components, including applications in bio-based aviation fuel and bio-based PTMEG. That distinction matters. PTMEG is a core raw material for elastane, and Xinxiang Chemical Fibre has polyurethane fibre capacity of 200,000 tonnes, making it one of China’s major domestic producers. If the company succeeds in developing bio-based PTMEG from Juncao, the opportunity would extend across the value chain — from Juncao biomass to bio-based chemicals, intermediates and ultimately new-generation chemical fibres. The proposition is therefore considerably larger than “replacing wood with grass”. It is about converting an agricultural biomass resource into a broader platform for bio-based materials. The Xinjiang Logic The choice of Tumushuke for Juncao capacity also reflects a wider industrial and ecological proposition. Juncao’s salt tolerance allows it to fit into agricultural systems where conventional crops or forestry resources may face greater constraints. In Tumushuke, the proposed model links Juncao cultivation with the local printing and dyeing industrial park through treated wastewater. Under the circular model, printing and dyeing wastewater is processed into reclaimed water, which can then be used to irrigate Juncao. The harvested Juncao subsequently becomes a raw material for fibre production. The resulting chain — wastewater to reclaimed water, reclaimed water to biomass, and biomass to fibre — gives the project a resource-efficiency dimension that extends beyond the substitution of one feedstock for another. Beyond Replacing Wood With Grass The structure of Xinxiang Chemical Fibre’s fundraising plan reveals two parallel strategies. The first is relatively conventional: expand a core business where utilisation is already close to full capacity and where the company has a strong domestic and global position. The second is more strategic: develop alternative biomass feedstocks and push them further up the value chain. Juncao sits at the intersection of those two strategies. It can serve as a substitute for wood pulp while also providing a potential platform for bio-based chemicals and materials. Shousaier and Ruisaier, meanwhile, address the other two major levers in the green-fibre equation — cleaner processing and textile recycling. Together, the three routes cover a broader industrial transition: raw-material substitution, process transformation and circularity. That direction is also increasingly aligned with China’s industrial policy. In January 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced 25 key technology innovation cases for the innovative development of the non-grain bio-based materials industry, marking a move from policy formulation towards demonstration and commercial application. The Guidance Catalogue for Industrial Restructuring (2024 edition) also places bio-based fibre materials among encouraged categories. The RMB1.3 billion fundraising is consequently more than a capacity expansion exercise. It represents a bet that the next competitive advantage in synthetic and regenerated fibres may increasingly lie upstream — in who controls the feedstock, who can convert it efficiently, and who can turn biomass into higher-value materials. Juncao began as an alternative biomass resource. Xinxiang Chemical Fibre now appears to be testing whether it can become something much larger: the foundation of a new bio-based materials chain. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4645/basf-irri-expand-rice-research-from-methane-cuts-to-soil-carbon.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4645/basf-irri-expand-rice-research-from-methane-cuts-to-soil-carbon.html Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:41:54 +0530 BASF Agricultural Solutions and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) are extending their scientific collaboration on sustainable rice production, moving the focus from reducing methane emissions to the more complex question of how climate-smart practices affect soil health and long-term productivity. The next phase of the multi-year Optimizing Management for Reduction of Greenhouse Gases in Rice (OPTIMA Rice) programme will examine soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, carbon storage and the potential role of biochar. The research builds on field evidence from the first phase, which identified practical pathways to cut methane emissions while reducing water use without compromising rice yields. Launched in 2024, OPTIMA Rice combines BASF’s experience in translating agricultural practices into farm-level systems with IRRI’s rice research expertise. The central objective is to develop approaches that are not only environmentally credible but also practical and economically viable for farmers. Methane reduction moves from theory to field practice The first phase identified Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), enabled through Direct Seeded Rice, as a potentially effective route to reduce methane emissions from rice paddies. By allowing fields to dry at controlled intervals rather than maintaining continuous flooding, the approach can significantly reduce methane emissions while lowering water use, according to the partners’ field research. That finding has implications beyond emissions accounting. Farmers entering carbon farming programmes may need to change how they irrigate their rice fields to generate measurable emissions reductions. The research therefore addresses one of the critical gaps in agricultural decarbonisation: whether practices designed to deliver climate benefits can also work within the realities of farm management. Improved straw management offers another pathway for reducing methane emissions. The next climate challenge is beneath the field The second phase turns attention to what happens to the soil as water and crop-management practices change. Reducing methane is only one part of building a climate-smart rice system. If altered irrigation regimes improve emissions performance but adversely affect soil fertility or long-term productivity, the sustainability equation becomes less straightforward. BASF and IRRI will therefore study the relationship between soil carbon and nitrogen, with particular attention to how changes in water management influence soil conditions over time. The partners will also investigate biochar as a complementary intervention. Biochar can potentially lock carbon into soils while improving soil fertility and structure, creating a possible bridge between emissions reduction, carbon storage and farm productivity. From emissions cuts to a broader climate-smart system The expansion of OPTIMA Rice reflects a broader shift in agricultural climate research. The question is increasingly moving from whether an individual intervention can reduce emissions to whether an entire production system can deliver climate benefits without sacrificing yields, soil health or farmer economics. “Climate-smart rice systems must work on the farm, not just on paper,” said Marko Grozdanovic, Senior Vice President, Global Strategic Marketing & Sustainability, BASF Agricultural Solutions. “We know that adopting new approaches is not always easy for farmers. It takes trust, support, and proven solutions. By expanding our collaboration with IRRI, we are strengthening the scientific foundation needed to help farmers implement climate-smart rice practices with confidence, while deepening our focus on soils.” For IRRI, the stakes extend beyond the rice sector. Rice is a staple for billions of people, making any change in production practices a balancing act between climate mitigation, food security and farmer livelihoods. “Rice is a staple food for billions of people and transforming how it is grown is critical for both climate action and sustainable livelihoods for farmers,” said Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI. “Through our continued collaboration with BASF, we are combining scientific rigor with tangible solutions. High-quality evidence and trusted collaborations are key to supporting farmers, protecting the environment and strengthening the global food system.” Philippines trials, global relevance The research is rooted in field trials in the Philippines, but its implications extend well beyond the country. The partners intend the findings to inform rice-growing systems across major markets, including China, India, Japan, Brazil and Italy, where differences in water availability, soil conditions, farm structures and production systems will determine how readily climate-smart practices can be adopted. The next phase of OPTIMA Rice will therefore test a broader proposition: that sustainable rice production cannot be built around methane reduction alone. The longer-term opportunity lies in linking lower emissions with resilient soils, efficient water use and economically viable farming systems. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4636/flyttr-plans-u-s-pest-biosecurity-platform-in-san-antonio.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4636/flyttr-plans-u-s-pest-biosecurity-platform-in-san-antonio.html Wed, 09 Sep 2026 17:26:54 +0530 The United States is moving to build greater domestic capacity to respond to biological threats from pests, as Flyttr announced plans for a large-scale pest biosecurity research, development and countermeasures platform in San Antonio, Texas. The facility, which will exceed 130,000 square feet, is designed to give the US and its allies a standing capability to research, develop, manufacture and deploy countermeasures against pests that can threaten agriculture and public health. Flyttr expects the initiative to create more than 50 jobs initially, with employment rising to over 100 as the platform expands. The company, headquartered in Radford, Virginia, is developing the platform with partners including the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). The project comes as the US confronts the return of New World screwworm, a livestock pest that was eradicated from the country in 1966. Its confirmation in a Texas calf in 2026 marked the first US detection in nearly six decades, renewing attention on the country’s ability to respond rapidly to high-impact agricultural pest threats. Screwworm Puts Domestic Capacity in Focus Flyttr’s first major focus will be New World screwworm through FastFly, an accelerated manufacturing programme intended to increase the supply of American-made sterile flies for the USDA-led national response. The sterile-insect technique has long been used to control livestock and agricultural pests. By producing sterile insects and releasing them into affected areas, programmes can reduce the reproductive capacity of pest populations and support wider eradication efforts. For Flyttr, the screwworm programme also illustrates the strategic value of maintaining domestic production capabilities before an agricultural emergency escalates. “Pest biosecurity is national security. This new pest biosecurity platform in San Antonio, the first of its type, will help the U.S. and its allies respond to a range of growing biosecurity threats,” said Grey Frandsen, Chief Executive Officer of Flyttr. “And unprecedented effort requires strong partnerships. It’s game time.” Building a Broader Pest Defence Platform While screwworm is the immediate priority, Flyttr’s planned platform is intended to address a much wider range of threats. The company said the facility will target pests ranging from disease-carrying mosquitoes, including vectors of dengue and malaria, to livestock parasites and agricultural pests capable of damaging US food production. The ambition is to create an integrated platform spanning detection, research, testing, production and deployment. That could give policymakers and agricultural agencies greater flexibility when dealing with emerging pest threats, particularly where rapid scaling of biological countermeasures becomes critical. The strategy also reflects a broader shift in agricultural biosecurity: preparedness is increasingly being treated as infrastructure rather than an emergency response that can be assembled after a threat emerges. Texas Biomed Partnership Adds Research Capacity Flyttr has partnered with the Texas Biomedical Research Institute to develop, evaluate and advance biological solutions for future pest-elimination efforts. As part of the partnership, Flyttr will use Texas Biomed’s laboratories over the next two years. “Flyttr’s investment in a new San Antonio research and manufacturing facility is an exciting next step forward in our efforts to combat New World screwworm and strengthen our region’s biotech innovation ecosystem,” said Larry Schlesinger, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Texas Biomedical Research Institute. “Texas Biomed is proud to partner with Flyttr to help address this urgent challenge.” The combination of research infrastructure, manufacturing capacity and government partnerships could position San Antonio as an emerging centre for pest-biosecurity innovation.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4633/global-plant-pangenome-network-targets-next-breakthrough-in-crop-genetics.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4633/global-plant-pangenome-network-targets-next-breakthrough-in-crop-genetics.html Wed, 09 Sep 2026 16:02:41 +0530 The global plant science community is taking a more coordinated approach to one of the biggest challenges in modern crop breeding: how to capture and use the full genetic diversity within a crop species. The James Hutton Institute has joined the newly launched International Plant Pangenome Network (IPPGN), a collaborative initiative bringing together scientists, researchers, industry partners and technology developers to advance plant pangenomics. The field is moving beyond the traditional approach of studying a single reference genome. Instead, plant pangenomics seeks to map the broader genetic diversity within a species, including genes shared across plants as well as variations that may give individual varieties advantages in yield, resilience or adaptation. That shift could have significant implications for agriculture. As climate change alters growing conditions and pests and diseases continue to evolve, breeders need access to a wider pool of genetic traits to develop crops capable of performing under increasingly unpredictable conditions. By making previously underused genetic variation easier to identify, compare and deploy, pangenomics could help accelerate the development of crop varieties that are more productive, resilient and suited to future environments. Turning genetic diversity into breeding value The opportunity is substantial, but the science remains technically demanding. Plant genomes can be considerably larger and more complex than those of many other organisms. High levels of repetitive DNA, heterozygosity and multiple sets of chromosomes make it difficult to assemble, analyse and compare genomes at scale. These challenges have slowed progress in plant pangenomics compared with similar work involving bacteria, humans and other animals. Dr Miriam Schreiber, researcher at the James Hutton Institute, said the network is already helping researchers identify common technical challenges and create new opportunities for collaboration. “The network has already been extremely useful in highlighting the shared challenges that colleagues working in this area are facing,” Schreiber said. “It is a great place to connect with others and will no doubt lead to new collaborations and projects.” The IPPGN is designed to address some of these barriers by creating a common platform for researchers to exchange expertise, data, analytical tools and best practices. For the agricultural sector, the value of such collaboration could ultimately be measured by how quickly genomic discoveries can move into practical breeding programmes. Building the tools behind the science One of the most immediate challenges is analytical capability. Many genomic tools were initially developed for organisms with less complex genomes and are not always suited to the scale and structure of plant genetic data. The network aims to create a closer feedback loop between researchers and technology developers, allowing scientists to share their experiences with existing tools and help shape solutions designed specifically for plant genomes. Dr Rachel Rusholme Pilcher, Chair of the network and based at the Earlham Institute in Norwich, said the network’s strength lies in the willingness of members to share both successful approaches and failures. “We are fortunate to have a community that is incredibly generous with its expertise, experiences and ideas,” she said. Another priority is developing common standards for graphical pangenomes. Graph-based approaches are becoming increasingly important because they can represent genetic variation more comprehensively than a single linear reference genome. But without common standards for assessing the quality of pangenome graphs and ensuring that datasets can work across different platforms, the value of the underlying data could remain limited. Establishing interoperable and reproducible approaches could therefore be just as important as generating more genomic data. From genomic maps to climate-resilient crops The larger opportunity for plant pangenomics is to turn genetic diversity into a practical resource for agriculture. A deeper understanding of variation within crops could give breeders more options as they seek traits linked to drought tolerance, disease resistance, yield stability and adaptation to changing environmental conditions. That could become increasingly important as agriculture faces the combined pressures of climate change, resource constraints and the need to increase food production without expanding its environmental footprint. The IPPGN’s ambition is therefore not simply to advance genomic science. By creating a more connected global research ecosystem, the network aims to accelerate the discovery and deployment of genetic traits that can contribute to sustainable crop improvement and long-term food security. The next challenge will be translating that scientific collaboration into usable breeding tools, consistent standards and commercially relevant crop traits. If the network can bridge those gaps, plant pangenomics could move from a specialist research field towards becoming a core technology underpinning the next generation of crop improvement. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4627/vietnam-and-russia-see-high-tech-agriculture-as-next-frontier-for-bilateral-cooperation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4627/vietnam-and-russia-see-high-tech-agriculture-as-next-frontier-for-bilateral-cooperation.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:43:16 +0530 Vietnam and Russia are looking to take their agricultural relationship into a more technology-driven phase, with researchers from both countries identifying artificial intelligence, automation, biotechnology and digital farming as areas where their capabilities could complement each other. The opportunity comes as agriculture globally moves toward data-driven production, with farmers and agribusinesses increasingly using AI, remote sensing, robotics and digital platforms to improve yields, manage resources and respond to climate risks. For Russia, the push into high-tech agriculture is being supported by advances in biological sciences, digital farming and agricultural automation. Vietnam, meanwhile, brings decades of experience in intensive tropical agriculture, rice production and aquaculture—creating potential for cooperation that goes beyond the conventional exchange of agricultural commodities and technology. Professor and Academician Gennady Karlov, Director of the All-Russian Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (VNIISB), said high-tech agriculture has become a strategic area for Vietnam-Russia cooperation, alongside automation, AI and biotechnology. Russia’s agricultural technology development is increasingly linked to biological research, with VNIISB using digital phenotyping and artificial neural networks to accelerate plant breeding and genetic research. The complementary nature of the two agricultural systems could provide a foundation for joint innovation. Vietnam has developed expertise in intensive farming systems, rice cultivation and aquaculture suited to tropical conditions, while Russia has significant capabilities in large-scale grain and oilseed production, crop breeding and agriculture across diverse climatic zones. Researchers from the two countries are already exploring cooperation in rice. Joint work includes the cultivation of Indica and Japonica varieties in Russia, as well as exchanges of genetic resources for breeding and genomics research. The potential agenda is broader still. Remote sensing, AI-based agricultural forecasting, food safety, quality control and technologies for adapting agriculture to climate change have all emerged as possible areas for collaboration. Karlov has also proposed establishing a Vietnam-Russia innovation corridor focused on knowledge-intensive projects and joint laboratories. Research institutions including VNIISB and the Russian State Agrarian University–Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy are working with Vietnamese counterparts on scientific exchanges and training programmes for students and young researchers. The scale of Russia’s digital agriculture ambitions could make the partnership particularly relevant. Pham Thi Thu Ba, a master’s student at the Russian State Agrarian University, said Russia is accelerating digitalisation and automation under its strategy for developing the agro-industrial and fisheries complexes through 2030. Russia plans to launch a unified digital agricultural platform by the end of 2026, linking information on land, crops, livestock, weather and logistics. By 2030, at least 80 per cent of agricultural enterprises are expected to use domestically developed software for key production processes. The country is also expanding the use of precision agriculture and autonomous machinery. Around 24,000 AI-integrated autonomous agricultural machines are reportedly in operation in Russia in 2026, while businesses are adopting technologies ranging from soil mapping and drones to robotic milking systems and domestic agricultural software. For Vietnam, access to such technologies could complement its own strengths in intensive production and tropical agriculture. For Russia, Vietnamese expertise could help adapt agricultural technologies and production models to warmer climates and different farming environments. But turning that potential into commercial projects will not be straightforward. Ba pointed to several barriers, including the gap between cooperation plans and concrete projects, differences in natural conditions and technical standards, logistics and payment challenges, and quarantine requirements. The economics of the relationship also point to room for expansion. Bilateral agricultural trade has doubled over the past five years to about $1 billion annually, according to Ba, but investment in high technology remains relatively limited. That could signal the next stage of the relationship: moving from trading agricultural products and transferring existing technologies toward jointly developing new ones. For Vietnam and Russia, the bigger opportunity may therefore lie not simply in importing technology, but in combining research capabilities, agricultural know-how and local market knowledge to develop solutions suited to specific production environments. A shift toward joint research, co-development and technology localisation could give both countries a stronger position as agriculture becomes increasingly shaped by data, automation and artificial intelligence. If that transition takes hold, Vietnam-Russia agricultural cooperation could evolve from a conventional trade relationship into a more technology-led partnership—linking Russia’s scientific and engineering capabilities with Vietnam’s experience in intensive and tropical agriculture. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4619/china-builds-national-biopesticide-evaluation-platform-as-industry-moves-toward-standardization.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4619/china-builds-national-biopesticide-evaluation-platform-as-industry-moves-toward-standardization.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:29:20 +0530 China is stepping up efforts to build the regulatory and technical infrastructure needed to commercialize the next generation of crop-protection products, with the establishment of a national biopesticide evaluation center at the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The National Biopesticide Evaluation Center has been established with a construction budget of 42.8 million yuan and is among the first national full-chain evaluation platforms for biopesticides in China. Only two facilities of this kind currently exist nationwide. The center is designed to connect the development of biopesticides with the testing, safety evaluation and registration processes required to bring them to market. Its scope will include microbial pesticides, RNA interference-based pesticides and botanical pesticides, creating a single platform spanning research and development through registration and application. “This marks a new stage of standardized and regulated development for China’s biopesticide industry,” the center’s director said. The investment comes as biopesticides gain importance in the global shift toward lower-impact crop protection. Unlike conventional chemical pesticides, biological products use microorganisms, RNA interference, plant-derived active ingredients and other biological mechanisms to control pests and diseases. Their potential to reduce environmental impact while maintaining crop protection has made them an increasingly important part of agricultural innovation strategies. For China, the push is also closely tied to food security and efforts to reduce agricultural pollution. Government policies, including the 14th Five-Year Plan for Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization, have identified biopesticide research, development and adoption as important tools for improving agricultural sustainability and controlling non-point source pollution. But the industry has faced a problem that cannot be solved by technology alone: standards and evaluation systems have not always kept pace with the products being developed. China’s existing pesticide evaluation framework has historically been designed around chemical pesticides. That creates challenges for products whose modes of action and biological characteristics are fundamentally different, particularly microbial and RNAi-based pesticides. Industry experts have pointed to gaps in product quality standards and safety evaluation criteria, along with concerns around inconsistent product quality and efficacy. For companies attempting to commercialize new biological crop-protection technologies, those gaps can add uncertainty to development, registration and market entry. The new national platform is intended to address that bottleneck. Its operating model is built around a continuous cycle in which research supports evaluation, evaluation supports application, and real-world application feeds information back into research and development. Five functional laboratories will support the platform, covering product chemistry evaluation, efficacy evaluation, environmental safety evaluation, toxicological evaluation and crop safety evaluation. The center is also introducing three quality-management systems—CMA, CATL and GLP—to strengthen the reliability and credibility of its testing and evaluation work. “This will ensure the authority and international mutual recognition of evaluation data,” the center’s director said. That capability could become increasingly important as Chinese developers seek not only domestic approvals but also greater acceptance of their biological crop-protection products in international markets. Rather than focusing solely on final-stage pesticide testing, the platform will cover a wider range of activities. These include identification of strain resources, high-throughput screening of active ingredients, analysis of mechanisms of action, safety assessments and guidance on registration applications. The objective is effectively to create a one-stop pathway for biopesticide developers seeking to move products from laboratory research toward commercial deployment. That model reflects a broader change in how the biological crop-protection sector is developing. As more companies and research institutions move into microbial technologies, RNA-based crop protection and botanical actives, the competitive challenge is shifting from discovering new biological solutions to demonstrating that they can deliver consistent efficacy, safety and quality under regulatory scrutiny. Regarding China, building a standardized evaluation infrastructure could help reduce that gap. The center will operate with product research and development as its driving force, evaluation services as its support system and industrial application as its ultimate objective. Its mandate includes filling gaps in the existing evaluation standards, integrating research, testing and commercialization, and aligning China’s evaluation capabilities with international technologies and practices. The investment also signals that biopesticides are moving beyond the role of niche alternatives to conventional chemistry. As governments tighten environmental requirements and growers face growing pressure to manage resistance and reduce chemical inputs, biological crop protection is becoming an increasingly strategic segment of the agricultural input market. Yet the sector’s expansion will depend on more than scientific breakthroughs. Developers need predictable regulatory pathways, reliable testing methodologies, consistent manufacturing standards and data that customers and regulators can trust. China’s new national evaluation center is designed to provide precisely that infrastructure. If successful, the platform could help shorten the path between biological discovery and commercial application while giving regulators a more appropriate framework for evaluating technologies that do not fit neatly into conventional chemical-pesticide models.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4618/turtletree-turns-fda-cleared-lactoferrin-into-a-scale-up-bet-with-novonesis.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4618/turtletree-turns-fda-cleared-lactoferrin-into-a-scale-up-bet-with-novonesis.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:55:57 +0530 The precision fermentation industry is entering a new phase. After years of proving that valuable food proteins can be produced without animals, the bigger challenge is now making those ingredients at the scale, cost and consistency required by global food and nutrition companies. That is where Novonesis and TurtleTree are placing their latest bet. Novonesis has agreed to exclusively scale, manufacture and commercialize TurtleTree’s precision-fermented lactoferrin, LF+, giving the Singapore-based biotechnology company access to industrial manufacturing capacity and Novonesis’ global commercial network. The partnership is accompanied by a strategic investment from Novonesis and participation from 321Catalyst Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of Mitsui Chemicals. For TurtleTree, the agreement represents a major step beyond regulatory validation. The company became the first producer to receive an FDA GRAS “No Objection Letter” for precision-fermented lactoferrin, removing one of the most important regulatory hurdles to commercial adoption in the US. The next challenge is considerably more operational: producing enough of the ingredient, at an economically competitive cost, to serve customers at scale. Novonesis will take responsibility for scaling, manufacturing and commercializing LF+ for the early life nutrition market, while the companies also see applications in selected dietary supplements. The partnership brings together TurtleTree’s fermentation technology with Novonesis’ manufacturing infrastructure and commercial reach. For Novonesis, the deal expands a Human Health Biosolutions portfolio that already includes human milk oligosaccharides, probiotics and synbiotics. For TurtleTree, it provides a route to address one of the biggest constraints facing emerging precision-fermentation businesses: moving from a technically successful product to dependable industrial supply. TurtleTree was originally founded with ambitions around cell-cultured milk before narrowing its strategy toward high-value functional dairy proteins that could be produced through precision fermentation. Lactoferrin became its lead product as the company focused on an ingredient where demand has consistently outstripped the ability of conventional dairy production to supply it. Naturally present in both human and bovine milk, lactoferrin is associated with immune function, iron regulation and gut health. Those properties have made it an important ingredient in infant formula, dietary supplements, women's health products and medical nutrition. The problem is supply. Lactoferrin occurs naturally in milk only in relatively small quantities, requiring manufacturers to process large volumes of raw dairy to recover the protein. The economics of that process, combined with growing demand, have made lactoferrin one of the highest-value dairy ingredients, with prices reaching around US$1,000 per kilogram. Precision fermentation offers a fundamentally different production model. Instead of extracting lactoferrin from milk, companies can use microorganisms as production systems to manufacture the target protein. The attraction is not simply that the resulting ingredient does not require cows. The larger commercial opportunity lies in creating a more predictable and potentially scalable supply of a protein whose availability is constrained by conventional production. “Our aim is to make lactoferrin more accessible and cost-competitive and showcase what is achievable with precision fermentation in early life nutrition and dietary supplements,” Thomas Stenfeldt Batchelor, Senior Vice President for Early Life and Specialized Nutrition at Novonesis, said. “If successfully scaled, this will enable customers to deliver proven health benefits to consumers more efficiently.” He added that LF+ fits into Novonesis’ broader portfolio of precision fermentation projects and specialized nutrition ingredients. The partnership follows a series of regulatory milestones that have steadily moved TurtleTree closer to commercial deployment. In May 2025, TurtleTree became the first company to receive an FDA GRAS “No Objection Letter” for precision-fermented lactoferrin after the US Food and Drug Administration reviewed its safety dossier and raised no questions about the company’s conclusion that LF+ is Generally Recognized as Safe. The decision opened the US market to the ingredient across human food applications, with infant nutrition representing one of the most significant potential markets because of lactoferrin’s role in areas including iron absorption, immune development and gut health. For TurtleTree founder and CEO Fengru Lin, however, regulatory approval was never the endpoint. Instead, regulatory readiness became part of the company’s broader commercial strategy. “Regulatory competence is a meaningful advantage in precision fermentation because it is what allows science to translate into commercial adoption,” Lin said earlier this year. “Many companies can produce a protein in the lab, but far fewer can build the data package and operating systems that customers and regulators are comfortable with.” That approach has meant incorporating regulatory expectations into experimental design and manufacturing processes rather than treating regulatory work as a final step after product development. The strategy now appears to be paying off in a different form: industrial partnership. Reflecting on the Novonesis announcement, Lin highlighted the change in TurtleTree’s position over the past five years. What began as a small team attempting to persuade the market that lactoferrin could be produced without cows has evolved into a partnership with one of the largest companies in the biosolutions industry. “This partnership is about doing the hard work required to make the unique benefits of lactoferrin truly usable at scale,” Lin said. “Not just technically, but economically available for all.” The distinction is important for an industry that has attracted substantial attention but continues to face a difficult commercial reality. Producing a complex protein in a laboratory or pilot facility is one challenge. Establishing a manufacturing process that delivers consistent quality and competitive economics at industrial volumes is another. The Novonesis agreement effectively divides those capabilities between two companies. TurtleTree brings the precision fermentation technology and product development experience around LF+, while Novonesis contributes industrial-scale manufacturing capabilities and established routes to market. That model reflects a broader shift taking place across precision fermentation. The industry's early years were dominated by questions about whether microorganisms could be engineered to produce proteins traditionally obtained from animals or plants. Increasingly, investors and customers are asking a different set of questions: Can those proteins be manufactured reliably? Can the economics compete with established ingredients? Can companies supply global customers without building every part of the infrastructure themselves? For TurtleTree, the partnership directly addresses those questions. The company has already begun building commercial applications around LF+, including its IronKind supplement, which combines lactoferrin with a prebiotic and is designed to support iron absorption while reducing some gastrointestinal side effects associated with conventional iron supplementation. But the larger opportunity is the ingredient itself. The global lactoferrin market is estimated at around US$300 million, supported by demand from infant nutrition, immune health, medical nutrition and functional food applications. Despite that demand, most commercial lactoferrin continues to come from dairy. That leaves the market exposed to the limits of milk supply and the relatively inefficient economics of recovering a high-value protein from a complex biological source. TurtleTree is not alone in attempting to change that equation. Companies including Australia’s All G and South Africa’s De Novo Foodlabs are developing precision-fermented lactoferrin, creating a new competitive field around an ingredient that has historically been tied closely to the dairy supply chain. TurtleTree’s regulatory lead, however, gives it a significant commercial milestone to build on. Its FDA clearance means the company has already crossed a barrier that can delay commercialization for emerging food biotechnology companies. The Novonesis partnership addresses the next one. For Novonesis, the deal also fits a broader strategy of expanding biosolutions into human health and nutrition while leveraging its expertise in fermentation and biological production. The company was formed through the merger of Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, bringing together businesses with long histories in enzymes, microorganisms and specialized biological solutions. The commercial logic is therefore broader than a single lactoferrin product. If LF+ can be scaled successfully, the partnership could demonstrate how established industrial biotechnology companies and specialized precision-fermentation startups can divide the risks and capabilities required to bring novel ingredients into mainstream markets. Lin has previously described execution as the next competitive frontier for precision fermentation, with TurtleTree focusing on manufacturing scale, customer launches, clinical work and broader applications. The Novonesis deal puts that strategy into practice. For TurtleTree, the immediate objective is straightforward: turn a regulatory breakthrough and proprietary fermentation technology into a reliable commercial supply of lactoferrin. For Novonesis, the opportunity is to use its manufacturing and market infrastructure to help unlock a specialty nutrition ingredient whose potential has been limited more by supply and economics than by consumer demand. That makes the agreement significant beyond LF+ itself. It is a test of whether precision fermentation can move from an alternative production technology into a commercially competitive manufacturing platform for high-value nutrition ingredients.     ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4617/dyadic-expands-non-animal-dairy-pipeline-with-new-strategic-development-agreement.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4617/dyadic-expands-non-animal-dairy-pipeline-with-new-strategic-development-agreement.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:48:24 +0530 Dyadic International is expanding its presence in the emerging non-animal dairy market through a new development and commercial license agreement with a European biotechnology company, adding another precision-fermented dairy protein program to a portfolio that already includes recombinant chymosin and alpha-lactalbumin. The Florida-based biotechnology company said the agreement will broaden its food and nutrition pipeline while creating additional opportunities for revenue through development payments, licensing and commercial participation. Financial terms were not disclosed. The deal is the latest example of Dyadic’s strategy of using its proprietary Dapibus precision fermentation platform to develop recombinant proteins for commercial partners rather than relying solely on internally developed products. Under the agreement, the European biotechnology partner will work with Dyadic on additional precision-fermented dairy proteins. The program will move through strain optimization, process development and commercial scale-up, with Dyadic eligible for development and commercial payments, licensing-related revenues and other economic participation if the products reach the market. “This agreement represents another important step in expanding Dyadic’s commercial food and nutrition pipeline,” said Joe Hazelton, president and chief operating officer of Dyadic Applied BioSolutions. The company’s approach reflects a broader shift in the alternative protein industry. Precision fermentation is increasingly being used to produce individual proteins found in conventional dairy without relying on cows as the production source. For food manufacturers, the technology offers a potential way to reproduce specific functions associated with dairy proteins, including texture, processing performance and nutritional characteristics. Dyadic already has commercial and development relationships covering several dairy proteins. Its portfolio includes recombinant bovine chymosin, which is being commercialized through its partnership with Inzymes ApS, and recombinant bovine alpha-lactalbumin, which is under development with BRIG BIO. The new agreement gives Dyadic another opportunity to apply the same underlying fermentation platform to a different protein and market application. Dapibus is designed to produce recombinant food proteins and enzymes through microbial fermentation. By using established fermentation processes and industrial infrastructure, Dyadic is seeking to shorten development timelines and provide a route to larger-scale manufacturing without building a separate production system for every protein. That scalability is becoming increasingly important as precision fermentation companies move beyond laboratory demonstrations toward commercial production. The technology’s long-term economics will depend not only on whether individual proteins can be produced successfully, but also on fermentation yields, downstream processing costs, manufacturing capacity and the ability to secure customers at commercially viable prices. For Dyadic, partnerships provide a way to share those commercialization risks while maintaining potential participation in future product revenues. “Together with the commercialization of recombinant bovine chymosin through our partnership with Inzymes ApS and our ongoing bovine alpha-lactalbumin collaboration with BRIG BIO, we are building a diversified pipeline of precision-fermented dairy proteins and enzymes,” Hazelton said. The company is targeting applications across food and nutrition, including ingredients designed to improve functionality, texture and nutritional performance. Its broader pipeline spans dairy processing as well as higher-value nutrition applications. The new agreement also highlights the potential for precision fermentation platforms to become multi-product businesses. Rather than depending on a single flagship ingredient, companies such as Dyadic are attempting to build platforms that can be adapted to produce multiple proteins for different customers and end markets. For Dyadic, that model could create several potential sources of revenue, ranging from upfront development payments and licensing income to commercial manufacturing and product-related revenues. The company is also applying its recombinant protein technology beyond food and nutrition, with programs spanning bioindustrial and biopharmaceutical applications. That diversification is intended to reduce reliance on any single market while increasing the commercial value of its underlying microbial expression technology. The immediate focus of the new dairy program will be technical development and scale-up. Whether the agreement ultimately becomes a meaningful commercial revenue stream will depend on the successful development of the protein, regulatory requirements, manufacturing economics and market adoption. Still, the expansion gives Dyadic another foothold in a market where food manufacturers are looking for ways to reproduce the functionality of conventional dairy ingredients without depending entirely on traditional animal-based supply chains. As precision fermentation moves deeper into commercial food production, the competitive question is increasingly shifting from whether the technology works to who can produce the right proteins at the right cost and scale. Dyadic is positioning its Dapibus platform around that next stage of the market. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4611/reservoir-announces-10-mn-multi-year-partnership-with-john-deere-to-accelerate-rugged-ai-for-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4611/reservoir-announces-10-mn-multi-year-partnership-with-john-deere-to-accelerate-rugged-ai-for-agriculture.html Mon, 07 Sep 2026 13:25:40 +0530 At its inaugural Ruggedize conference, Reservoir announced a $10 million, three-year R&D partnership with John Deere to accelerate real-world development and commercialization of rugged AI technologies for high-value crop agriculture. The partnership builds on a relationship that began when Reservoir was founded in 2024 and reflects Deere’s commitment to an innovation ecosystem that moves faster from prototype to grower impact. “John Deere is committed to helping high-value crop growers do more with less, and that requires strong innovation built in the field, not just in the lab,” said Jason Brantley, vice president of production systems, small ag & turf at John Deere. “Real-world validation is a key part of Deere’s mission and helps ensure new solutions are addressing real challenges farmers are facing. Automation on the farm is addressing the immediate labor and efficiency needs of the industry, and Reservoir is also helping explore what innovations come next across data, connectivity and other emerging agtech solutions.” The partnership helps Reservoir broaden access to its on-farm technical community by subsidizing startup participation and lowering barriers for founders entering the ecosystem. It will also expand opportunities for innovation in rural communities by connecting entrepreneurs and deep-tech engineers more directly with growers, farm operations and industry partners across California, Arizona and soon other key agricultural regions. Since opening its Salinas and Sonoma sites in spring of 2026, Reservoir Farms has already welcomed more than 20 startups, underscoring early traction for its field-based model. “We’ve been able to manifest our vision for Reservoir thanks in no small part to the generous partnership of John Deere,” said Danny Bernstein, CEO of Reservoir. “This multi-year commitment gives startups greater access to the infrastructure, field conditions and strategic relationships they need to prove the value of rugged AI for commercial agriculture faster.” Earlier this year, Western Growers announced its own three-year commitment to Reservoir. Together, the Deere and Western Growers commitments give Reservoir the strategic backing and grower relationships needed to advance its field-based model for rugged AI innovation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4583/gansus-lantian-58-and-lantian-48-set-new-bar-for-high-yield-wheat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4583/gansus-lantian-58-and-lantian-48-set-new-bar-for-high-yield-wheat.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:10:21 +0530 China’s wheat-breeding efforts are gaining a new benchmark from Gansu province, where two Lantian varieties have been recognised among the country’s 2026 typical high-yield agricultural cases. Lantian 58 and Lantian 48, developed by the Wheat Research Institute of the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, were selected by the National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center for their performance in demonstration plots during the 2026 summer harvest. The recognition highlights the potential of improved wheat genetics to lift productivity in challenging production environments, particularly when new varieties are combined with agronomic practices tailored to local growing conditions. The selection was announced on August 17, 2026, as part of a national programme showcasing agricultural technicians and production models that have contributed to higher yields in wheat and rapeseed. Lantian 58 delivered an average measured yield of 7,686.15 kg per hectare in a 2.10-hectare assessment area within a 16.33-hectare demonstration plot in Taiping Town, Jingchuan County, Pingliang City. Performance at the core plot was considerably higher. Across 0.2483 hectares, Lantian 58 produced an average yield of 9,457.95 kg per hectare, demonstrating the variety’s potential under high-performing field conditions. Lantian 48 also produced a strong result. In a 1.37-hectare measured area within a 10-hectare demonstration plot in Wangchuan Town, Qinzhou District, the variety achieved an average yield of 9,085.5 kg per hectare. The results are significant because they demonstrate that yield gains in wheat can come from the interaction between crop genetics and farm management rather than from variety selection alone. Experts from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have highlighted the strong yield potential of the two varieties and indicated that broader adoption could help raise overall wheat productivity across the region. For Gansu, the recognition provides validation for a broader agricultural development strategy built around combining better seed genetics with appropriate cultivation techniques. The Lantian series was recognised not simply for its genetic potential but also as evidence of an integrated model linking high-performing varieties with improved agronomic practices. The approach is increasingly relevant as wheat producers face pressure to raise yields while managing environmental and climatic constraints. The provincial academy plans to continue breeding wheat varieties with stronger resistance to production stresses and higher yield potential. It also intends to accelerate the demonstration and adoption of technologies that match varieties with appropriate agronomic systems. That focus on variety-agronomy matching could prove important for translating isolated high-yield demonstrations into broader productivity gains. A high-performing variety may not deliver the same results across different soil, climate and management conditions, making local testing and agronomic adaptation essential to commercial-scale adoption. The latest results also reinforce the strategic importance of seed quality for China's grain production system. By combining breeding programmes, demonstration farms and technology extension, agricultural authorities can shorten the path between research breakthroughs and field-level adoption. For Gansu, the immediate objective is to build on the Lantian varieties' performance and strengthen the foundation for future summer grain production. Continued investment in stress-tolerant and high-yield wheat genetics could help the province improve productivity while responding to the challenges associated with its growing environment. The Lantian results offer a broader lesson for China's wheat industry: genetic improvement delivers its greatest value when it is matched with the right agronomic system. With Lantian 58 and Lantian 48 now recognised at the national level, Gansu has a stronger platform from which to expand demonstrations, refine cultivation practices and move high-performing wheat genetics into wider production. The challenge ahead will be turning demonstration-plot performance into consistent, large-scale farm results. If that transition can be achieved, the Lantian programme could become an important contributor to regional wheat productivity and China's broader drive to strengthen grain production through improved varieties and more effective agricultural technology. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4584/jilin-links-seed-innovation-with-smart-farming-in-second-breeding-push.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4584/jilin-links-seed-innovation-with-smart-farming-in-second-breeding-push.html Tue, 01 Sep 2026 17:20:35 +0530 Jilin Province is stepping up its push to modernise its seed industry, launching a second round of targeted breeding projects as China places greater emphasis on improving crop genetics and strengthening the foundation of its food-production system. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jilin Province, working with the Department of Science and Technology of Jilin Province, launched the second batch of modern seed industry concentrated breakthrough projects on August 19, 2026. The initiative follows the first round of projects launched in 2025 and is designed to accelerate the development of varieties considered strategically important to agricultural production. The latest programme focuses on corn, rice, soybean and sorghum, covering four major research themes and multiple technical directions. The programme is intended to move promising breeding work from research institutions into practical agricultural production, with greater emphasis on varieties that respond directly to production needs. Jilin's strategy reflects a broader shift in agricultural breeding: developing varieties is no longer being treated solely as a research exercise. Provincial authorities are pushing researchers, universities and companies to connect breeding objectives more closely with what farmers and the food-production system actually require. The first batch of Jilin's concentrated projects began in 2025, targeting major varieties of corn, rice, soybean and edible fungi. The programme covered four topics and eight research directions and has already produced early results. Among those results are JD9625 and Jinongyu 1986, two corn varieties bred for characteristics including tolerance to dense planting, resistance to lodging and higher yield potential. Regional trials showed that the varieties delivered yield increases of more than 10% compared with control varieties. The performance provides an early indication of what Jilin hopes its expanded breeding programme can achieve: varieties designed around the realities of commercial farming rather than developed in isolation from production conditions. The second wave builds on that foundation while expanding the crop portfolio to include sorghum alongside corn, rice and soybean. At the launch meeting, project teams presented their research objectives, technical approaches and progress, while the teams leading the new projects outlined their research foundations and collaborative pathways. A central message from the provincial authorities was that variety development must become more closely aligned with demand. Jilin wants the evaluation of new varieties to move beyond an approach centred primarily on whether a variety can be successfully bred or approved and toward whether it can deliver measurable value in actual agricultural production. That means breeding programmes will increasingly be expected to address the needs of farmers, production systems and markets from the outset. The province is also calling for deeper cooperation across the agricultural value chain. Research organisations, universities and enterprises are being encouraged to work together, while intelligent breeding design is being promoted as part of a more integrated innovation system. The emphasis on intelligent breeding is particularly significant as agricultural research becomes increasingly data-driven. Combining breeding science with advanced analytical and design tools could shorten development cycles and allow researchers to identify desirable characteristics with greater precision. But Jilin's programme is not stopping at genetics. The province is also pushing for a stronger connection between improved varieties and the conditions required to maximise their performance in the field. Authorities have called for demonstration and promotion systems that bring together better farmland, better varieties, better machinery and better agronomic practices. The objective is to identify high-yield production models that can be replicated and expanded across suitable agricultural areas. That integrated approach addresses one of the biggest challenges in agricultural innovation: a superior seed does not automatically translate into higher farm productivity. Yield depends on how genetics interact with soil, weather, machinery, planting density, crop management and other production variables. By combining variety development with field demonstrations and appropriate farming systems, Jilin is seeking to close the gap between laboratory performance and commercial results. The province is placing considerable responsibility on the organisations leading the projects. Project leaders and lead institutions have been identified as the primary parties responsible for delivery, with authorities calling for tighter management throughout the project cycle and more disciplined use of public funding. The programme also reflects the strategic role assigned to seed technology in China's food-security agenda. Seed genetics sit at the beginning of the agricultural production chain. Improvements in yield, resistance and adaptation can influence output across millions of hectares, making breeding programmes a relatively powerful lever for improving productivity without requiring a proportional expansion of cultivated land. For Jilin, that makes the development of urgently needed crop varieties more than a scientific objective. It is part of the province's contribution to China's broader effort to strengthen domestic agricultural production and secure reliable seed supplies. The province's latest programme therefore combines three priorities: faster breeding innovation, closer cooperation across the agricultural industry and stronger field-level adoption. If successful, the strategy could help Jilin turn individual breeding breakthroughs into scalable production systems. The early performance of JD9625 and Jinongyu 1986 provides one indication of that potential, while the second batch expands the programme into a broader set of strategic crops. The next challenge will be execution. Turning research progress into varieties that farmers widely adopt requires more than technical breakthroughs. It requires field validation, competitive economics, reliable seed multiplication, suitable machinery and agronomic support. Jilin's decision to build those elements into the breeding programme from the beginning suggests that the province is attempting to redefine what success in seed innovation means. Rather than measuring progress only by the number of varieties developed, the programme is increasingly focused on whether those varieties can raise productivity, meet production demand and strengthen the resilience of the agricultural system. As the second wave of projects gets underway, Jilin is betting that the next generation of agricultural gains will come not from seed technology alone, but from connecting better genetics with the full production system around them. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4555/egypt-seeks-to-convert-sugar-industry-waste-into-export-grade-bioethanol.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4555/egypt-seeks-to-convert-sugar-industry-waste-into-export-grade-bioethanol.html Thu, 27 Aug 2026 18:45:03 +0530 Egypt is moving to accelerate the development of a second-generation bioethanol project that will convert sugarcane bagasse into fuel, as the government seeks to turn an agricultural byproduct into a higher-value source of energy while opening a new export opportunity to Europe. The project, estimated at $278 million, is entering a more advanced preparation phase, with project partners working on a long-term commercial framework, a proposed joint venture and the financing structure needed to move toward execution. A key element of the plan is a proposed 10-year offtake agreement between Proger Egypt and Ecofuel, a subsidiary of Eni, which would provide a long-term sales channel for the bioethanol produced by the facility. The arrangement could allow procurement volumes to increase in the future, depending on market conditions and project requirements. The planned offtake agreement is designed to give the project greater visibility on future revenues by securing a stable market for its output. The bioethanol is expected to be targeted primarily at the European market, creating an export-oriented business model around waste generated by Egypt's sugar industry. Proposed Joint Venture to Drive Project Execution The companies involved are also considering the formation of a joint venture between the Sugar and Integrated Industries Company, Proger Egypt and Drexel. The proposed entity would take responsibility for completing the project's final feasibility study and beginning discussions with potential investors. The partners are expected to work toward finalising the investment structure and securing the capital required for implementation. Legal procedures associated with the proposed cooperation framework and creation of the new company are currently being coordinated with legal advisers to Egypt's Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade. Egyptian Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Sherif Farouk has called for the technical, financial and legal work to be accelerated. The government is also seeking a detailed implementation roadmap that establishes project timelines, funding sources and the proposed cooperation structure. The objective is to move the project beyond its preparatory stage and into actual execution. Turning Sugarcane Waste Into Fuel The project will employ fermentation technology to convert sugarcane bagasse into second-generation bioethanol. Unlike conventional first-generation biofuels, which are generally produced from food-based crops, second-generation ethanol uses lignocellulosic material such as agricultural and industrial residues. Drexel Project Manager Sherif Mohamed Ibrahim said the technology would enable the project to extract additional value from waste generated during sugar production while helping reduce carbon emissions. The model effectively links two objectives: improving the utilisation of sugar-industry residues and producing a renewable fuel suitable for international markets. Ibrahim said the resulting bioethanol would be exported to Europe, positioning the project not only as a domestic waste-to-value initiative but also as part of Egypt's broader participation in the international low-carbon fuels market. State Assets and Private-Sector Expertise The proposed partnership is intended to combine the existing resource base of the state-owned Sugar and Integrated Industries Company with the project-development and implementation capabilities of private-sector partners. This structure could provide the project with access to an established source of sugarcane processing residues while allowing specialised companies to contribute technology, project execution expertise, commercial development and investor access. The availability of a long-term offtake arrangement could also strengthen the project's investment proposition by providing greater certainty around the eventual market for its production. For Egypt's sugar industry, the project represents a potential shift in how bagasse is valued—not simply as a byproduct of sugar processing, but as a feedstock for advanced biofuels with potential export value. From Feasibility to Financing The immediate priority is to complete the remaining technical, financial and legal assessments and establish a clear pathway for investment. The proposed joint venture is expected to play a central role in this transition. Once the feasibility work and investment structure are finalised, the partners will need to secure financing and establish the project execution framework. The 10-year offtake proposal with Ecofuel is expected to form an important component of the project's commercial architecture. If implemented as planned, the facility could create a new revenue stream from sugarcane-processing waste while supporting Egypt's ambitions in renewable fuels and providing an additional source of low-carbon ethanol for European markets. The project therefore sits at the intersection of sugar processing, circular economy, biofuels and international clean-energy trade, with its next major milestone being the transition from project preparation to investment and construction. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4543/4-94-mn-heatsmart-cassava-project-takes-on-warming-world.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4543/4-94-mn-heatsmart-cassava-project-takes-on-warming-world.html Wed, 26 Aug 2026 13:26:49 +0530 As rising temperatures place growing pressure on global food systems, Lancaster University and the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center are joining forces to strengthen one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most important food crops against heat stress. Backed by a $4,937,793 grant from the Gates Foundation, the four-year HeatSmart Cassava project will explore whether a heat-stable version of a key photosynthetic protein can help cassava maintain productivity as temperatures rise and heatwaves become more frequent. Cassava supports the food security and livelihoods of an estimated 800 million people worldwide and is particularly important to smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa. The crop is valued for its ability to produce under marginal soil conditions and intermittent drought, but higher temperatures can sharply reduce photosynthesis and threaten yields. The challenge becomes even more severe when heat and drought occur together. At the centre of the project is Rubisco activase, a protein essential to keeping the photosynthetic machinery of plants functioning efficiently. Under high temperatures, the protein can lose its effectiveness, creating a bottleneck that limits the plant’s ability to capture carbon dioxide and convert sunlight into the energy needed for growth. HeatSmart Cassava will build on earlier machine-learning and protein-engineering research that identified versions of cassava Rubisco activase capable of remaining stable under laboratory conditions. The next phase will move the work into living plants, with researchers introducing promising modifications into cassava and testing how the plants perform under heat and combined heat-and-drought stress. The project will assess whether engineered cassava can maintain photosynthetic efficiency, Rubisco activation and yield at higher temperatures without compromising performance under normal growing conditions. The research will also determine whether improving Rubisco activase alone is enough to build heat resilience or whether it must be combined with other traits. The Lancaster University team is led by Professor of Crop Physiology Elizabete Carmo-Silva, alongside Dr Clay Dilks, Dr Marjorie Lundgren and Professor Ian Dodd. The Danforth Center team is led by principal investigator Dr Getu Duguma, with Dr Nigel Taylor, Vice President for Impact and Dorothy J. King Distinguished Investigator, serving as co-principal investigator. “For the past decade we have been researching photosynthetic thermotolerance in crops to protect yields when plants experience heatwaves,” Carmo-Silva said. “We are excited to partner with colleagues at the Danforth Centre to translate our findings into such an important sub-Saharan food crop.” The partnership combines Lancaster University’s expertise in photosynthesis, plant physiology and protein engineering with the Danforth Center’s capabilities in cassava biotechnology, gene editing and plant transformation. “For millions of families, cassava is more than a crop—it is a safeguard against hunger when conditions are difficult,” said Duguma. The project, he added, offers an opportunity to strengthen one of the crop’s most heat-sensitive processes and determine whether the intervention can help cassava continue producing efficiently as temperatures climb. Beyond its scientific objectives, HeatSmart Cassava reflects a wider effort to apply advanced plant science to crops central to food security in climate-vulnerable regions. Under the Gates Foundation’s Global Access policy, the researchers will publish their findings through open-access channels, deposit engineered sequences in public databases and make project materials available in line with global access principles. “A warming climate is already changing the conditions in which farmers must grow the food their families and communities depend on,” said Danforth Center President Dr Giles Oldroyd. “HeatSmart Cassava reflects the heart of the Danforth Center mission: bringing leading-edge plant science to bear on urgent challenges and helping build a more food-secure future for all.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4494/jiangxi-biotech-firms-engineered-egg-lysozyme-receives-official-new-pesticide-common-name.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4494/jiangxi-biotech-firms-engineered-egg-lysozyme-receives-official-new-pesticide-common-name.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 14:15:43 +0530 Jiangxi Yuansheng Chuanghe Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has secured an official new pesticide common name designation for its independently developed egg lysozyme active ingredient, marking a step forward for China’s emerging enzyme-protein biopesticide sector. The active substance, developed through genetic site-directed modification, has been designated by the Institute for the Control of Agrochemicals, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. Its chemical identity is N-acetylmuramoylhydrolase, with CAS Registry Number 12650-88-3. The company said its R&D team used 18S rRNA gene sequencing and site-directed genetic modification to alter the protein’s three-dimensional structure and address limitations associated with natural lysozyme, including temperature sensitivity, limited systemic movement within plants and short field persistence. According to the company, the resulting engineered egg lysozyme demonstrates enhanced targeted lysis against two major citrus bacterial diseases and has also shown activity across a broader range of crop disease and stress-management applications. A protein-based approach to pathogen control Lysozyme functions as a molecular tool that targets peptidoglycan, a key structural component of bacterial cell walls. By hydrolysing the peptidoglycan network, the enzyme disrupts cell-wall integrity and can ultimately cause bacterial cells to lyse through osmotic pressure. The company said its engineered egg lysozyme is designed to provide a broader biological activity profile than conventional lysozyme. In addition to its reported antibacterial activity, the technology is being evaluated for effects against fungal spores and mycelial structures. For bacterial diseases, the company said the enzyme can directly attack bacterial cell walls and offers a biological mode of action that differs from conventional chemical bactericides. It also claims strong systemic movement within crops, including the ability to reach vascular tissues and disease sites that may be difficult to access through conventional contact treatments. The technology is being evaluated particularly for citrus Huanglongbing and citrus canker, two major disease challenges for citrus production. The company also reported applications in soil-borne fungal diseases. In cotton affected by Fusarium and Verticillium wilt, the product is being evaluated for root absorption and movement through plant vascular systems. According to the company, the technology may help inhibit pathogen development while supporting recovery of damaged vascular systems and improving water and nutrient transport. Beyond disease control Yuansheng Chuanghe said the technology is also being developed as a multifunctional biological input with potential biostimulant properties. The company reports that egg lysozyme can activate crop antioxidant enzyme systems and help plants recover from stresses associated with pesticide phytotoxicity, fertilizer injury and continuous cropping. It is also being evaluated for effects on photosynthetic efficiency, nutrient accumulation, crop growth, quality and yield. This positions the technology beyond the conventional model of pesticides designed primarily around pathogen suppression. The company describes the approach as a functional framework combining protein stimulation, immune activation and metabolic regulation. The company said the agricultural-grade egg lysozyme differs from conventional food-grade lysozyme. It is being developed as a multifunctional biological protein pesticide using synthetic-biology-based gene reconstruction and high-density fermentation and purification technologies. Field trials expand across crops The company has entered aqueous solution, soluble powder and oil-based suspension formulations into field trials supporting pesticide registration. Demonstration programmes are being conducted for citrus Huanglongbing and canker, while trials targeting cotton Fusarium and Verticillium wilt are being conducted in severely affected areas. Broader demonstrations focused on crop quality and yield improvement are also being carried out across different agricultural regions. According to Yuansheng Chuanghe, the technology is being evaluated across grain, oilseed, fruit, vegetable and other economic crops, with the objective of combining disease management with crop growth and quality benefits. The company expects the product series to be launched nationally in 2028, subject to completion of registration and related regulatory requirements. The official common-name designation represents an important regulatory milestone for the technology and could help advance the commercial development of enzyme-based biological crop-protection products in China. More broadly, the programme reflects growing interest in engineered proteins, synthetic biology and biological mechanisms as potential tools for developing alternatives and complements to conventional chemical pesticides. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4493/chinese-researchers-develop-spore-free-bt-chassis-and-structure-guided-insecticidal-protein-discovery-platform.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4493/chinese-researchers-develop-spore-free-bt-chassis-and-structure-guided-insecticidal-protein-discovery-platform.html Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:52:55 +0530 Researchers at the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, have developed a novel Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) expression chassis that could help advance the next generation of protein-based biopesticides while opening a new pathway for discovering insecticidal proteins from non-traditional biological sources. The research, published in Trends in Biotechnology under the title “A Bacillus thuringiensis AcdsR-based expression system for insecticidal proteins identified using AlphaFold3,” combines Bt chassis engineering with AlphaFold3-enabled protein structure prediction to address two longstanding challenges in microbial insecticide development: reducing the presence of live bacterial cells and spores in Bt products, and expanding the search for novel insecticidal proteins beyond conventional strain and sequence-based approaches. Bt is among the world's most widely used microbial insecticides. Its insecticidal activity is primarily associated with Cry and other insecticidal proteins. Conventional Bt formulations typically contain mixtures of spores and insecticidal crystal proteins. While this approach has established Bt as an important biological pest-control technology, the environmental release of live bacteria and spores can add complexity to product safety assessment and application management. The research team addressed this challenge by constructing a Bt expression chassis based on an AcdsR mutant. The engineered chassis separates insecticidal protein production from the bacterial sporulation process. It also incorporates a controllable cell-death mechanism that enables bacterial cells to be inactivated after production. As a result, the system can generate a chassis free of live bacteria and spores while maintaining high-level accumulation of insecticidal proteins. By screening strong promoters to drive insecticidal protein expression, the researchers enabled the cells to continuously produce and accumulate target proteins while remaining in a non-sporulating state. The resulting spore-free chassis could provide a platform for developing efficient, protein-based Bt biopesticides. Beyond improving the production architecture of microbial insecticides, the approach could potentially contribute to the development of new green crop-protection products with greater control over the biological components present in the final product. The study also tackles a second challenge: how to discover insecticidal proteins that are substantially different from known Bt proteins. Traditional insecticidal protein discovery has relied heavily on strain-resource screening, genome sequencing and sequence homology analysis. Although these approaches have successfully identified numerous insecticidal genes, they can be less effective when candidate proteins have substantial sequence divergence or originate from organisms outside conventional Bt resource pools. The Chinese research team instead used protein three-dimensional structure as the starting point. Using AlphaFold3, the researchers predicted protein structures and screened protein resources from diverse biological origins for candidates with structural characteristics resembling known insecticidal proteins. Candidate proteins were then subjected to heterologous expression and insecticidal activity testing using the AcdsR mutant Bt chassis. The results indicated that potential insecticidal proteins are distributed across a broad range of organisms, including plants, animals, fungi and bacteria. Several candidate proteins originating outside Bt were efficiently expressed in the AcdsR chassis and demonstrated insecticidal activity against agricultural pests. The findings establish a structure-driven discovery pathway that links structure prediction, candidate screening, heterologous expression and functional verification. In doing so, the research expands insecticidal protein mining from approaches primarily dependent on strain collections and sequence similarity toward a broader exploration of protein structural space. This could significantly widen the pool of genes available for agricultural biotechnology. Novel insecticidal proteins identified through such approaches could ultimately support the development of new biological crop-protection products as well as provide additional genetic resources for insect-resistant crop breeding. The Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, is the first affiliation on the study. Li Shiqing, a joint-training master's student at Northeast Agricultural University; Zhang Xin, a lecturer at Northeast Agricultural University; and Yan Tinglu, a doctoral student at the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, are the co-first authors. Professor Fan Dong of Northeast Agricultural University and Researcher Song Fuping of the Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, are the co-corresponding authors. The research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Innovation Project, the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Northeast Agricultural University Talent Introduction Research Start-up Fund, among other programmes. The study highlights how advances in protein structure prediction and microbial chassis engineering are beginning to converge with agricultural biotechnology. By combining a spore-free Bt production platform with structure-guided discovery, the research could provide a new foundation for identifying and developing insecticidal proteins with applications in sustainable crop protection and insect-resistant crop breeding. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4491/vietnam-pushes-climate-resilient-hybrid-maize-for-northern-highlands.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4491/vietnam-pushes-climate-resilient-hybrid-maize-for-northern-highlands.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:49:49 +0530 Vietnam is looking to accelerate the development of hybrid maize varieties adapted to the country’s Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region, where challenging terrain, climate risks, rain-dependent farming and limited mechanisation continue to constrain productivity and farmer incomes. The strategy was outlined by Dr Nguyen Xuan Thang, Director of the Maize Research Institute, during the 14th Asian Maize Conference in Chengdu, China. Held from August 14–18 under the theme “Advancing Scientific and Technological Innovation to Address Climate Change,” the conference brought together agricultural research institutions and experts to examine technology-led responses to climate and production challenges. For Vietnam, the focus is increasingly shifting from simply increasing maize yields to developing a complete production and value-chain model suited to the region’s diverse ecological conditions. Northern region holds major maize potential The Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region covers nearly 117,000 square kilometres, equivalent to about 35 per cent of Vietnam’s land area, and is home to more than 13 million people. The region is also central to Vietnam’s maize production. More than 406,000 hectares are planted with maize, representing approximately 45.8 per cent of the country’s total maize area and producing around 1.68 million tonnes. Yet the scale of production has not translated into comparable economic returns. A large share of maize cultivation remains dependent on rainfall, leaving farmers exposed to increasingly unpredictable weather patterns. Climate change is adding heat, drought and other stresses, while difficult terrain limits the adoption of conventional farm machinery. The region’s economic indicators also underline the challenge. In 2022, average GRDP per capita stood at VND63 million, compared with a national average of VND95.6 million, equivalent to approximately $4,110. These structural constraints have made it difficult to build a consistent, market-oriented maize industry capable of competing with imported maize and alternative higher-value crops. Breeding strategy shifts towards climate resilience The Maize Research Institute is advocating a breeding programme built around the ecological diversity and climate risks of the northern region. Rather than pursuing yield gains alone, the proposed approach would focus on developing hybrids with stronger tolerance to heat, drought and high-temperature conditions while maintaining productivity under intensive and difficult mountainous farming systems. The institute is targeting yields of 10–12 tonnes per hectare for intensive production and 5–7 tonnes per hectare under more challenging mountainous conditions. The breeding pipeline could also be expanded beyond conventional grain maize to include biomass and food-oriented varieties, creating opportunities to generate greater value from different segments of the maize supply chain. Research infrastructure becomes critical The proposed breeding strategy will require greater investment in scientific infrastructure and specialist skills. The Maize Research Institute has developed 108 officially recognised crop varieties, including 69 varieties that have received official or national recognition. Some of its varieties have been licensed to companies for between $150,000 and $300,000 per variety. Institute-developed genetics currently account for approximately 21.1 per cent of Vietnam’s hybrid maize seed market. To increase this contribution, the institute is calling for greater capacity in advanced breeding technologies, including gene technologies, molecular markers and cell-based technologies. Greater access to these tools could shorten breeding cycles, improve the precision of trait development and allow new varieties to be matched more closely with specific production environments. From one-size-fits-all to regional production systems A major component of the proposed strategy is the development of variety packages and production protocols tailored to individual climatic sub-regions. Such packages would integrate genetics with recommendations covering planting dates, land preparation, seeding rates, crop nutrition, crop management, harvesting and storage. This approach could help address one of the region’s key challenges: the wide variation in terrain and growing conditions across the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region. Improving plant density, nutrition management, harvest timing and post-harvest handling would also be important for raising productivity while reducing production losses and costs. Mechanisation could unlock productivity Mechanisation is another major pillar of the proposed transformation. The region’s complex terrain makes large-scale mechanisation difficult, but targeted machinery adapted to mountainous conditions could improve efficiency in harvesting, drying, processing and storage. Demonstrations at the Asian Maize Conference included compact and handheld harvesting equipment designed for challenging production environments. Expanding mechanisation beyond field preparation and planting into post-harvest operations could reduce labour requirements, minimise losses and improve the quality of maize entering the market. For farmers operating on fragmented or difficult terrain, appropriately scaled machinery may offer a more practical route to mechanisation than conventional large farm equipment. Irrigation and infrastructure remain bottlenecks Water availability is another major constraint. Approximately 80 per cent of maize-growing areas in the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region remain dependent on rainfall. Greater investment in reliable irrigation could therefore reduce exposure to drought and improve the consistency of production. Transport infrastructure is equally important. Better connections between production areas, input suppliers, processors and markets could reduce logistics costs and make maize production more commercially attractive. Investment in roads and rural logistics infrastructure would be particularly valuable in concentrated maize-growing zones where difficult terrain currently increases the cost of moving both agricultural inputs and harvested crops. Building the value chain around farmers The proposed transformation extends beyond genetics and farm technology. The Maize Research Institute is calling for stronger links between production areas, processors, buyers and distribution networks. Public-private partnerships could play a central role in developing large-scale processing facilities close to reliable raw-material supplies. Such integration could give farmers more predictable markets while allowing processors to secure consistent volumes and quality. A stronger commercial model would also require mechanisms for sharing both profits and risks between producers and businesses. Moving away from short-term transactions towards longer-term partnerships could provide greater stability for both sides. From maize production to maize economy Vietnam’s northern maize challenge is ultimately a value-chain problem as much as a productivity issue. Better genetics can raise yields, but without irrigation, mechanisation, storage, processing infrastructure and dependable market linkages, higher production may not translate into higher farm incomes. The strategy emerging from the Asian Maize Conference therefore combines climate-resilient breeding with location-specific agronomy, adapted machinery, improved water management and stronger commercial integration. For the Northern Midlands and Mountainous Region, the objective is not simply to produce more maize. It is to build a more resilient and competitive maize economy capable of generating greater value for farmers while adapting to increasingly difficult climate conditions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4482/inventure-cpmcrown-commercialise-simplester-for-global-biodiesel-market.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4482/inventure-cpmcrown-commercialise-simplester-for-global-biodiesel-market.html Mon, 17 Aug 2026 18:47:55 +0530 Inventure Renewables and CPM|Crown have entered into a global, non-exclusive partnership to commercialise Inventure’s SimplEster esterification technology for biodiesel producers, combining the catalyst-free process with CPM|Crown’s established sodium methylate biodiesel systems. The partnership is built around a commercial installation at Western Iowa Energy, LLC (WIE) in Wall Lake, Iowa, where SimplEster was commissioned in 2024 as the technology’s first US deployment. The installation has demonstrated the ability to expand processing capacity while converting lower-value fatty acid streams into finished biodiesel within the existing production footprint. At WIE, the SimplEster system was integrated into the plant’s existing sodium methylate transesterification process rather than replacing the existing system. The addition increased processing capacity by approximately 15 per cent while producing biodiesel with an acid value below 0.5 mg KOH/g, the threshold relevant to finished-fuel specifications. The technology can also be configured for different acid-value requirements, with the process capable of reaching targets as low as 0.2 mg KOH/g depending on feedstock characteristics, plant configuration and finished-fuel requirements. This flexibility could be particularly relevant for producers processing challenging feedstocks or operating without extensive downstream purification equipment. SimplEster’s key distinction is its elimination of added catalyst and enzymes from the esterification stage. By removing these consumable inputs, the technology is designed to reduce operating requirements while simplifying the equipment and maintenance burden associated with conventional esterification approaches. For biodiesel producers, the economics extend beyond reducing consumable inputs. At WIE, the technology has enabled the plant to retain and process free fatty acids that were previously recovered through conventional steam-strip distillation and sold into commodity markets. Instead of sending the fatty acid stream out of the facility, WIE can now convert it internally into on-specification biodiesel, capturing additional value from the same feedstock. The approach also gives producers greater flexibility in working with lower-carbon-intensity feedstocks. The SimplEster platform has been used with feedstocks including used cooking oil, tallow, distillers' corn oil and poultry fat, illustrating its potential application across a range of biodiesel raw materials. Inventure and WIE are also evaluating additional side streams for processing through the SimplEster unit, including black esters recovered from the sodium methylate glycerol decanter recycle loop. The work reflects the companies’ continued effort to expand the range of materials that can be converted through the technology and increase the overall value recovered from biodiesel production streams. Ryan Long, CEO of Inventure Renewables, said the company's approach is designed to eliminate the need for producers to choose between catalyst- and enzyme-based esterification while providing a way to add capacity alongside existing methylate systems. He said the WIE installation demonstrated the ability to integrate the technology into an operating plant, increase capacity and convert a previously lower-value by-product into finished biodiesel. Brad Wilson, CEO of Western Iowa Energy, said the company had been processing lower-carbon-intensity feedstocks but had previously sold recovered fatty acids rather than converting them internally. The SimplEster installation allowed WIE to retain the material, process it into biodiesel and extract more value from its existing production footprint. Bill Morphew, vice president of CPM|Crown, said the two technologies are complementary and that SimplEster offers producers already operating sodium methylate systems a relatively straightforward route to greater feedstock flexibility and additional capacity. He added that the commercial experience at Western Iowa Energy provided an important demonstration of the two technologies operating together. Under the new agreement, CPM|Crown will offer SimplEster as a bolt-on solution alongside its existing technology portfolio. The model is intended to provide biodiesel producers with a pathway to upgrade existing plants rather than undertake a complete replacement of established sodium methylate processing systems. For an industry facing increasing demand for lower-carbon fuels and greater pressure to process diverse feedstocks efficiently, the partnership highlights a broader shift towards technologies that can improve the economics of existing biodiesel assets. By combining catalyst-free esterification with established transesterification infrastructure, Inventure and CPM|Crown aim to give producers a practical route to expanding capacity, improving feedstock utilisation and extracting greater value from existing operations. Inventure, which has deployed more than $250 million in first-of-kind processing capacity across North America and Asia, will work with CPM|Crown to expand the commercial availability of SimplEster to biodiesel producers globally. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4308/syngenta-strengthens-vegetable-seed-pipeline-with-focus-on-fusarium-resistance.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4308/syngenta-strengthens-vegetable-seed-pipeline-with-focus-on-fusarium-resistance.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:49:54 +0530 As vegetable growers grapple with increasing disease pressure and rising production costs, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds is strengthening its portfolio of Fusarium-resistant varieties, positioning genetic resistance as one of the most effective long-term strategies against one of agriculture's most destructive soil-borne diseases. Fusarium wilt continues to threaten commercial vegetable production worldwide, affecting crops grown in open fields, protected cultivation systems and greenhouses. Once established, the fungal pathogen invades a plant's vascular system, disrupting water and nutrient movement, leading to wilting, yellowing, stunted growth and, ultimately, plant death. Unlike many crop diseases, Fusarium presents a long-term challenge because the pathogen can survive in soil for years—even in the absence of host crops—making prevention more effective than treatment. Resistance becomes the first line of defence While crop rotation, sanitation and nematode management remain important components of integrated disease management, Syngenta says resistant genetics offer growers one of the most reliable tools for reducing yield losses. "There is no cure once Fusarium infects a plant, making prevention the most effective strategy," the company noted, emphasizing that resistant varieties help growers minimise disease pressure while maintaining productivity. According to Thomas Dumont, Lettuce Product Specialist Manager at Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, breeding programmes are increasingly focused on combining strong agronomic performance with durable disease resistance. "The main goal for us is to provide the largest genetic chassis and the best resistance traits within our pipeline and our varieties," Dumont said. Innovation across key vegetable crops Syngenta continues to incorporate Fusarium resistance across several commercially important vegetable crops. In watermelon, breeding programmes target resistance to Fusarium wilt Race 1, one of the most economically significant diseases affecting production. The company says improved resistance helps maintain plant health and supports higher yield potential. For tomato growers, Fusarium-resistant rootstocks have become an important component of yield protection strategies, particularly in intensive production systems where soil-borne diseases can persist across multiple growing seasons. In lettuce, although downy mildew remains the dominant disease concern in many regions, Fusarium wilt has emerged as an increasing challenge, prompting continued investment in resistant breeding lines. Early detection remains critical Alongside resistant varieties, Syngenta encourages growers to maintain regular field scouting, particularly during hot weather when Fusarium symptoms become more visible. Early warning signs include yellowing leaves, one-sided wilting and vascular browning inside the stem. Removing infected plants promptly and confirming diagnosis through plant pathology testing can help limit disease spread and improve long-term field management. Meeting future production challengesAs climate variability, continuous cropping and soil health challenges increase disease pressure across vegetable production systems, seed companies are placing greater emphasis on genetics as a sustainable solution. For Syngenta, continued investment in resistance breeding reflects a broader industry shift towards integrated crop protection strategies that combine genetics, agronomy and precision crop management to improve resilience while reducing dependence on chemical interventions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4283/university-of-queensland-and-eiar-advance-ethiopias-next-generation-of-crop-breeding.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4283/university-of-queensland-and-eiar-advance-ethiopias-next-generation-of-crop-breeding.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:50:37 +0530 Ethiopia has strengthened its long-term agricultural research and crop improvement capabilities following the completion of a five-year breeding modernisation programme delivered in partnership with The University of Queensland (UQ). The initiative has enhanced the country's ability to develop improved crop varieties by modernising breeding systems, strengthening data-driven decision-making and accelerating the delivery of climate-resilient cultivars to farmers. Implemented in collaboration with the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) and supported by the Gates Foundation, the programme focused on transforming breeding pipelines for six strategically important food crops—maize, wheat, sorghum, teff, chickpea and common bean. Rather than concentrating solely on developing new varieties, the partnership sought to improve the institutional systems that guide how breeding decisions are made, how promising varieties are selected and how innovations reach farming communities. The initiative introduced a more structured and evidence-based approach to crop improvement by integrating clearer product advancement frameworks, enhanced field performance evaluation and stronger alignment between breeding objectives, farmer priorities and evolving market demand. Digital tools and streamlined workflows were also deployed to reduce manual processes, enabling faster and more informed breeding decisions across research programmes. According to the project partners, the collaboration was designed to create lasting institutional capacity rather than short-term productivity gains. By embedding modern breeding practices within EIAR's research systems, the programme has established a foundation capable of responding to emerging agricultural challenges, including climate variability, population growth and changing food system requirements. Professor David Jordan of The University of Queensland said the partnership was built on complementary agricultural experiences shared by Australia and Ethiopia, particularly in tropical and subtropical production environments. "Many of the crops and production challenges in Ethiopia are familiar to us in Queensland, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical environments. That gave us a strong foundation for collaboration, while the real expertise on local farming systems sat with EIAR scientists and breeders. Our role was to work alongside them to improve decision-making processes and support the use of modern tools and data." Professor Emma Mace said the programme's greatest achievement lay in strengthening institutional systems capable of delivering long-term impact beyond the project's duration. "This work was never about a single season or a single harvest. It was about building systems that can respond to future farming challenges in Ethiopia including climate variability, population growth and changing market needs. EIAR already had highly capable scientists and breeders – this partnership helped achieve stronger coordination, more transparent decision-making and better use of evidence across their breeding programs." The project also highlighted the importance of organisational ownership in driving sustainable innovation. Researchers across EIAR increasingly adopted the new breeding approaches as they demonstrated measurable improvements in efficiency and programme outcomes, helping institutionalise modern practices across multiple research centres. Independent evaluations conducted with EIAR scientists and leadership found that many of the new breeding methodologies have now become part of routine research operations, providing a robust platform for future investments in crop improvement and agricultural innovation. EIAR senior researcher and maize breeder Dr Demissew Ababulgu described the initiative as one of the most impactful projects undertaken by the institute, citing its ability to deliver practical and measurable improvements to breeding operations. Looking ahead, the partners emphasised that sustaining momentum will be critical as Ethiopia continues to modernise its agricultural research ecosystem. With improved breeding systems now firmly embedded, EIAR is positioned to accelerate the development of resilient, high-performing crop varieties capable of meeting the country's evolving food security and climate adaptation needs. Reflecting on the collaboration, Professor Jordan said the partnership demonstrated the value of international research alliances focused on strengthening scientific capacity rather than delivering isolated technological interventions. "Helping strengthen systems that enable others to succeed is one of the most valuable contributions research partnerships can make. This has been a genuine two-way collaboration, and we have learned a great deal ourselves through the process." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4278/euroseeds-secures-eudr-exemption-for-soybean-seeds-as-eu-refines-deforestation-rules.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4278/euroseeds-secures-eudr-exemption-for-soybean-seeds-as-eu-refines-deforestation-rules.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 16:47:02 +0530 Euroseeds has welcomed the European Commission's decision to exclude soybean seeds for sowing from the scope of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), describing the move as a pragmatic policy refinement that recognises the unique characteristics of the seed value chain while maintaining the Regulation's environmental integrity. The exemption, introduced through a Delegated Act adopted on 13 July 2026 amending Annex I of the EUDR, removes soybean seeds intended for planting from the Regulation's due diligence requirements, providing greater regulatory clarity for Europe's seed companies and plant breeders. Euroseeds, which has consistently advocated for the exclusion, argued that certified soybean seed forms part of a highly regulated, fully traceable and distinct production system that bears no meaningful link to deforestation or land-use change. Subjecting the sector to the same compliance obligations as commodity supply chains, the association maintained, would have imposed significant administrative complexity without generating corresponding environmental gains. According to Euroseeds, extending EUDR due diligence requirements to soybean seed production would have disproportionately increased compliance costs for breeders and seed companies, potentially restricting access to breeding material, slowing innovation and undermining broader European efforts to expand domestic plant protein production. Beyond its immediate implications for the seed sector, the Commission's decision highlights the importance of risk-based and evidence-driven regulation. Euroseeds noted that environmental legislation delivers maximum effectiveness when compliance obligations are aligned with demonstrable deforestation risks rather than applied uniformly across fundamentally different agricultural activities. The association emphasised that sectors such as soybean breeding and certified seed production, which operate within transparent and tightly controlled value chains, should not be subject to regulatory measures intended for commodities directly associated with forest conversion. Recognising these distinctions, it argued, strengthens both regulatory credibility and implementation efficiency while avoiding unintended consequences for agricultural innovation. Euroseeds further described the amendment as an example of proportionate policymaking that balances environmental ambition with economic competitiveness. By maintaining the EUDR's focus on products genuinely linked to deforestation risk, the revised framework provides greater legal certainty for seed companies, safeguards breeding innovation and supports the European Union's strategic objectives for sustainable agriculture, food security and greater protein self-sufficiency. The organisation said the Commission's decision reinforces confidence that future sustainability legislation can continue to combine robust environmental safeguards with science-based regulation that enables innovation, investment and long-term resilience across the European agricultural sector. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4249/how-kenya-is-building-modern-rice-economy.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4249/how-kenya-is-building-modern-rice-economy.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:01:11 +0530 Kenya's rice sector is emerging as more than a food production success story. It is evolving into a model for rural enterprise, technology adoption and agricultural transformation, with partnerships between research institutions, farmer cooperatives and agribusinesses demonstrating how innovation can strengthen entire food systems across Africa. That message took centre stage during a field immersion organised under the World Food Prize Foundation's DialogueNEXT Africa programme, where delegates from several African countries visited Kirinyaga County to witness how scientific research is being translated into commercial opportunities, stronger farmer incomes and a more resilient rice value chain. Hosted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) and the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MRGM), the visit highlighted how coordinated investments across seed systems, mechanisation, processing and market access are helping Kenya reduce its dependence on imported rice while creating new economic opportunities in rural communities. Rather than focusing solely on higher yields, the initiative showcased the broader economic impact of a well-developed rice ecosystem. Delegates observed how seed enterprises, mechanisation providers, millers, transport operators, retailers and input suppliers collectively support a thriving agricultural economy, generating employment and entrepreneurship, particularly among women and young people. At the centre of the ecosystem is MRGM, which has evolved from a traditional farmer cooperative into an integrated agribusiness platform. The cooperative now provides certified seed, mechanisation services, grain drying and storage infrastructure, post-harvest technologies, branding support and sustainable rice residue management, enabling farmers to participate in higher-value markets while improving production efficiency. Despite these advances, Kenya continues to rely heavily on imports, with nearly 80 per cent of domestic rice demand met through overseas purchases. IRRI and KALRO believe that scaling improved technologies and strengthening value-chain partnerships will be critical to narrowing this supply gap while improving national food security. One of the programme's strongest examples of successful technology transfer is the Komboka rice variety, jointly developed by IRRI and KALRO. Through partnerships with MRGM, the improved variety has already reached around 8,500 farmers. Adoption has been particularly strong across Kenya's rice-growing regions, reaching almost 100 per cent in Tana River, around 80 per cent in western Kenya and approximately 40 per cent in Mwea, demonstrating how collaborative research can accelerate the uptake of climate-resilient, high-yielding technologies. The immersion also highlighted the growing participation of women and youth across the rice economy, extending well beyond cultivation into seed production, mechanisation, processing and marketing. Participants described the value chain as a practical example of how agricultural modernisation can create employment opportunities throughout rural economies when supported by strong institutional partnerships. Circular economy practices formed another key element of the showcase. Delegates observed how rice straw and husks are being converted into livestock feed and other value-added products, illustrating how agricultural waste can generate additional income while supporting more sustainable production systems. According to IRRI, Africa's rice demand is expanding faster than any other staple crop, yet domestic production continues to trail consumption. The Kenyan experience demonstrates that investments in improved varieties, climate-smart production, mechanisation, post-harvest infrastructure and market linkages can significantly strengthen local rice industries while reducing dependence on imports. For policymakers and development partners attending DialogueNEXT Africa, the field visit reinforced a broader lesson: sustainable food systems are built not only through scientific breakthroughs, but by connecting research, farmers, cooperatives and private enterprise into commercially viable ecosystems capable of delivering long-term economic and food security benefits. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4248/japan-irri-launch-coolrice-to-future-proof-rice-farming.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4248/japan-irri-launch-coolrice-to-future-proof-rice-farming.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:57:02 +0530 The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) have launched a new research initiative aimed at tackling one of agriculture's most complex climate challenges—developing rice production systems that can withstand rising temperatures while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The one-year CoolRice project seeks to bridge climate adaptation and mitigation by combining heat-tolerant rice breeding with low-cost, low-emission cultivation practices. Rather than addressing declining crop productivity and agricultural emissions as separate issues, the initiative adopts an integrated approach that links plant genetics, agronomy, climate science and digital technologies to develop scalable solutions for rice-growing regions across Asia. Rice remains central to food security for billions of people, yet it is increasingly vulnerable to climate change. Higher temperatures are eroding yields and grain quality across major rice-producing countries, while paddy cultivation continues to be a significant contributor to methane emissions, placing the sector at the centre of global efforts to balance food production with climate commitments. The collaboration brings together IRRI, MAFF, the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) and Gifu University. Researchers from the participating institutions formally launched the programme during a two-day meeting at IRRI's headquarters in Los Baños, Philippines, where they outlined a roadmap for accelerating climate-resilient rice research. IRRI Director General Dr. Yvonne Pinto described the initiative as an extension of the institute's long-standing scientific partnership with Japan, which spans more than six decades. She said the project reflects a shared commitment to developing technologies that not only protect farm productivity under climate stress but also contribute to broader global decarbonisation goals. Japanese officials also underscored the growing urgency of international collaboration as climate-related risks intensify across Asia's rice ecosystems. MAFF representatives highlighted the importance of building on previous scientific breakthroughs—including research into early-morning flowering traits that help rice escape heat stress—to accelerate the development of next-generation climate-resilient varieties. Researchers noted that rising temperatures are no longer confined to tropical production systems. Heat stress has become an increasing concern even in temperate rice-growing regions such as Japan, reinforcing the need for collaborative research that spans climatic zones and production environments. Beyond crop breeding, CoolRice will focus on developing heat-risk mapping tools, geospatial analytics, remote sensing applications and cultivation practices capable of lowering methane emissions without compromising productivity. The programme also aims to strengthen regional research capacity by creating a collaborative framework for scientists working across breeding, crop physiology, climate modelling and digital agriculture. Following the project's launch, technical workshops brought together researchers from IRRI and Japanese institutions to identify priority research areas and establish a joint scientific roadmap. Discussions covered advances in heat-tolerant breeding, greenhouse gas mitigation, climate analytics and precision agriculture, laying the groundwork for future technology deployment across Asia. The initiative reflects a broader shift in global agricultural research, where climate resilience is increasingly measured not only by a crop's ability to survive extreme weather but also by its contribution to reducing agriculture's environmental footprint. As governments seek to secure food supplies while meeting ambitious climate targets, integrated programmes such as CoolRice are expected to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of sustainable rice production.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/interviews/81/4138/why-asias-pork-producers-are-increasingly-vulnerable-to-global-trade-disruptions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/interviews/81/4138/why-asias-pork-producers-are-increasingly-vulnerable-to-global-trade-disruptions.html Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:40:33 +0530 In an exclusive interview with AgroSpectrum, Juver Membrebe (Technical Manager (Swine), ASEAN, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, Boehringer Ingelheim) argues that the biggest threat from ongoing Strait of Hormuz disruptions is not direct agricultural damage but the cascading impact on feed costs, animal health inputs, freight networks, and pork production economics. He warns that food security across Asia-Pacific is increasingly tied to global supply chain resilience, as import-dependent feed and veterinary supply systems become more vulnerable to geopolitical shocks. Membrebe highlights that rising input costs and persistent disease risks are creating a dual-margin squeeze that is accelerating consolidation across the region’s swine industry. As volatility becomes a permanent feature of global commerce, he contends that robust biosecurity, resilient animal health systems, and coordinated supply chain strategies will be critical to safeguarding pork production and food affordability. With the Strait of Hormuz emerging as a persistent geopolitical flashpoint, is the Asia-Pacific swine and pork ecosystem now effectively exposed to energy geopolitics through feed costs, logistics inflation, and veterinary supply chain stress rather than direct agricultural disruption? For the swine sector, the feed grain prices are sensitive to energy costs at every stage, from fertilizer production to freight. Disruptions to ammonia and nitrogen shipments directly affect fertilizer availability and cost, and when shipping routes are disrupted or insurance premiums spike, that pressure moves quickly through to landed feed costs across ASEAN and North Asia. Veterinary inputs, including vaccines and biologicals, follow similar pathways. Vietnam illustrates this dynamic clearly. With a pig herd of roughly 26 million head and pork production of around 3.2 million tonnes carcass weight equivalent in 2024, Vietnam is one of the region’s most significant pork producers. At the same time, the sector remains structurally dependent on imported feed ingredients, which are priced in $ (USD) and highly sensitive to global energy and freight costs. So, while the current tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz do not destroy a soybean crop or shut down a slaughterhouse directly, it can quietly erode the economic viability of pork production across the region within one to two production cycles. From where I sit, working across markets as different as Vietnam, Korea, and Australia, the vulnerability is not theoretical. It is already being felt in margin conversations at farm level, reinforcing the need for resilient, well-supported production systems. Across ASEAN and South Korea, pork demand is structurally high, yet feed and swine health inputs remain import-dependent. Has food security in these markets quietly shifted from production risk to global supply chain risk concentration? That shift is already underway, and it has happened gradually enough that policies have not fully adapted. In the past, food security in this region was mainly viewed through the lens of domestic production, animal health and disease control, and farm productivity. Those factors remain critical, but the nature of risk has broadened. Today, producers in markets like Vietnam or the Philippines can operate well-managed farms with healthy animals and strong local demand yet still face pressure on profitability due to factors beyond their immediate control—such as the cost and availability of key inputs like feed ingredients. This underscores the growing importance of strengthening resilience at the farm level. In Vietnam, pork remains the dominant meat protein, accounting for roughly half of total meat consumption, making it highly influential in household food spending and inflation dynamics. That structural reliance means any disruption to production economics can translate to wider social and economic impacts, not just commercial ones. The same dynamic holds across Thailand, the Philippines, and South Korea. Swine health management—particularly vaccines, therapeutics, and biosecurity inputs—relies on highly globalised pharmaceutical supply chains. Are these becoming a second systemic vulnerability layer beyond feed inflation? This dimension is often overlooked because veterinary inputs represent a smaller share of total cost than feed. However, their importance to overall production stability is far greater than their cost would suggest. Vaccines and biologicals are not interchangeable commodities. Their development, regulatory approval, handling requirements, and quality standards reflect years of investment and strict oversight. In today’s environment, ensuring consistent availability and reliability of these products has become more complex, which highlights the importance of strong partnerships between producers and trusted animal health providers to maintain access to high-quality solutions. In Vietnam, pork production is forecasted to grow modestly in 2026, supported primarily by large-scale integrated producers, while smaller operations continue to face disease and cost pressure. In that context, interruptions to vaccine or biological supply are not a minor inconvenience. They are a direct threat to herd stability and production continuity. Ensuring supply reliability and contingency planning in health management is therefore not optional; it is a core pillar of risk management. To what extent are rising feed costs, driven by energy-linked grain and freight volatility, fundamentally altering herd economics across ASEAN pork producers, particularly small and mid-scale operations? The impact on small and mid-scale producers is severe and, in many cases, structurally consequential. Feed typically represents around 60–70 per cent of total swine production cost. When that number rises because of freight inflation or energy-linked grain price volatility, the first cuts are often made in preventive health and biosecurity. Vietnam again demonstrates this. ASF outbreaks in recent years have disproportionately affected backyard and smallholder farms, where biosecurity investment is low, and economic buffers are limited. The farms least able to absorb cost volatility are also the most exposed to disease risk. That interaction between input cost pressure and biosecurity capacity is one of the most critical challenges facing the ASEAN swine sector today, and one where strengthening prevention and on-farm practices remain essential. South Korea operates one of the most biosecure and technologically advanced pork systems in the region. Does its model offer genuine insulation from global shocks, or merely delay transmission of feed and input inflation? South Korea’s biosecurity infrastructure is genuinely world-class, and its disease management outcomes are among the best in Asia. However, biosecurity protects against pathogens, not commodity price volatility. Korea remains dependent on imported feed ingredients, and global grain and freight dynamics transmit directly into farm economics regardless of health system strength. What Korea’s model does provide is resilience at the production layer. Effective disease control prevents risk compounding, allowing producers to focus on managing cost pressure rather than simultaneous health crises. That is a significant advantage, and it highlights the value of strong preventive health systems supported by science-based approaches. Australia and New Zealand are often viewed as structurally resilient due to domestic feed availability. However, are they increasingly exposed through imported veterinary inputs, pharmaceuticals, and energy-sensitive logistics chains? Australia and New Zealand benefit from a strong structural advantage in having reliable domestic feed grain production. It provides a level of stability that many other markets do not have. However, this does not mean they are insulated from broader pressures. Both countries still rely on externally sourced veterinary medicines, vaccines, and other specialized inputs that are critical to animal health and production. In addition, operating costs remain sensitive to changes in areas such as energy and transportation, which can influence overall production efficiency. Is the regional pork trade across ASEAN, South Korea, and Oceania still a collection of national markets, or has it effectively become a synchronized pricing system where global feed shocks propagate almost instantaneously? The reality sits between the two, but regional markets are becoming more interconnected, and this is happening faster than policies are adjusting. While each country still has its own production base and demand dynamics, price movements are increasingly influenced by common external factors, particularly feed costs, import flows used to balance supply, and process economics. What has changed most is the speed at which these influences are felt. Markets are not fully unified, but they are reacting more quickly to similar pressures. As a result, maintaining stable and efficient production systems—supported by strong animal health and preventive practices—has become even more important in managing volatility and ensuring consistent supply. With swine health risks rising alongside input cost pressures, are producers being forced into a dual-margin squeeze that accelerates consolidation and vertically integrated agribusiness dominance across the region? Yes, this is a clear trend across the region. As costs rise and disease risks persist, producers are facing increasing pressure on profitability from multiple directions. Those with greater financial resources are better positioned to adapt as they can invest in efficiency, strengthen farm management, and scale their operations. Others, particularly smaller producers, often have fewer options and face more difficult choices. Vietnam provides a clear example, where the sector is gradually shifting from household-scale farming toward larger, more structured operations. Similar patterns are emerging in markets like Thailand and the Philippines. From an animal health perspective, larger operations can support more consistent investment in preventive care and biosecurity, which helps improve overall stability. At the same time, it is important that smaller and transitioning producers are not left behind. Ensuring access to knowledge, practical tools, and best practices will be key to helping them adapt and remain part of the sector’s long-term development. How significant is maritime insurance inflation and shipping volatility—rather than actual supply shortages—in reshaping pork trade flows and import dependency across Asia-Pacific markets? This is an important but often overlooked factor shaping how markets evolve. Sudden shortages tend to draw immediate attention and response from both industry and policymakers. In contrast, gradual increases in underlying costs are less visible, which can make their overall impact easier to underestimate until they begin to significantly affect prices. Higher energy, fertilizer, and transport costs, feed through into food costs and can intensify cost‑of‑living pressures. At what point does pork in Asia-Pacific transition from a commodity market into a strategic food security asset, requiring coordinated regional buffers for feed grains, veterinary inputs, and cross-border trade stabilization mechanisms? In many ways, this shift is already happening, even if it is not always explicitly defined. Pork plays a central role in diets, economies, and livelihoods across Asia-Pacific, so periods of disruption—whether from disease or rising costs—quickly highlight its broader importance beyond a typical agricultural product. Vietnam is a strong example. With a population of over 100 million and pork as a primary protein source, any disruption to supply can affect food prices and the wider economy almost immediately. Managing such situations has required close coordination between government, industry, and external partners, rather than isolated actions. More broadly, a range of ongoing pressures—from disease risks to rising production costs—are prompting countries to think more proactively about how to maintain stable and reliable production. This includes improving access to key inputs, strengthening animal health practices, and ensuring markets can continue to function smoothly even during periods of stress. While formal regional coordination is still developing, there is a growing recognition that maintaining stability in pork production is important not only for the sector itself, but also for food affordability, economic resilience, and rural livelihoods. As a result, pork is increasingly viewed as an essential part of the food system that requires sustained attention and forward planning. -- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4133/syngenta-unveils-proprietary-atlas-robot-to-accelerate-product-innovation-and-tank-mix-testing.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/4133/syngenta-unveils-proprietary-atlas-robot-to-accelerate-product-innovation-and-tank-mix-testing.html Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:02:09 +0530 In a move that underscores the growing role of automation and advanced analytics in agricultural research and development, Syngenta has introduced ATLAS (Application Technology Laboratory Automation System), a proprietary robotics platform designed to transform how crop protection products are tested before reaching the market. Developed and refined in-house, ATLAS represents a significant advancement in tank-mix compatibility testing, enabling Syngenta to accelerate product development, improve testing accuracy and provide more reliable application recommendations to customers. The company describes the platform as a first-of-its-kind automated system capable of conducting highly standardized evaluations while replicating real-world spray conditions. Bringing Automation to Product Development Tank-mix compatibility remains one of the most critical aspects of crop protection product performance. Farmers and applicators routinely combine multiple products, adjuvants and fertilizers in a single spray application, making compatibility testing essential to prevent issues such as sedimentation, nozzle blockage or uneven product distribution. Traditionally, these evaluations have relied heavily on manual testing methods that can be time-consuming and subject to human variability. ATLAS seeks to address those limitations through automation. According to Syngenta, the robotic system can process between 500 and 600 tank-mix combinations every month, a workload that would require up to six months to complete through conventional manual testing procedures. The platform manages the entire testing workflow, from sample preparation and mixture imaging to comprehensive analysis and evaluation. By removing subjective assessments from the process, the company says ATLAS generates more consistent, repeatable and data-driven results that can support product development, stewardship programmes and technical recommendations. Enhancing Confidence in Application Decisions "ATLAS is another example of how Syngenta is truly innovating through all parts of our R&D process, including application technology," said Stephanie Schwenke, Turf Market Manager at Syngenta. "By automating and standardizing tank-mix evaluations, we can generate meaningful insights faster, reduce subjectivity and provide greater confidence for our customers’ application decisions." The system's ability to rapidly evaluate hundreds of product combinations is expected to help researchers identify compatibility challenges earlier in the development cycle, potentially accelerating the introduction of new products while strengthening performance validation. Supporting Customers Beyond Product Launch Beyond pre-commercialization testing, Syngenta says ATLAS is playing an increasingly important role in technical support and troubleshooting. When customers encounter tank-mix issues that prove difficult to reproduce in traditional laboratory settings, the platform can recreate field-specific conditions using customer-provided water samples, adjuvants or other application inputs. This capability allows researchers to investigate issues such as sedimentation, mixing order complications, nozzle plugging and spray-tank instability under controlled conditions. The system also contributes to the development of a growing historical database of compatibility data, enabling faster diagnosis of recurring issues and supporting more precise technical recommendations. By combining automation with real-world application scenarios, Syngenta aims to shorten response times and improve problem-solving capabilities for growers and professional applicators. Part of a Broader Innovation Strategy The launch of ATLAS reflects a broader trend across agriculture toward integrating robotics, automation and data science into research and product development processes. "The ATLAS system is part of the broader Syngenta innovation ecosystem focused on integrating research, technology and real-world insights to support our customers across markets," said Mark Coffelt, Ph.D., Head of Technical Services for Syngenta Professional Solutions in North America. "It reinforces the Syngenta commitment to delivering science-backed solutions that help customers work more efficiently." As agricultural production becomes increasingly complex and precision-focused, technologies such as ATLAS could play a growing role in helping companies validate product performance, improve application reliability and reduce uncertainty for end users. For Syngenta, the robot represents more than a laboratory automation tool—it signals the company's continuing investment in digital and robotic technologies designed to bring greater precision, speed and consistency to agricultural innovation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3937/vietnamese-dairy-innovation-gains-global-recognition-through-uspto-patent-approval.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3937/vietnamese-dairy-innovation-gains-global-recognition-through-uspto-patent-approval.html Mon, 25 May 2026 11:49:26 +0530 The United States Patent and Trademark Office recognises Nutifood’s proprietary digestive and immunity-support formula, reinforcing Vietnam’s growing presence in global nutrition science and functional dairy innovation. Vietnamese nutrition and dairy company Nutifood has secured a significant international intellectual property milestone after the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted a patent for its proprietary Foundation of Digestion & Immunity (FDI) Formula, a clinically evaluated nutritional formulation designed to support digestive and immune health in children. The patent recognition marks a notable advancement not only for Nutifood but also for Vietnam’s broader dairy and nutritional-science ecosystem, positioning the country more prominently within the increasingly competitive global functional nutrition and paediatric health market. The announcement was made during the anniversary celebration of Nutifood GrowPLUS+, one of the company’s flagship dairy brands developed using the FDI Formula. The event drew participation from senior representatives across Vietnam’s science, technology, food safety and foreign affairs institutions, alongside international stakeholders including the U.S. Consul General and the California Milk Advisory Board. Developed by the Nutifood Nutrition Research Institute in Sweden (NNRIS) beginning in 2020, the FDI Formula represents an attempt to integrate European nutritional science with research focused specifically on the physiological and dietary requirements of Vietnamese children. The formulation was designed around a dual-targeted nutritional strategy aimed at simultaneously improving digestive health and strengthening immune function to enhance nutrient absorption and support childhood development outcomes. At the core of the patented formulation lies Nutifood’s proprietary ratio combining 2’-FL HMO (Human Milk Oligosaccharide) with FOS (Fructooligosaccharides) and Inulin, soluble plant-derived fibres widely associated with gut microbiome support and digestive balance. 2’-FL HMO, a bioactive compound naturally found in breast milk, has increasingly attracted global scientific attention for its role in supporting immune-system development and gut health in infants and young children. By combining this compound with prebiotic fibres such as FOS and Inulin, Nutifood positioned the formula as an integrated digestive-immunity support system tailored to paediatric nutritional needs. According to the company, a clinical study conducted in 2021 by Vietnam’s National Institute of Nutrition demonstrated measurable improvements in digestive conditions including constipation, diarrhoea and poor appetite among participating children. The study additionally indicated a reduction in susceptibility to respiratory infections, further reinforcing the formula’s dual-function positioning. The USPTO specifically recognised both the proprietary ratio embedded within the formulation and the clinically evaluated digestive and immune-health benefits associated with its application. Industry observers view the approval as particularly significant given the increasingly rigorous evidentiary standards required for nutrition-related patents in advanced global markets. The development arrives at a time when the global functional nutrition industry is witnessing accelerated growth, driven by rising consumer focus on preventive healthcare, gut health, paediatric nutrition and science-backed wellness products. Within Asia, the dairy sector is increasingly evolving beyond conventional milk products towards specialised nutritional formulations, value-added functional foods and clinically differentiated wellness solutions. Nutifood stated that the patent reflects its long-term strategy of investing in evidence-based nutritional science, international R&D capabilities and globally benchmarked product development frameworks aimed at enhancing child nutrition outcomes. The achievement additionally signals Vietnam’s growing ambitions within higher-value food innovation and intellectual-property-driven nutritional manufacturing, sectors historically dominated by multinational Western and East Asian corporations. As global food and nutrition industries transition toward science-led differentiation, the USPTO recognition of Nutifood’s FDI Formula underscores a broader shift underway within emerging Asian dairy economies — from volume-driven production models towards research-intensive, innovation-oriented nutritional ecosystems capable of competing on scientific credibility, clinical validation and proprietary intellectual property. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3756/open-yeast-platform-could-lower-barriers-to-entry-and-accelerate-b2b-biotech-commercialization.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3756/open-yeast-platform-could-lower-barriers-to-entry-and-accelerate-b2b-biotech-commercialization.html Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:58:50 +0530 Proposed hub at Hong Kong–Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park targets regional and global research networks Pinnacle Food Group Limited is positioning itself at the forefront of Asia’s rapidly expanding synthetic biology sector, announcing a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) to explore the development of an Open Yeast Platform hub in Hong Kong. The initiative, led through its subsidiary Pinnacle Food AgTech HK Limited (PFHK), reflects a broader strategy to integrate bio-engineering capabilities with scalable commercial applications, particularly in precision fermentation and high-value biological production. The proposed hub, to be located within the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, is designed to capitalize on the unique cross-border advantages of the region, combining Hong Kong’s regulatory framework with Mainland China’s manufacturing and innovation ecosystem. If realized, the platform could serve as a central node for yeast-based research and development, linking academic institutions, biotech startups, and industrial players across Asia and beyond. At the core of the initiative is the Open Yeast Platform, a dual-component system comprising an open-source DNA parts library and a growing global repository of yeast strains. Originally established in 2021, the platform has evolved into a resource-rich toolkit for synthetic biology, enabling researchers to assemble genetic constructs and experiment with yeast-based applications more efficiently. The inclusion of both genetic components and live strains under an Open Material Transfer Agreement framework underscores a commitment to accessibility and collaborative innovation. Bioboost Synbio Consulting Inc., a specialized biotechnology advisory firm, will support the initiative by providing strategic and technical expertise to facilitate regional deployment. The collaboration is expected to focus on adapting the platform to local research needs while ensuring interoperability with global standards, a critical factor in scaling synthetic biology solutions across borders. For Pinnacle Food Group, the move aligns with its “Dual-Engine” growth strategy, which seeks to combine technological innovation with commercial scalability. By curating and distributing synthetic biology tools within Asia, the company aims to attract partnerships and build an ecosystem that supports both research advancement and downstream product development. The open-access nature of the platform is also expected to reduce entry barriers for smaller players, potentially accelerating innovation cycles in areas such as alternative proteins, industrial enzymes, and bio-based materials. While the MOU remains non-binding and subject to further regulatory and operational approvals, the initiative signals growing momentum in the convergence of open science and commercial biotech infrastructure. As global competition intensifies in synthetic biology, the establishment of regional hubs capable of fostering collaboration and rapid experimentation may prove pivotal in shaping the next phase of industry growth. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3732/elsoms-seeds-unveils-vision-for-innovation-new-era-in-crop-science-begins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3732/elsoms-seeds-unveils-vision-for-innovation-new-era-in-crop-science-begins.html Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:24:00 +0530 State-of-the-art centre to accelerate breeding, strengthen R&D, and power the next generation of resilient crops In a decisive step towards advancing global agricultural innovation, Elsoms Seeds has announced a major investment in a cutting-edge Innovation Centre, designed to significantly expand its research and development capabilities. As one of the United Kingdom’s leading independent seed businesses with a growing global footprint, the company is reinforcing its commitment to plant science, improved varieties, and sustainable food production. Scaling Research, Accelerating Results The new facility will markedly increase R&D capacity, enabling faster development of high-performing, resilient crop varieties tailored to evolving agricultural challenges. By enhancing scientific capabilities and streamlining delivery, the centre is set to strengthen support for customers and partners across international markets. Crucially, it will also bring together teams from Elsoms Seeds, Elsoms Wheat, and Elsoms Ackermann Barley under one roof, fostering collaboration and accelerating innovation pipelines. Strategic Location, Seamless Integration Positioned adjacent to the company’s trial grounds near its headquarters in Spalding, the Innovation Centre will offer a unique integration of laboratory science and field application. Visitors and partners will be able to witness first-hand how advanced techniques and technologies are applied to unlock plant potential, while also exploring demonstration plots in real-world growing conditions. The site will further serve as a hub for future customer engagement events and open days. Designed for Scientific Excellence Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, with a one-year build programme planned to deliver a comprehensive suite of facilities. These will include climate-controlled growing rooms, specialised laboratories, and modern office spaces, alongside upgrades to existing infrastructure. The development reflects a forward-looking approach to research, ensuring the company remains at the forefront of seed innovation. Driving Productivity and Sustainability According to David Coop, Managing Director of Elsoms Seeds, the investment is firmly rooted in customer needs and long-term sustainability goals. By advancing plant science and breeding superior varieties, the company aims to help growers achieve higher productivity with fewer resources—supporting both economic viability and global food security. Innovation at the Heart of Agriculture’s Future As the pressures of climate change, resource constraints, and population growth intensify, investments such as this signal a critical shift towards science-led solutions. With its new Innovation Centre, Elsoms Seeds is not only expanding its capabilities—it is helping shape a more resilient and productive agricultural future. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3680/syngenta-unveils-virestina-technology-a-global-breakthrough-in-controlling-grass-weeds.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3680/syngenta-unveils-virestina-technology-a-global-breakthrough-in-controlling-grass-weeds.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:19:20 +0530 Novel active ingredient designed to control resistant grass weeds in key crops like soybean, cotton Syngenta, a global leader in agricultural innovation, is bringing to market the world’s first selective herbicide to control resistant grass weeds in soybean and cotton in nearly 40 years. Today, Syngenta announced the global launch of VIRESTINA™ technology (active ingredient: metproxybicyclone), after Argentina became the first country in the world to approve the technology. Syngenta is also planning to bring this innovation to Brazil, Australia, the U.S., and Canada. Argentina – the world’s third largest producer of soybeans – ranks among the most innovative agricultural markets worldwide, with its farmers often being the first globally to access cutting-edge agricultural technologies. Soybeans are one of the world’s most important crops, containing a high concentration of essential amino acids and valued as an important source of high-protein animal feed. Resistant weeds are a persistent threat to growers as they survive herbicide applications and remain in the field to compete with crops for nutrients, sunlight, and water. At the same time, such weeds act as a “green bridge” for pests, viruses, fungi and bacteria that infect crops. Resistant weeds can dramatically reduce harvest yields and decimate the value of agricultural farmland. Amid a rise in the spread and severity of weed resistance globally, VIRESTINA™ technology is set to deliver an urgently-needed reprieve to growers faced with a shrinking toolbox of effective options. Over the past few decades, limited herbicide technologies have been successfully brought to market; the ability of resistant weeds to metabolize and be cross-resistant is further exacerbating the challenge. Herbicide resistance is officially reported today in 75 countries and affects farmers of more than 100 crops; grass weeds account for 40 percent of the 273 weed species afflicted. VIRESTINA™ technology marks an important innovation in herbicide technology. In key crops such as soybean and cotton, the technology is highly effective in controlling grass weeds that are resistant to common herbicides like glyphosate and clethodim. Safe to use over crops, VIRESTINA™ technology also breaks down rapidly in soil, ensuring an excellent safety profile and a reduced environmental footprint. Farmers benefit from greater flexibility during crop rotations and in their choice of cover crops, while lowering soil compaction and greenhouse gas emissions as they reduce the number of passes of heavy farm machinery necessary to control resistant grass weeds. Scientists at Syngenta’s cutting-edge Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre in the UK leveraged predictive science to bring this innovation to market in just 10 years – significantly faster than the average 12-14 year timelines for agricultural technologies – reflecting Syngenta’s nuanced understanding of the challenges growers face, and its commitment to deliver effective solutions. “At Syngenta, our innovations have an important role in enabling growers to address some of the biggest challenges they face,” said Ioana Tudor, Syngenta’s Global Head of Crop Protection Marketing. “VIRESTINA™ technology demonstrates Syngenta’s ability to foresee a challenge a decade earlier, to accelerate our research and development timeline and successfully deliver an innovation that is timely in meeting growers’ needs. We are very proud of our industry-leading innovation pipeline.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3666/yara-expands-research-capabilities-in-biological-crop-solutions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3666/yara-expands-research-capabilities-in-biological-crop-solutions.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:23:35 +0530 Driving growing interest in biological crop solutions Farmers must not only maintain but increase productivity, improve nutrient use efficiency, and adapt to more frequent climate stress. These pressures are driving growing interest in biological crop solutions that complement crop nutrition offers, helping crops perform at their full potential and become more resilient to climate change. Demand for biologicals has increased fivefold over the past 20 years. To support this growing demand, Yara has expanded the laboratory facilities at its Hanninghof Research Centre in Dülmen, Germany, a site globally recognized for its expertise in plant nutrition and environmental agronomic research. The expansion represents a strategic investment in the scientific capabilities needed to develop, validate, and scale the next generation of biologicals integrated within crop nutrition solutions. Biologicals and crop nutrition Biologicals are an important pillar of Yara’s growth strategy and include two key segments within the crop nutrition portfolio: Specialty nutrition (YaraVita): secondary nutrients, macronutrients, and micronutrients that target specific growth stages and plant needs; Biostimulants (YaraAmplix): solutions that improve nutrient use efficiency, support soil and root health, and help crops better tolerate environmental stress. Biologicals do not replace fertilizers. They work alongside them, supporting crops by enhancing nutrient use efficiency, amplifying crop potential and increasing tolerance to stress, which results in higher marketable yields. Plant nutrition can be compared to human nutrition. While fertilizers are the food for plants, biologicals act like vitamins that help them thrive, not just survive. As the biologicals category expands, so does the need for deeper scientific understanding. Biological ingredients, such as microorganisms and biomolecules, interact with plants, soils, and nutrients in complex ways. Robust research and rigorous validation are therefore essential to ensure reliable performance before products reach growers. A strategic expansion The previous laboratory and analytical setup could no longer keep pace with the increasing scope and complexity of the research work. “The expansion at Hanninghof site strengthens our ability to grow in biologicals by building on our core crop nutrition competence. It reflects our commitment to expanding our offerings for a more resilient crop production,” says Rejane Souza, SVP Global Innovation at Yara. With the new facilities in place, Yara can more effectively conduct microbial development, bio-formulation work, and advanced biomolecular analytics. These capabilities allow researchers to study beneficial microorganisms and biological ingredients, develop product prototypes, and prepare them for testing and trials. New capabilities supporting research The upgraded facilities include dedicated spaces equipped with modern technology that support: Microbial cultivation and isolation; Formulation of microbial and non-living biological (bioactive) ingredients into test-ready prototypes; Advanced biomolecular analytics that improve precision, consistency, and data quality. These improvements give researchers greater control and more tools over the development process while reducing reliance on external partners. They also ensure that Yara’s own quality standards guide every stage of product development, safeguarding also intellectual proprietary developments. “The outcome of our work has always been defined by the quality and practical impact driven by our scientific standards. With these new facilities, the new human resources and expertise is now matched by the infrastructure required to improve speed, quality, and reliability,” says Dr. Luis Torres, VP Agronomy and R&D at Yara. What this means for growers and the value chain For farmers, stronger and rigorous scientific foundations translate into more reliable solutions in the field. For distributors, it provides confidence in a rapidly growing new product category and business that requires strong proof of performance. For partners across the food value chain, this investment demonstrates Yara’s commitment to supporting more resilient and sustainable food production.  The success of the next generation of product offerings beyond crop nutrition will depend not only on new products, but also on the science behind them. The expansion of the Hanninghof Research Centre strengthens these foundations and supports Yara’s mission to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3660/syngenta-builds-world-leading-research-center-for-agricultural-bioscience-with-130-m-investment-in-uk.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3660/syngenta-builds-world-leading-research-center-for-agricultural-bioscience-with-130-m-investment-in-uk.html Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:23:40 +0530 Powered by advanced technology and AI Syngenta, a global leader in agricultural innovation, announced it is building a new USD 130 million (GBP 100 million) world-leading research center for agricultural bioscience at its existing R&D hub in Jealott’s Hill, UK. The Biological Sciences Technology and Research center (BioSTaR) will deliver the latest advances in biological sciences, molecular and analytical research and digital innovation to shape the future of sustainable agriculture. Significant investment in cutting-edge AI capabilities will accelerate Syngenta’s ability to design and deliver the next generation of differentiated agricultural solutions to farmers. Once complete, the BioSTaR facility will bring together approximately 300 scientists who already work at Jealott’s Hill, uniting their expertise in a purpose‑built environment designed to accelerate discovery and product development. It is expected to be fully operational in 2028, further strengthening the UK’s role as a global center for agricultural innovation and ensuring scientists have the advanced infrastructure needed to push the boundaries of bioscience, digital research and AI‑driven innovation. New scientific frontiers in agriculture are emerging rapidly and the new BioSTaR facility will bring these advances together under one roof—from designing crop protection solutions with novel modes of action and anticipating resistance before it develops, to creating products that respond to environmental signals such as temperature and soil quality. Modern bioscience sits at the intersection of biological, chemical and digital disciplines, and is now powered by real-world data, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence.  By combining these capabilities at BioSTaR, scientists will deepen understanding of how pests, pathogens, plants and soils interact and accelerate the development of tools that protect crops more effectively, reduce environmental impact and strengthen farming systems in a changing climate. For example: Decoding biological complexityUnderstanding how organisms interact with each other and the environment reveals specific points of intervention from pest control and plant growth simulation to greater natural resilience. Designing new classes of crop protection toolsNovel chemical and biological agents with new and different modes of action deliver the intended effects safely and reliably. Ensuring delivery and responsible breakdownResearchers can track how compounds move through plants and soils, how they break down, and how that process can be optimized for performance and environmental safety. Scaling sustainable manufacturingBiological manufacturing processes make it possible to develop complex chemical and biological agents at scale and viable cost—putting innovation within reach of farmers everywhere. “At Syngenta, we are focused on creating a more productive and sustainable future for agriculture. With this investment, we are pushing the boundaries of science,” said Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Crop Protection R&D at Syngenta. She added that Syngenta’s leadership is built on cutting‑edge infrastructure and its culture of scientific excellence. “Our ability to collaborate—across disciplines, across borders and with partners worldwide—is core to our success. It powers our speed, our creativity and our impact,” Corsi explained. Mike Hollands, President of Syngenta UK said: "As the birthplace of many ideas that have transformed the world, the UK has a long history of innovation, and for nearly a century, our Jealott’s Hill research hub has pioneered many of the discoveries that continue to advance global agriculture. Already the UK’s largest facility dedicated to agricultural technology research, our investment in BioSTaR signals the next chapter in Jealott's Hill's critical role in advancing agricultural innovation.” UK Minister for Investment Lord Stockwood said: “This major investment is a strong vote of confidence in the UK’s world class agri science sector. It demonstrates Syngenta’s long-term commitment to the UK while supporting 300 high quality jobs and delivering real benefits for the local community. With digital and tech central to our Modern Industrial Strategy, this announcement will help create next-generation sustainable agricultural solutions for farmers, strengthening the UK’s position as both a thriving business hub and tech hotspot.” UK Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “Syngenta’s investment in the new BioSTaR facility at Jealott’s Hill is a clear vote of confidence in the UK and our world-leading agricultural science. This government is backing agri-tech growth and British farming, investing GBP 345 million in grants for equipment and innovation to help farmers grow food more sustainably while protecting the natural environment and building a profitable, resilient future for the sector.” Councillor Paul Bidwell, Cabinet member for Economy and Regeneration, said: “We are proud that Bracknell Forest will be the location of this new world-leading and innovative research centre for agricultural bioscience. The development of this new BioSTaR facility is great news for our borough. Bracknell Forest is a thriving business centre, and we are excited that further scientific advancements will be made right here on our doorstep.” Syngenta owns one of the world’s leading innovation pipelines for agricultural technologies. It holds more than 10,000 patents covering seed and crop protection technologies, driving next-generation solutions such as TYMIRIUM® technology, PLINAZOLIN® technology, X-Terra® hybrid wheat and an expanding portfolio of biological and precision agriculture solutions. Each year, the company invests more than USD 800 million in crop protection R&D, incorporating AI and fostering research collaborations that accelerate its work at the frontiers of science. The investment in BioSTaR in the UK is part of a long-term strategy to fortify its research capabilities around the world, which also includes global research hubs in Switzerland, the US and China. Syngenta’s Jealott’s Hill R&D site is the largest research facility in the UK dedicated to agricultural technology research, and Syngenta’s largest crop protection R&D site worldwide, employing more than 800 scientists. Its researchers have developed some of the most important agricultural breakthroughs – including the invention and development of key technologies such as Amistar® and PLINAZOLIN® technology. The newest innovation developed at the site, VIRESTINA™ technology, is designed to control herbicide-resistant weeds and was developed using Syngenta’s “Safer by Design” research approach—engineering solutions that deliver higher yields while reducing the impact to the planet. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3658/australia-pledges-7-94-m-to-boost-drought-resilience-for-nsw-winegrape-apple-and-cherry-sector.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3658/australia-pledges-7-94-m-to-boost-drought-resilience-for-nsw-winegrape-apple-and-cherry-sector.html Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:47:59 +0530 The five-year project supports R&D to strengthen the winegrape, apple, and cherry sectors by integrating these insights into daily orchard and vineyard operations. The Australia's Future Drought Fund is supporting the NSW Government, in partnership with program lead Charles Sturt University, to launch a major new research initiative aimed at helping winegrape, apple, and cherry producers strengthen their resilience to drought. This initiative is part of a plan to leverage the best researchers to bolster the winegrape, apple, and cherry sectors in the face of changing climate conditions. Strong industry engagement and knowledge-sharing will be critical to the project’s success. The goal is to ensure research findings translate into tangible benefits for growers, enabling them to apply these insights in day-to-day orchard and vineyard practices. This five-year project will develop and test new agronomic management practices to improve orchard and vineyard drought resilience through the following activities: Long-term trial sites at a Batlow commercial apple orchard and a Gulgong cherry orchard. Additional demonstration sites across the Central West, southern NSW, and Tasmania to include diverse horticultural production systems in winegrape, apple, and cherry sectors. Sites will test a combination of researcher-designed and grower-suggested treatments to evaluate how different practices influence drought tolerance and productivity over time. Growers from each region will contribute to the trial’s design, treatment selection, refinement, and on-ground implementation this autumn and winter. Six NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development research staff will collaborate with Charles Sturt University and University of Tasmania researchers. Long-term trials will capture the seasonal cycle of perennial crops, providing growers with detailed insights into how different management approaches perform under real-world conditions. The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development will work with host growers to identify a toolkit of management strategies, including soil amendments, deficit irrigation, and modern technologies like soil moisture probes, to improve orchard resilience to extreme weather events. Research findings will be made accessible to farmers through workshops, factsheets, orchard walks, and the ‘Best Practice Drought Management’ training manual. The project has received $7.94 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund under the Long-term Trials of Drought Resilient Farming Practices Program, round 2. Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins said: “Drought is always a case of when, not if. This is why we’re working with the NSW Government, Charles Sturt University, and other partners to understand the risks, priorities, and actions needed to boost resilience to future drought. We heard loud and clear from the farming industry at last year’s National Drought Forum about the importance of building long-term resilience to drought, which is what this project will deliver. The Long-term Trials Program is a great example of how collaboration between government, industry, and research leaders, through co-design with farmers, can deliver real solutions and tangible benefits to regional communities. I encourage farmers to get involved where possible in this project and see if they can take advantage of this valuable opportunity.” NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty explained “The Minns Government is working to develop and sustain our horticultural sector and to assist farmers facing increased climate variability. This project is designed to deliver practical and evidence-based solutions. We are currently addressing the impacts of drought, and this project demonstrates we are working for the future. This will give growers future access to a toolkit of proven management options that can help safeguard their productivity and profitability during tough seasons. This investment, made through the Future Drought Fund, will support the development of drought-resilient practices that can be applied directly on farm, ensuring growers are better prepared for the challenges ahead.” Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor Professor Renée Leon said, “We are seeing increased frequencies of drought, and we need to develop solutions which enable farmers and industry to do more with less water. This project is about improving the ability of horticulturalists to make better use of limited rainfall, developing smarter agricultural technologies, and building cross-industry collaborations. It is important work which is a national priority to secure the future of our food supply. Charles Sturt University’s research is born in the regions, but its impact reaches across the nation. With support from valued partners like the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Charles Sturt University will continue converting regional challenges into world-class breakthroughs that strengthen our economy, our communities, and our environment.” NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Director for Horticulture Dr Alison Anderson said, “By drawing on the research and industry expertise at both the Orange and Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institutes and partnering with researchers at Charles Sturt University and University of Tasmania, we’re able to test farming management strategies that strengthen drought resilience across temperate horticultural and viticultural systems. This combined research effort ensures growers receive practical, scientifically validated options that work in real orchard and vineyard conditions. Integrating that knowledge into long-term commercial trials will allow us to identify the most reliable, cost-effective drought-management tools so growers can make confident decisions in increasingly variable seasons. This comprehensive initiative underscores the commitment of government, research institutions, and industry to equip growers with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate future climate challenges effectively." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3657/bayer-crop-science-canada-redefines-canola-innovation-with-new-advancing-better-canola-initiative.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3657/bayer-crop-science-canada-redefines-canola-innovation-with-new-advancing-better-canola-initiative.html Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:30:20 +0530 Bayer challenges industry to redefine canola innovation and reframe canola's future around real, lasting systems. Bayer Crop Science Canada has launched Advancing Better Canola (ABCs), an industry-wide initiative aimed at redefining canola innovation to better support Canadian farmers. Through 2026, the ABCs will focus on fostering dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy while integrating genetics, agronomy, crop protection, and digital tools to enhance Bayer’s role in canola. This initiative reflects a commitment to addressing complex, on-farm challenges and driving meaningful progress in the industry. The ABCs initiative emphasizes the need for more than incremental improvements in canola innovation. It is built on three strategic commitments: Leadership, to better understand grower needs and advocate for emerging issues; Transparency, to openly share progress and rebuild trust in innovation; and Ecosystem Empowerment, to create integrated systems where genetics, agronomy, crop protection, and digital tools work seamlessly together. These pillars aim to position Bayer as a leader in advancing the canola ecosystem. Key examples of the ABCs in action include a $45 million investment in the Canola Innovation Centre in Winnipeg, MB, which will focus on breakthroughs in root biology, climate resilience, and crop efficiency. Additionally, Bayer has established an integrated end-to-end canola seed production network across Cranbrook, BC, Lethbridge, AB, and Coaldale, AB, to enhance control over the seed process. These efforts are complemented by the 2024 introduction of Dynamic Shared Ownership (DSO), a new operating model designed to deliver faster innovation tailored to customer needs. “Advancing Better Canola is about bringing farmers and industry partners together to explore integrated approaches that address real-world challenges,” said Shaun Corneillie, North American Canola, Cereals & Biofuels Lead at Bayer Crop Science. “As growers face weather variability, cost pressures, and market uncertainty, they need practical solutions and a trusted ecosystem of partners to support their day-to-day operations.” The ABCs initiative will roll out throughout 2026 and beyond, encompassing partnerships, thought leadership on the future of canola, transparent dialogue on innovation challenges, and field-based demonstrations of integrated systems. “Innovation should add clarity, not complication,” said Antoine Bernet, Country Division Head of Crop Science Canada. “With Advancing Better Canola, Bayer is strengthening how the canola ecosystem builds for the future.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3652/south-korea-launches-new-prickly-pear-cactus-varieties-dual-label-and-gold-label.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3652/south-korea-launches-new-prickly-pear-cactus-varieties-dual-label-and-gold-label.html Wed, 25 Mar 2026 10:39:50 +0530 Researchers from Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services unveil two new prickly pear cactus varieties Korea's Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services has launched two new varieties of the prickly pear cactus developed through its own breeding technology: 'Dual Label' and 'Gold Label'. The prickly pear cactus is a plant native to the tropical rainforests of Brazil. It grows attached to trees or rocks and blooms even during the winter season. 'Dual Label' is a variety in which a single flower simultaneously displays three colors: pink at the edge of the petals, yellow in the middle, and white on the inside. Unlike existing varieties that feature mainly single colors, its distinct color contrast enhances its ornamental value, leading to anticipated market demand. 'Gold Label' features a soft golden hue and a uniform flower shape. According to on-site farm trials, it has received favorable evaluations for its consistent blooming and stable coloration, making it highly suitable for indoor ornamental use and as a gift. Both varieties are scheduled to be released to the market this year and are expected to help improve the import-dominated market structure and expand the presence of domestic varieties. The provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services has been selecting genetic resources and accumulating data focused on flower color and shape to match consumer preferences for the past five to ten years, utilizing this information for breeding purposes. Breeding refers to the agricultural technology of developing and disseminating new crop or livestock varieties with higher practical value than previous ones through improvement. Varieties developed by this method adapt well to the market, enabling them to gain competitiveness quickly. Jung Yun-kyung, Director of the Cactus and Succulent Research Institute at the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services, said, "We will continue to develop varieties suited to domestic cultivation conditions and strengthen data-driven breeding to lead the development of new floral varieties." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3634/korea-launches-national-agricultural-ax-platform-to-accelerate-ai-transformation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3634/korea-launches-national-agricultural-ax-platform-to-accelerate-ai-transformation.html Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:23:58 +0530 Estimated USD 215 million to be unvested in Public-Private Partnership (SPC) projects The South Korean government is set to fully accelerate the transformation of agriculture into an AI-leading industry by establishing the "National Agricultural AX (AI Transformation) Platform," which integrates cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics. At the Meeting of Ministers on Economic Affairs presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yun-cheol, the government discussed the plan to promote this national platform. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) announced that it will enhance agricultural competitiveness through this platform, which combines AI and data-based farming solutions with next-generation smart farm models. The goal is to move beyond the limits of existing hardware-centric smart farming and create an "Intelligent Agricultural Ecosystem" that increases productivity and is easily accessible even to elderly or novice farmers. Key highlights of the project include:- Public-Private Partnership (SPC): The project will be driven by a joint SPC. The total project cost is estimated at over KRW 290 billion (approx. USD 215 million), with the government contributing up to KRW 140 billion.- Private-Led Operation: The government plans to minimize intervention to ensure public interest while allowing the platform to be operated primarily by the private sector to maximize professional expertise.- Advanced Technology: The platform will build specialized AI models for cultivation and livestock, providing customized services such as early pest diagnosis, growth management, and remote precision control.- Infrastructure: Construction of high-efficiency, low-cost smart greenhouses and livestock barns capable of intelligent remote control. MAFRA aims to reduce labor burdens and boost productivity while fostering AI agricultural technology as a new export industry. The Ministry plans to launch a consortium call and hold business briefings this month, aiming to establish the SPC within the year. To ensure stability, the government will provide administrative support for land acquisition and financial support through policy funds like the National Growth Fund. "We expect to increase agricultural profitability and reduce labor burdens through innovation in the farming environment," a MAFRA official stated. "We will secure global competitiveness by pioneering high-value-added markets through our AI agricultural models." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3633/philippines-thailand-partner-to-boost-innovation-agri-workforce.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3633/philippines-thailand-partner-to-boost-innovation-agri-workforce.html Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:09:25 +0530 Philippines Collaborates with Asian Institute of Technology Tackling Climate Variability Resource Constraints Through Research Training Knowledge Exchange for Sustainable Development The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Bangkok, Thailand, to advance innovation and strengthen the agricultural workforce. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted the partnership as a critical step toward achieving food security and sustainability amid challenges such as climate variability, resource limitations, and pest and disease pressures. “This collaboration will empower the next generation of agricultural leaders, enhance scientific and academic communities, and provide practical solutions to support sustainable agricultural development,” Secretary Tiu Laurel said. “Progress in agriculture is progress for our people, and through this partnership, we are harnessing the power of collective expertise to create lasting impact.” The partnership is set to build a robust pipeline of trained professionals, facilitate knowledge exchange between the Philippines and Thailand, and develop technologies and practices that boost productivity and resilience in agriculture. Key areas of cooperation include ; Joint PhD and Master’s programs, professional development, consultancy services, collaborative research, and publications. The MOU also opens opportunities for exploring additional initiatives aimed at turning research into actionable solutions that benefit farmers, students, and the broader agricultural sector. Both institutions are committed to addressing pressing global and regional challenges, such as climate-smart farming and sustainable resource management. By integrating academic expertise with government policy priorities, the collaboration seeks to deliver scalable, innovative solutions that benefit not only the Philippines but also the wider Southeast Asian region. The DA and AIT will closely monitor and evaluate the outcomes of their joint initiatives to ensure tangible benefits for farmers, researchers, and rural communities. This strategic partnership underscores the potential of collaboration to create a more innovative, resilient, and food-secure future in an increasingly uncertain global landscape. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3628/singapores-ntu-sbs-golden-agri-international-and-smart-research-institute-sign-mou-to-advance-sustainable-agricultural-practices.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3628/singapores-ntu-sbs-golden-agri-international-and-smart-research-institute-sign-mou-to-advance-sustainable-agricultural-practices.html Fri, 13 Mar 2026 11:00:11 +0530 Focus on green nano‑fertilizers and plant‑immunity enhancers to improve crop productivity NTU’s School of Biological Sciences (NTU SBS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Golden Agri International (GAI) and the SMART Research Institute (SMARTRI), facilitated by the Singapore Agri‑Food Innovation Lab (SAIL), to explore collaborative research in sustainable agricultural practices. The partnership will focus on green nano‑fertilizers and plant‑immunity enhancers to improve crop productivity; molecular and structural regulation of oil biosynthesis and seed loading for efficient, sustainable vegetable‑oil production; plant–pathogen interactions and VOC‑based early diagnostics for pest and disease management; photosynthetic optimisation and carbon fixation to enhance yields while reducing environmental impact; and functional and comparative genomics for long‑term trait discovery in oil palm using non‑GMO approaches. The parties will take a systems (CoLab) approach to shape exploratory and applied projects, including the establishment of interdisciplinary research interfaces with other NTU entities. NTU Team Awarded SSHR Seed Grant for Study on Digital Agriculture in Singapore and Southeast Asia NTU Food Research Systems (NTU‑FRS) is pleased to share that the project “Digital Agriculture Technology Adoption Drivers in Singapore and Southeast Asia” (Award #2025‑CoHASS‑003) has been awarded the NTU Social Sciences and Humanities Research (SSHR) Seed Grant. Led by Dr Jose Ma. Luis Montesclaros (RSIS) as Principal Investigator, with Prof Mely Caballero‑Anthony (RSIS) as Co‑Investigator, the project will examine how digital agriculture can strengthen food security outcomes in Singapore and the broader Southeast Asian region. Initial fieldwork in Singapore will form the foundation for developing a full SSHR‑TG proposal in 2028, with the intention to expand participation across the community in this interdisciplinary effort. The team brings together expertise across NTU, including Dr Sherwin Chua (WKWSCI) as Lead Collaborator, and collaborators Prof Ng Kee Woei (MSE), Dr Munusamy Vijayan (CRADLE), and Mr Kayven Tan (RSIS). The project also benefits from regional partnership through Dr Gerlie Tatlonghari of the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA‑CADRE), helping to connect future ASEAN country participants to the research. Prof William Chen, Cluster Lead with NTU Food Research Systems (NTU‑FRS), was invited to speak at the Second International Symposium on Food Security and Nutrition, held on 23–24 February 2026 at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. The event drew over 150 in‑person attendees and more than 200 virtual participants, according to the organisers. The symposium brought together leading researchers, industry representatives, and policymakers to discuss current challenges and emerging solutions in food security and nutrition from interdisciplinary and global perspectives, with a focus on science‑ and technology‑driven approaches. Prof Chen delivered a talk titled “Enhancing Food Security through Technology Innovations and Partnerships: A Singapore Perspective,” contributing insights on how innovation ecosystems can strengthen resilience and accelerate practical impact across food systems. Organised by the Food Security and Nutrition Research Group of the School of Engineering and Sciences at Tecnológico de Monterrey, the symposium also included a dedicated working session on strategic actions for the Food Security and Nutrition Alliance – an initiative that seeks to articulate scientific research, technological innovation, and public policy design to transform food systems toward more sustainable, healthy, and equitable models, generating synergy among several international institutions to work from a united front on food security solutions. Ahead of the symposium, a NTU delegation led by the Deputy President and Provost Prof Christian Wolfrum visited Tecnológico de Monterrey in early February 2026, further strengthening institutional ties and collaboration pathways. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3611/groundbreaking-pollinator-independent-indoor-berry-production-may-enable-reliable-year-round-berry-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3611/groundbreaking-pollinator-independent-indoor-berry-production-may-enable-reliable-year-round-berry-production.html Mon, 02 Mar 2026 11:49:53 +0530 Montel partners with TMU researchers to advance pollinator-independent indoor berry production in Canada Montel Inc., a leading Canadian manufacturer of high-density mobile systems, has announced a strategic partnership with researchers from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) to develop a pollinator-independent indoor berry production system. This initiative is supported by the Weston Family Foundation through the Homegrown Innovation Challenge Scaling Phase, which invests in innovative solutions for reliable, year-round berry production in Canada. As part of the collaboration, Montel will construct and host a dedicated pilot farm called MoFarm at its facility in Montmagny, Québec. This facility will serve as a testing ground for TMU's innovative airflow-based pollination technology, allowing researchers to evaluate its effectiveness under controlled, real-world growing conditions. In June 2025, TMU professors Habiba Bougherara and Lesley Campbell received a grant of up to $5 million to advance their work on a system that enables raspberries—and potentially other berries—to be grown indoors without relying on bees. Their patented technology uses airflow and microclimate control to autonomously transfer pollen between flowers, addressing a major challenge in controlled-environment agriculture. This breakthrough could reduce dependence on vulnerable pollinator populations while improving yield predictability and enabling multi-layer berry production through compact plant architecture. The Weston Family Foundation’s support has been pivotal in advancing this project, which aligns with its mission to strengthen Canada’s domestic food production ecosystem. Montel’s involvement underscores its commitment to contributing to a sustainable and self-sufficient food future. By providing the infrastructure for this research, Montel enables the convergence of scientific discovery and engineering excellence. Montel, recognized for its expertise in indoor vertical farming systems, will play a key role in supporting TMU’s scientific leadership. MoFarm, designed and located adjacent to Montel’s manufacturing facility, will serve as a critical site for assessing the performance of the pollination technology, running continuous year-round growing cycles, and creating a research environment that mirrors real vertical farming conditions. This collaboration also fosters stronger partnerships between TMU scientists and Montel experts, reinforcing a shared vision of building a resilient and sustainable food system for Canada. Yves Bélanger, VP of Sales for Vertical Farming at Montel, emphasized the company’s mission to help growers “grow more” with less space. He noted that collaborating with TMU allows Montel to push the boundaries of indoor agriculture by combining advanced science and engineering. TMU’s research focuses on overcoming a significant barrier in indoor berry cultivation: effective pollination without bees. By integrating plant science, mechanical engineering, and precise microclimate control, the project aims to support pollinator-independent fruit set, improve yield stability, and advance sustainable, Canadian-grown berries year-round. Professor Habiba Bougherara highlighted the importance of this funding, stating that partnering with Montel provides the opportunity to validate their technology in real indoor growing conditions. This initiative represents a national effort to reinvent food production by addressing critical challenges in controlled-environment agriculture. The MoFarm pilot farm exemplifies the potential of collaboration between industry and academia to drive innovation. By enabling pollinator-free berry production, this project not only supports Canada’s agricultural resilience but also paves the way for sustainable, locally grown food solutions that could transform indoor farming practices. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3600/australia-boosts-support-for-agricultural-innovation-at-evokeag-2026-with-450000-commitment.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3600/australia-boosts-support-for-agricultural-innovation-at-evokeag-2026-with-450000-commitment.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 12:53:39 +0530 To foster collaboration and sustainability in agrifood technology The Australian government reaffirmed its dedication to advancing agricultural innovation with a $450,000 funding boost for AgriFutures’ evokeAG, a leading agrifood technology and innovation event. This investment, announced as part of the $23.8 million Showcasing Australian Agriculture – Regional Trade Events program, supported the event over the next three years evokeAG, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, drew approximately 2,000 participants. These included farmers, producers, startups, researchers, policymakers, investors, and business leaders. The event was a hub for collaboration and knowledge sharing, aimed at addressing the most pressing challenges in the agricultural sector This year’s edition focused on three key themes: information and future technology, environment and sustainability, and system and policy. Attendees explored how these areas intersect and shape the future of agriculture. The event provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss and develop solutions that enhanced productivity, resilience, and global competitiveness in the agrifood industry Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP, emphasized the government’s commitment to fostering a modern and innovative agrifood system. “Australian farmers and producers are already world-class innovators, and events like evokeAG provided an opportunity to share ideas, build connections, and create new opportunities,” she said. “We were proud to back evokeAG, which helped forge stronger links between research and industry while showcasing the benefits of innovation for farmers and producers.” AgriFutures Australia, one of the 15 rural research and development corporations in the country, played a pivotal role in supporting the research, development, and extension needs of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries, and forestry industries. Mick Veitch, welcomed the government’s support, stating, “This additional funding will expand the reach of evokeAG, support the growth of emerging and established industries, and strengthen the partnerships needed to translate research into practical on-farm outcomes.” The event was not only a showcase of cutting-edge agrifood technology but also a catalyst for accelerating the adoption of new ideas and technologies. By bringing together the brightest minds across agriculture, research, and industry, evokeAG drove innovation and ensured the agricultural sector remained resilient and globally competitive The government's ongoing support for evokeAG reflected its broader strategy to position Australia as a leader in agricultural innovation. This year's event built on the success of previous iterations, which had already demonstrated the value of connecting diverse stakeholders to address shared challenges. With its focus on sustainability, technology, and policy, evokeAG 2026 was a critical platform for shaping the future of agriculture in Australia and beyond. The funding boost ensured the event could continue to provide a space for collaboration, innovation, and forward-thinking solutions that benefited the entire agricultural ecosystem. Through events like evokeAG, Australia reinforced its position as a global leader in agricultural innovation, equipping its farmers and producers with the tools and networks needed to thrive in an ever-evolving industry. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3596/japans-green-carbon-inc-signs-mou-with-naresuan-university-in-thailand.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3596/japans-green-carbon-inc-signs-mou-with-naresuan-university-in-thailand.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:29:20 +0530 Strengthening Research Collaboration on the Phitsanulok Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Project to Accelerate Science-Based Carbon Credit Generation Green Carbon Co., Ltd., which operates a nature-based carbon credit creation and sales business, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Naresuan University (NU), a national university in Thailand, to promote a greenhouse gas reduction project that utilizes intermittent irrigation (AWD: Alternate Wetting and Drying) (*1) in rice paddies in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. Strengthening scientific credibility and laying a foundation for scale-up are the objectives of the MOU. Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen the system for measuring, analyzing, and evaluating GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and establish a high-quality agricultural carbon credit creation model based on scientific evidence. Naresuan University, a leading national institution in Phitsanulok Province renowned for its research in agriculture and environmental science, has entered into an MOU with Green Carbon to advance collaboration with the following goals: Precise measurement of GHG emissions in AWD rice paddies Scientific evaluation of emission reduction effects Development of a data infrastructure to support the international credit system Establishment of a research and demonstration model for large-scale deployment. This partnership will enhance the ongoing AWD project with academic support, aiming to produce high-quality agricultural carbon credits suitable for the international market. AWD project in Thailand enters implementation phase Rice cultivation is one of the world's major sources of agricultural methane emissions and is positioned as a priority area for reduction efforts in decarbonizing agriculture. Green Carbon has designated Thailand as one of its priority regions and has been promoting a greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction project using intermittent irrigation (AWD) in rice paddies. In particular, in Phitsanulok Province, the company is collaborating with local government agencies and agricultural stakeholders to implement a field demonstration project for AWD.The results of a survey on the effects of introducing AWD in the region have confirmed the following multiple environmental and economic benefits. Average reduction of methane emissions by approximately 49% Emissions reduction of approximately 2.97tCO₂e per hectare per season Reducing water usage Increased yields and farm income Based on these results, the establishment of a highly accurate MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) system that can comply with the international carbon credit system is a key to future large-scale deployment. Naresuan University is a major national university based in Phitsanulok Province, with a strong track record of research in the fields of agriculture and environmental science. Based on this MOU, Green Carbon and NU will promote research collaboration with the following objectives: Precise measurement of GHG emissions in AWD rice paddies  Scientific evaluation of emission reduction effects Developing a data infrastructure to support the international credit system Establishment of a research and demonstration model for large-scale deployment  This will strengthen the already implemented AWD project with academic backing and aim to create high-quality agricultural carbon credits that can be used in the international market. Intermittent irrigation (AWD) is a method in which water is added to rice paddies every few days and then allowed to dry naturally, based on the water level in the paddy field. Compared to continuous water addition, intermittent irrigation (AWD) reduces water usage and contributes to the conservation of water resources. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3585/barry-callebaut-opens-global-innovation-center-in-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3585/barry-callebaut-opens-global-innovation-center-in-singapore.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:26:26 +0530 Pioneering the future of chocolate through AI and advanced innovation Barry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, today announced the opening of its Callebaut Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Singapore. This milestone highlights the company’s commitment to accelerating innovation and transformation across the chocolate and cocoa industry. Located at Geneo in Singapore Science Park, the Callebaut Global Innovation Center (GIC) brings together two Centers of Excellence (CoEs): the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) CoE dedicated to chocolate and cocoa, and the company’s pioneering Cacao Coatings (compound) CoE. The Cacao Coatings CoE in Singapore is Barry Callebaut’s first CoE dedicated to advancing innovation, expertise, and customer solutions in cacao coatings, also known as compounds. It focuses on breakthrough product development in coatings and fillings, building deep formulation and application expertise to deliver scalable portfolios and customized brand solutions across markets. The Geneo site also houses the Callebaut Chocolate Academy™ Singapore alongside a regional Research and Development facility. The Academy delivers a unique customer experience by translating consumer trends and customer briefs into innovative concepts. Embedded within the Callebaut Global Innovation Center, it turns insights into hands‑on co‑creation and practical solutions that accelerate customer innovation. In addition to the facilities at Geneo, the new state‑of‑the‑art pilot lab at our Senoko chocolate factory complements and strengthens our capabilities, creating a fully interconnected platform for both innovation and scalable production. This pilot lab enables rapid prototyping, small‑batch production, and process testing. Together, the five components of the GIC establish a comprehensive innovation ecosystem. In doing so, Barry Callebaut is redefining how chocolate experiences are imagined, designed, and delivered. As the first Callebaut GIC to launch a new integrated model, the Singapore center embodies a bold new approach to collaboration and creativity, reinforcing the nation’s role as a global hub for food innovation and digital advancement. “Chocolate and cocoa have been traded out of Singapore for a long time. We are building on this foundation to leverage on R&D, innovation and AI to develop new products and experiences. This latest investment by the world's largest chocolate and cocoa company underscores Singapore's role as an innovative and leading trading hub.” Lee Pak Sing, Assistant Managing Director for Trade and Connectivity, Enterprise Singapore. “Barry Callebaut’s new Global Innovation Center will anchor advanced R&D and AI capabilities related to cocoa and chocolate production in Singapore. Building on nearly three decades of manufacturing presence in Singapore, this new investment will deepen capabilities in AI and product development, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a trusted global innovation hub.” Soo Haw Yun, Vice President, Global Enterprises Division, EDB. Barry Callebaut has been present in Singapore for close to 30 years, with the region’s largest industrial chocolate factory in Senoko, its AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) regional headquarters, and now the Global Innovation Center. “The establishment of our Global Innovation Center in Singapore represents a significant milestone in Barry Callebaut’s growth journey. Singapore’s world-class infrastructure, availability of talent pool and proximity to dynamic markets in the region make it the ideal location to drive chocolate innovation at scale. With strong support from the Singapore Government, this Center strengthens our ability to co-create with customers, accelerate business transformation, and reinforce Singapore’s role as a global hub for food innovation.” Vamsi Mohan Thati, President of AMEA, Barry Callebaut. “AI is redefining how we imagine, design, and deliver chocolate and cocoa experiences. By embedding AI into our innovation ecosystem, we are unlocking new possibilities from predictive flavor development to personalized customer solutions. The Callebaut Global Innovation Center in Singapore goes beyond immediate innovation, establishing the digital infrastructure that will shape tomorrow’s chocolate experiences.” Amr Arafa, Chief Digital Officer, Barry Callebaut. Across its Singapore facilities, the Callebaut GIC will host more than 30 specialized roles including AI engineers, food scientists, chefs, application technologists, process technicians, and customer experience specialists “Since Barry Callebaut’s founding, chocolate and cocoa have been at the heart of our heritage and innovation. Today, we are strategically expanding our capabilities to create immersive chocolate experiences that delight customers worldwide. The Callebaut Global Innovation Center ensures that the next chapter of chocolate continues to inspire and excite.” Dries Roekaerts, President Customer Experience, Barry Callebaut. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3574/from-domestic-strength-to-global-influence-brazils-bioinput-playbook.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3574/from-domestic-strength-to-global-influence-brazils-bioinput-playbook.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:12:41 +0530 Mauro Heringer tells Agrospectrum how regulatory coordination, tropical biotech and sovereign innovation are positioning Brazil at the center of regenerative agriculture In an exclusive interview with Agrospectrum, Mauro Heringer, Director of International Relations at ABINBIO and Member of the National Bioinputs Export Committee (ApexBrasil), outlined how Brazil’s dominance in tropical bioinputs is reshaping global agricultural markets. He emphasized that Brazil’s competitive edge lies in its “Proof of Tropical Resilience,” with biological solutions tested across six biomes under extreme climatic and pest pressures—conditions that validate their robustness for global deployment. Heringer highlighted regulatory harmonization, living logistics, and institutional coordination under Law 15,070/2024 as central to accelerating exports while positioning Brazil as a benchmark for sustainable agricultural biotechnology. Framing bioinputs as a matter of national security and technological sovereignty, he asserted that Brazil’s ambition extends beyond exports to leading a global transition toward high-performance regenerative agriculture. From Domestic Success to Export Strategy Brazil has built a large and sophisticated domestic bio-inputs market. What specific capabilities or lessons from domestic adoption give Brazilian companies a competitive edge when entering highly regulated international markets? Brazil’s success in the bioinputs sector is not merely a function of sales volume—it reflects deep biotechnological and institutional maturity that has given rise to a true “tropical innovation ecosystem.” The country’s competitive advantage rests on what can be called the Proof of Tropical Resilience. Unlike competitors operating in temperate climates, Brazilian companies develop bioinputs for an environment defined by six distinct biomes within a single territory, continuous year-round cultivation cycles, intense pest pressure and high temperatures. These are among the most challenging agricultural conditions in the world—and Brazil has learned to innovate within them. This is where the real advantage lies: the tropicalization of biotechnology. Brazil does not simply “sell the bottle.” It exports the expertise required to replace or complement synthetic chemistry in highly productive agricultural systems under extreme biological stress. As a result, Brazilian companies are not commodity suppliers. They are holders of strategic intellectual property essential to advancing sustainable global food security. The lesson is straightforward: if a biological solution performs consistently across Brazilian biomes—particularly in the Cerrado—it possesses more than enough robustness for virtually any other agricultural region in the world. Brazil exports resilience, not just microorganisms. Regulatory Asymmetry Across Markets How does the export committee plan to navigate starkly different regulatory regimes for biological inputs in the EU, the United States, and Latin America, and where do you see the greatest bottlenecks to market access? I will start from the end of the question. In my view, the biggest bottlenecks are regulatory alignment and what I call “Living Logistics.” Exporting chemicals is relatively straightforward. Exporting living organisms—bacteria and fungi—is fundamentally different. It requires cold-chain infrastructure, precision logistics and strict control over viability and shelf-life throughout transit. Maintaining biological stability over long international distances remains the most significant technical and commercial challenge. On the regulatory front, asymmetries between countries create additional complexity. Rules, compliance standards and legal frameworks vary widely, making harmonization a strategic priority. To address this, a formal partnership was established in mid-2025 between ApexBrasil and CropLife Brasil, which recently welcomed ABINBIO (Brazilian Association of Bioinput Industries). Together, they formed the National Bioinputs Export Committee, a platform designed to coordinate international expansion and regulatory strategy. Navigating global markets requires differentiated approaches, as regulatory cultures are not uniform. In the European Union, the framework is guided by the Precautionary Principle, which emphasizes intrinsic hazard. There, our strategy is centered almost entirely on demonstrating toxicological safety, purity and the absence of contaminants. We do not sell “productivity” to Europe—we sell food safety and the elimination of chemical residues. The positioning should resemble an “Intel Inside” for agriculture: if it carries Brazilian bio-technology, it represents sustainability and safety. In the United States, the regulatory philosophy—led by the EPA—is pragmatic and risk-based. The focus must therefore be on agronomic efficacy. Our dossiers emphasize large-scale performance data generated across millions of Brazilian hectares under tropical conditions. This industrial-scale validation offers something that controlled laboratory trials alone cannot replicate. In Latin America, the priority should be regional harmonization. Here, the challenge is largely political and institutional. Alignment within Mercosur is essential, with Brazil’s regulatory approval—already subject to rigorous scrutiny by MAPA, ANVISA and IBAMA, under one of the world’s most advanced bioinput frameworks—serving as a regional quality benchmark. The objective is mutual recognition: if a product has been approved by the tropical leader, Brazil, it should qualify for fast-track registration in neighboring markets such as Paraguay, Colombia and Bolivia. In short, the pathway to global expansion requires regulatory intelligence, logistical innovation and geopolitical coordination—not just technological excellence. Branding “Brazil” in Sustainability-Driven Markets The project emphasizes brand positioning around sustainability and bioeconomy. How do you reconcile Brazil’s leadership in bio-inputs with ongoing international scrutiny of its broader environmental record, particularly in land use and deforestation? This is a fundamental question. First, it is important to adjust the premise of the question with data. Often, the narrative imposed on the sustainability issue is a distorted and uninformed view. Brazil is an agro-environmental powerhouse: we preserve more than 60 per cent of our territory with native vegetation and possess the most rigorous environmental legislation in the world (the Forest Code) and, now, modern Bioinput legislation. No other major food producer delivers these numbers.Our leadership in Bioinputs is not an attempt to "compensate" for a problem, but rather the natural evolution of this preservationist mindset. Thanks to our tropical biotechnology (such as Biological Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fixation and no-till farming), we have managed to increase production by 400 per cent in recent decades while expanding the land area by only 40 per cent.Therefore, Brazil needs to be emulated. By exporting bioinputs, we are offering the world the same technology that allows us to be the only country feeding 1 billion people while preserving the majority of its forests. Innovation vs. Standardization Tension Biological inputs often require localized formulations and application protocols. How does Brazil balance the need for market-specific adaptation with the efficiencies required for scalable global exports? We solve this dilemma through a "Platform Biology" strategy. The common mistake is thinking that one exports a "ready-to-use final product" just like a chemical pesticide. Brazil has learned to export the Base Technology and Application Know-How.In Industry Standardization (Upstream): Brazil has achieved global excellence in industrial development. Our factories produce spores and metabolites with very high concentration and purity and extended shelf-life. This is standardizable and scalable worldwide. It is the biological "hardware."In Field Adaptation (Downstream): The "software" (how to use it) is adaptable. Our companies don’t just sell the jug; they sell the agronomic protocol. We have formulation technology that allows the same tested robust strain to be activated or applied differently depending on Indian or American soil. Thus, efficiency comes from the industrial scale of our fermentation; adaptation comes from the robustness of our tropical strains. If a bacterium survives the stress of Brazilian soil, it performs easily in less hostile environments.Brazil does not export a "medicine," but rather a "treatment system." By separating the biological asset (standardized) from the application intelligence (localized), companies achieve the benefits of mass production without the risk of inefficacy in foreign soils. Domestic Ownership as Strategic Advantage With over 80 per cent of bio-input companies being Brazilian-owned, how does domestic ownership shape innovation, capital formation, and long-term export competitiveness compared to multinational-dominated ag-input sectors? The fact that Brazil’s bioinput sector is predominantly national in capital structure—historically over 80 per cent —is a positive anomaly within Brazilian agribusiness, which has traditionally been dependent on multinational chemical and seed companies. This domestic foundation has fostered a form of biotechnological sovereignty that significantly reshapes Brazil’s export competitiveness. However, intellectual honesty requires a distinction between the sector’s historical structure and its current market dynamics. The premise that the sector remains mostly national is still statistically defensible when measured by number of companies. Brazil has hundreds of registered bioinput firms—many of them small and medium-sized regional agritechs. If one counts by tax ID (CNPJ), the majority are indeed Brazilian-owned. But when the metric shifts from number of companies to revenue concentration and market share, the picture is evolving rapidly. Multinational giants such as Bayer, Syngenta, Corteva and UPL—as well as foreign investment groups—have accelerated acquisitions of leading Brazilian bioinput firms. Once a Brazilian company is acquired, it continues operating locally, but capital allocation decisions and long-term strategic direction shift to a global headquarters. Why is this happening? Because the Brazilian bioinput sector has become one of the most profitable and dynamic segments in agribusiness, turning it into a primary target for mergers and acquisitions. Many companies that began with 100 per cent national capital were acquired precisely because multinationals struggled to replicate the speed of Brazilian innovation or navigate Brazil’s complex regulatory and agronomic landscape as effectively as local players. This creates a strategic paradox. Brazil risks becoming an exceptional “nursery of biological startups”—a global laboratory for innovation—whose most successful companies are absorbed by foreign capital once they achieve maturity and export scale. At the same time, the very factors that attract multinational interest explain Brazil’s competitive edge. In global chemical conglomerates, biological products are often treated as complementary or defensive tools—designed to protect or extend the lifecycle of synthetic molecules. In contrast, for national Brazilian companies, bioinputs are not an add-on; they are the core business. That structural difference matters. When biology is the central strategy, 100 per cent of R&D investment is directed toward biological performance. There is no internal conflict of interest, such as the risk of cannibalizing sales of high-margin synthetic fungicides. In large chemical corporations, a disruptive biological innovation can threaten existing revenue streams. In Brazilian bioinput companies, disruption is the objective. The result is faster innovation cycles, greater technological boldness and a development pipeline focused purely on biological efficiency under tropical conditions. This strategic clarity—biology as mission, not supplement—is what transformed Brazil into a global reference in bioinputs. The challenge now is ensuring that this innovative sovereignty is not diluted as consolidation accelerates. Competition with Established Multinationals As global agrochemical and biotech firms rapidly expand their biological portfolios, where does Brazil see its most defensible competitive moat—cost, performance in tropical systems, speed of innovation, or something else? Our defensive moat is, without a doubt, Proven Performance in Tropical Systems. While multinationals compete by buying startups to build a portfolio, Brazil has an advantage that cannot be bought: decades of natural selection in the field.The 'Tropicalization' Factor: Biology is context-dependent. A fungus developed in a laboratory in Europe might die in two hours under the sun in Mato Grosso (or Maharashtra). Our strains were isolated and selected under extreme thermal and water stress. They are "elite athletes" of survival.Real Scale vs. Greenhouse: Multinationals test in controlled greenhouses. Brazil tests on 40 million hectares of commercial crops. We have the world’s largest database on how bioinputs interact with the real environment.Cost-Benefit: Since we master large-scale fermentation (on-farm and industrial), we can deliver this elite biology at a cost that makes its use viable in commodities (soybeans, corn, cotton, sugarcane, etc.), not just in expensive fruits.Application Science and Coexistence (Compatibility): Foreign multinationals usually sell the "bottle." Brazilian companies sell the management. Brazil has learned to mix biologicals with chemicals in the same spray tank without inactivating the microorganism. This knowledge regarding formulation stability and chemical compatibility is what global producers want most today to reduce costs.The Brazilian "Pipeline": Brazil possesses the greatest microbial biodiversity in the world. The ability to isolate, test, and register new assets with agility creates an innovation cycle that multinationals, with their global bureaucratic structures, struggle to match. Institutional Coordination and Governance What concrete mechanisms will ensure that the export committee translates coordination into measurable outcomes—such as export growth or regulatory approvals—rather than remaining a symbolic platform? The Committee began its work at the end of 2025. To ensure the export committee does not become a "symbolic platform" without practical delivery, the governance of the bioinput sector in Brazil is being structured on technical execution mechanisms and commercial diplomacy.Law No. 15,070/2024 provides the legal basis, but the translation into measurable results depends on three pillars of institutional coordination. The committee does not act only in commercial promotion, but in the convergence of standards. The concrete mechanism is the creation of joint working groups with bodies such as EFSA (Europe) and the EPA (USA), aiming to reduce registration time abroad through the acceptance of data generated in Brazil (mutual recognition).The committee utilizes the rigor of the new legal framework to advocate that biological efficacy dossiers approved by MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture) be accepted as technical proof in other countries, eliminating the need to repeat field tests that last years.Institutional coordination involves ApexBrasil, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply in a market segmentation program. Examples such as the creation of an export "Bio-Pipeline" can be cited. The committee identifies biotechnological bottlenecks in partner countries and can directly connect Brazilian companies that have the specific solution through diplomatic missions, trade fairs, events, and through agricultural attachés at Brazilian embassies in key countries.Another aspect to prevent Brazilian products from being blocked by subjective sustainability issues is the implementation of Certification and Traceability Support within a Bioinput Conformity Seal system. Audits will ensure that the exported input meets bioeconomy and low carbon emission requirements, integrating them into the national bioinput program. Long-Term Market Transformation Do you view Brazil’s push into biological inputs primarily as an export opportunity, or as part of a broader effort to reshape global crop protection and fertility markets away from synthetic inputs—and how does that ambition influence policy and investment priorities? This is the question that defines the "endgame" for Brazil. The strategic answer is that export is merely the vehicle, but the global paradigm shift is the destination. Brazil doesn’t just want to be the largest exporter of bioinputs; it intends to be the architect of the new era of world agriculture.This is, undoubtedly, a global paradigm shift. Export is just the economic consequence; the cause is the survival necessity of modern agriculture. Brazil doesn’t just want to sell a substitute for chemicals; we want to lead the transition to the Era of High-Performance Regenerative Agriculture.We are positioning ourselves to be the "Saudi Arabia of Green Chemistry." Just as the Middle East was indispensable in the oil era, Brazil will be indispensable in the bioeconomy era. We are not just "moving away" from synthetics; we are integrating biological tools to create a smarter and more resilient system.This vision changes everything. Our investment priorities have shifted from the logic of "technology importation" to "technological sovereignty." The National Bioinput Plan and the APEX Brasil Bioinput Export Committee Project are proof that the Brazilian State has decided that biotechnology is strategic for national and global security.The Brazilian offensive aims to reposition synthetic inputs (especially fossil-based nitrogen fertilizers and high-toxicity pesticides) as high-risk assets with high environmental costs. The vulnerability revealed by global crises (such as the fertilizer shortage in 2022) accelerated the National Fertilizer Plan and the Bioinput Legal Framework (Law 15,070/2024). Brazil treats bioinputs as a matter of national security. The ambition is to reduce external dependence on mineral fertilizers by up to 50 per cent in the coming decades.By proving this is possible on a continental scale, Brazil creates a "demonstration effect" for the rest of the world, leading a movement for biotechnological food sovereignty. We are redesigning the architecture of food production. The future is biological, and Brazil is the laboratory where this future has already begun.I invite India to join us on this journey. Together, as leaders of the Global South, we have the responsibility and the capacity to define how the world will feed itself over the next 50 years: with more biology, more biotechnology, and more respect for our tropical soils and the people who are here and their future generations. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3542/csiro-opens-free-program-for-smes-developing-farm-and-food-technology-solutions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3542/csiro-opens-free-program-for-smes-developing-farm-and-food-technology-solutions.html Wed, 21 Jan 2026 11:31:08 +0530 Innovate to Grow is helping Australia’s farm and food innovators turn big ideas into real-world impact. Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, is calling on Australia’s farm and food innovators to apply for its latest Innovate to Grow program — helping small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) turn big ideas into research-driven solutions. The free, eight-week online program is designed to help SMEs turn early ideas into clear R&D plans, build innovation capability and connect with the right research expertise — empowering them to seize new opportunities and reduce risk. Applications are now open and close by 15 February 2026. Dr Ingrid Appelqvist, Senior Principal Food Material Scientist at CSIRO, said the program comes at a pivotal time for the sector as new digital, biological and advanced manufacturing technologies reshape Australia's food system. "We're seeing rapid transformation across farm and food technology, including advances in areas like AI and process digitisation," Dr Appelqvist said. "SMEs play an important role in this transformation, but many are still navigating how to progress early-stage ideas, reduce risk and access the right expertise. Innovate to Grow gives them the tools, networks and confidence to turn emerging opportunities into well-defined R&D pathways." "From sustainability and waste optimisation to new value-add products and more resilient supply chains, Australian food and agriculture businesses are well-positioned to lead — and programs like this help them get there." Since launching in 2020, CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow has supported more than 750 SMEs across a range of sectors. The program provides participants with expert facilitators, self-paced learning modules and networking opportunities to turn emerging ideas into actionable research plans. One recent participant, Esther Rupenovic, founder of Tasmanian business Jack and Chelo, joined Innovate to Grow in 2024. Her company creates chef-prepared, nutritionally balanced meals for dogs — developed with pet nutritionists and delivered via subscription.  Esther said the program unlocked practical research pathways she hadn’t previously considered, helping her see how science could scale the business. CSIRO’s Innovate to Grow: Farm and Food Technology is suitable for SMEs developing or supplying solutions in: Agritech and AI Food and beverage manufacturing, packaging and transport Livestock and aquaculture Value-add products Waste optimisation and recycling Energy reduction and circular economy Other emerging farm and food technology applications. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3522/from-estate-to-algorithm-how-canopy-is-turning-coffee-farms-into-climate-ready-intelligence-systems.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3522/from-estate-to-algorithm-how-canopy-is-turning-coffee-farms-into-climate-ready-intelligence-systems.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:15:10 +0530 A second-generation planter and AI researcher explains how lived plantation wisdom, satellite intelligence, and public–private collaboration are reshaping Indian coffee from the ground up In an exclusive interview with Agrospectrum, Sooraj Kandathil Babu, Founder & CEO of NeuBiom Labs and a second-generation coffee planter with a deep research background in AI, explains how lived estate experience shaped Canopy, a satellite- and AI-driven crop intelligence platform built for real plantation decisions. He discusses how Canopy converts traditional field intuition into digital twins that strengthen climate resilience, improve quality consistency, and enable traceability and collective bargaining for growers and FPOs. The conversation also highlights why affordable deep tech, public–private collaboration, and long-term data partnerships are essential to stabilising incomes and future-proofing Indian coffee amid increasing climate volatility. From Estate to Algorithm You are a second-generation coffee planter building a deep-tech platform rooted in satellite intelligence and AI. What specific pain points from your own plantation experience shaped Canopy’s architecture, and how did you translate traditional field intuition into a scalable digital “crop intelligence” model ? Most people experience coffee only as a finished product, something ordered at a café or picked off a supermarket shelf. What remains largely invisible is the one-year crop cycle that shapes that cup. When you spend time on plantations, the contrast becomes stark. I have seen two adjacent estates, with similar soil and climate, produce vastly different outcomes, one yielding 15 bags per acre, the other nearly double. The difference is rarely geography; it is almost always practice. How growers observe their farms, when they intervene, and how consistently they follow scientific cultivation principles. That gap in outcomes was the first pain point that shaped Canopy’s architecture. Traditional plantation wisdom is rich, but it is often unrecorded. We began by digitising this intuition through what we call a plantation journal, a structured cultivation diary that captures day-to-day farm activities. These records are then analysed alongside local weather patterns and satellite-derived plantation health indicators, allowing us to correlate practices with outcomes and provide context-specific advisories rather than generic recommendations. The second challenge is climate resilience. Coffee is a climate-sensitive crop grown predominantly in regions already exposed to significant climate risk. Multiple studies indicate that many current coffee-growing regions could become unsuitable by 2050 if cultivation practices remain unchanged. This makes climate-resilient growing not optional, but essential. Canopy maps how each grower approaches cultivation and aligns those practices with globally recognised sustainable frameworks, translating abstract climate principles into actionable, plot-level guidance. Quality and market value form the third pillar. Our goal is not to turn every grower into a specialty coffee producer overnight, but to enable clusters of growers to achieve uniform, reliable quality over time. Through Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), a standardised package of practices can be deployed across hundreds of farms, improving outturn, grading consistency, and ultimately bargaining power in trade. Canopy supports this with transparent, traceable data that builds credibility across the value chain. Finally, there is technology adoption itself. Agriculture has long lagged behind other sectors in leveraging data and digital tools, despite being one of the most foundational industries. We believe technology, when applied sensibly and with a low barrier to entry, can only strengthen farming systems. Data-driven agriculture has proven its value globally; our focus is on adapting it to Indian conditions, starting with coffee, and earning trust gradually as growers see tangible benefits on their land. Canopy is, at its core, an attempt to translate field-level intuition into scalable crop intelligence, bridging the gap between estate wisdom and algorithmic insight, while keeping the grower firmly at the centre of the system. To add to that, both the founders of NeuBiom Labs come from a strong research background in artificial intelligence and user-centered engineering. My co-founder, Dr. Sooraj Krishna, holds a PhD in AI from Sorbonne University in France, and I am in the final stages of completing my PhD in AI at the University of Würzburg in Germany. In many ways, NeuBiom Labs is the outcome of applying rigorous academic research to the foundational problems we encounter every day on the ground, bridging deep science with real-world agricultural challenges. The Digital Twin Question Canopy creates a “digital twin” of each coffee plot. For growers and industry stakeholders, what decisions become materially better with this digital twin, yield forecasting, pest management, climate risk, or input optimisation, and where have you seen the strongest early impact? The real value of a digital twin is not in any single metric, but in how it improves decision-making across the crop cycle. For growers, Canopy’s digital twin functions as a living health report of each plot. It brings together local weather patterns, satellite-derived vegetative indices, soil indicators, and on-ground cultivation practices into a single, coherent view of plantation health. This allows growers to clearly understand what is affecting their crop and where intervention is needed. Based on this, the system recommends context-specific practices and provides short-term weather forecasts that help growers time their operations more effectively. For FPOs and grower collectives, the digital twin operates at a different scale. Instead of managing farms in isolation, FPOs gain a portfolio-level view of member plantations through comparable health and activity scores. This makes it possible to benchmark performance across growers, identify gaps early, and align field activities with organisational goals. For example, an FPO aiming to promote organic or low-input cultivation can push standardised practices across its members and monitor adoption over time. This structured approach significantly improves consistency in quality and outturn, which directly strengthens collective bargaining power in the market. At this stage, our strongest early impact has been in plantation visibility, practice standardisation, and operational planning for growers and FPOs. Coffee’s annual crop cycle means that advanced outcomes such as yield forecasting, early disease detection, and precise input optimisation require longitudinal data. As we complete full-cycle datasets across a growing number of plantations, these capabilities naturally become more robust and predictive. Ultimately, the digital twin evolves from a monitoring tool into a decision-confidence layer, supporting not just growers and FPOs, but also future stakeholders across trade, finance, and compliance, once the system is grounded in real, season-long plantation intelligence. Affordable Deep Tech: The Rs 2,999 Disruption Enterprise-grade crop intelligence globally is often priced far beyond the reach of smallholders. How did NeuBiom Labs engineer a platform that delivers satellite, AI and hyperlocal insights at Rs 2,999 per crop cycle without compromising data accuracy or depth? Affordability was not an afterthought for us; it was a design constraint from day one. If we want meaningful outcomes such as early disease detection or reliable yield forecasting, the system has to achieve wide-scale adoption. That simply isn’t possible if enterprise-grade crop intelligence remains priced beyond the reach of small and mid-sized growers. A large part of how we achieve this is through ecosystem leverage. NeuBiom Labs is incubated at the Atal Incubation Center at the Coffee Board of India, and the Agri Business Incubator at Kerala Agriculture University, and we are also part of the Google for Startups India. These institutions provide critical support in the form of infrastructure, cloud credits, research access, and grants, which allow us to subsidise costs during the adoption phase without compromising on data quality or analytical depth. Equally important is how we’ve engineered the platform itself. We made a conscious decision not to over-engineer the stack. Instead of building complex, expensive systems that look impressive on paper, we focused on crisp, purpose-driven tools that directly serve agronomic decision-making. This keeps compute costs low, workflows efficient, and insights actionable, ensuring the stakeholders pay only for value they can actually use. User-centred engineering is the third pillar. Over the past year, we co-developed Canopy alongside 23 progressive coffee growers, spending extensive time on plantations to understand how decisions are made in real conditions. This helped us strip away unnecessary complexity and design interfaces and insights that align with how growers think and operate, rather than forcing them to adapt to technology. Ultimately, the Rs 2,999 pricing is not about undercutting the market, it’s about building trust and momentum. Once growers experience the tangible benefits of data-driven cultivation, we see compounding impact: better practices, improved quality and yield, richer datasets, and increasingly powerful intelligence across seasons. That virtuous cycle is what allows deep tech to remain both affordable and scalable in Indian agriculture. Climate Volatility and Coffee’s New Risk Curve Indian coffee faces increasing stress from erratic rainfall, temperature spikes and pest outbreaks. How does Canopy move beyond reactive advisories to predictive risk management, and can it realistically stabilise incomes for small and marginal coffee growers? True, climate volatility has fundamentally altered the risk curve for coffee in India. Erratic rainfall, temperature spikes, and shifting pest dynamics are no longer exceptions, they are the new normal. Yet, despite these changes, a large proportion of small and marginal growers continue to rely on traditional calendars and inherited practices that were designed for a far more stable climate. Canopy moves beyond reactive advisories by anchoring decision-making in context. Each plantation is geo-tagged, allowing advisories to be localised rather than regional averages. More importantly, like we discussed before, the system continuously maps the grower’s cultivation practices through a structured plantation journal and correlates these actions with evolving local weather patterns and plantation health indicators. Advisories are generated not just based on “what the weather is,” but on how the grower is farming under those conditions. This is where predictive risk management begins. Instead of responding after damage occurs, growers start to see patterns, how certain practices amplify climate stress, while others buffer against it. Our systems are trained on authenticated and certified coffee cultivation practices relevant to Indian conditions, ensuring that recommendations are agronomically sound and locally applicable. The impact is not instantaneous. Climate resilience is built over a crop cycle, not in a single intervention. But as growers become more aware of ground realities and begin making data-driven decisions, timing operations better, adjusting inputs, and avoiding unnecessary stress on the plant, we see measurable improvements in crop health, consistency, and outturn. Over time, this translates into better quality and more predictable volumes, which directly strengthens growers’ bargaining power. Income stabilisation, especially for smallholders, becomes far more realistic when this approach is adopted at scale, ideally through FPOs or farmer collectives. At the collective level, risk is no longer borne by isolated individuals. Uniform practices, shared intelligence, and aggregated quality enable more stable market positioning, even in volatile climatic conditions. NeuBiom Labs or Canopy does not claim to eliminate climate risk. What it does is convert uncertainty into informed action, helping growers shift from reactive survival to proactive resilience, one crop cycle at a time. From Farm to Federation: Scaling Beyond the Plot Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and boards need aggregated intelligence, not just farm-level dashboards. How does Canopy translate dispersed plot-level data into decision-grade insights for institutions managing thousands of growers across regions? We see this challenge very clearly, and addressing it is central not just to Canopy, but to the broader mission of NeuBiom Labs. If you look at a region like Wayanad alone, there are over 60,000 coffee growers. Yet how they cultivate, the practices they follow, the health of their plantations, and their evolving responses to climate stress remain largely undocumented and fragmented. This makes coordinated intervention at an institutional level extremely difficult. As a side note, this also means, the traditional and indigenous knowledge our seniors developed with their years of experience on the ground are undocumented. These insights exist largely in memory and practice, not in records. If this knowledge is not captured now, an entire generation of experiential wisdom risks being lost. In parallel with building Canopy, we are consciously working to document and structure this lived knowledge, so future growers have a foundation to build on rather than starting from scratch. Canopy is intentionally designed as a layered intelligence stack, not just a farm dashboard. The mobile app and institutional dashboard are only the visible interfaces. Beneath them sits a core AI layer that includes domain-specific GIS inference engines and a language model fine-tuned exclusively for coffee cultivation. This layer synthesises dispersed plot-level data, activities, health indicators, weather exposure, and spatial patterns, into structured, comparable signals. As adoption scales, this enables institutions such as FPOs, cooperatives, and boards to move from anecdotal understanding to evidence-backed decision-making. Instead of asking what is happening, they can ask why it is happening, where intervention will have the highest impact, and which practices consistently produce better outcomes. This allows for region-wise benchmarking, optimisation of input distribution, targeted extension efforts, and early identification of systemic risks affecting quality or yield. More importantly, this intelligence operates upstream. Institutions can intervene at the practice level, well before harvest, by pushing standardised packages, adjusting advisory focus, or aligning growers toward specific quality or sustainability goals. Over time, this can raise average yield per region, improve uniformity of produce, and significantly strengthen market positioning. What Canopy offers today is the foundation, bringing stakeholders into a shared, data-driven framework for farming. The stack is deliberately built to evolve. As datasets mature across full crop cycles and adoption deepens, the intelligence shifts from descriptive to predictive, and from operational support to strategic planning. In that sense, scaling beyond the plot is not an add-on feature; it is the natural outcome of designing agriculture as a system rather than a collection of isolated farms. Traceability as a Trade Weapon With Europe and other premium markets tightening sustainability, deforestation and origin norms, traceability is fast becoming non-negotiable. How does Canopy’s end-to-end tracking position Indian coffee against competitors like Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia in compliance-heavy global markets? India is currently classified as a low-risk origin under emerging regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). However, low risk does not automatically translate into market access, especially in premium and compliance-heavy export markets that are increasingly dominated by large, vertically integrated players. For India’s predominantly smallholder-driven coffee sector, traceability becomes the key enabler to participate on equal footing. Canopy positions traceability not as a post-harvest paperwork exercise, but as a cultivation-first system. Wide adoption of the Canopy stack allows FPOs to standardise coffee cultivation practices across hundreds of small growers, while ensuring farm-level quality control and transparent activity records. This creates verifiable evidence of how coffee is grown, not just where it comes from. From a global trade perspective, this is critical. Competing origins like Brazil, Vietnam, and Colombia benefit from scale, mechanisation, and consolidated supply chains. India’s strength lies elsewhere, in shade-grown systems, biodiversity-friendly cultivation, and smallholder domination. Canopy translates these inherent advantages into structured, auditable data that buyers and regulators can trust. By maintaining traceable records from plot-level practices through harvest, the platform will soon support compliance with EUDR and other sustainability frameworks, while simultaneously building credibility for certifications and responsible sourcing claims. Over time, this shifts Indian coffee from being viewed as a fragmented supply to a verified, institutionally backed origin, capable of commanding premium pricing rather than competing purely on volume. As the Canopy ecosystem matures, its stakeholders naturally expand, from growers and FPOs to exporters, buyers, financiers, and compliance bodies, each drawing value from the same shared source of truth. In that sense, traceability becomes more than a regulatory requirement; it becomes a strategic trade instrument that allows Indian coffee to compete, differentiate, and negotiate from a position of strength in global markets. Public–Private Synergy in Agri-Tech Canopy’s launch at the CCRI centenary, with backing from the Coffee Board, AIC-CCRI and global ecosystem partners, signals a rare convergence of science, policy and start-ups. What role should public institutions play in accelerating the adoption of crop intelligence platforms at scale? The support we’ve received so far has been exceptional and deeply collaborative. Institutions such as Kerala Startup Mission, the Agri Business Incubator at Kerala Agricultural University, the Atal Incubation Center at the Coffee Board, Google for Startups, Wadhwani Foundation, EarthOn Foundation, our academic institutions, and, most importantly, the growers and FPOs we work with, have all contributed meaningfully to Canopy’s evolution. This convergence of policy, science, and entrepreneurship is exactly what agriculture needs at this moment. At a broader level, public institutions play a pivotal role in accelerating adoption of crop intelligence platforms by acting as trusted intermediaries. For most farmers, especially smallholders, technology adoption is not just a cost decision, it is a trust decision. When awareness and capacity-building programmes are led or endorsed by public institutions, it significantly reduces hesitation and shortens adoption cycles. Messaging around why data-driven cultivation matters, both in the short term for productivity and in the long term for climate resilience and market access, carries far greater credibility when it comes from institutional voices. Beyond awareness, public institutions can act as scale catalysts. Financial support in the form of grants, pilot subsidies, or outcome-linked incentives for using intelligent farming systems can dramatically accelerate adoption without burdening growers. This is particularly important in early phases, where benefits accrue over a crop cycle rather than immediately. Central bodies such as the Coffee Board of India and regional agricultural research centres can also serve as nodal intelligence hubs. By aggregating anonymised, region-level insights from platforms like Canopy, they can monitor ground-level deltas, identify systemic risks, refine extension strategies, and feed real-world data back into policy and research. Ultimately, public institutions don’t need to build technology themselves, but they can create the conditions for it to scale responsibly. By combining trust, standard-setting, financial support, and feedback mechanisms, they can ensure that crop intelligence platforms move from isolated pilots to national agricultural infrastructure. The Long View: Canopy Beyond Coffee Is Canopy a coffee-specific solution, or the foundation of a broader plantation intelligence stack? Over the next five years, how do you envision NeuBiom Labs evolving, across crops, geographies, or even into climate-linked finance and sustainability certification ecosystems? Today, Canopy is intentionally coffee-specific. Coffee is a climate-sensitive, globally traded crop with a long production cycle and complex stakeholder dynamics, which makes it an ideal starting point. But structurally, Canopy is designed as the foundation of a broader plantation intelligence stack, particularly for climate-sensitive cash crops where resilience, quality consistency, and traceability are becoming non-negotiable. For us, technology is not the end goal; it is the accelerator. The real determinant of success lies in operations, how deeply and effectively we work with growers, FPOs, and institutional stakeholders on the ground. Agriculture does not lend itself well to a simple “build-and-sell” software model. Our belief is that meaningful outcomes emerge only when platforms like Canopy are deployed as long-term partnerships, where data, practices, and incentives evolve together over time. Over the next five years, we see NeuBiom Labs expanding along three clear dimensions. First is geographic expansion, moving from regional depth to multi-region intelligence, where patterns and risks can be understood at landscape and corridor levels rather than isolated farms. Second is crop expansion, applying the same intelligence framework to other climate-sensitive plantation crops that share similar characteristics: long gestation periods, smallholder dominance, and exposure to climate and market volatility. The third dimension is ecosystem integration. As datasets mature across crop cycles, Canopy naturally becomes relevant to adjacent systems, climate-linked finance, sustainability certification, compliance reporting, and institutional risk assessment. When cultivation data is reliable, longitudinal, and traceable, it reduces uncertainty not just for growers, but also for buyers, lenders, insurers, and policymakers. In that sense, Canopy’s long view is not about becoming a one-size-fits-all platform, but about enabling a shared, data-driven workflow across agriculture. As stakeholders evolve, the stack evolves with them, ensuring that value is created collectively, and that the benefits of intelligence compound across the entire agricultural ecosystem. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3504/union-budget-2026-expectations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3504/union-budget-2026-expectations.html Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:40:55 +0530 Resilience, efficiency & prosperity As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveils Budget 2026, the nation demands more than routine allocations. Indian agriculture is at a historic inflection point. This Budget is expected to operationalise the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, aiming to transform farming from a low-margin, input-heavy, staple-focused sector into a high-productivity, high-value, globally competitive engine. Economists, industry leaders, and multilateral agencies concur: Incremental tweaks have run out of runway, and structural reforms are imperative to bridge productivity gaps, restore soil and water health, and secure farmers’ livelihoods. “Budget 2026 must signal a decisive move from blanket input subsidies to outcome-linked support that rewards water-use efficiency, balanced fertilisation, and low-emission practices at the farm level,” asserts Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture), NITI Aayog.  Dr Ashok Gulati, Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER)and former Chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), echoes the call for digitally verifiable, efficiency-led support: “Linking direct benefit transfers with soil health cards, precision nutrient management, and diversified cropping will reduce fiscal stress while lifting total factor productivity across both rainfed and irrigated systems.” The imperative is clear: Budget 2026 must transition from fragmented schemes to a coherent, science-led, productivity-centric agricultural strategy — a structural foundation for a globally competitive, climate-smart, and high-income Indian agriculture. The Foundation of 2025: From Intent to Implementation Budget 2025 laid important groundwork, signaling a shift from stop-gap support toward structural measures aimed at productivity and resilience. The launch of the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, targeting 100 low-productivity districts, marked the start of district-level agricultural renewal. Coupled with a six-year protein security initiative under the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, it created stable procurement for tur, urad, and masoor, reducing India’s import dependence in key pulses. “Budget 2026 must accelerate India’s shift to a climate-resilient, value-enhanced agri-economy by scaling biologicals and unlocking the waste-to-wealth opportunity. Targeted fiscal support for biosolutions, soil health and circularity can boost productivity while reducing chemical dependence. ’’ — Krishna Mohan Puvvada, Regional President, (Middle East, India and Africa), Novonesis Experts argue the next step must embed climate intelligence into farm-level decisions. “Budget 2026 must fund monsoon-contingent nutrition advisories at scale — using rainfall analytics and soil data to dynamically adjust fertiliser recommendations — so farmers can shift from fixed schedules to climate-responsive feeding of crops,” says Dr Manish Singh, AVP–Technical & Marketing, Transworld Furtichem Limited. He proposes a unified Nutrient Efficiency Index (NEI), integrating soil-test data, cropping patterns, water use efficiency, and fertiliser balance. “Budgets and subsidies should be allocated based on NEI improvement, not fertiliser consumption. This drives balanced nutrition and scientific fertiliser use rather than volume-driven demand,” he added. “Budget 2026 must signal a decisive move from blanket input subsidies to outcome-linked support that rewards water use efficiency, balanced fertilisation and low-emission practices at the farm level.”​ — Dr Ramesh Chand, Member (Agriculture), NITI Aayog Budget 2026 also sought to ease liquidity bottlenecks by raising Kisan Credit Card limits from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, supporting smallholders, dairy farmers, fishers, and allied producers. Sectoral reforms — from the National Mission on High-Yielding Seeds and a five-year cotton revitalisation plan to institutions like Bihar’s Makhana Board — aimed to modernise production, while allocations for storage, logistics, and market infrastructure addressed post-harvest losses. “Budget 2026 must prioritise digital infrastructure, credit linkages, and rural capacity building to scale precision agriculture. Agri-drones, IoT and data analytics can boost yields, conserve resources and strengthen climate resilience. Targeted subsidies, public–private partnerships and R&D incentives will accelerate adoption, integrate technology with national agricultural databases, and shift India from subsidy dependence to self-reliant, innovation-led farming.”  – Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace Yet, experts insist these gains must now converge into a coherent resilience architecture. “The next Budget should consolidate irrigation, watershed, soil health, and climate missions into a single ‘National Resilient Farms Mission’ with district-level targets for water productivity and soil organic carbon,” says Dr V. K. Singh, Director, ICAR–Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA).  “Linking direct benefit transfers with soil health cards, precision nutrient management and diversified cropping will reduce fiscal stress while lifting total factor productivity across rainfed and irrigated systems.”​ — Dr. Ashok Gulati, Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and former Chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), adds, “Every rupee for irrigation must be co-anchored with micro-irrigation, fertigation-ready soils, and climate-resilient varieties so public investment translates into real resilience on farmers’ fields.” Budget 2026 will ultimately be judged on whether it can convert these incremental foundations into a mission-driven, 2047-ready agricultural architecture that delivers genuine resilience, competitiveness, and prosperity for India’s farmers. Fixing the Foundations: The Budget That Must Rewire Subsidies, Markets and Science As Budget 2026 approaches, it is evident that Indian agriculture stands at a pivotal crossroads. The long-standing promise of doubling farmers’ incomes, once a political mantra, now demands a sober re-examination. Structural pressures—from climate volatility and shrinking margins to global competitiveness and rising nutritional expectations—have made incrementalism insufficient.  “The allocation of the budget should be done across three horizons: the immediate year, the next five years, and the long-term vision through 2047,” asserts Sandeepa Kanitkar, Chairman of BASAI and Managing Director of Kan Biosys, highlighting that India’s agricultural budget—barely 2 per cent of total expenditure—is glaringly inadequate for a sector that contributes 17 per cent of GDP, sustains 55 per cent of the population, and underpins the nutrition of 140 crore citizens. “The next Budget should consolidate irrigation, watershed, soil health and climate missions into a single ‘National Resilient Farms Mission’ with clear district targets for water productivity and soil organic carbon.”​ — Dr V. K. Singh, Director, ICAR–CRIDA The inefficiencies of current spending are stark when viewed through the prism of subsidies. India invests roughly Rs 1.75 – 2 lakh crore annually on fertilisers, electricity, MSP procurement, crop insurance, and other input-linked supports, yet the returns in productivity, soil health, water security, and farmer incomes remain worryingly low.  “Subsidies have historically encouraged consumption rather than efficiency,” Sandeepa notes. Cheap urea drives over-application, subsidised electricity has accelerated groundwater depletion, irrigation grants rarely incentivise precision water use, and MSP procurement entrenches cropping patterns that undermine soil regeneration. For sectoral leaders, Budget 2026 must mark a decisive philosophical pivot—from input-heavy, subsidy-driven policies to a science-led, technology-driven, and outcome-oriented framework.  Every rupee for irrigation must be co-anchored with micro-irrigation, fertigation-ready soils and climate-resilient varieties so that public investment translates into real resilience on farmers’ fields.”​ — Dr Himanshu Pathak, Ex- Director General, ICAR & Secretary, DARE S. Soundararadjane, CEO of HyFarm, points to the potato sector as a model: “India could build the world’s most advanced, predictable, and globally competitive potato ecosystem through a National Potato Innovation Mission. CRISPR-edited varieties, AI-powered breeding, drone-led phenotyping, and mass deployment of True Potato Seeds can transform production while reducing costs and disease risks. Region-specific varieties are not optional anymore—they are strategic imperatives.” “Budget 2026 must reform subsidies by shifting from consumption-based support to science-led, Package of Practice–linked incentives tied to production outcomes. Performance-based support will improve soil health, enhance resource efficiency, and raise farmer incomes. Mechanisation assistance should be delivered via DBT and limited to FMTTI/BIS-approved equipment to ensure quality, effectiveness, and measurable impact on the ground.”  - Ravindra Agrawal, Chairman, KisanKraft Ltd Sandeepa further advocates restructuring through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT). “Subsidies must be given through DBT to farmers and allow them to use this money as per their wish. This has started with Kisan Samman Nidhi but must be extrapolated by diverting subsidies given for insurance, fertilisers, electricity, and water to DBT,” she explains. Such a shift would correct long-standing distortions, empower decision-making, sharply reduce leakages, and create the fiscal headroom necessary to invest in science, innovation, and climate resilience. “To truly raise farm incomes, storage, grading, logistics and digital marketplaces must be treated as core agricultural infrastructure, not peripheral add-ons.”​ — Sanjiv Puri, Managing Director, ITC Ltd “A key priority must be efficiency-driven subsidy reform. We need to shift from consumption-based subsidies to scientifically designed, Package of Practice (PoP)–linked incentives tied directly to production outcomes. Performance-based support improves soil health, enhances resource efficiency, and strengthens farmer incomes. Mechanisation support should be delivered through DBT and restricted strictly to FMTTI/BIS-approved equipment to ensure quality and impact in the field,” says Ravindra Agrawal, Chairman, KisanKraft Ltd, emphasizing that combining DBT with outcome-linked incentives can amplify impact across mechanisation, inputs, and farm management practices. “India’s next big leap will come from shifting towards processed, residue-compliant, traceable and climate-smart agri-exports rather than relying mainly on bulk commodity shipments.”​ — Abhishek Dev, Chairman, APEDA Markets, too, are evolving in ways that demand more sophisticated production systems. The rising domestic and global appetite for residue-free food is already accelerating India’s biopesticide segment. Sandeepa emphasises that a formal residue-free label—jointly administered by the Ministries of Health and Agriculture—could unlock higher farmer incomes through premium market categories. “Blanket reduction on CIB-registered biopesticides must be done at the earliest to 5 per cent,” she cautions, noting that inconsistent GST categorisation is harming both growers and industry participants seeking safer input adoption. “Targeted support for FPOs, agri-startups and interoperable e-market platforms can cut post-harvest losses, stabilise prices and make climate risk more manageable for smallholders.”​ — Dr. Ashok Dalwai, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC); Chairman, Karnataka Agriculture The export ecosystem is entering a decisive phase. “India must position itself as a trusted global supplier,” says Kuchibhotla Srinivas, Partner, Deloitte. Strategic export corridors, residue-free clusters, bilateral agreements, and harmonisation with global standards, he argues, can convert India’s scale into global influence.  “If India wants to lead in exports, supply chains must embed traceability, quality assurance, and sustainable input use,” adds Ankur Aggarwal, Executive Chairman, Crystal Crop Protection. The global opportunity is clear. “India’s next big leap will come from shifting towards processed, residue-compliant, traceable, and climate-smart agri-exports rather than relying mainly on bulk commodity shipments,” says Abhishek Dev, Chairman of Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). “The agri sector needs a unified national framework, science-based standards, and simplified licensing to enable innovation in high-value micronutrients and specialty fertilisers. Streamlined regulation will accelerate advanced nutrition technologies, strengthen soil health, and unlock productivity and profitability gains essential for truly transformative agricultural reform.”  — Dr. Rahul Mirchandani, President, IMMA  Value addition must become central to India’s strategy, particularly in crops like sugarcane. “Exports of sugar quota have to be restricted to further increase production of alcohol for oil substitution. Value addition is the key. Targets of 20 per cent plus substitution have to be the new target for easing some oil dollars. The money thus freed up can be used to improve irrigation, research, and perfecting models which are customised for Indian agriculture,” adds Sandeepa. Circularity, too, must become integral. Krishna Mohan Puvvada, Regional President, (Middle East, India and Africa), Novonesis stresses, “Adequate support must be provided for harnessing the waste-to-wealth potential in agriculture, including robust logistics for storage and transportation of agricultural waste feedstocks that can be transformed into fertilizers and bioenergy.” “A direct benefit transfer model for fertilisers—sold at full cost with farmers claiming subsidy via POS authentication—can be a game-changer. It ensures manufacturers receive full value, the government gains full GST, markets maintain adequate supply, leakages and black-marketing are curbed, and subsidy outlay reflects actual use. Budget 2026 should prioritise this transparent, efficient reform.” – Vinod Goyal, CEO, Agricare Corporation Domestic market architecture requires equal attention. Dr Ashok Dalwai, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) and Chairman, Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission, notes, “Targeted support for FPOs, agri-startups, and interoperable e-market platforms can cut post-harvest losses, stabilise prices, and make climate risk more manageable for smallholders.” Institutional strengthening, he stresses, is vital for farmers to remain competitive amid market volatility. Budget 2026, therefore, must reimagine subsidies, shifting from input-centric to outcome-centric frameworks. “Water, soil and climate must be planned as one ecosystem. Budget 2026 should institutionalise watershed-scale irrigation planning, incentivise soil regeneration, and embed climate-risk analytics into district planning. This is not sustainability for compliance; it is sustainability for survival,” says Srinivas.  “Budget 2026 can back a flagship ‘Sulphur- and Potash-Secure India’ initiative that promotes sulphate-based potash and balanced secondary nutrients, improving taste, colour, shelf-life and exportability of fruits, vegetables and plantation crops while reducing import vulnerability.”--Dr. Manish Singh, AVP-Technical & Marketing, Transworld Furtichem Limited “For a water-starved nation like India, drip should be made compulsory. This would conserve soils along with improving the area of irrigation. The river-joining project must have allocation for short, medium, and long term. Bonds must be raised to mobilise domestic and World Bank funds,” adds Sandeepa. Structural gaps in specialised inputs also demand urgent attention. Dr Rahul Mirchandani, President, Indian Micro-Fertilizers Manufacturers Association (IMMA) observes, “India’s agricultural ecosystem is at an inflection point, yet not structurally prepared for large-scale reforms. One major gap lies in the micronutrients and specialty fertilizer industry, which remains outside mainstream policy despite its direct link to soil health, crop quality, and farmer income. Fragmented licensing under FCO, uneven state compliance frameworks, and the absence of a unified national policy slow innovation, restrict ease of doing business, and prevent rapid scale-up of advanced nutrition technologies like chelates, water-soluble fertilizers, and fortified micronutrient blends.”  “Budget 2026 must anchor a long-term Viksit Bharat Kheti Vision 2047 by reforming fertiliser use. Mandating a 25:15:5 co-pack of chemical, organic and biofertilisers—and supporting OF/BF manufacturing through PLI—can strengthen soil health, raise nutrient-use efficiency, expand acreage coverage and build climate-resilient productivity. It is time subsidies drive transformation, not perpetuate inefficiency ” --- Sandeepa Kanitkar, Chairman of BASAI and Managing Director of Kan Biosys Dr Singh underscores the strategic imperative: “Budget 2026 can back a flagship ‘Sulphur- and Potash-Secure India’ initiative that promotes sulphate-based potash and balanced secondary nutrients, improving taste, colour, shelf-life, and exportability of fruits, vegetables, and plantation crops while reducing import vulnerability.” Complementing this, Vinod Goyal, CEO, Agricare Corporation advocates a pragmatic DBT-based reform: “Fertilizers shall be sold on full cost price at dealer shops—farmers register purchases on a Point of Sale (POS) machine at the time of pick-up, and subsidies are directly transferred to their bank accounts.”  “Budget 2026 must treat water, soil and climate as one ecosystem by institutionalizing watershed-scale irrigation, incentivising soil regeneration and embedding climate-risk analytics in district planning. Equally critical is a legally robust Digital Land Ledger, interoperable with crop and credit data, to unlock formal finance, insurance and market access for millions of farmers still excluded from the system ” — Kuchibhotla Srinivas, Partner, Deloitte Sandeepa adds, “Chemical fertilizers should be bundled with organic and biofertilisers—25 kg of CF, 15 kg of OF, and 5 kg of BF per bag. This allows fertilizer to cover 30 per cent more land with improved use efficiency. Organic and biofertilizer industries can be supported through PLI schemes to attract private investment, improve soils, and build climate resilience.” As multiple industry leaders emphasise, this reform will determine whether Indian agriculture can truly align with the aspirations of Viksit Bharat 2047, delivering prosperity, sustainability, and global competitiveness for generations to come. Tech, Traceability, and Transformation: Budget 2026’s Agri-Vision Budget 2026 is not merely a fiscal exercise—it represents a strategic inflection point for Indian agriculture, an opportunity to pivot from incremental measures to transformative, technology-driven reforms.  “Agri-drones are no longer a novelty; they are an important part of the agritech landscape. Subsidies, public-private partnership models, and targeted R&D incentives can accelerate manufacturing and deployment, creating rural employment while increasing productivity. We must also potentially look at integrating drone data with national agricultural databases to enable smarter crop planning, soil monitoring, and weather resilience strategies,” says Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Founder and CEO of Garuda Aerospace. “ Fertiliser purchases must be linked to a unified Digital Farm ID, which allows tracking of nutrient use efficiency, preventing over-application and enabling customised advisory. It builds India’s first data-driven nutrient intelligence system’’ --- Yogesh Chandra, VP-Sales & Marketing, Transworld Furtichem Limited Echoing this vision, Soundararadjane, stresses that Budget 2026 should introduce a Digital Farming Acceleration Subsidy—shifting support from traditional inputs to IoT and automation tools such as soil moisture sensors, disease-warning IoT nodes, digital soil intelligence kits, smart irrigation systems, automated grading and sorting units, and low-cost climate stations for cold stores. “A 40–60 per cent capital subsidy will democratise access and unlock predictive, precision farming at scale,” he asserts. Equally critical is the foundation of clear land rights and reliable credit. “When a farmer has clear land ownership and predictable finance, they can finally shift from reactive decisions to planned, technology-led farming,” observes Ankur.  “Budget 2026 must accelerate digital land records and frictionless credit so farmers can plan, invest and adopt modern crop protection responsibly. To compete in global markets, India’s supply chains need embedded traceability, quality assurance and sustainable input use. Strategic public–private collaboration can fast-track safe pesticide practices, surveillance systems and next-generation, environmentally responsible formulations ” — Ankur Aggarwal, Executive Chairman, Crystal Crop Protection Srinivas adds, “The Budget should focus on the two biggest unlocks for farmer prosperity: clean digital land records and frictionless credit. A legally robust Digital Land Ledger, interoperable with crop data and credit scoring, can unlock formal finance, insurance, and market contracts for millions of farmers currently outside the system.” The systemic importance of logistics and digital marketplaces is reinforced by Sanjiv Puri, Managing Director, ITC Ltd: “To truly raise farm incomes, storage, grading, logistics, and digital marketplaces must be treated as core agricultural infrastructure, not peripheral add-ons.”  “Budget 2026 should launch a National Potato Innovation Mission to transform India into a globally competitive processing potato hub. A strong public–private R&D partnership must fast-track CRISPR-based climate-resilient varieties, AI-driven breeding, drone phenotyping, automated trials and True Potato Seeds. This science-led upgrade is essential for predictable supply, higher productivity and world-class processing quality.” – S. Soundararadjane, CEO of HyFarm Nutrient management, too, must be integrated. Yogesh Chandra, VP-Sales & Marketing, Transworld Furtichem Limited, explains, “Fertiliser purchases must be linked to a unified Digital Farm ID, allowing tracking of nutrient use efficiency, preventing over-application and enabling customised advisory. It builds India’s first data-driven nutrient intelligence system.” Budget 2026 must therefore deliver measurable, integrated reforms—embedding science, finance, technology, and policy into a unified, farmer-centric framework. It is the launchpad for the Viksit Bharat Kheti Vision 2047, enabling high-productivity, high-value, climate-smart agriculture and positioning India as a globally competitive agri-economy. ----- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3485/adama-and-basf-agricultural-solutions-partner-to-co-develop-breakthrough-gilboa-fungicide-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3485/adama-and-basf-agricultural-solutions-partner-to-co-develop-breakthrough-gilboa-fungicide-technology.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:20:39 +0530 Pioneering disease management solutions, helping farmers across Europe combat resistance and maintain healthy yields ADAMA Ltd., and BASF announced a strategic co-development and commercialization agreement centered on ADAMA's proprietary fungicide active ingredient, Gilboa® (flumetylsulforim). This partnership will accelerate the delivery of new, pioneering disease management solutions, helping farmers across Europe combat resistance and maintain healthy yields. Under the agreement, BASF will develop and commercialize new formulations based on ADAMA's Gilboa molecule, alongside ADAMA's own Gilboa-based products. The collaboration combines ADAMA's innovation and mixtures expertise with BASF's strong development capabilities and market access, ensuring that farmers benefit from faster access to next-generation solutions. Each ADAMA and BASF will independently decide on its own concepts, pricing, sales and go to market strategies.   As Europe faces increasing regulatory pressure and the phase-out of existing active ingredients, farmers are urgently seeking new, effective, and reliable tools to protect crop health and productivity. Gilboa offers a novel mode of action for cereals and belongs to FRAC Group 32 (nucleic acid metabolism), recognized earlier this year. It also represents a versatile platform for the development of broad-spectrum, long-lasting disease control solutions, enabling growers to secure both yield and quality. Florian Wagner, Executive Vice President Portfolio and Innovation, ADAMA: "Farmers have been clear about their need for reliable, resilient protection against a broad range of diseases. With Gilboa, cereal growers in Europe gain a powerful new tool to better protect their crops. We chose to collaborate with BASF because they share our commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainability. This alignment makes them the ideal partner to ensure we can rapidly deliver this important innovation to growers across Europe". Marko Grozdanovic, Senior Vice President Global Strategic Marketing, BASF Agricultural Solutions said: "Over the last decade, BASF and ADAMA have successfully worked together on multiple projects. Now, we are combining BASF's broad portfolio of fungicides and market expertise alongside ADAMA's innovative active ingredient and product expertise. This collaboration brings together the unique strengths of both companies, ensuring that farmers benefit from faster access to cutting-edge solutions." Pending product registration approvals, the two companies plan to launch Gilboa-based formulations for wheat in Great Britain in 2027, followed by broader European launches in 2029. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3483/from-ecological-fit-to-economic-proof-botswanas-safflower-strategy-redefines-dryland-resilience.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3483/from-ecological-fit-to-economic-proof-botswanas-safflower-strategy-redefines-dryland-resilience.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:08:51 +0530 In an exclusive AgroSpectrum interview, Nnyaladzi Madzikigwa, Author and Director of Saffenergy Initiatives, Botswana, explains why safflower is emerging as a strategic resilience crop rather than a speculative diversification bet. Nnyaladzi argues that safflower’s real advantage lies in income stability, low input dependence, and multi-stream value creation—qualities that make it economically superior to high-yield but volatile dryland staples under climate stress. By rejecting bulk commodity markets and anchoring safflower in cooperative-owned processing, traceability, and ethical origin branding, Botswana is positioning the crop as an identity-based export for nutraceutical, cosmetic, and wellness markets. Crucially, the model integrates biodiversity stewardship, women- and youth-led ownership, and GBV-responsive livelihoods, reframing safflower not merely as an agronomic intervention but as a national strategy for climate resilience, social recovery, and rural economic sovereignty. From Ecological Fit to Economic Proof Botswana’s ecosystems have long demonstrated resilience under climatic stress—but resilience alone does not attract capital. What hard economic evidence (yield stability, cost curves, margin resilience) can demonstrate that safflower is not just climate-compatible, but commercially superior to traditional dryland staples under Botswana’s conditions ? Saffenergy Initiatives frames safflower not as a speculative diversification experiment, but as a deliberately chosen economic resilience instrument suited to Botswana’s dryland realities. Under arid and semi-arid conditions, the crop offers a rare combination of yield stability, low input intensity, and diversified revenue potential. Unlike traditional dryland staples that swing sharply with rainfall variability, safflower delivers predictable output even in stressed seasons. Its modest water, fertiliser, and pesticide requirements reduce production risk and protect farmer margins when climate shocks hit. Crucially, safflower’s value does not rest solely on seed yields: oil, cake, petals, and secondary by-products create multiple income streams. In cooperative pilots where safflower is integrated with poultry and mixed farming systems, household income volatility has fallen sharply. For Saffenergy, this stability—rather than peak agronomic performance—is what makes safflower economically compelling in Botswana’s climate context. Avoiding the Commodity Trap Many climate-resilient crops fail because they enter global markets as low-value commodities. How will Botswana position safflower not as another bulk oilseed, but as a differentiated, biodiversity-anchored product capable of sustaining premium pricing in global nutraceutical, cosmetic, and wellness markets? The strategy, Saffenergy argues, is to refuse participation in bulk oilseed markets altogether. Botswana’s opportunity lies in differentiation, not scale. Safflower is being positioned outside commodity pricing dynamics and anchored instead in biodiversity, climate resilience, and ethical production, including links to GBV recovery and livelihood reintegration programmes. The target markets are nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and wellness—segments where traceability, provenance, and ethical sourcing command premiums. By combining low-input dryland cultivation with cooperative-led traceability, social impact certification, and origin branding tied to ecosystem stewardship, Botswana safflower is repositioned from a price-taking commodity into an identity-based product. In this model, value is protected by trust and narrative, not by volume. Value Addition vs. Value Capture Local processing often creates jobs—but not necessarily wealth—if branding, IP, and market access remain offshore. Which segments of the safflower value chain (processing, formulation, branding, certification, IP) must remain in Botswana to ensure that rural communities capture value rather than merely supply raw inputs ? For communities to capture wealth rather than wages, Saffenergy insists that critical nodes of the value chain must remain in Botswana. These include primary processing such as oil pressing and cake production, downstream formulation for cosmetics, wellness blends, and animal feed, ownership of certification and traceability systems, brand control and storytelling, and intellectual property linked to formulations and indigenous knowledge. At Saffenergy, these functions are cooperative-owned by design. Export partners may handle distribution, but product identity, narrative authority, and margin capture remain local. This approach is not ideological, the organisation argues, but structural: Without control over these nodes, rural economies default to extractive models regardless of crop choice. Cooperatives as Export Vehicles, Not Welfare Structures Cooperatives frequently struggle with governance, quality control, and market discipline.What institutional design—governance rules, professional management, digital traceability, performance incentives—will allow Botswana’s safflower cooperatives to function as export-grade enterprises rather than subsistence collectives? Saffenergy’s answer is to design cooperatives as enterprises first and social instruments second. This means professional management rather than volunteer leadership, performance-linked incentives tied to quality and delivery, digital traceability from field to market, contractually enforced quality protocols, and a clear separation between social and commercial accounting. GBV and psychosocial support programmes operate alongside the cooperative, not within its governance framework, ensuring that empathy does not dilute market discipline. Export markets reward consistency and reliability, Saffenergy notes, and welfare logic cannot substitute for enterprise rigor. Competing in a Crowded Climate-Smart World Countries such as India, Ethiopia, and Kenya are already advancing biodiversity-linked crops into global markets. What is Botswana’s unique competitive moat—ecological, reputational, regulatory, or branding-based—that prevents safflower from becoming a race to the bottom on price? Botswana’s advantage, according to Saffenergy, is credibility rather than scale. The country brings a global reputation for good governance, clean landscapes with low chemical intensity, high trust in regulatory systems, and a compelling ethical production narrative. When these attributes are combined with biodiversity stewardship and GBV-responsive rural development, safflower becomes more than a crop—it becomes a trusted origin. That trust underpins premium pricing and shields producers from the race-to-the-bottom dynamics that have hollowed out many commodity sectors. Scaling Without Ecological Degradation History shows that scaling “green” crops can unintentionally replicate extractive agricultural models.How will Botswana ensure that safflower expansion strengthens soil health, water efficiency, and biodiversity rather than simplifying landscapes and recreating monoculture risks? Scaling, Saffenergy emphasises, does not mean monoculture expansion. Safflower’s resilience allows growth without ecological overreach when embedded within integrated farming systems, crop rotation regimes that regenerate soils, water-efficient dryland irrigation practices, and intercropping and fallow restoration strategies. Because income is diversified across by-products and poultry integration, farmers are not pressured to continuously expand acreage. In this model, ecological health is treated as an economic asset rather than an externality to be managed after the fact. Gender, Youth, and the Political Economy of Rural Jobs Rural agro-enterprises often promise inclusion but deliver uneven outcomes. How will safflower-based rural industries be structured to ensure meaningful participation and income security for women and youth—beyond seasonal labor or informal processing roles? Women and youth inclusion is positioned as central rather than ancillary. Saffenergy’s GBV-focused social programme provides psychosocial support for survivors, reintegration pathways into productive livelihoods, and skills training directly linked to income streams. Women and youth participate as cooperative shareholders, operators of processing units, and entrepreneurs in poultry and by-product enterprises. The emphasis is on continuous, year-round income rather than seasonal labour, with ownership replacing dependency. Economic agency, Saffenergy argues, is among the most effective tools for both GBV prevention and recovery. From Pilot Crop to National Strategy Many promising crops remain trapped in pilot mode due to fragmented policy support. What specific policy levers—procurement incentives, export facilitation, blended finance, certification subsidies—must Botswana activate to move safflower from a niche biodiversity project to a nationally scalable export strategy? To transition safflower from pilot projects to a national strategy, Saffenergy identifies five policy levers: public procurement of safflower oil and by-products, blended finance for rural processing hubs, certification subsidies for cooperatives, export facilitation for niche biodiversity products, and formal recognition of biodiversity crops within national agricultural policy. Above all, safflower must be framed not as a narrow crop intervention, but as a climate resilience, gender inclusion, and rural stability strategy. In Saffenergy’s framing, safflower is ultimately not just about farming—it is about restoring dignity, rebuilding resilience after trauma, and creating rural economies capable of healing both people and land. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3482/abs-reform-is-missing-link-in-indias-plant-based-innovation-story.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3482/abs-reform-is-missing-link-in-indias-plant-based-innovation-story.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:15:13 +0530 In an exclusive AgroSpectrum interview, Sanjaya Mariwala, Executive Chairman and Managing Director of OmniActive Health Technologies, argues that India’s Biodiversity Act is quietly evolving from a policing statute into a potential industrial policy lever for plant-based innovation. He credits the 2023 amendments for easing compliance, aligning approvals with innovation cycles, and legitimising cultivated crops and traditional knowledge—but warns that fragmented state-level ABS practices still deter scale and global investment. Mariwala makes the case for a national ABS code, digital single-window compliance, and reward-linked reductions for companies investing in cultivation and conservation, shifting biodiversity from a cost centre to a competitive advantage. On R&D, he stresses that clarity on Digital Sequence Information, uniform research exemptions, and shared biofoundries are essential if India is to replicate its pharma success in botanicals, nutraceuticals, and functional ingredients. His message is blunt: Without predictable regulation, traceable supply chains, and incentives for value addition, India risks remaining a raw-material supplier even as rivals like Brazil and Thailand race ahead in the global bioeconomy. Biodiversity Act as an Industrial Policy Tool Can the Biodiversity Act evolve from a compliance framework into an enabling policy that accelerates India’s plant-based sectors—nutraceuticals, botanicals, plant proteins, phytopharma, and bio-based materials? What key amendments or guidelines would catalyse this shift? It is already moving in this direction, but the process needs further refinement. The Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023, brought about three important structural changes. First, it began with the removal of punitive measures and their replacement with financial penalties ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 50 lakh. This change reshapes the act from a deterrence perspective to one of compliance. Second, it introduced key exemptions for cultivated crops, for codified traditional knowledge, and for AYUSH practitioners. These exemptions are designed to encourage domestic innovation and legitimise traditional practices without administrative overreach. Third, it aligned the Act with innovation cycles by requiring NBA approval before the grant of IPR, not before filing. This allows Indian entities to file patents without bureaucratic delays, while foreign applicants still require prior approval. However, the real bottleneck is state-level variability. With 8,610 licensed herbal manufacturing units operating across India, differences in interpretation across State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) create regulatory unpredictability, especially where ABS is determined case-by-case or increased for “high economic value” species. To convert the Act into an industrial accelerator, India needs: A national ABS code with fixed, uniform rates A digital single-window platform (the proposed Biodiversity Compliance Exchange) to bring transparency, standard timelines, and predictable costs A reward-linked model where companies investing in cultivation and conservation receive measurable ABS reductions This is how the Act can shift from policing to enabling, but only if stakeholders demand a unified national ABS code, transparent compliance systems, and active reward mechanisms for conservation investments. It is time for industry, government, and researchers to work together and advocate for these changes. De-risking R&D for Plant-Based Innovation India’s botanical R&D pipeline is modest compared to its biodiversity. What national policies—DSI guidelines, standardised approvals, research exemptions, shared biofoundries—could unlock world-scale innovation in plant-based actives and functional ingredients? Three elements matter in R&D: access, clarity, and infrastructure. The 2025 Biological Diversity Regulations recognise Digital Sequence Information (DSI) as a "biological resource", but importantly, they exempt academic research from benefit-sharing, ensuring fundamental science is not disrupted. This clarity is essential because genomic and metabolomic research are the backbone of new plant-derived actives. The Act also provides research exemptions for non-commercial bio surveys and academic studies, but these must be made uniformly applicable across all states to avoid uncertainty for institutions and startups. The next step is shared infrastructure. There is a need for bio-conservatories, seed banks, biosafety labs, shared bio foundries, and pilot-scale bioprocessing facilities. These are critical for SMEs, which often cannot afford large-scale fermentation units or botanical extraction facilities on their own. India’s pharmaceutical capabilities demonstrate what coordinated R&D ecosystems can achieve. India already produces one-third of the world’s pills and over 65 per cent of global vaccines. A similar ecosystem for plant-based actives supported by predictable access, rapid approvals and shared facilities can unlock world-scale innovation. Cultivation Over Extraction: A Policy Turning Point India still depends heavily on wild-sourced plants. What policy levers—contract farming incentives, carbon-linked subsidies, insurance schemes, guaranteed buyback mechanisms—can accelerate the shift to regenerative, large-scale cultivation of medicinal, aromatic, and functional crops? The Act now provides a strong policy foundation. Cultivated biological resources are exempt from ABS, which makes formal cultivation far more attractive than wild collection for industry players. The next step is to incentivise cultivation through: Contract farming for medicinal and aromatic plants Guaranteed buyback arrangements to reduce farmer risk Crop insurance schemes tailored to high-value species Carbon-linked incentives, since sustainable cultivation can generate biodiversity and carbon credits that reduce financing costs It all hinges upon the following completely transformative idea: The provision of a reduction in ABS in accordance with substantiated farming and ex-situ conservation. An enterprise that invests in farming threatened species under section 38 of the Act should be able to reduce its ABS burden. This also applies to any cultivated crop. Every project should be linked to development investment by every enterprise in contract cultivation. This will establish a positive feedback loop where investing in conservation makes economic sense rather than merely being a compliance activity. We already have a proof of concept. The experience of the Kani tribe—where benefit-sharing for the Jeevani formulation ensured local protection of the resource—shows that conservation thrives when incentives align with community and industry interests. Moving cultivation to the centre is not only sound environmental policy but also essential for long-term supply security. Stakeholders must now push for targeted incentives, drive investment in regenerative practices, and ensure that policy reforms prioritise large-scale, sustainable cultivation as the future of India's plant-based industry. ABS Designed for Scale, Not Stasis Non-uniform ABS fees and multi-layer approvals discourage industry investment. Should India adopt a national ABS code with fixed rates and digital processing to make compliance predictable and attractive for plant-based companies? The need for scale arises based on the predictability that comes with it. Currently, there are discrepancies in ABS evaluations across the states, leading to what can be perceived as “regulatory arbitrage” where companies can shift operations based on jurisdictional leniency or clarity. The 2025 Regulations begin with the proper framework in terms of fixed slabs of ABS based on turnover (0.2 per cent to 0.6 per cent in the case of large assessees) and exemptions up to turnover of Rs 5 crore. Although such a framework works well, there needs to be uniformity nationwide. It will remove any scope for subjective interpretation and ensure low-risk compliance by MSMEs. Otherwise, India will continue to demonstrate “world-class” intention but lackadaisical execution. It will continue to confuse the global fraternity as to whether it has the “capability” or “systems” in place. Global Competitiveness: India vs. Brazil, Vietnam, Thailand Competitor nations are aggressively scaling plant-based bioindustries. What policy steps are essential for India to compete in high-growth segments like curcumin, ashwagandha, moringa, plant proteins, and natural colours—beyond raw material exports? Three areas require immediate attention. First, cluster-based development: One model that India can follow to reduce the issues related to domestic manufacture and distribution is the “BCG model” in the Thai market, where there are clusters developed based on the region that specialises in a certain kind of crop or bioindustry. These clusters can include turmeric in Karnataka, ashwagandha in Rajasthan, or moringa in Tamil Nadu. The formation of these clusters requires research on the market potential of each product. This work must be undertaken jointly by the Ministry of AYUSH, the Ministry of Food Processing, and the Ministry of Commerce. Each cluster could have three to four crops and a primary processing industry. Second, value-added exports: It is important that India moves ahead in the global trade from raw botanical supplies to traceable, scientifically attested, and standardised ingredients. The Indian nutraceutical industry already employs over 3 million people and utilises close to a thousand botanical plant species, but most exports are in raw or less-processed form. To incentivise higher value addition, the ABS system should be structured so that basic commodity exporters pay the highest ABS, with the levy decreasing progressively as the level of value addition increases. Third, global compliance readiness: Import rules under the European Union require verification that plant-based goods are deforestation-free and geolocation-tagged to confirm their origin.  If we want to encourage exports, we need to align our local rules to meet the needs of such regulations being formed across major markets. This responsibility again rests with the Ministry of Commerce. Our interests in such a case would be best served if FTAs incorporate provisions that allow negotiation of these regulatory obligations as part of the agreement. The supply chains in India need traceability and GPS-tagged farm data, as well as sustainability certifications, in order to maintain competitiveness in exports. In other words, achieving these three changes will help India shift from being a large raw material provider to becoming an innovation hub in high-value plants. Reimagining Community Participation in Value Creation How can India move beyond transactional ABS payouts to truly participatory models—community-owned plantations, co-operative extraction units, shared IP rights—that make local communities' economic partners in the rise of the plant-based bioeconomy? India’s biodiversity prosperity depends heavily on the communities that live closest to it. Instead of transactional ABS payments, participation should be embedded into value chains. The next step is to incentivise cultivation through: Community-owned plantations and cooperatives,especially for species that require careful stewardship Co-managed extraction units, where communities run primary processing supported by industry partners Shared IP rights, following global models where indigenous communities become co-owners in patents when traditional knowledge is involved Community Protocols, enabling communities to set terms of access for biological resources and knowledge Reverse ABS structure, which imposes higher rates on low value-added exports and lowered or no ABS on higher value exports, should be the regime to be established. Building Trusted, Traceable, Export-Ready Value Chains Global buyers demand traceability, residue-free cultivation, and proof of conservation outcomes. What regulatory upgrades—digital traceability mandates, bioresource certification, ESG-linked incentives—are required for India to secure premium export markets? Traceability has emerged as the need of the hour. The Deforestation Regulation in the European Union makes it mandatory for importers to submit geolocation data regarding all farms in the supply chain, causing a shift in trade equations. India needs three regulatory upgrades: Digital traceability mandates using GPS-tagged farm plots, blockchain-based sourcing logs and integrated systems linked to APEDA export portals. National bioresource certification standards are aligned with global due diligence requirements. ESG-linked incentives reward residue-free cultivation and regenerative agriculture. We already have a strong precedent: India’s pharmaceutical export ecosystem meets stringent global standards. The same level of traceability and compliance needs to follow botanical, nutraceutical, and plant-based ingredients. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3481/japans-jircas-and-philippine-researchers-partner-to-develop-advanced-sugarcane-cultivation-technologies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3481/japans-jircas-and-philippine-researchers-partner-to-develop-advanced-sugarcane-cultivation-technologies.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 12:15:14 +0530 Five Years of On-Site Joint Research Demonstration Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) in collaboration with its Philippine research partners hosted a symposium at Negros Island in the Republic of the Philippines. The event, held to mark the conclusion of a five-year international collaborative research initiative, brought together key stakeholders, including Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ENDO Kazuya and First Secretary AKASAKA Hidenori from the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines. This gathering underscored the importance of Japan–Philippines cooperation in advancing agricultural and environmental research. The symposium highlighted findings from two major projects: the "Yama-Sato-Umi agroecosystem connectivity" and "Climate change measures in Monsoon Asia." These projects, conducted under the overarching theme of "Connectivity among the mountains, villages, and the sea," showcased diverse outcomes. Presentations covered technologies for revegetating degraded mountain slopes, enhancing agricultural productivity with minimal environmental impact, conserving forests and mangroves, and studying soil carbon accumulation. The event also facilitated discussions on the role of Japan–Philippines collaboration in ensuring regional food security and mitigating climate change. Ambassador Endo observed a demonstration of sugarcane cultivation technologies using a subsoiler and deep-planting planter. Negros Island is the largest sugarcane-producing region in the Philippines, and this technology is expected to contribute to increased productivity, energy efficiency, and soil conservation through the promotion of multi-ratoon cultivation. The technology has been jointly developed by JIRCAS, Yanmar Agribusiness Co., Ltd. (Okayama City), and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) of the Philippine Department of Agriculture. Ambassador Endo also exchanged views with SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, further raising expectations for the dissemination of the technology. Building on the results achieved so far, JIRCAS plans to further promote the dissemination of this technology in the Philippines and Japan’s Ishigaki Island, while also exploring its application to other tropical island regions. The integrated approach emphasizing the interconnection among mountains, villages, and the sea is expected to play an increasingly important role in addressing global challenges such as climate change and food security. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3476/enko-and-syngenta-advance-new-novel-mode-of-action-fungicide.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3476/enko-and-syngenta-advance-new-novel-mode-of-action-fungicide.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 23:27:25 +0530 Breakthrough addresses a scientific challenge and accelerates safer, more sustainable crop protection innovation Enko Chem, Inc. has developed a novel fungicide class of chemistry in collaboration with Syngenta Crop Protection has advanced to field testing. The chemistries, discovered through Enko’s ENKOMPASS™ discovery platform, represent a breakthrough in the discovery of effective and safe molecules targeting a novel mode of action that has been the focus of industry efforts for decades. The collaboration utilized Enko’s precision ENKOMPASS™ platform, which applies DNA-encoded libraries, machine learning, and structural biology to evaluate large numbers of potential molecules with an emphasis on critical performance characteristics. The ongoing program is focused on providing an additional tool to help manage fungal pathogens in cereal production worldwide. Fungal pathogens remain among the most economically damaging threats to global crop production, with yield losses in the billions of dollars annually. The development of resistance to existing chemistries makes the discovery of new modes of action a critical priority for sustainable agriculture. The collaboration utilized Enko’s precision ENKOMPASS platform, which applies DNA-encoded libraries, machine learning, and structural biology to evaluate large numbers of potential molecules with an emphasis on critical performance characteristics. Syngenta plans to conduct field testing next year at several locations to assess performance under typical grower conditions. The advancement to the next phase of the collaboration was based on data generated to date in controlled environments. “This milestone reflects steady progress in a complex area of crop protection research,” said Tony Klemm, CEO of Enko. “We look forward to the next stage of work with Syngenta as testing moves into field environments.” Enko’s collaboration with Syngenta focuses on discovering and developing new chemistry for novel modes of action for key crop protection challenges. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3465/singapore-scientists-create-microneedle-system-to-deliver-biofertiliser-directly-into-plants-boosting-growth-with-less-waste.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3465/singapore-scientists-create-microneedle-system-to-deliver-biofertiliser-directly-into-plants-boosting-growth-with-less-waste.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:34:05 +0530 A dissolving patch delivers beneficial microbes into leaves and stems, speeding growth in vegetables while using over 15 per cent less biofertiliser than soil application Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed dissolving microneedle patches that deliver living “biofertiliser” straight into plant tissue. In greenhouse tests, Choy Sum and Kale grew faster — by shoot biomass, leaf area and height — while using over 15% less biofertiliser than standard soil inoculation. The approach points to more precise fertiliser delivery, less waste and potentially lower off-target environmental impact, with near-term fit for urban and vertical farms and for high-value crops that benefit from controlled dosing. Biofertiliser, which contain beneficial bacteria and fungi that help crops absorb nutrients and tolerate stress, are usually added to soil. There, they must compete with native microbes and can be hindered by acidity and various other conditions. Much of the input never reaches the roots. By placing beneficial bacteria or fungi directly into leaves or stems, the new method developed by the NUS team bypasses those hurdles and accelerates early gains. Dr Arya Gopinath Madathil Pulikkal (left) and Asst Prof Andy Tay (right) in front of a small greenhouse containing Choy Sum plants “Inspired by how microbes can migrate within the human body, we hypothesised that by delivering beneficial microbes directly into the plant’s tissues, like a leaf or stem, they could travel to the roots and still perform their function, but much more effectively and be less vulnerable to soil conditions,” said Assistant Professor Andy Tay from Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Design and Engineering at NUS, and Principal Investigator at the Institute for Health Innovation & Technology (iHealthtech), who led the work. The team fabricated plant-tuned microneedles from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a biodegradable, low-cost polymer. For leaves, a 1 cm by 1 cm patch carries a 40 by 40 array of pyramids about 140 μm long, while a short row of roughly 430-μm needles suits thicker stems. Microbes are blended into the PVA solution, cast into tiny moulds and locked in the needle tips. Pressed by the thumb or with a simple handheld applicator that spreads force evenly, the needles slip into plant tissue and dissolve within about a minute, releasing their microbial cargo. In laboratory tests, the patch barely disturbed plant tissue or function. Shallow indentations in leaves faded within two hours; chlorophyll readings remained stable; and stress-response gene expression, which briefly rose after insertion, returned to baseline within 24 hours. The patches maintained high microbial viability after storage for up to four weeks – this means the patches can be prepared in advance – and importantly, loading concentration translated to delivered dose, which enables controlled application that is difficult to achieve in soil. A 3D-printed applicator provided uniform insertion across large leaf areas and could become an integral component in future robotic automation. The NUS team demonstrated that delivering a plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) cocktail of Streptomyces and Agromyces-Bacillus through leaves or stems improved growth in Choy Sum and Kale compared to untreated controls and gave better results than soil treatments with microbes. PGPR is commonly used to improve nutrient uptake and stimulate growth hormones in plants. Additionally, the plants grew more as the researchers loaded more microbes into each patch, up to an effective ceiling. Beyond that, extra microbes did not help the plants grow further. This lets growers determine the lowest effective dose, which in turn cuts costs and waste. “Our microneedle system successfully delivered biofertiliser into Choy Sum and Kale, enhancing their growth more effectively than traditional methods while using over 15 per cent less biofertiliser,” Asst Prof Tay said. “By faster growth we refer to higher total plant weight, larger leaf area and higher plant height.” The team tracked the bacteria as they moved from the injected leaves to the roots within days. At the roots, the bacteria nudged the root microbiome towards a more beneficial mix without throwing it out of balance. Plant chemical readouts showed that the main energy-production cycle (involves cells turning sugars into usable energy) was working harder, nitrogen was used more efficiently and compounds needed for growth were synthesised at a higher rate. The team also observed stronger antioxidant capacity, a sign the plants were better prepared for stress and growth. The team extended the approach to beneficial fungi. Patches loaded with a Tinctoporellus strain (AR8) promoted Choy Sum growth and adjusted phytohormones levels – the signalling molecules that guide how plants grow, develop, and respond to their surroundings – helping to keep plant growth hormones in balance. “This work is the first to demonstrate that root-associated biofertiliser can be directly delivered into a plant’s leaves or stems to enhance growth,” Asst Prof Tay added. “With this finding, we introduced a new concept of ‘microneedle biofertiliser’ that overcomes significant challenges of soil inoculation.” The researchers see early applications in urban and vertical farms where precise dosing matters, as well as in slow-growing, high-value crops such as medicinal herbs. Looking ahead, Asst Prof Tay added, “A major focus is scalability. We plan to explore integrating our microneedle technology with agricultural robotics and automated systems to make it feasible for large-scale farms. We will also test this across a wider variety of crops, such as strawberry, and investigate how these microbes migrate effectively from the leaf to the root.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3453/chinese-and-african-scientists-join-forces-to-unlock-the-potential-of-africas-oilseed-sector.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3453/chinese-and-african-scientists-join-forces-to-unlock-the-potential-of-africas-oilseed-sector.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:52:02 +0530 Joint research and innovation on oilseed crops Africa's rich diversity of oilseed crops, such as sesame, peanuts, and soybeans, is essential for food security, rural livelihoods, and expanding export markets across the continent. To better harness this potential and address the priorities of the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027), African and Chinese scientists are intensifying joint research and innovation on oilseed crops. Policymakers, researchers, and private sector representatives from Algeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania, and other countries met with their Chinese counterparts in Wuhan at the Belt and Road Forum on Oil Crops Science, Technology Innovation, and Industrial Cooperation. The forum, jointly organized by the Oilseed Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (OCRI-CAAS), the CAAS Agricultural Information Institute, and international partners, focused on strengthening collaboration across the entire value chain—from breeding and seed systems to processing and trade. Participants discussed new opportunities for sesame and other oilseed crops, including the joint breeding of climate-resistant, high-yielding, high-quality varieties; the demonstration of high-protein legumes adapted to African farming systems; and more efficient, value-added processing of edible oils. During the event, OCRI-CAAS and several African universities and companies signed cooperation agreements that will support long-term partnerships focused on variety improvement, technology transfer and scaling up, and the training of young scientists and agribusiness professionals. These efforts aim to translate science into tangible benefits for farmers and consumers in Africa and China. The forum was followed by a technical visit to OCRI-CAAS by an African delegation including Edwin Paul Mhede, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Trade and Investment at the Tanzanian Ministry of Industry; Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, Technical Advisor to the President for Economic and Financial Inclusion at the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria; Lise Korsten, President of the African Academy of Sciences; Logab Djilali, Vice-Rector of the University of Tissemsilt in Algeria; and Erick Vitus Gabriel Komba, Director of the Tanzanian Livestock Research Institute, among others. The delegation met with innovation teams working on sesame and specialty oilseed crops, peanuts, and southern soybeans, and visited national platforms for quality testing and pilot-scale processing of oilseed crops. Professor Korsten and other delegates stressed that the oilseed sector in Africa is poised for rapid growth and that collaborative research with partners such as OCRI-CAAS can help generate locally adapted solutions that increase yields, improve quality and meet international market standards. Looking ahead, African partner institutions and OCRI-CAAS plan to use the China-Africa Alliance for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAASTIA) as a key platform to deepen cooperation on joint breeding programs, farmer-led extension, and talent development. By combining Africa's resources and commercial potential with Chinese and African scientific expertise, the partners aim to build more resilient and inclusive oilseed value chains that support food and nutrition security and sustainable development across the continent. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3415/australias-grains-research-and-development-corporation-grdc-partners-with-university-of-queensland-uq-to-develop-higher-yielding-resilient-sorghum.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3415/australias-grains-research-and-development-corporation-grdc-partners-with-university-of-queensland-uq-to-develop-higher-yielding-resilient-sorghum.html Fri, 21 Nov 2025 10:59:25 +0530 Sorghum Strategic Alliance receives initial $13 million outlay and significant co-investment from UQ Australian Sorghum growers are set to gain from a new partnership between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and The University of Queensland (UQ). The collaboration aims to develop higher-yielding, more resilient, and better-quality varieties of this key summer crop. The 7-year Sorghum Strategic Alliance – announced on 11 November at the TropAg Conference in Brisbane – represents GRDC’s largest collaborative commitment to sorghum research to date, with an initial $13 million outlay and significant co-investment from UQ. The Alliance includes research in four foundational areas, with both investment dollars and project numbers expected to grow through its 7-year duration. GRDC General Manager Applied Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) Craig Baillie said the investment underscored the organisation’s commitment to investing in research, development and extension (RD&E) that was grower-led and destined to deliver genuine gains on-farm. “Sorghum is a key summer crop for Australian grain growers across Queensland and northern New South Wales. This alliance with UQ is a strategic step forward that aims to deliver varieties with higher yields, improved resilience to climate challenges and greater marketability. Another project under the alliance will support growers to improve input use efficiency, lift soil health and deliver more resilient, productive and profitable sorghum within their farming systems” Mr Baillie said. Ultimately, this substantial investment aims to sustainably increase and expand sorghum production ensuring Australian growers can meet future market and environmental challenges. The projects will leverage UQ’s leading expertise in genetics, predictive breeding and gene editing to develop the next generation of sorghum genotypes. The focus is on improving resilience, productivity and quality - targeting traits such as heat, drought and cold tolerance, protein content and quality, biomass production and digestibility. GRDC have some of the world’s most outstanding quantitative plant breeders and the Sorghum Strategic Alliance will allow us to bring on some early or mid-career researchers in crop genomics, agronomy and farming systems to further strengthen our international standing in plant breeding. The alliance will include research into 4 initial foundational areas with scope to increase both the focus areas and investment level where there is a clear return-on-investment for growers. The foundational areas include: Boosting yield potential through advanced genetics and breeding. Optimising grain filling duration to deliver larger, more consistent sorghum grain in variable climates. Developing larger grain with increased and more digestible protein. Improving sorghum yields through targeted agronomic research. This alliance builds on decades of RD&E investment, driven by grower input and evolving market demands. The new projects are designed to address the most pressing challenges facing the industry and to provide solutions that are practical, profitable and sustainable. Each project has been designed in close consultation with growers and industry, building on GRDC’s previous RD&E investment. Mr Baillie said GRDC had partnered with UQ because the organisation had been at the heart of sorghum breeding in Australia for decades. He said more than 90 per cent of commercial grain sorghum hybrid grown today in Australia contained genetics developed by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and UQ. UQ Professor Matthew Morell said the alliance would allow the organisation to continue to deliver real-world solutions for Australian agriculture. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3406/corteva-introduces-bioinsecticide-to-protect-apples-oranges-wheat-rice-corn-among-other-crops.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3406/corteva-introduces-bioinsecticide-to-protect-apples-oranges-wheat-rice-corn-among-other-crops.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:27:00 +0530 Goltrevo™ bioinsecticide, Varpelgo™ active: Nature-Inspired solutions to control insects, help farmers protect yield Globally, thousands of species of insects threaten crop yield by feeding on plants, transmitting diseases and damaging plant tissues, which leads to significant losses: an estimated 20%-40% for crops globally like wheat, corn and rice, at an estimated cost of $70 billion. Corteva announced two new crop protection solutions, one of natural origin and the other naturally inspired, to combat these destructive pests.  Goltrevo™ bioinsecticide is a broad-spectrum, microbial-based solution designed to combat some sap-feeding and chewing insects, including whiteflies, aphids and the devasting corn leafhopper, which spreads the bacterial pathogen responsible for corn stunt disease and can cause yield losses of up to 70%. Goltrevo is the first bioinsecticide in Corteva’s Biologicals portfolio. Varpelgo™ active is a next-generation insecticide developed by closely studying the structure and function of the naturally occurring Qalcova™ active, using nature as an inspiration to design a novel solution to control chewing pests in fruits and vegetables, row crops and rice. Robert King, executive vice president, crop protection for Corteva said “These new insect management solutions complement our existing portfolio of leading biological and insecticide products and will help farmers better manage costly insect damage while supporting our vision of providing more sustainable solutions, improving farmer productivity and strengthening global food security.” Goltrevo is a best-in-class formulation based on a novel strain of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana 203, originally isolated from palm weevil beetles. This novel bioinsecticide will target some sap-feeding insects, such as corn leafhoppers, whiteflies, aphids and stinkbugs, as well as chewing insects, including several species of root-feeding worms, beetles, and destructive caterpillars. With Goltrevo, growers can expect a longer shelf life and lower potential for the development of resistance, ensuring stability and usability across different farming practices and crops, including corn, soybean, sugarcane, pastures, fruits and vegetables. Commercial sales are expected to begin as early as 2027 in Latin America, pending applicable regulatory approvals. Varpelgo active provides highly effective control of chewing insects, including diamondback moths, armyworms, loopers, and several species of borers, beetles, weevils and thrips, in key crops such as soybeans, corn, rice, tree nuts, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables, across all global regions. It also offers a new seed applied technology solution to protect the seed and seedling from wireworm. With a favorable ecological profile and low use rates, Varpelgo will fit within farmers’ integrated pest management and insect resistance management programs, giving them a new rotational choice for chewing insect control. The first commercial sales are expected in Asia Pacific and Latin America in the early 2030s, pending completion of field trials and applicable regulatory reviews ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3405/valent-biosciences-and-seipasa-partners-to-advance-biostimulant-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3405/valent-biosciences-and-seipasa-partners-to-advance-biostimulant-technology.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:49:45 +0530 Revolutionary biostimulant designed with an optimized biochemical matrix that influences key plant pathways to improve quality parameters in specialty crops Valent BioSciences LLC and Seipasa are entering a strategic partnership to advance biostimulant technology offerings to the U.S. agricultural market. Seipasa, a pioneer in the development, formulation, and production of biopesticides, biostimulants, and nutritional products used in agriculture, has named Valent BioSciences its exclusive partner for the commercialization of novel biostimulant products in the U.S. Headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois, Valent BioSciences is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sumitomo Chemical Company Ltd. Valent BioSciences is a global leader in the research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of biorational products and technologies used in agriculture, public health, and forest health. Through its expertise in bioscience, Valent BioSciences helps growers profitably sustain their land and legacies and protects the public from insect-borne disease. Under this agreement, Valent BioSciences will bring yet another unique biostimulant solution to the U.S. market. Seipasa’s new biostimulant, Sweetsei™, is a revolutionary biostimulant designed with an optimized biochemical matrix that influences key plant pathways to improve quality parameters in specialty crops. “We are excited to enter this strategic partnership with a globally recognized research and development company. Seipasa brings a scientific rigor to the biostimulant market that complements our own scientific standards,” says Salman Mir, President and CEO of Valent BioSciences. “And Sweetsei is a proven technology that will help farmers optimize their harvest.” Pedro Peleato, CEO of Seipasa said "Sweetsei is a biostimulant with extensive international reach that is already present, with proven results, in markets across Latin America, Europe, and Africa. It is very exciting to be partnering with Valent BioSciences to bring our biostimulant solutions to farmers.” In 2022, Valent BioSciences unveiled its dedicated business team focused on bringing biostimulant solutions to U.S. farmers. In early 2023, the acquisition of FBSciences further strengthened the offering to the agriculture market with its Transit® biostimulant product line. The company has more than 60 years of experience bringing biorational products to market in more than 95 countries worldwide, and recently announced it will be combining with sister companies MGK and Valent North America to form Sumitomo Biorational Company, a Global Center of Excellence for Biorational Innovation, in April 2026. Seipasa is a pioneering Spanish company in the field of agricultural biotechnology. It develops, registers, produces, and markets natural botanical and microbiological solutions for crop protection, biostimulation, and nutrition worldwide. The company was founded in 1998 with the entrepreneurial vision to anticipate the changes and transformations that the agricultural industry is undergoing today. Twenty-seven years later, Seipasa has promoted the Natural Technology® model, from which it develops solutions of high technological value, focused on sustainability and applied in the world’s most demanding agriculture conditions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3404/golden-agri-resources-gar-launches-mtk-seed-to-strengthen-climate-resilience-in-indonesias-palm-oil-sector.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3404/golden-agri-resources-gar-launches-mtk-seed-to-strengthen-climate-resilience-in-indonesias-palm-oil-sector.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 10:33:07 +0530 GAR’s innovation arm, the SMART Research Institute (SMARTRI), MTK seeds are designed to protect productivity during drought periods Dami Mas, the seed division of leading agribusiness Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), has launched DxP Dami Mas MTK (Moderate Toleran Kekeringan), a major milestone in efforts to build a climate-resilient palm oil industry. MTK is the first oil palm seed to have its superior performance under drought conditions validated and approved for sale by Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture. Developed over more than a decade by GAR’s innovation arm, the SMART Research Institute (SMARTRI), MTK seeds are designed to protect productivity during drought periods, a growing global challenge for palm oil producers. Addressing a US$4.5 Billion Challenge Drought conditions caused by climate change are becoming more frequent, more prolonged, and more extreme, causing lower yields and declining oil quality. For every 100mm of water deficit, where an oil palm’s demand for water exceeds available supply, yield can decline by 8-10%, resulting in income loss for farmers and productivity challenges for downstream processors. SMARTRI models estimate that these drought-related productivity losses cost Indonesia’s palm oil industry over US$4.5 billion on average each year. In high-risk regions such as Lampung, dry conditions can reduce yield by up to 21%. DxP Dami Mas MTK has been bred to address this challenge. In extensive field trials, MTK seeds demonstrated at least 12% higher yields than standard varieties in drought conditions. These performance differences increase as conditions become more extreme. MTK seeds performed over 25% better than standard varieties during prolonged dry periods caused by El Niño in 2015 and the Indian Ocean Dipole in 2018. “Climate change is no longer a distant risk for palm oil producers; it’s a reality they can see in the field and on their balance sheet,” said Dr. Jean-Pierre Caliman, Director of SMARTRI, who has led over a decade of research into the impact of climate conditions on palm productivity. “Commercial approval for the MTK seeds is recognition that there is a science-backed solution that can help to protect productivity and build a climate-resilient palm oil sector.” While many seed varieties demonstrate some degree of resilience in dry conditions, DxP Dami Mas MTK are the first seed varieties to have their performance under water deficit conditions validated through extensive field trials and independently verified by the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture’s scientific review panel. Advancing Agricultural Innovation The MTK breeding programme refined the best characteristics from over 1,800 mother palms, analysing the performance of over 40,000 seedlings to identify candidates with the best  performance under artificial drought conditions. SMARTRI scientists implemented High Throughput Phenotypic Screening technology to measure the drought factor index (DFI) for each plant – a set of variables that determine a plant’s performance under water stress. From the 14 seed families selected as candidates for drought tolerance, two seeds – MTK 1 and MTK 2 – were validated as the successful seed varieties following field trials in South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and North Sumatra. A Step Forward for Sustainable Agriculture “We work closely with growers and smallholder farmers to understand their needs,” said Suryanto Bun, CEO of Dami Mas. “These climate-resilient seeds build on our existing higher-yielding and disease-resistant varieties to offer more innovations that can help growers protect their productivity and incomes against climate change.” Dami Mas is now accepting interest from buyers in Indonesia, with the first seeds due to deliver in early 2026. MTK seeds will be progressively made available to more customers as Dami Mas accelerates its breeding programme. Recognising the growing global impact of drought on agriculture, the company also sees applications for palm growers in West Africa, Latin America and India. The launch of DxP Dami Mas MTK supports GAR’s commitment to innovation in sustainable agriculture. By equipping farmers with climate-resilient seeds, the company aims to strengthen food security, protect livelihoods, and contribute to enhancing agricultural productivity. “This seed represents the future of oil palm cultivation,” concluded Dr. Caliman. “By combining scientific research with our agronomy experience, we hope to bring innovation into the hands of farmers to create a more resilient, productive, and sustainable palm oil industry.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3393/bayer-launches-alivio-focusing-on-innovation-in-the-agri-insurance-space.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3393/bayer-launches-alivio-focusing-on-innovation-in-the-agri-insurance-space.html Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:27:47 +0530 Turning weather uncertainty into farmer resilience, Bayer launches Alivio, focusing on innovation in the agri-insurance space Indian smallholder farmers are increasingly exposed to erratic weather patterns, long dry spells, rising temperatures, shifting seasons, and high-intensity rains. Findings from Bayer’s Farmer Voice Survey – India 2024 reveal that nearly 9 in 10 farmers already feel the negative impact of climate change on their farms, with 72% expecting reduced yields, 62% anticipating increased crop failures, and more than half reporting frequent droughts, heat waves, or excessive rainfall in recent years. In response, farmers are proactively seeking ways to safeguard their livelihoods. While support to manage financial risk, such as insurance, ranks among the top future needs, an even larger share sees promise in digital and weather-based solutions. In fact, 51% identify access to better digital technologies as most beneficial for their farms, underscoring the growing demand for integrated offerings that combine risk protection with timely, actionable insights. However, despite valuing insurance, many farmers remain dissatisfied with existing systems. Common concerns include uncertainty around claim timelines, lack of clarity on payout amounts, and widespread frustration that compensation rarely reflects the actual scale of losses. Farmer-First Design Meets Digital Intelligence for Resilient Agriculture In response, Bayer has launched Alivio - meaning “relief” in Spanish - a pioneering digital solution that reimagines risk mitigation while equipping growers with actionable plot insights, delivered as an integrated, value-adding service via Alivio’s mobile application. Unlike traditional insurance products, Alivio - launched in collaboration with the insurance ecosystem and public sector undertaking United India Insurance - uses high-resolution satellite data and advanced crop modelling to offer growth stage-aligned, plot-based, and geo-contextualized protection. When plot-based agronomic parameters trigger assurance benefits, farmers can redeem them instantly at nearby Bayer channel partners, ensuring immediate access to quality seeds and crop protection products and avoiding disruptions during the crop cycle. In practice, this means Alivio identifies and aligns protection with the exact risks farmers perceive as most threatening in their local context—such as prolonged dry spells during flowering or extreme heat during grain filling etc. By tailoring coverage to these location- and stage-specific vulnerabilities, Alivio ensures that support is meaningful, relevant, and directly connected to the challenges farmers face. By embedding retailers into its operating model, Alivio taps into the informal trust networks that farmers rely on for buying inputs and advice. This trusted channel makes farmers more open to adopting a new digital product and ensures benefits are accessible where they already make farm decisions. It also bridges the transparency gap between payout eligibility and farmer awareness in traditional insurance. With instant, data-driven triggers and clear, season-long communication, farmers know exactly when they are protected and when benefits are activated - reducing anxiety during the season. From Data to Insights and Relief: Farmers Seeing Value Early The first rollout is targeted at rainfed corn growers in Davanagere, Karnataka and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra - areas where repeated dry spells have historically reduced yields. By monitoring plot-based conditions, Alivio will trigger assurance benefits if insufficient soil moisture conditions are experienced by the maize crop during critical growth stages. These benefits will be delivered to growers on their Alivio mobile application and can be redeemed at their nearest channel partner store. In addition, farmers will receive soil moisture forecasts, spray planning support, and crop scouting recommendations tailored to their plots, to name a few data-driven insights. Uptake has been strong, with farmers purchasing Alivio within two weeks of launch. “In the past, when the rains failed, we had no hope during the season. With Alivio, I can see the soil moisture for my own plot, and when it drops too low, the benefit comes quickly. This helps me buy what I need for the crop without delay,” said Nagaraja Huchapla, a corn grower from Davanagere Taluka. Speaking on the launch, Simon Wiebusch, Country Divisional Head, Crop Science Division, Bayer in India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka said, “Alivio reflects Bayer’s commitment to putting digital innovation in the hands of those who need it most. By blending agronomic intelligence with intuitive design and trusted local networks, we’re helping smallholder farmers turn uncertainty into informed action, making resilience not just possible, but practical.” “For too long, crop insurance has left farmers navigating uncertainty alone. With this launch, we are putting farmers at the center of innovation. By combining satellite intelligence, plot-level insights, growth stage-aligned coverage, and strong ecosystem collaboration, we are delivering solutions that truly respond to farmers’ needs. Together with Bayer and United India Insurance, we are proud to drive the transformation the agri-insurance sector urgently requires,” said Mr. Sanjay Radhakrishnan, CEO, Edme Insurance Brokers Ltd. Expanding Reach Across Crops and Regions In the coming months, Alivio will expand to onions, chillis, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes and select fruit crops, reaching more regions across India. This is part of Bayer’s global ambition to reach 100 million smallholders by 2030, with digital innovations at the heart of efforts to increase productivity, resilience, and sustainability. Alivio exemplifies this commitment - combining data intelligence, ecosystem partnerships, and farmer-first design to deliver measurable impact.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3392/accelerating-climate-resilience-in-asia-pacifics-agri-food-system.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3392/accelerating-climate-resilience-in-asia-pacifics-agri-food-system.html Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:18:24 +0530 Leaders in Asia are focusing on strategies that integrate advanced technologies, sustainable practices, and collaborative efforts to enhance food security and resilience Asia-Pacific is leading the charge in the global quest for sustainable food solutions, transforming cutting-edge research into scalable innovations that are reshaping the future of food. Far from merely joining the race, the region is setting the pace, turning breakthroughs into real-world impact with remarkable speed. Experts from Enterprise Singapore, OFI, Friesland Campina, the Gates Foundation, Nomura, Sumitomo Corporation, Main Sequence Ventures, and the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) Canada shared there opinion with reference to Asia Pacific Agri Food Innovation Summit held in Singapore. The Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit convenes senior leaders from across the region to advance these conversations. It provides an opportunity to engage directly with the people and partnerships driving change, including researchers, entrepreneurs, agribusinesses, corporates, policymakers, and investors. Global leaders are driving progress by rapidly transforming research breakthroughs into tangible, real-world results. They highlighted that advancing agri-food innovation in Asia hinges on strategic partnerships that align scientific advancements with industry demands, funding approaches that mitigate risks, and technologies designed to tackle pressing issues such as protein insecurity and climate resilience. The region is transforming research into scalable solutions that are reshaping the future of food, highlighting strategies and breakthroughs that position Asia at the forefront of agri-food transformation. Building Impact Through Collaboration Multi-stakeholder partnerships are proving essential to scale innovation. Jeannie Lim of Enterprise Singapore highlights a landmark collaboration with the National University of Singapore, the Good Food Institute, and the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Proteins. It initiated the Sustainable Protein StartUp Competition which awards cash prizes of SGD$175,000 to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation. “This partnership reflects a shared commitment by the Singapore government, academia, and philanthropy to foster stronger private sector participation and investments in sustainable food innovation,” she says.  Main Sequence Ventures’ Phil Morle echoes this sentiment, pointing to the co-founding of v2food with CSIRO and Hungry Jack’s as a model for “venture science”, a scalable approach to rapidly deploying decades of R&D into commercial supply chains. “This kind of collaboration between research, venture capital, and corporates is what helps startups scale before the risk profile is ready,” he says. In India, the Gates Foundation’s Srivalli Krishnan shares how coordinated action in Bihar’s aquaculture sector brought together government, private hatcheries, and entrepreneurs to sustainably scale fish farming. “Its success lies in converging diverse efforts into one coordinated platform that empowers women, strengthens entrepreneurship, and delivers sustainable impact at scale.” Sumitomo Corporation’s Takeo Kojima adds, “Universities provide talent, start-ups provide innovation, and corporates like us provide scaling power. Proof-of-concept projects turn ideas into tangible outcomes that attract more partners.” He cites Sumitomo’s work with Japanese genome-editing start-ups as an example of how complementary capabilities can accelerate commercialisation.  IPAAO Canada’s Diedrah Kelly brings a global perspective, highlighting Canada’s role as a trusted partner in the Asia-Pacific region. “Canada views this region not just as a market, but as a partner. We’re here to build relationships rooted in shared goals: better nutrition, innovative agriculture, and sustainable development,” she says. From canola oil to pork exports, Canada’s agri-food systems are deeply integrated with Asia’s evolving food landscape. Breakthroughs Across the Value Chain Innovation is happening at every stage of the agri-food value chain. OFI’s Kamesh Ellajosyula sees promise in post-harvest value addition through AI-powered bioactive discovery. “We’re identifying novel molecules in everyday spices that transform how we view ingredient functionality,” he explains. OFI’s partnership with Brightseed and its Forager® AI platform is unlocking hidden health compounds in black pepper and garlic, creating new value from traditional crops.  FrieslandCampina’s Pradyumna Gampala points to precision fermentation as a game-changer for protein security. “It enables local production in countries with limited agricultural land, while creating opportunities to open new export markets for high-value, sustainable food products,” he says. The technology offers ingredient-level solutions, such as whey analogues and functional fats, that can be integrated into existing formulations, helping companies address supply risks and nutritional gaps. Nomura’s Makoto Totsuka sees the next frontier in biopesticides and biofertilizers. “As society shifts toward a circular model, these sustainable substitute inputs are poised to become a core element of the agri-tech sector,” he says. He envisions strategic partnerships between microbiology research institutes and companies with broad distribution networks to commercialise these alternatives at scale.  Meanwhile, Sumitomo is exploring the intersection of genetics and climate resilience. “Carbon MRV embedded into farming could transform smallholder income and global climate action,” says Kojima. By linking nitrogen-fixing microbiomes with verifiable carbon credits, Sumitomo sees potential to turn agriculture into a net carbon sink. Gates Foundation is also betting on ‘genome editing and apomixis’ to revolutionise crop yields and resilience. “These aren’t isolated innovations, they are interconnected R&D pathways with the potential to transform productivity, resilience, and livelihoods,” says Krishnan. She highlights the potential of Gen-2 hybrid cereals and multiplexed editing to create crops with novel architectures and enhanced immunity. Main Sequence Ventures is focused on nutritional fortification. “After 100 years of focusing on calories, food must now take a step closer to medicine,” says Morle. He’s interested in research that introduces nutrition into foods people already eat, without requiring behaviour change. Funding Models That Work Translating research into scalable solutions requires smart funding. Ellajosyula notes that OFI’s success lies in “multi-donor working groups for knowledge sharing and co-financing opportunities, plus harmonised data standards to enable transparent impact measurement.” OFI’s partnerships with Wageningen University and Nestlé are helping scale agroforestry and income innovations across Asia. Gampala emphasises the importance of starting with real-world use cases and building deep industry engagement from the outset. He advocates for concessional funding paired with mandated industry partnerships. “This model accelerates the conversion of breakthrough research into affordable, locally adapted solutions.” Krishnan adds, “Philanthropy backs early innovation, while governments integrate proven solutions into national programs, ensuring reach and sustainability.” She outlines three principles for scaling across Asia: patient partnerships with governments, peer learning across similar regions, and complementing public efforts with targeted philanthropic support. Kojima describes Sumitomo’s blended approach: “We do small corporate PoC investments, take strategic stakes, and leverage public R&D or development bank funding to de-risk.” Rather than centralising funding, Sumitomo works through its industrial partner network to tackle social issues segment by segment. Morle calls for strategic moonshots where corporates and VCs co-invest. “Startups often need corporates to invest before the risk profile is ready. But VCs struggle to invest because they can't see corporates coming behind an idea. If all three collaborate around an ambitious business plan, the group can figure out together who should fund and lean into each stage,” he says. The moonshot ideas shared by these leaders reflect a bold vision for the future. OFI is pursuing full supply chain transparency through its AtSource+ platform, enabling real-time monitoring and AI-powered carbon tracking. FrieslandCampina is focused on scaling precision fermentation to address protein insecurity. Gampala believes “coordinated progress in production, cost reduction, regulation, and sustainability will unlock mass-market impact.” Main Sequence Ventures sees biomanufacturing as ready for mainstream, with biomanufacturing facilities poised to deliver commodity-priced goods. “As large-scale biomanufacturing facilities capable of producing commodity-priced goods come online, we’ll see a renaissance in food production,” says Morle. Gates Foundation is backing Gen-2 hybrid cereals, next-gen FMD vaccines, and low-cost AI devices for livestock genetics. Krishnan sees these innovations as part of a broader transformation across crops, soil health, and livestock. Sumitomo envisions a protein revolution through cultured fish, algae, and insect proteins, while embedding carbon-positive practices into farming. “To convince stakeholders, we stress three things: demand pressures are inevitable, risks can be shared, and consumer narratives matter,” says Kojima. The future of agri-food innovation will be shaped not only by technological breakthroughs but by the ability to translate those breakthroughs into inclusive, scalable solutions. The perspectives shared by contributors from Enterprise Singapore, OFI, FrieslandCampina, Gates Foundation, Nomura, Sumitomo Corporation, Main Sequence Ventures, and IPAAO Canada reflect a growing consensus: meaningful progress depends on collaboration across sectors, sustained investment in research, and a shared commitment for regional efficiency. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3391/singapores-food-security-strategy-evolves-from-30-by-30-to-the-singapore-food-story-2.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3391/singapores-food-security-strategy-evolves-from-30-by-30-to-the-singapore-food-story-2.html Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:10:32 +0530 Singapore Unveils Singapore Food Story 2, a comprehensive approach to food resilience Asia-Pacific’s agri-food system is at a critical point, facing challenges like climate volatility, water scarcity, evolving consumer demands, and natural resource degradation. As the world's largest and one of the most dynamic agri-food market, it holds significant potential to spearhead the development of innovative solutions to future-proof food systems, ensure nutritional security, and support sustainable growth, both regionally and globally, for future generations. Now is the time for strategic partnerships and visionary leadership to shape the future of food — for the region, and for the world. Given climate change and geopolitical developments, countries are increasingly vulnerable to global shocks and disruptions in our food supply. In recent years, we have seen how a single event could send ripple effects through the global market, disrupting the supply of food on our tables. The Russia-Ukraine conflict showed this clearly.  It is happening miles away from Singapore. Yet, by disrupting the global supply of fertilisers and animal feed, the conflict indirectly triggered export restrictions on food items in Singapore. This is why food supply resilience has been a major concern for many countries, including Singapore. We have been looking ahead to anticipate new risks and stay resilient in an ever-changing world.   Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment explained at Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit that "Six years ago, we embarked on the “30-by-30” vision for a grow local strategy to build food supply resilience. We acknowledged that this was a challenging aspiration given our small and undeveloped agri-food sector, our limited land resources and high operating cost environment. Yet building up local production was necessary to provide an assured and regenerative source of food during supply disruptions. Together with other pillars of our food strategy, it gives us more options and flexibility in times of need. Collectively, that was the Singapore Food Story strategy." "Since then, we have had to deal with the impact of supply disruptions caused by border closures due to COVID-19, export bans by some countries and animal diseases. Over the years, we have gained resolve to secure our food supply. We have made progress in building our food security and gained experience in growing the industry. We have strengthened import diversification, increasing the number of import sources that importers can tap on. We have expanded our stockpiles. We have also been putting in place the building blocks to grow the local agri-food sector. These include planning for land and infrastructure, supporting ecosystem growth through the adoption of technology and better farming practices, and encouraging offtake of local produce" adds Grace Fu. Singapore now ready for the next chapter of our food security plan – the Singapore Food Story 2. Singapore Food Story 2 aims to bring about overall food resilience – ensuring we have sufficient food supply in times of disruption. It replaces “30-by-30", which is an aspiration only for local production. We can complement local production with other food strategies to achieve food resilience. We have re-assessed our needs, our resources, and our capabilities. And with these considerations, we are expanding our portfolio of strategies. To better respond to the increasing interconnectedness in agri-food trade, we have also further developed a fourth pillar on “Global Partnerships”. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3388/bezos-centre-at-nus-and-enterprisesg-launch-new-startup-competition-to-boost-early-stage-sustainable-protein-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3388/bezos-centre-at-nus-and-enterprisesg-launch-new-startup-competition-to-boost-early-stage-sustainable-protein-innovation.html Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:35:36 +0530 Singapore International Agri-Food Week 2025: Startup funding_Identifying and Supporting Early-stage Startups in Sustainable Protein Solutions The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (Bezos Centre @NUS) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) announced a new partnership to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation through a startup competition. This is part of Bezos Centre @NUS’ US$3 million in grants over five years to support early and growth-stage startups in this space. The inaugural Sustainable Protein Startup Competition is identifying and supporting early-stage startups in sustainable protein solutions. Three winning startups will be selected through a competitive pitching process. Each winner is receiving a funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000 while gaining access to Singapore's comprehensive ecosystem of resources. The competition was launched on 1 August 2025 at the first International Summit on Sustainable Protein. There are plans to hold the competition annually, supporting up to 15 early-stage global and local startups over a five-year period. Professor Zhou Weibiao, Acting Director of the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS and Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, said, “One of our goals at the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at NUS is to bridge world-class research in sustainable protein with real-world impact. This startup competition and the ISSP are natural extensions of that mission — paving the way for promising technologies to move from lab to market, and from local to global impact. Our partnership with EnterpriseSG will further support our aspiration by accelerating innovation and strengthening the sustainable protein ecosystem in Singapore and beyond.” Ms Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director for Services and Growth Enterprises at EnterpriseSG, said, “Our partnership with the Bezos Centre @NUS comes at a crucial time to support promising foodtech startups in securing funding to develop their technologies and bring innovative solutions to market. This initiative reflects our commitment to advance promising sustainable food innovations while catalysing greater private sector participation and investments in Singapore's foodtech sector. We welcome foodtech startups to leverage Singapore’s resources, robust innovation ecosystem and progressive regulatory framework to accelerate their R&D efforts and scale their impact across the region.” Bezos Centre @NUS x EnterpriseSG’s Sustainable Protein Startup Competition The competition aims to support early-stage startups developing novel sustainable protein technologies that can address critical challenges in food security and climate resilience. This includes innovative solutions in fermentation, cultivated meat, plant-based proteins, and food safety & toxicology. Startups were evaluated on their technology innovation and readiness, market potential and validation, business model scalability, and team capabilities. From the entries, eight promising startups were advanced to the final pitching round was held at the Singapore International Agri-Food Week in November 2025. Three winning startups were selected, and each winner received seed funding and in-kind support of up to S$175,000. Bezos Centre @NUS will provide a S$75,000 cash grant, and EnterpriseSG matched this with a S$75,000 Startup SG Founder (Competition) grant. Winners can utilise the seed funding for R&D, prototype development and to conduct pilot trials for sustainable protein products. Besides the funding, winners will receive up to S$25,000 worth of in-kind support from Bezos Centre @NUS. This includes mentorship, laboratory facilities, office space, startup incubation resources, and the opportunity to pitch at an annual startup event. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3386/building-agility-and-resilience-in-asias-food-system-singapore-international-agri-food-week-siaw.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3386/building-agility-and-resilience-in-asias-food-system-singapore-international-agri-food-week-siaw.html Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:21:12 +0530 As the anchor event of Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW), the summit transformed Marina Bay Sands into a hub for technology discovery, strategic deal-making, and C-Suite networking. A 200-strong speaking faculty explored the technologies, policies, finance models, and partnerships that catalyzed innovation in farming, food manufacturing, and retail across Asia-Pacific. Deep dives into biotechnology explored the latest innovations and adoption milestones in biologicals and sustainable inputs. Focused sessions examined crop-specific supply chains to accelerate upstream innovation in rice, oil palm, and fresh produce for positive downstream impact. Regional agribusinesses, food brands, and technology giants shared business-critical insights into the role of fintech, regenerative practices, robotics, and precision agriculture in creating resilient production systems, and how these translated to smallholder farming. As health, longevity, and gut health continued to rise in prominence, the reformulation of mainstream food and beverages and tailored functionality were at the forefront of last year’s discussions. From AI-powered peptide discovery and precision fermentation to waste valorization, food-tech leaders highlighted novel, high-value, and specialty ingredients at the heart of food system transformation. Some of the key areas under focus were Global Market Access: Unlocking New Economic Opportunities and Partnerships Climate-Smart Food: Scaling Regenerative and Precision Farming Systems Breeding Better Ingredients: Turning Upstream R&D into Downstream Function Next-Gen Proteins: Achieving Economies of Scale in Precision Fermentation High-Impact Crops: Future-Proofing Rice, Oil Palm & Fresh Produce from Soil to Shelf Carbon, Methane, Nitrous Oxide: Measuring, Quantifying & Reducing Emissions Agricultural Finance: Improving Access to Credit and Insurance through FinTech Innovative Investment: Blending VC, CVC and Philanthropy for Regional Prosperity Functional Nutrition: Reformulating F&B for Healthy Longevity and Gut Health Biotech Innovation: Driving R&D and Adoption in Biologicals Measurable Impact: Powering Ahead with ESG Programmes in Volatile Markets Upcycling Biomass: Transforming Waste and Biproducts into High-Value Ingredients Alongside insightful plenaries and start-up pitching, the summit brought back the popular breakout sessions, live tastings, and regional product showcases. A full program of 1-1 meetings and AI-driven business matching made this an unmissable event for business intelligence, collaboration, and investment. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3385/singapore-is-bolstering-its-food-security-resilience-by-adopting-effective-innovation-and-funding-strategies-ms-grace-fu-minister-for-sustainability-and-the-environment-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3385/singapore-is-bolstering-its-food-security-resilience-by-adopting-effective-innovation-and-funding-strategies-ms-grace-fu-minister-for-sustainability-and-the-environment-singapore.html Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:10:07 +0530 Singapore International Agri-Food Week: Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit Singapore has always prioritized food security, and since 2019, we have made significant strides in strengthening our local production. Locally produced hen shell eggs and beansprouts now account for over 30% and 50% of our consumption, respectively. Singapore's farms have become more productive, with vegetable, seafood, and egg production increasing by 10%, 17%, and 50%, respectively, from 2019 to 2024. However, our agri-food sector has faced challenges such as supply chain disruptions, rising costs, and a tougher financing environment. Despite these hurdles, some farms have thrived by embracing innovation and technology. Singapore has also explored alternative proteins, but scaling up has been difficult due to high production costs and limited consumer acceptance globally. Reflecting on these experiences, we have refined our local production strategy to focus on what is feasible and efficient for land-scarce Singapore. "While we initially aimed to produce 30% of our nutritional needs under the 30-by-30 strategy, we now target more realistic goals: by 2035, our farms will supply 20% of our fibre needs, including fresh vegetables, beansprouts, and mushrooms, and 30% of our protein needs, such as eggs and seafood. These targets align with the strengths of our farming ecosystem and its growth potential. To support our farms, we are taking steps to reduce their production costs. For instance, we are exploring a government-owned, multi-tenanted facility that provides plug-and-play spaces, shared utilities, and controlled environments to lower start-up costs and enhance climate resilience. Additionally, through the Agri-Food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund, we have allocated over $40 million to 135 projects, enabling farms to adopt technologies like automated irrigation and climate-resilient systems. Our research efforts, backed by over $300 million under the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme, have led to innovations such as improved fish feeds, disease-resistant vaccines, and higher-yield crops" says Ms Grace Fu. Strengthening the supply of farming inputs is another priority. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) launched the National Broodstock Centre and the Hatchery Development and Recognition Programme, which have already recognized four local hatcheries. We plan to expand this programme to include red snapper and collaborate with the industry to enhance the supply of quality eggs and post-larvae for grouper and shrimp. These efforts will improve production yields and disease resistance. To ensure the commercial viability of our growers, we are enhancing demand offtake. The Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF) has successfully aggregated local produce, with brands like “SG Farmers’ Market” and “The Straits Fish” now available in major supermarkets. Sales of Xiao Bai Cai under the “SG Farmers’ Market” brand have increased sevenfold since its launch in May 2024. SAFEF is also expanding its offerings to include seafood like Asian seabass and shrimp and working with restaurants such as Joy of Fish and Coriander Leaf to feature local produce on their menus. Diversifying our import sources remains a critical pillar of our food security strategy. Over the years, we have built strong trade networks, enabling us to import food from over 180 countries and regions. We facilitate connections between local importers and overseas suppliers through sourcing trips and accreditation of new sources. To ensure supply resilience, we streamline accreditation processes and explore regional arrangements to mitigate disruptions. For example, during Brazil’s bird flu outbreak in May 2024, we continued importing poultry from unaffected areas, avoiding supply disruptions and price fluctuations. These efforts reflect our commitment to ensuring food security through local production, import diversification, and collaboration with industry and consumers. Together, we will continue to strengthen Singapore’s food resilience for the future. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3379/clearleafs-gotablanca-demonstrates-superior-performance-in-cornell-university-apple-and-grape-trials.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3379/clearleafs-gotablanca-demonstrates-superior-performance-in-cornell-university-apple-and-grape-trials.html Fri, 07 Nov 2025 15:24:50 +0530 Comprehensive trials carried out by Cornell AgriTech confirm that GotaBlanca delivers excellent pathogen control, matching or exceeding conventional treatments in apples and grapes ClearLeaf, a Costa Rican company with proven success in formulating non-toxic agricultural products for crop protection, today announced that its GotaBlanca fungicide and bactericide proved highly effective in controlling pathogens in grapes and apples in field trials conducted by Cornell University’s Cornell AgriTech. The apple and grape field trials demonstrated that ClearLeaf's flagship product matched or outperformed currently recommended products in controlling both fungal and bacterial diseases, with its favorable safety profile for crops and the environment. In the apple trials, GotaBlanca achieved fire blight, scab, and powdery mildew disease control that significantly outperformed incumbents, including streptomycin antibiotics, which have been banned in organic production since 2014. This positions GotaBlanca as a viable organic-compatible alternative. When used in rotation programs, GotaBlanca matched or exceeded complex conventional programs while maintaining excellent crop health, with no damage or stress to plants across all applications. In the grape trials, GotaBlanca treatment in single product applications achieved excellent severity control of downy mildew and black rot, surpassing the grower standard. Rotation strategies boosted control even further, exceeding conventional programs by achieving superior control without the need for complex mixtures of synthetic crop protection products. Dr. Kerik Cox at Cornell AgriTech noted: "The apple trials provided valuable insights into GotaBlanca's potential as an alternative to conventional disease management strategies. In our fire blight trials, GotaBlanca achieved control levels of 90 per cent or greater for both blossom and shoot blight, significantly outperforming streptomycin antibiotics—results that are particularly relevant given the increasing restrictions on agricultural antibiotic use. What stood out was the performance in rotation programs for scab and powdery mildew, where it matched or exceeded complex conventional programs while maintaining excellent crop health. The absence of phytotoxicity across all apple applications represents a meaningful advantage for growers." Dr. Katie Gold and Dave Combs in the Grape Sensing, Pathology, and Extension Laboratory at Cornell AgriTech, commented: "Our grape trials evaluated GotaBlanca across four major disease pressures, and the results demonstrate its versatility as both a standalone treatment and rotation partner. For downy mildew, GotaBlanca alone achieved 86 per cent severity control on clusters, surpassing our grower standard, with rotation strategies pushing control above 89 per cent.  The black rot trials were particularly interesting—GotaBlanca rotated with biologicals provided equivalent cluster incidence control to the grower standard (systemic synthetic fungicide), which is impressive given the pressure in our trials is incredibly high. What makes these findings significant is that GotaBlanca can deliver this level of control across multiple diseases and grape varieties, while offering flexible integration into existing IPM programs and supporting sustainable viticulture practices.” Dr. Agustín Büchert, CSO and Co-founder of ClearLeaf, remarked: "These comprehensive Cornell trials represent a milestone in validating what we've observed across dozens of controlled experiments and with our grower customers in Latin America— effective, broad-spectrum crop protection doesn't require a compromise between performance and safety. Significantly, GotaBlanca as a single standalone product matched or exceeded the control levels achieved by applications involving multiple conventional products. This translates directly into cost savings for farmers—they can achieve superior disease control with fewer products instead of purchasing and tank-mixing multiple products at each application, while also reducing chemical loads. Combined with zero phytotoxicity, superior crop health metrics, and in several cases better yields than conventional treatments, GotaBlanca delivers both economic and agronomic advantages. For farmers navigating increasing restrictions on antibiotics and synthetic fungicides, GotaBlanca offers a path forward that doesn't sacrifice disease control or profitability." GotaBlanca is currently registered for use or sale in select international markets.  GotaBlanca is not currently registered for use or sale in the U.S., a U.S. EPA registration is planned.  GotaBlanca stands out as a broad-spectrum fungi-bactericide with a favorable safety profile for crops and the environment, It does not cause microbial resistance, enhances plant growth, aligns with regenerative agriculture practices, and can be applied at any stage of the growing cycle. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3374/role-of-mancozeb-in-safeguarding-grapes-global-food-security.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3374/role-of-mancozeb-in-safeguarding-grapes-global-food-security.html Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:33:57 +0530 The agriculture sector, known for its high-value fruits and significant export potential, is facing a convergence of agronomic, economic, and regulatory pressures. On October 13, a distinguished panel of scientists, industry leaders, and regulatory experts convened virtually to discuss the multifaceted role of Mancozeb in sustainable agriculture, in Agrospectrum webinar titled - The Future of Mancozeb: Science, Stewardship, and Global Food Security. The webinar examined the fungicide’s scientific attributes, its integration into disease management programs, regulatory trends, and its broader implications for farm profitability and food security.  The virtually held discussions underscored that fungicide stewardship is no longer merely a technical matter; it is intricately linked to growers’ livelihoods, market access, and global food stability.  Economic Lessons from Disease Modeling The session commenced with a presentation by Dr Kaushik Banerjee, FRSC, FNAAS, Director of ICAR-NRC for Grapes and Honorary Professor at Queen's University Belfast and the University of Laval, Canada. Dr Banerjee framed the discussion by highlighting the economic and systemic impacts of grape disease outbreaks. Using advanced agronomic modeling, he demonstrated that fungal infections, particularly under high-pressure disease scenarios, can trigger cascading effects on farm profitability, regional supply chains, and even international markets. His analysis emphasised that targeted fungicide programs, including those employing Mancozeb, are not merely preventive measures at the field level but essential tools for stabilising grower income and maintaining global food security. "Every outbreak of grape disease is not just a threat to individual farms—it sends shockwaves through regional supply chains, export markets, and farmer livelihoods. Strategic fungicide programs, including judicious use of Mancozeb, are critical investments. Timely, science-driven interventions safeguard yields, stabilize income, and ensure that agriculture continues to feed both people and economies sustainably." – Dr Kaushik Banerjee, FRSC, FNAAS, Director of ICAR-NRC for Grapes and Honorary Professor at Queen's University Belfast and the University of Laval, Canada Dr Banerjee illustrated that under certain high-incidence conditions, the absence of an effective fungicide program could result in yield losses exceeding 30 to 40 percent, with downstream effects on pricing, processing capacity, and export viability. He stressed that investments in fungicide programs, though an upfront cost, are economically justified when considering the potential revenue losses avoided and the risk mitigation achieved.  Ensuring Safe Access to Mancozeb Worldwide Following Dr Banerjee’s presentation, the discussion shifted to regulatory science and risk assessment. Richard Mills, Global Director of Trade and Government Affairs at UPL, provided a comprehensive overview of the evolving global regulatory landscape for fungicides. Mills articulated the distinction between risk-based and hazard-based regulatory frameworks, emphasising that risk-based assessments evaluate the probability and impact of exposure under realistic use conditions, whereas hazard-based approaches may restrict chemicals based solely on intrinsic properties without contextual application data. He further elaborated on the importance of personal protective equipment compliance, residue monitoring, and data-driven stewardship programs to maintain both domestic and international access to Mancozeb. "Regulatory frameworks are only as effective as the practices behind them. Risk-based assessments let us evaluate real-world exposure, while hazard-based approaches can be overly restrictive. By combining compliance, PPE, residue monitoring, and proactive stewardship, we ensure safe, responsible use of Mancozeb, protecting both public health and growers’ market access across diverse international jurisdictions." –Richard Mills, Global Director of Trade and Government Affairs at UPL Mills highlighted that harmonizing regulatory compliance across countries is essential for exporters, as maximum residue limits (MRLs) vary widely across jurisdictions. He stressed that proactive engagement with regulators, transparent record-keeping, and adherence to recommended application practices are vital to safeguarding market access while ensuring public safety.  How Tech is Revolutionising Disease Control Building upon the regulatory perspective, Sandeep Jagtap, Senior Business Development Manager at Ross LifeScience, addressed the integration of Mancozeb into Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies and the role of digital agriculture. Jagtap elaborated on how precision tools, including digital disease forecasting models, remote monitoring platforms, and app-based advisory services, allow growers to optimise fungicide use, ensuring applications are timely and necessary, thereby minimizing both economic and environmental costs. He underscored that combining chemical interventions with cultural practices such as canopy management, crop rotation, and resistant varieties enhances the sustainability and effectiveness of disease control programs. "Integrating Mancozeb into IPM isn’t just about spraying—it’s about precision, timing, and sustainability. Digital tools like disease forecasting and remote monitoring help growers apply fungicides only when necessary, reducing costs and environmental impact. When combined with cultural practices like canopy management and resistant varieties, these strategies optimize yield, protect the ecosystem, and make viticulture smarter for every scale of farming." – Sandeep Jagtap, Senior Business Development Manager at Ross LifeScience By demonstrating case studies where digital tools helped reduce fungicide usage without compromising yield, Jagtap highlighted that technology adoption in viticulture can be scaled to support both large commercial growers and smaller farmers, providing actionable insights that translate into improved farm profitability and environmental stewardship.   Collaborative Approaches to Fungicide Stewardship Concluding the speaker presentations, Amiya Kumar Bartia, Strategic Marketing Head at Indofil, shared the industry’s perspective on stewardship and sustainable crop protection strategies. Bartia emphasized that ensuring responsible access to Mancozeb requires multi-level collaboration among growers, industry stakeholders, and regulators. He described initiatives such as educational outreach programs, grower training sessions, and digital monitoring tools that reinforce proper application practices and adherence to safety protocols. "Responsible access to Mancozeb demands collaboration across growers, industry, and regulators. Stewardship isn’t just compliance—it’s a strategic imperative. Through training, outreach, and digital monitoring, we ensure safe, effective application while safeguarding market continuity. By building trust and engagement, we balance crop protection, environmental responsibility, and social accountability, promoting sustainable practices in high-value horticulture." –Amiya Kumar Bartia, Strategic Marketing Head at Indofil Bartia noted that stewardship programs are not merely regulatory obligations but strategic imperatives that secure long-term market continuity and support sustainable agricultural systems. By fostering trust and engagement between stakeholders, the industry aims to balance crop protection needs with environmental and social responsibility, illustrating a pragmatic approach to chemical management in high-value horticulture. Following the formal presentations, the webinar hosted a dynamic Q&A session, providing participants an opportunity to engage directly with the expert panel. Key questions centered on practical challenges, including managing resistance to single-site fungicides, navigating divergent international MRLs, adopting digital forecasting tools, and understanding the cost-benefit dynamics of fungicide programs. In addressing resistance concerns, Dr Banerjee recommended adherence to rotation strategies and integration of multi-site fungicides like Mancozeb into IPM programs. Richard Mills responded to regulatory queries, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining meticulous residue records and proactively engaging with trade authorities to navigate changing international standards. When participants inquired about digital adoption among smallholder farmers, Sandeep Jagtap highlighted the scalability of mobile-based platforms and cloud-supported advisory services that enable data-driven decision-making even for resource-constrained growers. Dr Banerjee quantified the economic benefits of preventive fungicide programs, showing that costs incurred are substantially offset by avoided yield losses, revenue stabilization, and mitigation of downstream market risks. Finally, Bartia discussed the components of effective stewardship, including transparent application practices, grower partnerships, and continuous monitoring, which collectively ensure responsible fungicide use while safeguarding the environment. Several overarching themes emerged from the discussion. First, Mancozeb remains an indispensable tool in grape disease management, particularly in regions facing high disease pressure. Its multi-site activity not only provides immediate disease control but also preserves the efficacy of other fungicides, underpinning the sustainability of crop protection programs. Second, agronomic and economic modeling validates the cost-effectiveness of fungicide interventions, highlighting that upfront expenditure on well-planned programs mitigates larger financial risks from yield losses, quality deterioration, and compromised market access. Third, regulatory vigilance and proactive stewardship are crucial to ensuring safe, compliant access to fungicides in a rapidly evolving global trade environment. Fourth, the integration of digital agriculture and IPM enhances both efficacy and sustainability, enabling precision application, reducing environmental impact, and supporting data-driven farm management. Finally, collaborative industry frameworks, which align growers, regulatory bodies, and companies, are essential for maintaining market continuity, promoting responsible chemical use, and reinforcing sustainable agricultural practices. The webinar also underscored the broader implications of fungicide management beyond the vineyard. By mitigating disease losses and supporting yield stability, effective fungicide programs contribute to food security, particularly in regions dependent on horticultural exports for economic and nutritional resilience. In addition, the discussions highlighted that responsible fungicide stewardship intersects with environmental goals, including reduction of chemical overuse, protection of soil and water quality, and mitigation of pesticide resistance. As the agricultural sector navigates the dual pressures of climate variability and intensifying disease outbreaks, the integrated strategies discussed in this webinar offer a blueprint for sustainable crop protection. Participants and speakers alike noted that the convergence of scientific knowledge, regulatory compliance, economic modeling, and digital innovation is reshaping the landscape of viticulture. Mancozeb’s role, while sometimes viewed through the lens of regulatory scrutiny, remains pivotal in maintaining both productivity and market viability. The insights shared during the webinar demonstrate that strategic, data-driven approaches to fungicide use can yield multifaceted benefits, reinforcing economic resilience for growers, sustaining export markets, and protecting public health and the environment. The dialogue also highlighted the importance of ongoing education, capacity building, and collaboration among all stakeholders, as sustainable crop protection requires continuous adaptation to evolving challenges and opportunities. In conclusion, the Mancozeb stewardship webinar successfully illuminated the complex, interconnected dimensions of modern grape cultivation. The expert panel provided a comprehensive analysis of agronomic strategies, regulatory frameworks, digital innovations, and stewardship initiatives, offering actionable insights for growers, industry participants, and policymakers. The integration of scientific rigor, economic modeling, and regulatory understanding demonstrated that sustainable crop protection is achievable when multi-disciplinary approaches are applied thoughtfully and collaboratively. By emphasizing responsible fungicide use, digital integration, and stakeholder engagement, the webinar charted a pragmatic path forward for safeguarding grape yields, ensuring market access, and contributing to global food security. The discussions reaffirmed that effective disease management is not merely a technical endeavor but a critical component of resilient agricultural systems capable of meeting both economic and nutritional demands in a rapidly changing world. ---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3371/asias-leading-agri-food-tech-and-agri-food-industry-event-ignited-momentum-in-agri-food-landscape.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3371/asias-leading-agri-food-tech-and-agri-food-industry-event-ignited-momentum-in-agri-food-landscape.html Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:58:31 +0530 Dedicated to fostering innovation, investment, and insights, Agri-Food Tech Asia Expo (AFTEA) brings together global leaders, experts, and innovators to explore strategies for sustainable food systems. The Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW) 2025 returned to Singapore from November 3-6, 2025, at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, under the theme “Accelerating Climate Resilience in Asia-Pacific’s Agri-Food System.” Organized by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Temasek, with support from Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and organizing partners Constellar and Rethink Events, SIAW 2025 will bring together global leaders, policymakers, researchers, and innovators to address critical challenges in food security and sustainability. As Day 2 unfolds, the global agri-food community continues to connect, collaborate, and showcase real-world solutions driving a more resilient food future.Explore cutting-edge technologies and breakthroughs across the international pavilions on the show floor:✨ Canada PavilionMeet Canadian innovators pioneering sustainable bioprocessing, cellular agriculture, and smart agri-tech – from radar-based monitoring to mycelium protein and marine phytoplankton.✨ Spain PavilionDiscover how Spain’s agri-food sector blends innovation and tradition to lead the shift toward conscious, technology-driven, and sustainable growth – from farm to fork.✨ The Netherlands PavilionExperience high-tech farming, alternative proteins, and sustainable production systems from the world’s second-largest agricultural exporter – shaping the future of global food innovation.✨ Thailand PavilionGet inspired by nine Thai startups led by NIA redefining FoodTech and AgTech –  from plant-based dairy and sustainable snacks to smart storage and nutrient-rich innovations. This afternoon, attendees can explore a series of free-to-attend Sandbox Sessions, each offering insights into cutting-edge innovations. In Sandbox 1, highlights include "Build Your Biofuture Australia," "The Living Lab Showcase: AI, Automation & Microbial Innovation in Agri-Food," "Israel Pavilion Showcase: Innovation Across the Plate," and a discussion on "The State of Cultivated Meat & APAC-SCA’s Role in Driving Change." Meanwhile, Sandbox 2 will feature the "Cell Ag Pavilion Showcase: Building the Cell Ag Ecosystem" and the "Canada Pavilion Showcase: The Bio-Industrial Revolution – Advancing Circular, Smart & Sustainable Technologies." These sessions promise a deep dive into the future of food, agriculture, and bio-industrial advancements. The Agri-Food Tech World Championship Grand Finals will feature 10 finalists competing for the title of Grand Champion 2025. With SGD 30,000 in cash prizes and up to SGD 1.5 million in potential investment funding on the line, the event promises high stakes and intense competition. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3378/asia-pacific-agri-food-innovation-summit-building-agility-and-resilience-in-asias-food-system.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3378/asia-pacific-agri-food-innovation-summit-building-agility-and-resilience-in-asias-food-system.html Tue, 04 Nov 2025 14:17:49 +0530 Exploring the facets of agri-tech, indoor agtech, aquaculture and food-tech The Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit, a premier platform for innovation discovery, connecting breakthrough start-ups and their technologies to the entire agri-food value chain is inaugurated to be held from November 4-6 at Marina Bay Sands Expo Convention center in Singapore. The pivotal event for advancing the region's agri-food ecosystem is organized in partnership with Temasek and the Singapore Food Agency, as part of the Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW). This year's summit is witnessing over 800 senior decision-makers, including leaders from agribusinesses, food and ingredient brands, governments, financial institutions, philanthropic organizations, and innovative agri-food startups from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. The summit provides a unique platform for fostering strategic partnerships across the agri-food value chain, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, brands, producers, and growers. Focused on addressing climate resilience and nutrition security in the Asia-Pacific region, it offers opportunities to engage with emerging innovators, leading accelerators, and forward-thinking investors. Participants can also network with over 800 senior executives and key decision-makers driving the future of agri-food systems. The summit will leverage an experience with start-up pitches on the main stage, and is an ideal opportunity to meet trailblazing innovators at their booths at the vibrant exhibition. The forum is set to explore fresh perspectives and breakthrough technologies from accelerator cohorts supported by the Gates Foundation, Mars Petcare x Big Idea Ventures, and Agrifood Futures. Participants will get to witness presentations from over 25 global start-ups showcasing next-generation solutions in AI-powered crop monitoring, smart urban infrastructure, precision fermentation, nanotech-enhanced seed germination, and biodiversity intelligence for nature-positive business. The global showcase highlighting transformative ideas and cutting-edge technologies Transforming Asia's Food System The summit’s theme, “Building Agility and Resilience in Asia’s Food System,” underscores the critical need for innovation in addressing the challenges facing the region’s food supply chains. With a packed program of keynotes, panel discussions, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities, the event serving as a platform for knowledge-sharing and collaboration. It is designed to foster strategic partnerships and drive technological advancements in agri-tech, aquaculture, indoor agtech, and food-tech. Key Highlights of the Summit The summit featuring a 200-strong speaking faculty, comprising industry leaders, policymakers, and technology pioneers. Discussions are focused on the latest technologies, policies, financial models, and partnerships that are transforming farming, food manufacturing, and retail across Asia-Pacific. Biotechnology and Sustainable Inputs: A significant focus is on biotechnology, with sessions exploring innovations in biologicals and sustainable agricultural inputs. Crop-specific supply chains, such as those for rice, oil palm, and fresh produce, are being analyzed to accelerate upstream innovation and create downstream impacts. Resilient Production Systems: Regional agribusinesses and technology giants will share insights on how fintech, regenerative practices, robotics, and precision agriculture contribute to building resilient production systems. These technologies are particularly crucial for smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of many Asian agricultural economies. Food-Tech Innovations: As consumer demand for health-focused products grows, the reformulation of mainstream food and beverages will take center stage. Topics such as AI-powered peptide discovery, precision fermentation, and waste valorization will highlight the role of novel, high-value ingredients in food system transformation. A major draw of the summit is its emphasis on networking and business matching. Attendees are having access to a curated audience of senior agri-food decision-makers, enabling meaningful connections and potential collaborations. The event’s AI-driven business matching platform will facilitate personalized 1-1 meetings, ensuring participants can explore partnerships and investment opportunities efficiently. Interactive Features In addition to plenaries and panel discussions, the summit will feature start-up pitches, live tastings, and regional product showcases. These interactive elements provide a platform for emerging agri-food innovators to demonstrate their solutions and connect with potential investors and partners. Breakout sessions will allow for in-depth discussions on specific topics, fostering deeper engagement among participants. The unique heritage and premium quality of Ceylon Tea were showcased at a promotional event during the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit (APAIS) 2025. A tea delegation from Sri Lanka was supported by the Sri Lanka Tea Board for the summit. Ms. Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, inaugurated the summit. High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore, H.E. Senarath Dissanayake, and Minister Counsellor (Commercial), Ms. Bhagya Abeykoon, attended the inauguration ceremony. This regional platform provided Sri Lanka with an opportunity to enhance its visibility in the Asia-Pacific agri-food value chain and further strengthen global recognition of Ceylon Tea as one of the world’s finest and most authentic teas. The summit offers a dynamic platform for agri-food innovation, featuring curated breakout sessions designed to foster start-up engagement and technology discovery. On November 4, Mars Petcare and Big Idea Ventures will host an exclusive pitching session focused on pet food innovation, spotlighting emerging solutions in this rapidly growing sector. The following day, the Gates Foundation will present a showcase of visionary start-ups through rapid-fire pitches, providing attendees with a front-row view of the next wave of transformative agri-food technologies. Strategic Importance of the Summit Meet the Accelerator Cohorts Gates Foundation Niruthi (India) provides AI-driven climate risk mitigation and crop forecasting solutions using satellite and weather data. Rainbow Crops (Belgium) uses AI and genome editing to engineer resilient crops that address climate and food security challenges. Zelp (UK) develops wearable devices to reduce livestock methane emissions and improve animal welfare through real-time monitoring. Loopworm (India) harnesses insects to create sustainable proteins, biocosmetics, and recombinant biomolecules. Stellapps (India) digitises the entire dairy supply chain to improve productivity, traceability, and financial inclusion for farmers. Cornext (India) harnesses silage baling technology to provide year-round nutritious fodder and empower rural fodder entrepreneurs. Cisgen (India) develops novel bio-therapeutic solutions against the infectious diseases of pets and livestock. Krimanshi (India) pioneers sustainable livestock nutrition using smart feed additives to boost yield and cut emissions. Eratani (Indonesia) provides digital solutions to help smallholder farmers increase yields and manage operations more efficiently. Qarbotech (Malaysia) uses nanotechnology to accelerate photosynthesis and improve crop growth for sustainable agriculture. Mars Petcare x Big Idea Ventures ALT-PRO Advantage (Canada) creates hypoallergenic, sustainable dog food using alternative proteins promote pet wellness and reduce environmental impact. Seaqure Labs (Sweden) develops circular mycoprotein-based feed ingredients from fungi to replace fishmeal and soy in aquaculture and animal nutrition. Terramatter (India) harnesses carbon to enable a circular carbon economy, creating resilient systems to overcome climate change impacts. Agrifood Futures PerFat (Finland) creates healthier and sustainable solid fat alternatives using advanced material physics and oleogel technology. PFx Biotech (Portugal) produces high-performance bioactive proteins using precision fermentation and proprietary strain technology. Addressing Regional and Global Challenges The summit’s agenda reflects the urgency of addressing food security, sustainability, and health in the Asia-Pacific region. With the global population growing and climate change impacting agricultural productivity, the need for innovative solutions has never been greater. Discussions are exploring how technologies like robotics and AI can enhance productivity while promoting sustainability. Health and wellness are also key themes, with a focus on gut health, longevity, and tailored functionality in food products. Food-tech leaders will showcase advancements in precision nutrition and the development of specialty ingredients that cater to evolving consumer demands. The Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit offered unparalleled opportunities for: Business Intelligence: Gain insights into the latest trends, technologies, and policies shaping the agri-food industry. Networking: Connect with a curated audience of senior decision-makers, including agribusiness leaders, food brands, and government representatives. Collaboration: Explore partnerships and investment opportunities with startups and established players in the agri-food ecosystem. Innovation Showcase: Discover cutting-edge solutions and products that are driving the transformation of Asia’s food system. Revolutionary Innovations at the Exhibition: The summit provides a unique platform for fostering strategic partnerships across the agri-food value chain, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, brands, producers, and growers. Focused on addressing climate resilience and nutrition security in the Asia-Pacific region, it offers opportunities to engage with emerging innovators, leading accelerators, and forward-thinking investors. Participants can also network with over 800 senior executives and key decision-makers driving the future of agri-food systems. The Featured Start-Ups Showcasing their Technologies in Singapore: Ubiquity Sprouting Corporation (Taiwan) enhances seed sprouting through advanced agricultural research. Growz (Uzbekistan) is an AI-powered platform helping small farmers boost productivity and market access. Keshet Agritech (Singapore) creates smart urban infrastructure for climate-resilient, tech-integrated cities. Living Roots (Thailand) scales regen erative farming with biologicals and precision agronomy. Levur (Australia) ferments nature-identical oils to replace unsustainable plant and animal sources. Nanosoils Bio (Australia) uses nanotech to improve seed germination under climate stress. NatureHelm (Australia) turns ecological data into insights for managing nature-related business risks. Green Carbon Inc (Japan) creates nature-based carbon credits to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Zentide (Singapore) produces seaweed-based biostimulants and biofertilizers to support sustainable farming and lower environmental impact. Towing (Japan) creates high-performance biochar for rapid soil regeneration and sustainable agriculture, with applications extending to space farming. Fermelanta (Japan) ferments rare plant compounds for sustainable health and cosmetic products. Map My Crop (India) uses AI and satellite data for real-time crop monitoring and yield optimization. The Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit is a must-attend event for anyone involved in the agri-food sector. By bringing together key stakeholders to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and build partnerships, the summit plays a crucial role in shaping the future of food in Asia. Whether you are a startup looking to scale, an investor seeking opportunities, or a policymaker aiming to drive change, this summit provides the platform to achieve your goals. Join the agri-food community at Marina Bay Sands to be part of the conversation driving resilience and innovation in Asia’s food system. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3368/from-feed-grain-to-functional-food-brazil-turns-sorghum-into-gut-boosting-health-drink.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3368/from-feed-grain-to-functional-food-brazil-turns-sorghum-into-gut-boosting-health-drink.html Mon, 03 Nov 2025 13:46:23 +0530 In an exclusive conversation with AgroSpectrum, Professor Hercia Stampini Duarte Martino and her research team at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) detailed their pioneering work on sorghum-based synbiotic beverages developed in collaboration with Embrapa and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The innovation combines whole-grain sorghum with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei to deliver metabolic benefits linked to obesity reduction, improved lipid profiles, and enhanced gut microbiota balance. The researchers emphasized strong translational potential for Brazil, noting the product’s alignment with public-health priorities and suitability for vegan and lactose-intolerant consumers. They highlighted commercialization opportunities within the fast-growing global plant-based market, while underscoring the need for broader consumer education and regulatory validation. Looking ahead, the team is advancing larger clinical studies, new probiotic strains, and metagenomic analyses to scale functional sorghum innovation from lab to marketplace. Innovation & Rationale Your team developed extruded whole-grain sorghum beverages with and without Lacticaseibacillus paracasei. What motivated Embrapa to explore non-dairy, plant-based synbiotic products, and how do they address current public health challenges related to obesity and metabolic health in Brazil ? The motivation was to address two strategic demands: first, to expand food alternatives for vegan and lactose-intolerant consumers seeking functional plant-based options; and second, to develop solutions utilizing Brazilian-adapted crops like sorghum, with relevant nutritional potential. The whole-grain sorghum provides dietary fibers, resistant starch, and phenolic compounds that modulate gut microbiota and aid in glycemic control. By combining it with the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, we created a synbiotic product with a combined effect on satiety, insulin sensitivity, and low-grade inflammation. This innovation is aligned with obesity management policies, offering an accessible, sustainable, and culturally appropriate dietary intervention for the Brazilian population. Nutritional & Functional Insights The study highlights high levels of resistant starch, phenolic compounds, and antioxidants in the BRS 305 sorghum beverage. How do these bioactive compounds mechanistically contribute to improvements in visceral fat, lipid profiles, and overall cardiovascular risk markers, such as Castelli index I ? These components act via complementary mechanisms. Resistant Starch reaches the colon, where it is fermented into Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs) like butyrate and propionate. These metabolites improve insulin sensitivity, stimulate satiety hormones, reduce inflammation, and decrease visceral fat accumulation. Phenolic compounds and antioxidants protect against oxidative stress and the oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, a key factor in atherogenesis. This combination of actions favors the reduction of total cholesterol and LDL-c and can contribute to increased HDL functionality, resulting in a better total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio (Castelli Index I), a direct indicator of lower cardiovascular risk. Probiotic Synergy Could you elaborate on the interplay between the probiotic and the sorghum matrix, particularly how sorghum nutrients enhance probiotic viability and short-chain fatty acid production? Sorghum provides dietary fibers, resistant starch, and micronutrients that function as prebiotic substrates for Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and the resident microbiota. This nutritional environment favors the viability of probiotic during storage and passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The fermentation of these fibers intensifies the production of SCFAs, which potentiate the beneficial intestinal and metabolic effects. The result is a true synbiotic relationship: the sorghum protects and feeds the probiotic, and the probiotic maximizes the beneficial conversion of fermentable compounds naturally presents in the grain matrix. Clinical & Public Health Implications Given that this was a pilot study with 30 overweight and obese adults, how do you envision scaling these findings to broader populations? What role could sorghum-based synbiotic beverages play in national dietary guidelines or obesity prevention programs? The pilot study demonstrated safety and positive outcomes in overweight and obese individuals, although the sample size was limited. We are currently analyzing data from a subsequent study conducted with a larger number of individuals with overweight and obesity in order to validate the pilot findings. The next steps will likely involve larger, multicenter clinical trials that include more diverse population groups and long-term follow-up with robust clinical and metabolic endpoints. If the benefits are confirmed, sorghum-based synbiotic beverages could be incorporated into national healthy eating guidelines and implemented in schools, primary healthcare settings within the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), and obesity prevention initiatives, given that this technology is accessible, affordable, and readily scalable throughout Brazil. Market & Consumer Adoption Plant-based, non-dairy probiotics are gaining traction globally. From Embrapa’s perspective, what are the key opportunities and challenges for commercializing these sorghum beverages in Brazil and internationally, especially for vegan and lactose-intolerant populations? Opportunities are clear: the continuous growth of the plant-based market, driven by vegans, lactose-intolerant individuals, and health-conscious consumers. Sorghum adds nutritional value and sustainability. Challenges include ensuring sensory acceptance (taste/texture), achieving probiotic stability in non-dairy matrices, navigating functional claim regulations, and needing educational campaigns, as sorghum is still unfamiliar to many Brazilian consumers. Robust scientific proof and sustainability certifications can facilitate access to the international functional food market. Future Research & Technological Horizons Looking ahead, what are the next steps for Embrapa in optimizing sorghum-based functional foods? Are there plans to explore longer-term interventions, other probiotic strains, or potential impacts on gut microbiota diversity and metabolic health outcomes? Research will advance on several fronts: longer and multi-center clinical studies to assess sustained effects on weight control, lipids, and insulin. We will also explore new probiotic strains and technologies like microencapsulation to maximize bioactive compounds and probiotic viability. The metagenomic and metabolomic analyses will deepen the understanding of how the beverage modulates the gut microbiota diversity and function, including the role of the mycobiota, and its direct relation to the observed metabolic effects. Sustainability & Crop Valorization Sorghum is underutilized in Brazil for human consumption. How does this research contribute to crop valorization, climate-resilient agriculture, and the development of functional foods that are both nutritionally and environmentally sustainable? By developing a high-value product for human consumption, we are valorizing sorghum and creating a new market beyond animal feed, which is crucial for national food security. Sorghum is a drought-resistant and water-efficient crop, strengthening agricultural systems resilient to climate change. The use of whole-grain maximizes the uptake of dietary fibers and micronutrients while reducing the environmental footprint compared to animal-based inputs. This approach aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action and SDG 15 – Life on Land; linking environmental sustainability, public health, and economic development. Translational Potential Beyond clinical markers, do you see potential for these beverages in sports nutrition, elderly care, or other specialized dietary applications? How might Embrapa collaborate with the private sector to accelerate innovation in plant-based functional foods? The product has potential in sports nutrition, offering gradual-release energy and recovery support via SCFAs, as well as in elderly care, aiding intestinal health and reducing chronic inflammation. It is also applicable in specific clinical diets requiring prebiotics and probiotics. To accelerate innovation in plant-based functional foods, Embrapa seeks private sector partnerships for technology licensing, industrial scale-up, functional certification, and sensory acceptance studies. Collaboration through Research and Development (R&D) consortia and technology transfer agreements is essential to ensure that scientific advances are effectively translated into accessible, commercially viable consumer products. --- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3375/singapore-hosted-further-food-ag-investment-summit-to-embark-into-future-of-food-investment-frontiers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3375/singapore-hosted-further-food-ag-investment-summit-to-embark-into-future-of-food-investment-frontiers.html Mon, 03 Nov 2025 11:49:29 +0530 Three investment frontiers set to reshape Asia-Pacific’s food systems, where innovation meets urgent demand, and capital drives scale Singapore hosted an exclusive Agri-food investment summit, "Further Food & Ag Investment Summit" on 3rd November in partnership with AgFunder focusing on Raise Capital, Invest in Innovation and to Build Strategic Partnerships. At the beginning of Singapore Agri Food Week (SAFW) Further Food & Ag Investment Summit was hosted. The Further Food & Ag Investment Summit, designed to foster connections between people, capital, and innovation, recently concluded with a focus on transforming Asia-Pacific’s food systems. The event brought together over 90 investors and corporates alongside 40 growth-stage innovators, driving solutions in bio-innovations and regenerative systems. Through 200+ curated 1-to-1 meetings, the summit facilitated potential deals, partnerships, and collaborations aimed at reshaping the region’s food systems. Panels such as “The New Food & Ag Reality” highlighted the industry’s diversity and ambition, while sessions on capital stack innovation, AI, regenerative agriculture, and women founders underscored the potential of combining expertise, vision, and capital. Founders and investors engaged directly, exchanging ideas and building trust to spark opportunities. The organizers, including co-founders Renato Silva and Toby Duckworth, expressed gratitude to partners like AgFunder, Aspire, and Shiva Industries Indonesia, as well as their team and advisors, for making the event a success. Looking ahead, Further Food & Ag plans to expand its platform and host more summits in 2026 to accelerate innovations that will sustain and feed the planet. The forum connected capital and innovation for the future of food for the Food & Ag Growth Startups, Scaleups, Mature, Companies, Investors, Capital Providers & Corporates. The Further Food & Ag Investment Summit focuses on three critical investment frontiers poised to reshape Asia-Pacific's food systems. These frontiers highlight the intersection of innovation and urgent demand, driven by capital to achieve scalability. The summit explores themes such as financing innovations for agri-food, the role of AI and digitization in enabling the region's agricultural future, and the potential of regenerative agriculture and bio-innovations to revolutionize food tech. Through panels, founder connections, and networking opportunities, the event fosters collaboration and insights into the future of food investment. Investing AI & Digitisation: Smarter, faster, more resilient - harnessing AI, robotics, and digital tools to boost productivity and sustainability. At the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit 2025, investors and innovators debated how AI can transform Asia’s agri-food systems — from productivity and efficiency to supply chain transparency and food security. Unlocking Asia’s Agri-Food Future• AI is a productivity engine — but only as strong as the data that powers it.• AI is underhyped — internal gains are already reshaping how agri-food businesses operate.• The barrier to entry has never been lower — companies can experiment fast and cheap.• Understanding both food and AI is essential — startups must bridge the gap between tech and operations.• People still matter — AI augments, not replaces, human expertise.From modular AI agents to smarter supply chains, the discussion revealed one clear message: AI won’t replace the agri-food industry — it will empower it. Regen Ag & Nature Based Solutions: Innovating for a climate-positive future - regenerative farming,sustainable aquaculture, and nature-based solutions restoring land and sea Novel Ingredients & Bio-Innovations: Scaling the next wave of ingredients - from plants andfermentation to cultivated meat and bio-enzymes The Further Food & Ag Investment Summit is structured across two key spaces: the Discussion Hall, which hosts talks, panels, and networking sessions, and the Further Connect Lounge, designed for pre-scheduled, 30-minute, outcome-driven 1-to-1 meetings. These meetings are facilitated through an online planner and curated matches by the summit team, ensuring focused and productive conversations. The Further Food & Ag Investment Summit included panels on financing agri-food innovations, the role of AI and digitization in advancing the region’s agricultural future, and the potential of regenerative agriculture and bio-innovations. Structured sessions such as the Founders Connect and Networking Drinks Reception foster collaboration, while curated 1-to-1 meetings in the Further Connect Lounge enable outcome-driven conversations. The summit concludes with closing remarks and networking opportunities. The Further Food & Ag Investment Summit in Singapore concluded last Monday with a resounding sense of achievement, according to its organizers. The event brought together over 90 investors and corporates managing billions in assets, alongside 40 growth-stage companies from around the world, facilitating over 200 curated meetings in a single day. Attendees described the summit as highly impactful, with one participant noting, “The most valuable event I’ve ever been to,” and another remarking, “The seven meetings I had are worth almost my entire year.” The dedication of attendees was evident, with meetings continuing well into the evening during the drinks reception. The summit’s success reflects the vision of its founders, Jennifer, Toby, and their team, who set out to accelerate capital into food and agriculture. Investor demand was so high that registrations had to close three days early. The organizers extended their gratitude to panelists, moderators, and partners, including AgFunder, Aspire, and Shiva Industries Indonesia, as well as their dedicated team and student volunteers from Temasek and Republic Polytechnic. Looking ahead, Further Food & Ag is planning two editions in 2026, aiming to connect corporates, investors, and growth companies to drive innovation in food and agriculture. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3360/foodchain-id-and-idfl-enter-global-partnership-to-promote-regenerative-agriculture-and-certifications-in-the-textile-industry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3360/foodchain-id-and-idfl-enter-global-partnership-to-promote-regenerative-agriculture-and-certifications-in-the-textile-industry.html Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:58:40 +0530 The FoodChain ID and IDFL partnership allows brands to link on-farm regenerative outcomes with credible textile chain-of-custody and quality claims FoodChain ID and IDFL announced a strategic global partnership that combines leading expertise to enhance transparency from farm production to the finished product in the textile industry. The collaboration combines FoodChain ID's agricultural certifications with IDFL's textile certifications and testing procedures, providing brands with a seamless pathway to validate regenerative farming practices, traceability, social responsibility, chemical compliance, environmental performance, and animal welfare throughout the textile supply chain. “By aligning FoodChain ID’s Regenerative Agriculture Certification with IDFL’s textile certification and testing capabilities, we are making it easier for companies to implement credible sustainability programs across their entire textile value chain,” said Dr. Chetan Parmar, Senior Vice President for Technical Services for Europe and Asia. “Together, we will help brands accelerate progress toward transparent and responsible products.” “IDFL’s global audit and laboratory network, accredited to ISO/IEC 17065 and ISO/IEC 17025 and authorized by Textile Exchange and GOTS, enables us to provide rigorous and scalable services to clients worldwide,” said Wilf Lieber, Managing Director of IDFL. “The partnership with FoodChain ID expands access to certifications for regenerative agriculture and strengthens sustainability results in the textile sector.” Key aspects of the partnership Comprehensive certification services : Integrated certification along the entire supply chain, enabling continuous verification from raw material production to finished goods. Global Coverage : Joint certification via the worldwide IDFL and FoodChain ID network for certifications and laboratory testing. Operational excellence : Mutual commitments to maintain accreditations/authorizations, to uphold impartiality and confidentiality, and to ensure robust quality control during audits and certifications. The partnership enables brands to link the operational results of regenerative agriculture with credible evidence of textile traceability and quality. FoodChain ID will offer its ISO/IEC 17065-based Regenerative Agriculture Standard to the textile industry, while IDFL will conduct inspections, tests, and certifications according to leading global textile standards such as GOTS, Responsible Down Standard (RDS), Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), Global Recycled Standard (GRS), and Organic Content Standard (OCS). ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3331/chinese-university-unveils-new-ai-model-for-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3331/chinese-university-unveils-new-ai-model-for-agriculture.html Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:30:51 +0530 The launch of Shennong Large Model 3.0 signals the arrival of a new phase in agricultural AI China Agricultural University (CAU) launched Shennong Large Model 3.0 on at the 2025 World Agrifood Innovation Conference (WAFI 2025) in Beijing, signaling a major step toward making AI more accessible and practical for use in agriculture. According to Wang Yaojun, lead researcher at CAU, a key achievement is that this new model not only reduces computational demands substantially but also boosts performance by 5 % compared to the original version. He added that the model's architecture had been comprehensively redesigned to strike an optimal balance between being lightweight and delivering high performance. This latest release builds upon critical groundwork laid by earlier versions. Shennong 1.0 established core agricultural knowledge and question-answering capabilities, while Shennong 2.0 introduced multimodal functions and expanded the model's applications across the agricultural sector. The model is named in honor of Shennong, a revered figure in Chinese mythology known as the "Divine Farmer," who is credited with teaching ancient Chinese people agricultural practices and the use of medicinal herbs. Alongside the large model, the team also released an agent platform. This platform fosters a lightweight, deployable and collaborative AI ecosystem that covers the entire agricultural chain, offering 36 specialized agents organized into six categories including smart breeding, planting and farming. "These agents are designed for 36 distinct agricultural scenarios and can be integrated with agricultural machinery and sensors to enhance intelligent agricultural production," Wang said. He noted that pilot programs have already been deployed in several areas surrounding Beijing, as well as in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, providing localized services such as plant protection and customized guidance throughout the cultivation process. The launch of Shennong Large Model 3.0 signals the arrival of a new phase in agricultural AI -- one characterized by high efficiency, user-friendliness and technological self-reliance, thereby laying a solid foundation for the future of smart agriculture, Wang added. Since its inception in 2023, the Shennong Large Model has been trained on an extensive and specialized agricultural dataset, integrating over 10 million agricultural knowledge graphs, 50 million records of modern agricultural production data and 20,000 agricultural monographs. WAFI 2025, being held from Oct. 12 to 14, has gathered about 780 experts from home and abroad -- serving as a world-class platform dedicated to advancing global agrifood innovation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3326/futuragene-makes-world-first-regulatory-submission-for-gene-edited-eucalyptus.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3326/futuragene-makes-world-first-regulatory-submission-for-gene-edited-eucalyptus.html Wed, 15 Oct 2025 08:18:00 +0530 New variety of gene-edited eucalyptus produces wood that is easier to process industrially, reducing chemical and energy input requirements for pulp production FuturaGene, the biotechnology subsidiary of the world’s largest pulp supplier, Suzano, has formally submitted its first consultation letter to Brazil’s National Biosafety Technical Commission (CTNBio) regarding gene-edited eucalyptus. This marks the world’s first regulatory submission for gene-edited eucalyptus, made in accordance with CTNBio’s Normative Resolution No. 16 (RN 16), which contains provisions for regulatory exemption for certain types of gene editing. This includes circumstances where gene-edited crops do not contain foreign DNA, where they can be exempted from the regulatory process for genetically modified organisms (GMO) and treated in a similar way to conventional plants. FuturaGene’s innovation is designed to deliver wood that is easier to process industrially, supporting more efficient and sustainable pulp production by reducing chemical and energy input requirements. It was developed using CRISPR-Cas9, a New Breeding Technique (NBT), which enabled a highly precise single-gene edit in the eucalyptus, with no DNA introduced from other species, mimicking a change that could also occur in nature or be achieved through conventional breeding. Dr. Stanley Hirsch, CEO of FuturaGene said: “This is a milestone moment for tree farming and pulp production. At FuturaGene our mission is to harness cutting-edge science responsibly, to help to address climate change and its impacts, and meet the rising global demand for bio-based products while protecting nature. We want to ensure that each new generation of eucalyptus advances sustainability and efficiency in our use of land and resources. This world-first gene edited eucalyptus complements our existing knowledge base and technology portfolio. By embracing the full range of available biotechnology tools, including genetic modification and gene editing, we are creating better trees that will create a better industry.” FuturaGene is a pioneer in eucalyptus biotechnology, having already obtained 11 approvals for genetically modified (GM) eucalyptus from CTNBio, with traits including yield enhancement, herbicide tolerance, and insect resistance. The submission will be now reviewed by CTNBio to determine whether this new eucalyptus variety can be classified as equivalent to conventional varieties, and if so, will remove any requirements for further biosafety evaluation in Brazil. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3321/western-australia-unveils-strategic-plan-for-agriculture-rd-with-55-million-investment.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3321/western-australia-unveils-strategic-plan-for-agriculture-rd-with-55-million-investment.html Mon, 13 Oct 2025 11:05:26 +0530 A 2.75ha site will be established in the Jandakot industrial precinct for plant pathology, crop genetics, molecular biology, virology, and agronomy research Western Australia will establish a new Primary Industries Research Centre at Jandakot to help future-proof Western Australia’s valuable agriculture and food sector. More than $55 million will be invested to develop the 2.75ha site in the Jandakot industrial precinct to house the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s research and development functions. When completed, it will incorporate technical facilities, storage and office space for about 100 research and scientific staff. The center will support R&D and innovation spanning plant pathology, crop genetics, molecular biology, virology and agronomy. In addition to the Jandakot facility, the WA has secured a new 5.5ha site at Wanneroo for grain, pastures and irrigated agriculture field-research trials to commence in 2026. DPIRD currently leads more than 250 research trials focused on grains, pastures, livestock, aquaculture, horticulture, and climate resilience across its metropolitan and regional locations. In 2024, WA also opened the new State Biosecurity Response Centre in Canning Vale to manage increasing pest and disease threats to agriculture and the environment. WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said the government was committed to future-proofing the state’s agriculture sector. He explained "The important research undertaken by DPIRD scientists has long provided benefits to WA producers and our economy, and the Primary Industries Research Centre and the new field trial site will bolster DPIRD’s research capacity.Together with the new State Biosecurity Response Centre these new facilities will help capture the benefits of next generation science and innovation and ensure WA’s primary industries remain internationally competitive" ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3303/from-soil-to-carbon-credits-why-biochar-could-be-global-souths-climate-advantage.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3303/from-soil-to-carbon-credits-why-biochar-could-be-global-souths-climate-advantage.html Tue, 07 Oct 2025 12:34:57 +0530 Exclusive to Agrospectrum, Dr. Nripanka Das, Subject Matter Expert in Carbon Projects (UAE), explains why biochar is emerging as the “engineered permanence” solution in a carbon market searching for credibility, durability, and fair valuation. He highlights biochar’s dual advantage of long-term carbon sequestration and soil regeneration, a combination that delivers stacked financial and agronomic benefits. Scaling beyond pilots, he stresses, will require modular pyrolysis technology, aggregated demand, and blended finance models that de-risk large capital investments. Dr. Das argues that early movers can benefit from current price volatility by building high-quality, premium projects with strong verification systems. He also emphasizes the leadership role of India and Africa, where agricultural residues, traditional knowledge, and policy momentum could turn these regions into global biochar hubs. Looking ahead to 2035, he envisions biochar credits becoming exchange-traded, fully integrated into national carbon inventories, and a cornerstone of regenerative agriculture worldwide. Setting the Context – Carbon Market Inflection Point Carbon markets are undergoing a reset, with debates on credibility, permanence, and fair valuation. Where does biochar sit within this rapidly shifting landscape? Biochar occupies a unique position in the carbon market reset precisely because it addresses the three core concerns driving this transformation: credibility, permanence and fair valuation. Unlike nature- based solutions that face reversibility risks or technological solutions with high energy penalties, biochar offers what I call "engineered permanence" - carbon sequestration that can be measured, verified and guaranteed for centuries. From a credibility standpoint, biochar's carbon accounting is remarkably straightforward compared to forestry projects. We can directly measure the carbon content of the biochar (typically 70-85 per cent by mass), apply well-established permanence factors (0.8-0.95 depending on feedstock and pyrolysis conditions), and calculate net sequestration with minimal uncertainty. The IPCC guidelines provide clear methodologies, and third-party verification is becoming standardized through protocols like Verra's VM0044 and Gold Standard's biochar methodology. The permanence question is where biochar truly differentiates itself. While forest carbon can be released through fires, disease, or land-use change, biochar's aromatic carbon structure resists decomposition for 100-1000+ years in soil. Recent research using radiocarbon dating of ancient biochar deposits confirms this stability. We're not dealing with biological permanence that depends on ecosystem management - we're dealing with chemical permanence based on molecular structure. Unlike forestry or renewable projects, biochar offers both carbon sequestration and soil regeneration. Do you see this duality as its biggest differentiator in carbon finance? Absolutely. This duality creates what economists call "stacked benefits" that fundamentally change the value proposition. Traditional carbon projects generate single revenue streams, but biochar creates multiple value cascades: carbon credits, soil productivity improvements, reduced fertilizer requirements, enhanced water retention and often waste management solutions. From a financial modeling perspective, this changes the entire risk-return profile. A forestry project might generate $10-50 per hectare annually from carbon credits alone. A well-designed biochar project can generate $50-150 per hectare from carbon credits, plus 10-30 per cent yield improvements worth $200-800 per hectare annually, plus reduced input costs of $50-200 per hectare. The total economic value can exceed $1000 per hectare annually in high-value crop systems. This stacking effect also provides revenue diversification that reduces project risk. If carbon prices decline, the agricultural benefits maintain project viability. If crop prices fall, carbon revenues provide a floor. This risk mitigation is crucial for attracting institutional capital at scale. Economics of Biochar – Scaling Beyond Pilots Many biochar projects remain stuck at the pilot or grant stage. What will it take—policy, price signals, or blended finance—to move biochar into commercial scale deployment? The scaling challenge is fundamentally about crossing what I call the "commercial valley of death" - the gap between demonstration-scale projects (1-10 tonnes/year) and commercial-scale operations (1000+ tonnes/year). This requires addressing three critical barriers simultaneously. First, we need production cost reduction through economies of scale. Current small-scale pyrolysis systems produce biochar at $800-1500 per tonne. Commercial-scale continuous pyrolysis systems can achieve $300-600 per tonne, but require $2-10 million capital investments. The key is developing modular, standardized systems that can achieve economies of scale while maintaining deployment flexibility. Second, we need aggregated demand that justifies large-scale production. This means moving beyond individual farm applications to landscape-scale programs. Successful models are emerging in regions like Queensland, Australia, where government programs aggregate demand across thousands of farmers, creating predictable off-take agreements that justify commercial-scale production investments. Third, we need blended finance structures that address the unique risk profile of biochar projects. These projects have high upfront capital requirements, long payback periods, and revenue streams that depend on both carbon markets and agricultural outcomes. Development finance institutions are beginning to structure facilities that combine concessional debt for capital equipment, carbon credit advance purchase agreements, and agricultural insurance products. Policy plays a crucial enabling role, but it's not sufficient alone. We need carbon pricing that reflects biochar's true permanence value, agricultural policies that recognize soil carbon benefits, and waste management policies that create feedstock supply certainty. Current credit prices for biochar vary widely, from $50 to $150 per tonne of CO₂ equivalent. Is this volatility a barrier or an opportunity for early movers? This volatility reflects market immaturity rather than fundamental value uncertainty and it's definitely an opportunity for sophisticated early movers who understand the underlying value drivers. The price variation stems from several factors: different methodologies (some include only sequestration, others include avoided emissions), varying permanence assumptions, different co- benefit valuations, and buyer preferences for specific project types or geographies. Projects using agricultural residues in developing countries might trade at $50-80, while projects using purpose-grown biomass with comprehensive monitoring might command $120-150. Early movers can capitalize on this volatility through several strategies. First, they can develop projects that qualify for premium pricing by investing in robust monitoring, verification, and co-benefit quantification. Second, they can use forward contracting to lock in current high prices for future delivery. Third, they can build portfolios across different project types and geographies to capture price arbitrage opportunities. The volatility will decrease as markets mature and standardization improves, but early movers who establish quality projects now will benefit from both current premium pricing and future volume scaling. Policy, Standards, and Market Integrity The Integrity Council for Voluntary Carbon Markets (ICVCM) is pushing for stricter Core Carbon Principles. How ready is biochar to meet these new benchmarks? Biochar is exceptionally well-positioned to meet ICVCM's Core Carbon Principles, arguably better than most nature-based solutions. Let me address each principle specifically: Real and Additional: Biochar projects demonstrate clear additionality because biochar production requires intentional investment in pyrolysis infrastructure. The counterfactual scenario (burning or decomposing biomass) releases carbon, making the additionality calculation straightforward. Quantified and Verified: Biochar's carbon content can be directly measured using established analytical methods (elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis). Unlike forestry projects that rely on growth models and sampling, biochar quantification is based on direct measurement of the final product. Permanent: This is biochar's strongest suit. The aromatic carbon structure provides chemical permanence that doesn't depend on ongoing management or ecosystem stability. Recent studies using advanced analytical techniques confirm minimal decomposition rates over decades. Unique: Biochar credits represent specific, measurable quantities of carbon sequestered in identifiable locations, with clear chain of custody from feedstock to final application. The main challenge is ensuring robust monitoring and verification systems, particularly for smallholder applications. However, emerging technologies like blockchain-based tracking, satellite monitoring, and mobile soil testing are making comprehensive verification increasingly feasible and cost-effective. The EU and U.S. are advancing climate-smart agriculture incentives. Do you see India or Africa building similar policy ecosystems to accelerate biochar adoption? India and Africa are developing policy frameworks, but with different approaches that reflect their unique agricultural and economic contexts. India's approach is emerging through multiple channels. The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture includes soil health improvement programs that could incorporate biochar. The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana focuses on water use efficiency, where biochar's water retention properties provide clear benefits. Most importantly, India's updated Nationally Determined Contribution includes soil carbon sequestration targets that biochar can help achieve. The key difference is that India is likely to emphasize domestic production using agricultural residues, particularly rice husks and sugarcane bagasse. This addresses both the stubble burning problem in Punjab and Haryana and creates rural employment opportunities. The policy framework will likely combine pollution control mandates with carbon market incentives. Africa's approach varies by region, but several countries are developing innovative frameworks. Kenya's Climate Smart Agriculture Strategy explicitly mentions biochar. Ghana is piloting biochar programs through its Cocoa Board, using cocoa pod husks. South Africa is integrating biochar into its carbon tax framework. The African approach tends to emphasize smallholder aggregation and community-based production models. This reflects the reality of fragmented land holdings but also creates opportunities for more inclusive value distribution. The Farmer and the Field – Ground Realities In regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where agriculture is fragmented, how can biochar projects aggregate farmers at scale without losing credibility in monitoring and reporting? Successful aggregation in fragmented agricultural systems requires what I call "nested verification" - combining high-tech monitoring at the landscape scale with simplified protocols at the farm scale. The key is developing hub-and-spoke models where centralized pyrolysis facilities serve multiple farming communities within a 50-100 km radius. This allows for standardized biochar production and quality control while maintaining local feedstock sourcing and application. For monitoring and verification, we're implementing three-tier systems: Tier 1 - Production Monitoring: Centralized facilities use continuous monitoring systems to track feedstock inputs, pyrolysis conditions, and biochar outputs. This provides precise data on carbon content and production volumes. Tier 2 - Distribution Tracking: Blockchain-based systems track biochar from production to farm-level application. Farmers receive QR-coded bags that link to specific production batches and carbon content data. Tier 3 - Application Verification: Satellite monitoring combined with statistical sampling verifies application patterns and soil carbon changes. Mobile soil testing units conduct periodic verification across representative farm plots. This approach maintains credibility while keeping farmer participation costs low. Farmers don't need sophisticated monitoring equipment - they simply document application using mobile apps that integrate with the broader tracking system. Successful examples include the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project, which aggregates over 60,000 smallholder farmers, and pilot programs in Maharashtra, India, that combine biochar with existing farmer producer organization structures. Global South Leadership & Geopolitics Biochar has deep roots in traditional practices like terra preta in the Amazon and tribal methods in India. Can the Global South position biochar not just as a climate tool, but as a cultural and ecological export to global markets? Absolutely. The Global South has a unique opportunity to position biochar as "indigenous climate technology" - combining traditional knowledge with modern carbon markets to create both economic and cultural value. Terra preta soils in the Amazon demonstrate biochar's effectiveness over centuries, providing scientific validation for traditional practices. Similarly, traditional charcoal-making and soil amendment practices across Africa and Asia offer proven implementation models that can be scaled and modernized. This creates several strategic advantages. First, it positions Global South countries as technology leaders rather than technology recipients. Second, it creates intellectual property opportunities around traditional knowledge systems. Third, it enables premium pricing for "heritage biochar" that combines carbon sequestration with cultural preservation. The key is developing certification systems that recognize and reward traditional knowledge while ensuring modern monitoring and verification standards. Programs like the Indigenous Carbon Credits initiative in Australia provide models for combining traditional practices with contemporary carbon markets. From a market positioning perspective, this could create differentiated product categories: "Amazonian terra preta biochar," "African traditional biochar," or "Indian tribal biochar" that command premium prices based on cultural heritage and proven effectiveness. With China, the EU, and the U.S. racing to secure carbon removal pathways, where do you see India and Africa positioning themselves in the global biochar economy? India and Africa have the potential to become the "Saudi Arabia of biochar" due to abundant biomass resources, low production costs, and growing technical capabilities. However, success requires strategic positioning rather than simply competing on cost. India's strategy should focus on becoming the global hub for biochar technology and services. With strong engineering capabilities, abundant agricultural residues, and growing carbon market expertise, India can develop and export both biochar products and production technologies. The key is moving up the value chain from raw biochar production to engineered biochar products, monitoring systems, and project development services. Africa's opportunity lies in premium biochar production combined with landscape-scale carbon sequestration programs. African biochar can command premium prices due to high-quality feedstocks, traditional production knowledge, and significant co-benefits for soil restoration and food security. The focus should be on developing regional biochar exchanges and certification systems that capture maximum value. Both regions should avoid the "resource curse" trap of simply exporting raw materials. Instead, they should develop integrated value chains that include feedstock production, biochar manufacturing, application services, and carbon credit development. This creates local employment while capturing maximum value from the global carbon economy. The geopolitical dimension is crucial. As developed countries face increasing pressure to achieve net- zero targets, they'll need massive carbon removal capacity. India and Africa can position themselves as essential partners in global climate goals while building domestic green economies. Looking Ahead – The Next Decade If we fast forward to 2035, what would a successful biochar-carbon market ecosystem look like? Widespread farmer adoption? Exchange-traded biochar credits? Integration into national carbon inventories? By 2035, I envision a mature biochar ecosystem with several key characteristics: Standardized Production and Trading: Biochar will be traded as a standardized commodity with established quality grades, similar to how agricultural commodities are traded today. Exchange-traded biochar credits will provide price discovery and risk management tools, with futures markets enabling long-term planning. Integrated Agricultural Systems: Biochar application will be standard practice in regenerative agriculture systems, integrated with precision agriculture technologies. Farmers will receive real-time recommendations on biochar application rates based on soil sensors, satellite data, and AI-driven optimization systems. National Carbon Accounting: Biochar will be fully integrated into national greenhouse gas inventories and carbon accounting systems. Countries will include biochar sequestration in their NDC reporting, with standardized monitoring and verification protocols. Technology Integration: Advanced pyrolysis systems will be integrated with renewable energy infrastructure, waste management systems, and agricultural processing facilities. Mobile pyrolysis units will serve remote agricultural areas, while large-scale facilities will anchor regional biochar production hubs. Financial Market Maturation: Biochar projects will access mainstream capital markets through green bonds, carbon credit securitization, and agricultural investment funds. Insurance products will cover production risks, carbon permanence, and agricultural performance. The successful ecosystem will be characterized by seamless integration across the value chain - from feedstock production through biochar manufacturing, application, monitoring, and carbon credit trading. This integration will create a self-reinforcing cycle where carbon revenues support agricultural productivity improvements, which in turn generate more feedstock for biochar production. Most importantly, biochar will have evolved from a niche climate solution to a fundamental component of sustainable agriculture and carbon management systems worldwide. These responses reflect deep technical understanding while addressing the practical realities of scaling biochar in global carbon markets. ---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3278/syngenta-vegetable-seeds-and-heritable-agriculture-enter-collaboration-to-optimize-commercial-crop-portfolios-using-ai.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3278/syngenta-vegetable-seeds-and-heritable-agriculture-enter-collaboration-to-optimize-commercial-crop-portfolios-using-ai.html Wed, 24 Sep 2025 07:09:58 +0530 AI-Powered insights to identify the best vegetable varieties for growers worldwide; Heritable, a spinoff from Google parent Alphabet’s innovation lab, will use AI-tools to help accelerate data-driven decisions for the best placement of vegetable varieties to offer growers Vegetable seed companies with hundreds or even thousands of varieties are often faced with the difficult job of identifying the best placement of varieties for growers in diverse markets. It’s not just about yield – growers need varieties that are best suited for their unique growing conditions and climate patterns. Traditionally, seed companies spend countless hours evaluating data, trialing different varieties and sourcing feedback from growers and the value chain. While these inputs are still important, technology now offers a way to accelerate these decisions. Syngenta Vegetable Seeds and Heritable Agriculture announced today the signing of a collaboration to harness artificial intelligence (AI) technology to determine the best vegetable varieties to offer growers. Leveraging historical data on geographical conditions and crop trialing, Heritable will use AI-tools with Syngenta’s global product portfolio, with the goal of better predicting the best-performing commercial varieties in different regions to ensure growers have the best possible product offering from Syngenta. “Planting the right seed is critical to a grower’s success. New technologies such as AI can help us bring the best innovation to the field or greenhouse,” said Matthew Johnston, Global Head of Vegetable Seeds and Flowers at Syngenta. “We’re thrilled to partner with a leader in AI and decision science in the agricultural space, which will provide an exciting opportunity to explore how to better leverage our portfolio for the benefit of growers.” Heritable was founded at Google X, Alphabet's Moonshot Factory, and is focused on bringing the best of AI to agriculture. For Syngenta, the Heritable team is dissecting the interaction between genetics and environment, weather conditions, soil variables, and additional proprietary data. If successful, they will be able to predict scalable vegetable seed performance for a grower anywhere in the world, up to a 10-meter resolution. “We are excited to work with Syngenta to help bring cutting-edge AI tools to help them place products more efficiently,” shared Brad Zamft, CEO of Heritable Agriculture. “This collaboration with their vegetable seeds team is a great example of the kinds of markets and applications that can be embraced when targeting the latest in AI towards all portions of the agricultural industry.” Syngenta has been at the forefront of the agricultural industry in its adoption of AI in all parts of its business, from crop inputs to bio-stimulants to digital platforms, including recently adding a specialist AI chatbot into the Cropwise digital platform – Cropwise AI. This collaboration is another step in exploring how technology can better support food security and ensure reliable and affordable produce supply in the face of constantly changing climate conditions. Syngenta has a strong heritage of breeding vegetable varieties dating back more than 150 years ago, and today is the most global organization in the industry with Vegetable Seeds teams operating in more than 60 countries and shipping seeds to 124 countries. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3276/reishi-cordyceps-and-future-of-mycology-exclusive-with-dr-oli-genn-bash-on-smallholder-innovation-and-global-mushroom-markets.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3276/reishi-cordyceps-and-future-of-mycology-exclusive-with-dr-oli-genn-bash-on-smallholder-innovation-and-global-mushroom-markets.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:20:11 +0530 In an exclusive Agrospectrum interview, Oli Genn-Bash, Founder of The Fungi Consultant and co-founder of the UKC Psychedelics Society, explored the rising wave of functional mushrooms as a high-value agricultural and wellness opportunity. He highlighted the potential for smallholder cultivation models, noting that with training, local spawn, and market access, species like Reishi and Cordyceps could thrive in Europe and Africa, particularly through circular substrate systems using agro-waste. Genn-Bash emphasized that quality control, traceability, and provenance labeling are becoming critical in premium European markets, while technology innovations such as solar-powered polyhouses could democratize cultivation in climate-stressed regions. On the consumer side, he traced the mushroom coffee phenomenon to post-pandemic health awareness, influencer culture, and functional beverage trends, forecasting consolidation by major FMCG players and growth in extracts, personalized supplements, and functional food products. Beyond consumption, he sees mushrooms as a bridge between cultural re-enchantment with nature and future innovations in myco-materials, adaptogen blends, and clinical applications, signaling a transformative horizon for fungal science. Medicinal Mushrooms from an Agricultural Point of View Mini Case Study Prompt: In India, several farmer cooperatives in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are piloting Reishi and Cordyceps cultivation as a high-value crop, with margins reported at 2–3x those of traditional horticulture. How do you see this kind of smallholder model evolving in Europe or Africa? There's an opportunity for smallholder mushroom cultivation projects to scale where there’s a balance between suitable microclimates, reliable substrates, and access to training & markets, as well as furthering education to help prospective customers understand the benefits of these mushrooms. The key enablers would be low-cost spawn and training, potential for cooperatives to be set up, simple quality-control protocols, and tailored strains for local conditionsIn Europe the model would likely focus on supply chains and the quality of the final product (e.g. organic, dual extraction depending on the type of mushroom, lab testing to show bioactive compounds) sold to premium wellness and herbal markets. In Africa, the biggest upside is circularity and diversification: mushrooms can become an income layer on top of other commodities such as coffee, cocoa, or fruit and reduce seasonality risk. Mini Case Study Prompt: In Kenya, a social enterprise has partnered with coffee growers to use spent coffee grounds as substrate for Oyster and Reishi mushrooms, creating additional income for farmers and reducing waste. Could similar circular models be scaled globally? Circular substrate models create more sustainability and affordability for cultivation. Spent coffee has good nutrients and is often free; pairing it with agricultural waste (straw, sawdust) improves yields. Globally, scale depends on logistics: Collection systems, local inoculation units (so spawn doesn’t travel far), and end-market demand. Social enterprises can add community benefit layers (waste reduction, new income). Using spent coffee alone can be difficult due to how long it keeps for, so it’s ideal to combine with agricultural waste for prolonged use. This could be scaled strategically with local cultivation hubs and partnerships with hospitality/coffee chains for regular supply. Certification for food safety might be required to scale this on a global level Mini Case Study Prompt: China’s Fujian province has government-backed spawn labs that provide training, low-cost inoculum, and buyback guarantees to farmers. Could this “extension plus guaranteed market” model work in the UK or EU ? This could work but with some adaptation. The “extension + guaranteed market” model addresses two huge blockers: technical capacity and market risk. In the UK/EU, the model could be run by regional agricultural colleges, social enterprises, or cooperatives with public or philanthropic seed funding. The differences in the UK or EU would be that labour costs are higher, with stricter regulations on food safety and medical claims, as well as more restrictions regarding use of land in places like the UK. You would need to implement transparent quality standards, commercial-scale processing or extract partners to absorb volumes, and a hybrid funding model (public grants + small price differential for technical services). A buyback guarantee could focus initially on processed goods (dried mushrooms or extracts) where there is more scope to understand traceability and certify the quality standard. Mini Case Study Prompt: Researchers in Thailand have developed low-cost, solar-powered polyhouses for Cordyceps militaris cultivation, making it a viable option even in hotter climates. Could similar tech democratize medicinal mushroom farming in climate-stressed regions? Yes this could democratise it, as it opens the door to cultivating species which might otherwise be restricted by the local climate. The important thing to note is that conditions must be repeatable and consistent training should be implemented to maintain the quality of the end product. Mini Case Study Prompt: Vietnam has started branding its lingzhi (reishi) exports with provincial origin labels and blockchain traceability. Could Europe do something similar for small-scale growers? The consumers in Europe are increasingly paying more attention to traceability to know where the product has originated, and the level of quality. Provincial branding combined with simple digital traceability (QR codes showing grower, substrate, harvest date, lab test results) would allow cultivators to build trust and open themselves up to wider markets. Blockchain might be overcomplicating things when you can implement traceability into existing systems. The challenge might be how much this costs for small-scale cultivators to adopt. The Mushroom Coffee Phenomenon Beyond the Buzzword: Mushroom coffee has moved from hipster cafés to mainstream supermarket shelves. What, in your view, has driven its adoption — health science, influencer culture, or pandemic-era biohacking trends? People have been more concerned with their health since the Covid pandemic, and our lives have become more busy and possibly more stressful during this time. Mushroom coffee has provided an opportunity for people to engage with fungi in a familiar morning routine, whilst being a convenient way to obtain the benefits of the mushrooms. Certain health narratives such as the need to improve cognitive performance, reduce stress levels, or increase energy are just a few examples of what has been driving the trend, as well as the ritual of coffee and the rise of influencers and wider distribution markets opening up. Cultivation & Supply Chain Insights From Forest to Farm: Cultivating medicinal mushrooms is notoriously tricky — requiring sterile environments, controlled substrates, and patient timing. Can you walk us through what “good cultivation practice” looks like in this space? Successful cultivation of medicinal mushrooms begins with selecting good genetics and establishing clean, scalable spawn production. Maintaining sterility, implementing basic quality control, and ensuring that batches are fully traceable are essential steps in this phase. The next critical focus is on the substrate. Each mushroom species requires a specific substrate, and careful attention must be paid to moisture levels as well as proper pasteurization or sterilization techniques to optimize growth. Creating a controlled environment for fruiting is equally important. Consistency in humidity, temperature, air exchange, and lighting ensures predictable and high-quality yields. Alongside this, strict pest control and staff hygiene must be enforced, with daily logging of waste disposal to maintain cleanliness and prevent contamination. Post-harvest handling is another crucial step. Mushrooms must be dried properly, moisture content checked, and packaging completed quickly to preserve bioactive compounds. Regular testing and traceability are also vital, including lab analyses for identity, heavy metals, and microbes, and maintaining batch IDs from spawn through to harvest. Where feasible, lab testing of bioactive compounds adds an extra layer of quality assurance. Finally, keeping simple yet thorough records—tracking yields, failure modes, and environmental conditions—supports continuous improvement, scalability, and compliance with quality standards.Global Sourcing: China remains a dominant supplier for many medicinal mushroom ingredients. How do you see Europe and the UK building resilient, traceable, and possibly regenerative mushroom cultivation systems locally? We need to invest in more education in places like the UK where we can open up training for early career mycologists. We might see the creation of regional spawn hubs, the introduction of training programmes at agricultural colleges, incentives for regenerative substrate sourcing (using agro-waste), and a marketplace that rewards traceability and high quality products. It would be great to see public funding or a combination of public/private funding in places like the UK or EU to limit the risk for early career cultivators. Market & Investment Outlook Functional Beverages 2.0: Kombucha and matcha once had their heyday — now mushroom coffee is on the rise. Where do you see this category going in the next 5–10 years? Could we see major FMCG players acquiring or building mushroom coffee brands? It seems like we might be seeing market consolidation, where big FMCG players could either acquire successful independent brands or build in-house product lines because the category fits into mainstream tea/coffee/functional beverage portfolios. We’ll also see more of a focus on the creation of premium products, and more focus on the functional sub-categories such as sleep, focus, or relaxation. Regulation plays a big role in how these products can be marketed, so we should expect to see more neutral language talking about ‘support’ rather than making any kind of health claims. Investment appetite will favor vertically integrated players who control spawn → processing → branded distribution, where products such as extracts provide more value than just dried fungi. Intersection with Psychedelics & Culture Mindful Consumption: You’ve been involved in the psychedelic education space. Do you think the functional mushroom boom is quietly priming the public for a broader conversation about psychoactive fungi and mental health therapies? I actually think in places like the UK or USA, the opposite is occurring - people have been consuming magic mushrooms for many decades, but the functional mushroom boom is quite new. I think that psychoactive fungi have opened up people to the potential for many different types of fungi to heal us on the functional level. The use of psychoactive fungi in therapeutic settings precedes the rise in popularity of functional mushroom supplements, however it certainly makes it easier to talk about the benefit of psychoactive fungi now that everyone is talking about mushrooms such as Lion’s Mane, Reishi, or Cordyceps. The issue is how the conversation surrounding these therapies relates to the mushrooms themselves, and whether or not we’ll see a dominance in synthetic compounds to achieve specific aims, rather than utilising the power of the whole organism. Cultural Capital: Mushrooms have been spiritual symbols for centuries — from Siberian shamans to Mesoamerican rituals. Are we seeing a modern re-enchantment of fungi as part of a cultural shift toward reconnecting with nature? Yes, I believe that consumption of mushrooms allows us to relate more to Animist worldviews, where we can exist with nature in an interrelationship, rather than viewing fungi as simple commodities for our benefit. We can ascribe some sense of agency to the mushrooms, where they are assisting us with their energy and wisdom to exist more comfortably with the natural world. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that mushrooms are becoming more popular as we cause more destruction to the natural environment - they are clearly showing up at a time when we need them the most! Future of Mycology & Fungal Innovation Beyond Coffee: If mushroom coffee is the gateway, what’s the next frontier for medicinal mushrooms — mycelium-based supplements, adaptogen blends, or even functional food tech innovations like mycoprotein ? The next frontier for medicinal mushrooms is expected to see a rise in high-bioavailability extracts. Advanced techniques such as liposomal technology and ultrasound-assisted extraction, combined with carriers like vegetable glycerin, will allow better delivery of key compounds. There will likely be a shift in focus from traditional beta-glucans toward terpenes and other bioactive molecules, alongside the development of clinically-backed blends. Personalized fungal supplements are also emerging, with small-batch, carefully analyzed formulations targeting specific needs such as sleep, cognition, and inflammation. This tailored approach enables consumers to select products that align closely with their health goals. Functional food technologies represent another growth avenue. Mycoprotein and hybrid foods are expanding beyond meat substitutes into functional snacks and cognitive bars, integrating mushrooms into everyday diets in innovative ways. Beyond nutrition, myco-materials are gaining traction in industrial applications, including packaging and leather alternatives. These cross-industry uses are attracting investment and advancing fungal science in sustainability-focused sectors. Finally, clinical translation remains a key opportunity. Research on functional mushrooms is increasingly being integrated into treatment plans, providing a pathway for evidence-based health interventions and bridging the gap between wellness products and medical applications. ---- Suchetana Choudhury (suchetana.choudhuri@agrospectrumindia.com) ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3270/pepsico-unilever-lead-groundbreaking-collaboration-to-advance-regenerative-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3270/pepsico-unilever-lead-groundbreaking-collaboration-to-advance-regenerative-agriculture.html Fri, 19 Sep 2025 10:05:30 +0530 STEP up for Ag strengthens farmer-facing organizations by providing tools, training, and funding to accelerate adoption of sustainable practices and build resilient supply chains PepsiCo and Unilever have launched Supporting Trusted Engagement and Partnership (STEP) up for Agriculture (STEP up for Ag), a pre-competitive initiative designed to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of farmer-facing support organizations across North America.     "PepsiCo is rooted in agriculture, and farmers are at the heart of our food systems. STEP up for Ag is about investing in the organizations that support farmers every day, aiming to ensure they can grow, innovate and lead the transition to more sustainable agriculture," Chief Sustainability Officer, Jim Andrews said. "When farmers thrive, we all thrive." Empowering Farmer Support Organizations Regenerative agriculture can be a powerful tool to promote healthier soil, as well as to reduce agricultural emissions, enhance biodiversity and watershed health, and help raise the standard of living for farmers and farming communities. It's why PepsiCo— which sources approximately 50 key agricultural crops and ingredients from more than 60 countries around the world— has a goal to drive the adoption of regenerative agriculture, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres by 2030. Scaling regenerative agriculture requires more than just technical solutions—it depends on trusted relationships and local expertise. Farmers are more likely to adopt new practices when they see clear benefits and receive guidance from organizations they know and trust. That's why farmer-led, farmer-facing support groups are critical to the success of corporate regenerative agriculture programs. "The PepsiCo program has given me the flexibility to try a lot of the regenerative practices I have wanted to implement, and across more acres. When we decided to do this regenerative agriculture thing, we wanted to be playing the long game. Something that will benefit our soil, that will benefit me if I am farming in my fifties and sixties. Or my kids if they are farming after me," Chris Beaudry, 4th Generation farmer in St. Front, Saskatchewan and South East Research Farm member, said. "When you, as a farmer, start looking at your soil having an interdependent relationship with you, then you can start making decisions that benefit you, benefit the crop and benefit us as humans as well." STEP Up for Agriculture seeks to strengthen these local organizations by equipping them with tools, training, and resources needed to support farmers on the ground. This approach is designed to unlock scale by meeting farmers where they are, with the aim of accelerating adoption across diverse geographies and creating a ripple effect of trust and innovation throughout the supply chain. "Regenerative agriculture is a big part of how we're building a stronger, more resilient supply chain and food system – and Unilever is committed to rolling out regenerative agriculture principles across 1 million hectares globally by 2030," said Kristina Friedman, Head of Sustainability for Unilever North America. "STEP up for Ag can help us move faster and smarter, empowering farmer-led groups with the tools they need and opening doors to more great suppliers to grow our business. Our longstanding work with Practical Farmers of Iowa has been game-changing, and this next chapter is a huge step forward." Through STEP up for Ag, corporate and philanthropic partners will provide funding and strategic support to help farmer support organizations: Develop robust business and strategic plans to boost profitability and local economies Expand staffing and training to better equip farmers with the tools of the future Establish measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems to track sustainable progress against goals Enhance implementation capabilities to support scalability Access new revenue streams and partnerships to grow support for farmers over time "Farmers learning about new conservation practices requires an ecosystem of learning. First, each of us must understand 'why' it's important. Second is learning --- available information is now so easy to obtain. But the essential third and most valuable part of our ecosystem is the ability to have a real farmer, an experienced mentor, stand side by side and help," Jim Moseley, U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary (2001-2005), farmer and board member of FarmAdvisor said. "Investing in and supporting these relationships is important because those who have already adopted new conservation practices understand the consequences for the future of our productive US soils, our water quality, and a diverse biological community if we don't." Transitioning more farms to regenerative agriculture requires deep collaboration—no single company or organization can do it alone. By working together across sectors, STEP up for Ag is building a shared ecosystem of support that empowers farmers and drives lasting change at scale. Farmer Facing Support Partners: Phase I will include South East Research Farm (SERF), supporting farmers throughout the Canadian Prairies, and Practical Farmers of Iowa, supporting farmers across western Canada and the US, and Farm Advisor, a farmer-led, Indiana-based initiative that pairs experienced conservation farmers with peers to accelerate the adoption of soil health practices through mentorship, education, and on-farm support. "From the beginning, Practical Farmers of Iowa has aimed to cut through the noise with clear, science-based information and a farmer-to-farmer network grounded in trust. Over a decade ago, we saw that farmers were ready to adopt practices like cover cropping—and we needed to scale up to support them. Having all these major names invest in our capacity came at a pivotal moment," Sarah Carlson, Senior Programs and Member Engagement Director, Practical Farmers of Iowa, said.   Over the next two years, STEP up for Ag will aim to facilitate peer learning, host annual in-person workshops and develop shared tools and resources to scale impact. Through this partnership—and with the potential future involvement of additional major organizations—this growing network aims to help drive meaningful, long-term progress toward a more sustainable agricultural future. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3260/singapore-launches-research-alliance-to-boost-weather-and-climate-science.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3260/singapore-launches-research-alliance-to-boost-weather-and-climate-science.html Mon, 15 Sep 2025 11:06:36 +0530 CAWRAS will implement the $25 million Weather Science Research Programme (WSRP) The Climate and Weather Research Alliance Singapore (CAWRAS) was launched as a national platform to advance tropical climate and weather research in Singapore and Southeast Asia, and to nurture a local talent pipeline in weather and climate science. It is jointly established by the National Environment Agency (NEA), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), NTU Singapore, and the National University of Singapore (NUS). As its first initiative, CAWRAS will implement the $25 million Weather Science Research Programme (WSRP), funded under the Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan. Led by the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS), the programme brings together leading research institutions to expand national weather science capabilities. This effort comes as advances in high-resolution modelling, artificial intelligence (AI), and observational networks create new opportunities to improve weather prediction. In future, the alliance will expand its scope to climate research on longer timescales. Ten research projects have been awarded under the WSRP, focusing on four areas: improving the use of weather observations, developing next-generation weather and climate models, conducting historical weather re-analysis for Southeast Asia, and enhancing prediction accuracy through advanced post-processing techniques. Professor Ernst Kuipers, Vice President (Research) of NTU Singapore, said: “Leveraging NTU’s track record in Earth and environmental sciences, supported by infrastructure like the Earth Observatory of Singapore and our Climate Transformation Programme, we are uniquely positioned to combine AI, remote sensing, and advanced environmental modelling to forecast tropical weather with greater accuracy. Through interdisciplinary collaboration in fields such as medicine, public health, environmental engineering, and urban resilience, NTU will contribute to Singapore’s role as a hub for tropical weather and climate science research in Southeast Asia.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3258/agri-malaysia-malaysias-largest-b2b-agriculture-technology-exhibition-brings-asean-to-the-forefront.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3258/agri-malaysia-malaysias-largest-b2b-agriculture-technology-exhibition-brings-asean-to-the-forefront.html Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:42:47 +0530 Agri Malaysia 2025: A Landmark event driving innovation and global collaboration in agriculture Agri Malaysia 2025, Malaysia’s largest B2B agriculture technology exhibition, concluded its eighth edition with resounding success, solidifying its reputation as a premier platform for agricultural innovation and collaboration. Held from Sept 11 to 13 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec) in Kuala Lumpur, the event drew over 13,000 agriculture professionals from 18 countries, showcasing the latest advancements in agriculture, plantation commodities, and horticulture industries. Under the theme "Futuristic Innovates Agriculture," the exhibition featured 450 exhibitors across 650 booths, representing more than 900 local and international brands. For the first time, Agri Malaysia received official support and participation from the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry (MAFS), the Plantation and Commodities Ministry, and their respective agencies, highlighting the government’s commitment to advancing the agricultural sector. The event also strengthened its international presence with dedicated country pavilions from South Korea, China, Taiwan, and India, emphasizing its role as a global catalyst for agricultural exchange. Among the highlights were the AgriTalk seminars, which hosted over 60 free sessions led by experts from Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan. Topics ranged from off-season durian farming and the potential of the coconut market to palm oil innovations and Malaysia Good Agriculture Practices (myGAP), myPesticide, GeoTanih, GeoTanaman certifications. The AgriDemo zone offered live demonstrations of cutting-edge agricultural machinery and equipment, while the AgriClinic provided on-site consultations and analysis services for leaf, soil, and water, guided by agronomists and technical experts. The AgriSmart Smart Farming Zone showcased digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics (BDA), artificial intelligence (AI), and DroneTech, reflecting the growing role of technology in modern agriculture. Planters also benefited from direct engagement with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), which offered guidance on license applications and the registration process for Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification. This year’s exhibition focused on four key industry segments: palm oil, durian, fruits and vegetables, and highland and lowland agriculture, providing attendees with targeted insights into Malaysia’s agricultural priorities. Farmers, growers, and planters left the event equipped with practical techniques to improve yield and reduce costs, as well as valuable guidance on compliance, certifications, and government support. Networking sessions further facilitated strategic partnerships among farmers, growers, planters, and industry stakeholders. The face-to-face interactions with industry leaders, government agencies, and international experts offered immediate insights and opportunities for collaboration. Agri Malaysia 2025 not only delivered on its promise of innovation but also reinforced its position as a vital platform for driving the future of agriculture in Malaysia and beyond. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3249/australias-unisq-leads-space-agriculture-innovation-with-ai-driven-plant-health-monitoring.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3249/australias-unisq-leads-space-agriculture-innovation-with-ai-driven-plant-health-monitoring.html Wed, 10 Sep 2025 13:45:31 +0530 Technology aims to support sustainable food production in space and has potential applications for terrestrial farming The University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) iLAuNCH Trailblazer initiative is working with international partners Axiom Space, Yuri Gravity, and Medicinal Harvest to create an autonomous system for monitoring plant health in space. This project involves testing plants in a flight-certified growth chamber using advanced machine vision techniques. The system, supported by an AI algorithm, can detect early signs of plant stress through regular camera footage, enabling remote monitoring and optimization of plant health. The technology aims to support sustainable food production in space and has potential applications for terrestrial farming. The  AI algorithm technology is developed by Associate Professor Cheryl McCarthy from the UniSQ Centre for Agricultural Engineering. “This technology allows us to monitor plants in space conditions and optimise plant health remotely, which is a vital step toward sustainable food systems beyond Earth,” Professor John Bell, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at UniSQ said Queensland’s involvement in this initiative was highlighted during a trade mission to Taiwan and Japan, which included a showcase at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka. The mission emphasized collaboration in education, research, and commercialization, aligning Queensland’s strengths with global opportunities. International education remains a significant sector for Queensland, contributing $6.85 billion annually and supporting around 30,000 jobs. With over 112,000 international students from more than 160 countries, Queensland’s education sector offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal growth through its research institutions and industry-focused programs. With more than 350 world-class education providers and globally recognised research institutions, Queensland offers international students an ideal environment to grow professionally, personally, and globally through industry-aligned programs, vibrant student communities and global research leadership. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3295/corteva-breaks-ground-on-27-5m-rd-lab-in-midland.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3295/corteva-breaks-ground-on-27-5m-rd-lab-in-midland.html Tue, 09 Sep 2025 10:15:00 +0530 New facility will help us better deliver new technology to our customers and is expected to be operational in early 2027 Corteva Agriscience has announced the construction of a new research and development (R&D) lab at its Midland Industrial Park facility, marking a significant step in its commitment to innovation and sustainable agriculture. The Midland Process Research & Development Lab will feature state-of-the-art analytical labs, wet chemistry labs, and continuous processing capabilities. Scheduled for completion in early 2027, the facility will integrate analytical science, chemistry, and engineering disciplines to drive advancements in crop protection and agricultural sustainability. Gerd Dieterich, Midland Site Leader at Corteva, highlighted the lab’s role in delivering cutting-edge technology to customers, stating, “This new facility will help us better deliver new technology to our customers and is expected to be operational in early 2027.” While the project will not create new jobs, it will support the retention of 45 high-quality positions in Midland. Nicole Wilson, Vice President of Economic Development at the Midland Business Alliance, noted, “Corteva’s $27.5 million expansion will retain high-quality jobs and deepen its presence in Midland.” The project has received an Industrial Facilities Tax Exemption from the City of Midland and is under consideration for additional state business development incentives. Local leaders view the investment as a reinforcement of Midland’s position as a hub for agricultural research. Corteva’s expansion aligns with other significant industrial developments in Midland, including DuPont’s $20 million expansion at its Specialty Electronic Materials facility, which is expected to create 20 new jobs. These projects underscore Midland’s growing role as a center for science-driven innovation and economic growth. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3243/aws-launches-new-zealand-data-centre-infrastructure-region-for-agriculture-and-other-industries.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3243/aws-launches-new-zealand-data-centre-infrastructure-region-for-agriculture-and-other-industries.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 10:48:18 +0530 Amazon's New Zealand Infrastructure Region to Drive Agricultural Innovation and Digital Transformation Amazon has launched the AWS Asia Pacific (New Zealand) Region, a significant infrastructure investment aimed at bolstering the country’s digital capabilities and supporting its agricultural sector through advanced cloud technologies along with other prime sectors. This initiative aligns with Amazon’s broader commitment to sustainability and innovation, particularly in addressing challenges faced by the agriculture industry. The new AWS Region will enable secure data storage locally, reduce latency, and access cutting-edge technologies such as including analytics, compute, content delivery, database, generative AI (Gen AI), machine learning, networking and storage, among other capabilities. These tools are poised to transform New Zealand’s agricultural landscape by offering solutions for supply chain optimization, resource management, and climate resilience. Amazon is still working towards net zero operations by 2040, as part of The Climate Pledge. New Zealand emphasized the role of cloud-based technologies in tackling the agricultural sector's structural challenges, such as an aging workforce, labor shortages, and declining food self-sufficiency. The AWS Region can enable farmers and agribusinesses to leverage data-driven insights, enhance productivity, and mitigate the effects of climate change. AWS plans to invest over NZ$7.5 billion (US$4.4 billion) in the region, supporting more than 1,000 full-time equivalent jobs annually in multiple digital infrastructure initiatives and contributing an estimated NZ$10.8 billion to the country’s GDP. This investment includes the construction, connection, operation and maintenance of data centers, which can serve as the backbone for agricultural innovation. One of the key features of the AWS New Zealand Region is its focus on renewable energy. The extended partnership with Mercury NZ for the Turitea South wind farm, demonstrates "how digitalization and decarbonization can work together to support a sustainable future". This aligns with New Zealand’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and transition to a low-carbon economy. The AWS Region’s sovereign-by-design infrastructure ensures compliance with local data residency requirements, providing a secure environment for agricultural businesses to innovate. Services such as analytics, compute, content delivery, and generative AI will enable farmers to make informed decisions, optimize resource use, and enhance supply chain efficiency. AWS has also committed to upskilling New Zealand’s workforce, aiming to train 100,000 people in cloud skills through programs like AWS Academy, AWS Educate, and AWS Skill Builder. This initiative will help bridge the digital skills gap in the agriculture sector, equipping farmers and agribusinesses with the tools to leverage advanced technologies. The launch of the AWS Region is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to position New Zealand as a technology hub in the Asia-Pacific region. It builds on previous investments, including high-capacity subsea cable connections and the establishment of AWS Direct Connect locations to improve network reliability and performance. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon emphasized the significance of the investment, stating, "This is a major milestone, not just in terms of size, but I think in what it represents. It's a vote of confidence in New Zealand as a place to do business, to innovate and to build for the long term. And this investment will supercharge growth, and it is key to creating more jobs, lifting incomes and putting more money into the pockets of kiwis.” For the agriculture sector, the AWS Region represents a critical step toward modernizing operations and addressing global challenges. By combining Amazon’s infrastructure with New Zealand’s agricultural heritage, the initiative aims to create a sustainable, high-value-added model for the next generation of farming. With three Availability Zones at launch, the AWS Region offers low-latency, high-availability infrastructure to support advanced agricultural applications. This will enable businesses to design resilient systems that can withstand disruptions and drive digital transformation across the sector. Through its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and skill development, Amazon’s AWS Region in New Zealand is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of agriculture in the country and beyond. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3242/square-roots-japan-launches-rd-hub-agri-tech-lab-tokyo.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3242/square-roots-japan-launches-rd-hub-agri-tech-lab-tokyo.html Mon, 08 Sep 2025 10:21:16 +0530 Commercial operations are scheduled to begin from the second half of 2026. Square Roots Japan Co., Ltd. is set to open its first state-of-the-art modular indoor farm, "Agri Tech Lab Tokyo," in January 2026, transforming part of a warehouse under the JR Keiyo Line near Shinkiba Station into a hub for agricultural innovation. The cutting-edge facility will merge Japan's rich agricultural heritage with advanced technology to address pressing global and domestic challenges, including climate-driven supply risks, food crises, aging farmers, labor shortages, and declining food self-sufficiency. Agri Tech Lab Tokyo aims to pioneer a sustainable agricultural model for future generations. "Agri Tech Lab Tokyo" will tackle global issues such as supply risks from droughts and floods caused by global warming and food crises due to resource constraints, as well as structural issues in Japan such as the aging of agricultural workers, lack of successors, and declining food self-sufficiency, and will establish a sustainable agricultural model for the next generation. Agri Tech Lab Tokyo is a base for experimentation and creation that combines the culture that Japan has built up in agriculture with cutting-edge technology and implements it in cities and society. Key features of "Agri Tech Lab Tokyo" R&D center: Reproduce and demonstrate crops commercially available in the US in a Japanese environment; Trial cultivation of Japanese-specific crops; Joint research between Japan and the US, or with domestic institutions and companies (equipment, seeds, cultivation techniques, etc.)Showroom and business negotiation space: Presenting to partners and clients with an eye towards commercialization; Holding lectures and events for media and partners; Human resource development center; Farm personnel training; Accepting interns from educational institutions and partner companies; Commercial farms; Commercial operations are scheduled to begin sequentially from the second half of 2026. Human resource development center: Farm personnel training; Accepting interns from educational institutions and partner companies; Commercial farms: Commercial operations are scheduled to begin sequentially from the second half of 2026. Square Roots Japan will locate its production bases in cities and directly connect them to logistics infrastructure, realizing a supply chain close to consumption areas, reducing food miles and maximizing freshness and quality. A stable supply in urban areas will enable it to quickly and flexibly meet diverse demands from restaurants, retailers, medical and welfare facilities, and contribute to improving regional resilience. Furthermore, the company will create new jobs in farm management, quality control, logistics coordination, and customer service, expanding the scope of urban agriculture jobs that young people can be proud to work in. Going forward, through collaborations with local governments, educational institutions, distributors, retailers, and food and beverage operators, the company will realize the "integration of cities and agriculture" and provide new value to local communities. Square Roots Japan Co., Ltd. is leveraging unused urban agricultural spaces to set an example for the next generation of farms. By utilizing its advanced environmental control technology and modular agricultural systems, the company is transforming traditionally challenging urban spaces into productive agricultural hubs. Agri Tech Lab Tokyo, located under the elevated JR Keiyo Line, will pioneer a new model for urban agriculture by repurposing warehouse infrastructure. The initiative aims to drive the shift toward urban agricultural hubs while promoting data collection and systemization to enable even inexperienced personnel to operate the facility. This approach seeks to popularize sustainable, high-value-added urban agriculture. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3255/edacious-and-regenerative-organic-alliance-collaborates-to-measure-nutritional-impact-of-regenerative-organic-certified-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3255/edacious-and-regenerative-organic-alliance-collaborates-to-measure-nutritional-impact-of-regenerative-organic-certified-agriculture.html Mon, 01 Sep 2025 11:42:27 +0530 Edacious and the Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) have announced a new partnership that establishes a collaborative framework to measure and better understand the relationship between Regenerative Organic Certified® crops and human health. For decades, the global food system has prioritized yield over quality, sacrificing nutrient density in the process. The consequences are mounting: increased malnutrition, chronic disease, and soil degradation signal a system out of balance. To address this crisis, Edacious was founded to connect the dots between agriculture and human health, helping growers and food brands measure, understand, and communicate the unique nutritional quality of food and ingredients. The ROA, steward of the world's highest standard for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness, advances farming through adoption of regenerative organic practices. Together, Edacious and ROA are transforming the nutritional quality and safety of food into actionable insights by linking how food is grown to its impact on people and the planet. Over the next four years, Edacious will work closely with the ROA to identify and test more than 200 Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC™) food products through the Edacious Food Lab. These analyses aim to assess both the nutritional quality and toxicity of ROC™ crops in comparison to those produced through conventional, organic, and regenerative non-organic methods. This partnership marks a major step forward in bringing measurable, verified nutrient data into the conversation about agricultural methods and food quality. By making nutrition visible and measurable, this collaboration creates the data backbone and builds the evidence base needed to shift incentives, rewarding farming practices that restore ecosystems and produce healthier food. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3213/saudi-arabia-advances-agricultural-innovation-and-global-market-expansion.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3213/saudi-arabia-advances-agricultural-innovation-and-global-market-expansion.html Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:05:38 +0530 Arabian Silk Road,” the date palm industry Famous for its oasis plains and world-renowned date palms, Qassim Province has emerged as a model for Saudi Arabia’s integration of its agricultural heritage with modern sustainable practices. Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the “Qassim Land” initiative was launched to promote green cities and a circular economy, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 – responsible consumption and production. The initiative aims to improve production methods, resource recovery, and the efficient use of agricultural waste, while also expanding exports to global markets. Al Qassim Governorate’s experience was recently presented at the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Goals in July, where the Saudi Green Building Forum (SGBF) shared successful cases, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s efforts to localize the Sustainable Development Goals in a manner consistent with circular economy principles. Faisal Al-Fadl, Secretary-General of the SGBF, explained that the Governor of Al Qassim's initiative, documented under the saaf® standard framework, aims to promote innovation and sustainable development. He emphasized: "The circular economy is no longer an option, but a necessity to ensure food and environmental security." Known as the "Arabian Silk Road," the date palm industry in Al Qassim Province has reached markets across multiple continents. To further enhance Saudi Arabia's international standing, His Highness the Governor of Al Qassim Province launched the "International Dates Road" project, connecting Saudi Arabia's date palm production with the historic Silk Road. This project will promote the export of over 578,000 tons of dates annually, solidifying Saudi Arabia's position as a global date palm trade hub and aligning with the goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. The Saudi Green Building Forum, which holds consultative status with the United Nations, is about to open its 15th edition, attracting over 3,000 participants, including companies such as Saudi Aramco, Nesma & Partners, Climatech, Roshan, and Shaker Group. Under the theme "Inspiring Green Action: Advancing Nature-Based Solutions to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," the forum will feature 50 speakers and over 20 panel discussions, focusing on green city challenges, promoting multilateral agreements, and further accelerating the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals within the framework of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Funded by the Ministry of Municipality and Housing, the forum will take place from October 1 to 2, 2025, at the Al-Malfa Hall of the Mohammed bin Salman Nonprofit City (MiSK City) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3156/clg-and-ina-poduce-saf-from-biogenic-feedstock.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3156/clg-and-ina-poduce-saf-from-biogenic-feedstock.html Fri, 01 Aug 2025 10:25:59 +0530 First-ever production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and also yielded hydrotreated vegetable oil renewable diesel Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) announced a successful commercial test for co-processing biogenic feedstocks and fossil feedstocks at INA Group's Rijeka Refinery in Croatia. Conducted at a CLG-licensed hydrocracking unit, the test marked the refinery's first-ever production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and also yielded hydrotreated vegetable oil renewable diesel. "This test-run conducted at INA's hydrocracker unit, along with several other recent tests by CLG licensees, showcase how our technology can be integrated into customers' existing infrastructure to co-process a wide range of feedstocks to produce clean fuels," said Arun Arora, Chief Technology Officer, Chevron Lummus Global. Testing involved the co-processing of 1,000 tonnes of 5% palm oil mill effluent (POME) feedstock together with fossil-based feedstocks. The process was certified by the independent certification body Bureau Veritas d.o.o., in accordance with the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) standard for sustainable biofuels. The results highlight the adaptability and scalability of these technologies, enabling customers to optimize the value of their assets while advancing their sustainability objectives. CLG and INA worked closely prior to the commercial test to address the complexity of processing a new type of feedstock with specific physical and chemical properties. The project involved a range of activities, from procuring special filters and adapting laboratory methods, to increasing the capacity of the hydrocracking and vacuum distillation units and ensuring controlled handling of the biogenic feedstock within existing operational conditions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3149/red-sun-jiangnan-university-joint-innovation-research-center-to-explore-synthetic-biology-and-green-agrochemicals.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3149/red-sun-jiangnan-university-joint-innovation-research-center-to-explore-synthetic-biology-and-green-agrochemicals.html Wed, 30 Jul 2025 10:11:49 +0530 Research center for key technologies, accelerating the application of scientific and technological achievements, and contributing to the high-quality development of the national regional economy Chinese company Nanjing Red Sun Co., Ltd. and Jiangnan University officially signed the Joint Innovation Research Center agreement on July 26 at Jiangnan University's Lihu campus. A member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Jiangnan University, Gu Zhengbiao, attended the signing ceremony along with Yang Yi, Party Secretary and Chairman of Nanjing Red Sun Co., Ltd. The Red Sun Central Research Institute and Jiangnan University Institute of Science and Technology signed a cooperation agreement at the event, according to Dong Weifu, President of Jiangnan University Institute of Science and Technology. A joint innovation research center involving Red Sun and Jiangnan University was unveiled by Gu Zhengbiao and Yang Yi. In his presentation, Gu Zhengbiao covered the university's history, organizational structure, scientific research, talent development, social services, and collaborative development. The university has consistently prioritized the "Healthy China" strategy, leveraging its "Double First-Class" disciplines to achieve significant progress in areas such as synthetic biology, specialty foods, and light industry technology. Establishing this joint innovation research center will promote collaboration between the two parties, accelerate the application of scientific and technological achievements, and contribute to the development of the national and regional economies. Based on national missions, the two parties will deeply integrate Jiangnan University's strong multidisciplinary basic research strengths with Red Sun's extensive industrialization experience and global market network resources. This will effectively accelerate the innovative application of biotechnology in the agrochemical field and the expansion of the industrial chain, jointly setting a new benchmark for industry-university integration. By collaborating, both parties will closely align with the national innovation-driven development strategy, focusing on synthetic biology, green chemistry, and new materials. The two companies will collaborate on breakthroughs in technology and accelerate the application of these findings. The center will initially establish a "Green Pesticide Joint Innovation Laboratory" and a "Synthetic Biology Joint Innovation Laboratory." A complete transformation system from laboratory testing to pilot scale-up to industrialization will also be developed through collaboration on a pilot incubation base. This will inject strong momentum into accelerating the achievement of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and the development of new-quality productivity. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3116/corteva-catalyst-leads-funding-drive-for-puna-bio-to-advance-climate-resilient-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3116/corteva-catalyst-leads-funding-drive-for-puna-bio-to-advance-climate-resilient-agriculture.html Fri, 18 Jul 2025 11:12:42 +0530 Support includes the Gates Foundation's first investment in an Argentine startup to strengthen global food security A month ago, Puna Bio announced its Series A round, led by Corteva Catalyst and backed by other global investors focused on climate and agricultural innovation. Now, the company announces the closing of that investment round with the participation of the Gates Foundation. This investment—the foundation's first in an Argentine startup—reflects a commitment to advancing locally led innovation that can strengthen sustainable food systems and help smallholder farmers access to microbial-based bioinputs in places where there is limited affordability and accessibility. The funding will accelerate the development, production, and distribution of Puna Bio's biofertilizers and biostimulants, which are based on extremophile bacteria. These solutions are designed to enhance crop yields even under stress, by providing crops with nutrients and this collaboration aims to bring these benefits to smallholder farmers in developing regions across Africa. As part of this partnership, Puna Bio will work closely with the Gates Foundation to test and adapt its technologies to local conditions and co-develop new targeted solutions to support food security at a global scale. "We believe this partnership is deeply aligned with Puna Bio's mission of ensuring food security at a global scale. Our science-backed biological inputs, already in use in South America can boost crop yields in a reliable and cost-effective manner, even in challenging weather conditions. By expanding our efforts to Africa, we aim to scale our impact, improve lives, and contribute to the long-term sustainability of global agriculture," explains Franco Martínez Levis, CEO and co-founder of Puna Bio. With this new strategic investor, Puna Bio successfully closes its Series A round, alongside At One Ventures, SP Ventures, Dalus Capital, Glocal LATAM, Builders VC, and Grid Exponential. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3086/singapore-researchers-develop-novel-material-to-tackle-water-pollution.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3086/singapore-researchers-develop-novel-material-to-tackle-water-pollution.html Mon, 07 Jul 2025 11:46:41 +0530 Develops ReSURF as a sustainable solution for real-time, on-site, and sustainable water quality monitoring As a vital component of human health and well-being, clean, safe water contributes to food security, supports high-tech industries, and fosters sustainable urbanization. The ability to detect contamination quickly and accurately remains a major challenge in many parts of the world. Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a groundbreaking new device that could revolutionize how water quality is monitored and managed. This concept was derived from the biological function of the oily protective layer on human skin and was translated into a versatile material, known as ReSURF, which can spontaneously form a water-repellent interface by researchers led by Associate Professor Benjamin Tee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering at NUS. This new material, which can be prepared through a rapid micro-phase separation approach, autonomously self-heals and can be recycled. The researchers incorporated the material into a device known as a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which uses the energy from the movement of water droplets to create an electric charge. The resulting device (ReSURF sensor) can be applied as a water quality monitor. “The ReSURF sensor can detect various pollutants, such as oils and fluorinated compounds, which are challenging for many existing sensors. This capability, together with unique features such as self-powered, self-healing, reusability and recyclability, positions ReSURF as a sustainable solution for real-time, on-site, and sustainable water quality monitoring,” said Assoc Prof Tee. Rapid and sustainable water quality sensing Existing water quality monitoring technologies such as electrochemical sensors, optical detection systems, and biosensors are effective in certain specific applications, such as detecting heavy metals, phosphorus, and microbial pollution. However, these technologies often face limitations including slow response, high costs, reliance on external reagents or power sources, limited reusability, and the need for bulky laboratory equipment or specialised instrumentation. The ReSURF sensor developed by the NUS team effectively overcomes these challenges, particularly in on-site real-time water quality sensing. The self-powered device has demonstrated the ability to detect water contaminants in approximately 6 milliseconds (i.e. around 40 times faster than a blink of the eye). Additionally, the ReSURF sensor is designed to be self-healing and recyclable, making it a sustainable and low-maintenance solution. Being stretchable and transparent, the material can be easily integrated into flexible platforms, including soft robotics and wearable electronics, setting it apart from conventional sensing materials. Furthermore, the ReSURF material applied as a sensor offers an environmentally friendly solution as it can be easily recycled due to its solubility in solvents, enabling it to be reused in new devices without suffering a loss in performance. The ReSURF sensor monitors water quality by analysing the electrical signals generated when analytes — such as salts, oils, or pollutants — in the water droplets, contact its surface. When water droplets containing analytes strike the water-repellent surface of the sensor, they spread out and slide off quickly, generating electric charges within milliseconds. The magnitude and characteristics of the signal generated would vary according to the composition and concentration of the analytes present. By monitoring these signals in real time, the ReSURF sensor can rapidly and accurately assess water quality without the need for external power sources. The ReSURF sensor offers broad application potential. It can be deployed in rivers, lakes, and reservoirs to enable early surveillance of pollutants, allowing for quick response to water contamination emergencies. In agriculture, it is capable of monitoring water safety in areas like rice fields. In industrial settings and sewage treatment plants, the ReSURF sensor could provide valuable insights for wastewater management. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3036/vtt-designs-a-biodegradable-solar-cell-module-power-source-to-revive-green-electronics.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3036/vtt-designs-a-biodegradable-solar-cell-module-power-source-to-revive-green-electronics.html Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:45:00 +0530 VTT's international research project develops compostable device in cooperation with six research institutes Globally, the digitalisation of agriculture requires the increasing use of measurement electronics in farming. However, power supply and electronic waste pose problems. VTT, Europe’s leading research institution has now developed a biodegradable solar cell module power source in an international green electronics research project. The solar cell module developed by VTT is so small and light that it can be attached directly to, for example, the stem of a cultivated plant or a large leaf. The cell is approximately the size of a credit card, very flexible and extremely thin. After the growing season, the cell decomposes along with the rechargeable power supply that the cell charges.“When a solar cell is used in an agricultural application, biodegradability is essential. In this case, there is no real harm caused if the cell cannot be removed from the field, even if it is in close contact with the soil. And, there are no harmful substances to leach into the environment or exacerbate the microplastics problem,” says Maria Smolander, Research Team Leader at VTT.”Right now, sensors still aren’t being used a great deal in agriculture, but this biodegradable solution makes it possible to more effectively implement them in agricultural applications,” says Smolander. The aim of the three-year international research project is to create degradable cultivation sensors. In addition to VTT, Tampere University, University of Glasgow, Lukasiewicz Institute of Microelectronics and Photonics (Łukasiewicz-IMIF), Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique S.A. (CSEM) and McGill University contributed to the project, which was funded by the CHIST-ERA and national funding agencies (e.g. Research Council of Finland). “Although agriculture has served as a practical test platform for this green electronics project, the main idea is to explore how electronics can be made more environmentally friendly,” says Liisa Hakola, Senior Scientist at VTT. In the project, VTT developed the solar cell and Tampere University developed a battery-like supercapacitor that stores energy. The project has also developed compostable sensors and modules that transmit collected data wirelessly.“The aim here is not to collect a large amount of energy - it’s about low energy consumption sensors that can be used to monitor the state of the environment. The degradable solar cell is not intended to match the performance of conventional cells, and there is no need for a long service life”, says Marja Välimäki, Senior Scientist at VTT ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3019/chinese-firms-unveil-next-gen-green-hydrogen-production-project-to-reshape-hydrogen-economy-globally.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/3019/chinese-firms-unveil-next-gen-green-hydrogen-production-project-to-reshape-hydrogen-economy-globally.html Fri, 13 Jun 2025 10:10:17 +0530 A scalable blueprint for large-scale decarbonization by Sungrow Hydrogen and Wison Engineering continues to be developed for faster deployment and lower costs in the hydrogen economy worldwide Sungrow Hydrogen and Wison Engineering reshaping green hydrogen production by launching MegaFlex "Plant-as-a-Product" - a turnkey solution. With its MW-to-GW scalability and fully outdoor modular design, this system allows for faster deployment and lower costs, setting new standards for the world's hydrogen economy. The announcement was made at SNEC 2025. Pioneering Hydrogen Plant Deployment The next-generation solution redefines green hydrogen production through its large-scale, globally adaptable design. Combining standardized modular architecture with intelligent engineering, this innovative system embodies the "Plant-as-a-Product" philosophy - transforming conventional project-based construction into a replicable industrial model. The complete turnkey package integrates core electrolysis equipment with plant-wide utilities and auxiliary systems: power supply, cooling systems, water treatment, and intelligent controls. By significantly reducing delivery timelines, lowering construction costs, and enhancing operational reliability, the solution establishes new benchmarks for efficient, economical, and dependable green hydrogen production worldwide.  Among its capabilities are: Safe and reliable hydrogen production with flexible water electrolysis technology Quick setup and easy expansion (faster deployment through modular delivery and standardized design for accelerated ROI, with seamless scalability from MW-to-GW level) Significant reduction in on-site risks and acceleration of delivery via plug-and-play modular solutions The groundbreaking productization is a paradigm shift, turning hydrogen plants from complex projects into streamlined, deployable systems. This delivers not only technical excellence but also a scalable blueprint for large-scale decarbonization. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2991/rice-breeding-innovation-fuelled-by-collaboration-between-loveland-products-and-dyna-gro-seed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2991/rice-breeding-innovation-fuelled-by-collaboration-between-loveland-products-and-dyna-gro-seed.html Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:36:49 +0530 Unlocking the full potential of rice breeding science Loveland Products, Inc. (LPI) and Dyna-Gro Seed, Nutrien Ag Solutions’ proprietary products businesses, are collaborating with the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter through the LPI Research Station Support Fund - a targeted initiative accelerating innovation in rice breeding and early-stage agricultural research. Now in its fifth year, the collaboration provides critical funding and technical support to empower LSU AgCenter scientists in developing advanced rice germplasm and foundational technologies. The collaboration is designed to fast-track high-performing rice solutions to US growers by strengthening early-stage research, expanding faculty grant capacity, and fostering innovation in breeding. The LPI Research Station Support Fund, established by Loveland Products, supports public-sector research and field station infrastructure. At LSU, it has significantly enhanced the university’s rice improvement program through germplasm exchange, germplasm evaluation, and shared field trials - efforts focused on boosting disease resistance, grain quality, and adaptability to US growing conditions. “Our collaboration with the LSU AgCenter is about unlocking the full potential of rice breeding science,” said Randy Ouzts, US Rice Manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions. “By teaming up with top-tier researchers and sharing breeding resources, we’re delivering real-time insights into product performance and regional adaptability. These discoveries are shaping the next generation of innovations that matter to rice producers.” The collaboration has already led to the release of multiple commercial rice varieties and a robust breeding pipeline supported by shared research between Nutrien Ag Solutions and the LSU AgCenter. According to Dr. Adam Famoso, LSU AgCenter rice breeder, the collaboration has enabled joint development initiatives and reciprocal access to germplasm - opportunities that would not exist without this level of private-public alignment. Beyond breeding advancements, the relationship has strengthened research capacity at the LSU AgCenter. With Loveland’s support of the Hanover Grant Writing Program, 36 faculty members have completed the training, enhancing their ability to secure competitive funding. This investment has already yielded results, including a $3.9 million grant and 13 pilot research projects launched across disciplines. In recognition of its contributions, Loveland Products recently received the Industry Leader Award at the 2025 LSU AgCenter and College of Agriculture AgExcellence ceremony. The honor underscores the company’s impact on academic collaboration and agricultural innovation. This initiative with LSU Ag Center is part of Loveland Products’ and Dyna-Gro Seed’s broader commitment to advancing rice research and delivering more sustainable, high-performance solutions through their diverse technologies. By aligning with leading research institutions and leveraging agronomic expertise, Loveland and Dyna-Gro are helping shape the future of US rice production. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2955/korean-agritech-innovator-unveils-bk-conveyor-culture-bkcc-a-next-generation-vertical-farming-system.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2955/korean-agritech-innovator-unveils-bk-conveyor-culture-bkcc-a-next-generation-vertical-farming-system.html Mon, 26 May 2025 09:54:57 +0530 Affordable, efficient, and easy to operate, particularly for new-generation farmers and emerging agri-markets Farmers Lab Ltd., a Korean agritech innovator, unveils BK Conveyor Culture (BKCC), a next-generation vertical farming system designed to solve key limitations of traditional fixed-rack setups. BKCC employs a horizontal conveyor structure that rotates trays around a central axis, delivering labor-saving efficiency and simplified daily operations. The system has been fully installed and approved for completion at an R&D center in Singapore. While commercial operation has not yet begun, internal projections estimate a 20% net profit margin from microgreen and baby leaves cultivation under BKCC’s optimized workflow. Its modular, worker-friendly design makes it ideal for labs ranging from small to full-scale commercial farms. BKCC was also recognized as a Finalist in the “Best New Vertical Farming Facility” category at the Vertical Farming World Awards 2024, held in Frankfurt. This recognition highlights the system’s innovation, simplicity, and potential as a scalable alternative in the global vertical farming industry. To strengthen its smart farming capabilities, Farmers Lab Ltd. is partnering with Blue Lab, a technology leader in precision agriculture, to implement AI-based automation for climate and nutrient control. This integration will allow real-time adjustment of environmental factors and further reduce manual intervention. “BKCC was built on years of extensive field experience and practical trials,” said Seungwan Lee, founder of Farmers Lab Ltd. “Our goal is to provide a system that is affordable, efficient, and easy to operate, particularly for new-generation farmers and emerging agri-markets.” BKCC is suitable for a wide range of crops, including microgreens, leafy greens, virus-free seedlings, and specialty plants. Pilot units have been installed in Korea, Singapore and Africa, with discussions underway in Australia, Vietnam, and the Middle East ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2934/sakata-seed-corporations-subsidiary-in-turkiye-inaugurated-a-new-research-station-in-antalya.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2934/sakata-seed-corporations-subsidiary-in-turkiye-inaugurated-a-new-research-station-in-antalya.html Wed, 21 May 2025 09:53:35 +0530 New 2.5-hectare R&D station includes a nursery, traditional greenhouses, crossing block greenhouses, hydroponic greenhouses, a laboratory, fields, and offices Sakata Tarım Ürünleri ve Tohumculuk Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi, a subsidiary of Sakata Seed Corporation (Headquarters: Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan) inaugurated a new research station in Gaziler, in the Kepez district of Antalya city, Türkiye. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Hiroshi Sakata, President of Sakata Seed Corporation, Basile De Bary, Chief Executive Officer of Sakata Vegetables Europe, and other dignitaries. This new 2.5-hectare R&D station includes a nursery, traditional greenhouses, crossing block greenhouses, hydroponic greenhouses, a laboratory, fields, and offices. This investment will allow Sakata to reinforce its cucumber research programmes and further expand its current tomato and pepper research programmes. These R&D efforts will enable the creation of new varieties to address the needs of Turkish growers and plant raisers, as well as to meet the expectations of the European, Middle East, and Central Asia markets. The Sakata Group leverages both ancestral knowledge and cutting-edge technology to develop vegetable seeds that meet the highest standards: taste, disease resistance, and adaptability to climatic challenges. Its mission is to contribute to the betterment of life and culture of people around the world with values created by its innovative vegetable varieties and services. Vegetable Seeds market is expected to reach $14.18B by 2033 from $ 8.03B in 2024, with a CAGR of 6.53% from 2024 to 2030. The Asia Pacific region is expanding due to factors such population expansion, rising vegetable demand, and agricultural technology developments. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2894/tawian-promotes-three-key-technologies-to-help-greenhouse-tomatoes.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2894/tawian-promotes-three-key-technologies-to-help-greenhouse-tomatoes.html Mon, 05 May 2025 12:04:01 +0530 Introduced greenhouse small-fruit tomatoes, a disease-resistant tomato rootstock variety called "Tainan No. 1," and a small fruit tomato variety called "Tainan No. 25" Taiwan's Ministry of Agriculture Tainan Agricultural Improvement Station announced three important research and development results to strengthen the sustainable development of greenhouse small-fruit tomatoes. Among them are integrated pest management techniques (IPM) for greenhouse tomatoes, a disease-resistant tomato rootstock variety called "Tainan No. 1," and a small fruit tomato variety called "Tainan No. 25" that is resistant to storage and transportation. By integrating all the technical components and applications, the industry will be able to enhance its competitiveness and physique. Chen Yuchu, director of the Tainan District Agricultural Research and Development Center, pointed out that small-fruit tomato varieties such as "Jade Girl" are popular among farmers and consumers. However, their intolerance to high temperatures limits the cultivation season. Coupled with the impact of climate change in recent years, the tomato industry faces challenges such as high temperature adversity, risks of pests and diseases, and imbalance between production and sales. In order to help farmers break through bottlenecks and improve overall efficiency, the farm has long invested in research on facility vegetable and fruit pest management and variety improvement. The three technologies announced today are the core key to leading the industry into a new stage of "low risk, high efficiency, and export potential." The storage-resistant tomato "Tainan No. 25 " helps the export market In response to the current situation where farmers are growing too few varieties of small-fruit tomatoes and the pressure from the domestic market, the Tainan farm has launched a new variety, "Tainan No. 25," which is red-fleshed and durable in storage and transportation. It breaks through the storage and transportation bottleneck of existing varieties and has the characteristics of high sugar content, firm flesh, and resistance to storage and transportation. . The small-fruit tomato "Tainan No. 25" has a red-fleshed oblong shape, with an average single fruit weight of about 11.5 grams; the sugar content is about 9.7 O Brix, and the fruit sugar-acid ratio can reach 25.4, and the flavor is no less than the current mainstream varieties; it is heat-resistant and suitable for Taiwan's spring cultivation environment from March to May, and can be harvested 78 to 87 days after planting, which is different from the current main production period in China; experiments have confirmed that "Tainan No. 25" can still maintain a 70% commercial rate when refrigerated at 5°C for 4 weeks. After its launch, it is expected to be promoted in the export market, providing an opportunity for the small-fruit tomato industry to open up export markets. Integrated IPM pest control technology implements safe and low-drug production model In response to abnormal climate and increased risks of pests and diseases, the Tainan farm established IPM (Integrated Pest Management) control technology for small-fruit tomatoes in facilities, focusing on the three aspects of "prevention, monitoring, and control" to help farmers effectively control silverleaf whiteflies and viral diseases. In terms of prevention, the farm emphasizes that facility cultivation should ensure complete isolation, use healthy seedlings and implement field hygiene. In terms of monitoring, yellow sticky papers are placed to regularly monitor the density of whiteflies. In terms of prevention and control, inspections are strengthened within 2 months after planting, virus strains are removed in a timely manner, and natural enemy insects such as tobacco blindness are introduced to control the density of whitefly populations, effectively reducing the labor for prevention and control and the frequency of pesticide application. The simultaneous introduction of sesame and cleome as banker plants for Tobacco tsunamis improves the stability of natural enemy populations and the effectiveness of pest control, thus successfully creating a pest defense line inside the facility. This set of operational technical guidelines has been successfully verified in multiple tomato cultivation fields, which can save nearly 60% of the cost of pesticide control, while increasing the yield by at least 20%, and overall increase the profit by at least 40%, providing the industry with a feasible safe production model. The eggplant rootstock "Tainan No. 1 " is highly resistant to bacterial wilt, high temperature resistant, and stable for grafting In response to the bacterial wilt disease that is common in Taiwan's tomato producing areas, the Tainan farm has undergone eight years of systematic breeding and regional trials and successfully developed a new hybrid first-generation tomato rootstock variety "Tainan No. 1". It is the first professional rootstock variety in the country that has stable disease resistance, strong affinity, and adaptability to high temperatures. The tomato rootstock "Tainan No. 1" has been field-tested in small-fruit and large-fruit tomatoes in major production areas such as Yunlin, Chiayi, and Nantou, showing that it can maintain good growth potential and stable yield of tomatoes under high temperature and disease adversity, has stable disease resistance to tomato bacterial wilt, and can maintain the quality and yield of tomatoes. This variety has now been transferred to Jiase Seed Co., Ltd. and Cola Seedlings, and is expected to become the key to improving the safety and efficiency of tomato production in the future. The Tainan District Agricultural Innovation Station emphasized that the three results published this time are all aimed at implementing field trials and promoting industrial applications, emphasizing "localized R&D", "precision promotion", and "integration of the industrial chain." In the future, we will continue to invest in technology upgrades and industry chain collaboration to achieve the goal of agricultural sustainability and market win-win results. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2886/a-breakthrough-in-the-development-of-rna-herbicides-to-advance-the-development-of-sustainable-bioherbicides.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2886/a-breakthrough-in-the-development-of-rna-herbicides-to-advance-the-development-of-sustainable-bioherbicides.html Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:44:05 +0530 A non-GMO approach to weed management targets weeds with precision as an alternative to chemical herbicide-resistant weeds GreenLight Biosciences, a pioneering agricultural biotechnology company, has announced a significant breakthrough in its bioherbicide development pipeline. A new era in weed control GreenLight Bio's RNA-based solution introduces a novel MOA that works with biology rather than against it. GreenLight Bio's RNAi platform of foliar-applied sprays precisely targets essential weed plant functions, leaving crops and the surrounding environment unharmed. The RNA molecules break down quickly, reducing environmental persistence while maintaining efficacy and leaving no harmful residue on crops. This approach offers a much-needed alternative that reduces the need for chemical herbicides that persist in the environment and face increasing regulatory and activist scrutiny. Further, GreenLight Bio aims to leverage its RNA platform for agricultural innovation, including developing non-GMO solutions for enhanced crop heat tolerance and improved plant defense mechanisms. The Company's next solution targets control of Varroa mites, a devastating pest of honeybees, which was submitted to EPA for regulatory review in early 2023. A leader in RNA for agriculture, GreenLight Biosciences has a broad pipeline addressing insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide pain points for farmers. According to greenhouse and field trials conducted by the Company, RNA technology is consistent and effective for controlling difficult to kill weeds. In addition to enhancing efficacy, RNA technology can also be used in conjunction with conventional herbicides to reduce overall toxicity and herbicide load. This strategy enables farmers to easily integrate an RNA solution into their current weed management practices. Over time, GreenLight Bio aims to develop a range of standalone RNA-based solutions for row crops and specialty crops that address a wide variety of problematic weed species with precision, further reduce environmental burdens and alleviate resistance issues common among conventional pesticides, including herbicides. The Company's lead product candidate is designed to control horseweed (Conyza canadensis). Using expertise in biology and proprietary AI-enabled design tools, GreenLight Bio created a pipeline of over 180 possible choices and selected the lead candidate. Horseweed is one of the most problematic weeds in no-till agriculture, particularly in soy production. Andrey Zarur, CEO of GreenLight Biosciences said "Our RNA-based platform introduces a revolutionary, non-GMO approach to weed management. This breakthrough not only targets weeds with precision but also paves the way for potential solutions that can help farmers reduce their reliance on traditional chemical herbicides like glyphosate." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2885/ttc-agris-and-sungai-budi-advance-vietnam-indonesia-strategic-cooperation-promoting-a-high-tech-circular-agriculture-model.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2885/ttc-agris-and-sungai-budi-advance-vietnam-indonesia-strategic-cooperation-promoting-a-high-tech-circular-agriculture-model.html Wed, 30 Apr 2025 11:28:45 +0530 New project to establish a R&D Center for sustainable agriculture and launch a 2,000-hectare model sugarcane farm (demo farm) in Indonesia Vietnam's TTC AgriS, the leading high-tech agricultural enterprise in the region, signed an agreement with Sungai Budi Group to implement the cooperation commitments outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in March 2025 in Indonesia. This initiative, witnessed by Vietnamese Party General Secretary - H.E. To Lam and senior officials from both Vietnam and Indonesia, aims to enhance scientific and technological application and foster the development of agricultural value chains in both countries. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of H.E. Rachmat Pambudy – Minister of National Development Planning of the Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Denny Abdi - Indonesia Ambassador to Vietnam; H.E. Agustaviano Sofjan – Consul General of Indonesia in Ho Chi Minh City; H.E. Tran Van Chien – Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tây Ninh Province; H.E. Le Viet Binh – Deputy Chief of Office, Chief Representative of the Southern Region - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; H.E. Le Truong Duy – Director of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Center in Ho Chi Minh City; and senior leaders from both companies. Strengthening bilateral cooperation, shaping the future of ASEAN agriculture Under the newly signed agreements, TTC AgriS and Sungai Budi Group will jointly establish a Research & Development Center for sustainable agriculture and launch a 2,000-hectare model sugarcane farm (demo farm) in Indonesia. The project will leverage advanced farming technologies to enhance yield, improve raw material quality, and accelerate green transformation across the agricultural value chain.  In the coconut sector, both parties discussed plans for a 2025 joint venture that aims to scale operations up to 300 million liters/kilograms over two phases. The initiative will build a production and commercial platform for coconut-derived products, with an initial capacity of 120 million liters/kilograms for both the Indonesian and international markets. Additionally, the partners plan to develop 20,000 hectares of organic coconut plantations in close collaboration with local farmers. In her remarks, Dang Huynh Uc My, Chairlady of TTC AgriS – emphasized: "With over half a century of continuous innovation, TTC AgriS has evolved from a domestic sugar company into a comprehensive international agricultural solutions provider. We believe that robust investments in R&D and technology, along with building a circular value chain, are fundamental not only to enhancing our competitiveness but also to affirming our commitment to global ESG standards." Oey Alfred – CEO of Sungai Budi Group – echoed the significance of this strategic partnership, highlighting the synergy of vision and strengths between two leading agricultural groups. Representatives from the Indonesian Embassy, Consulate General, and Tay Ninh Province praised the potential of this cooperation and affirmed their full support, pledging close collaboration with TTC AgriS and Sungai Budi Group. Firsthand experience of Vietnam's high-tech circular agriculture model Following the signing ceremony, the Indonesian delegation visited TTC AgriS's high-tech agricultural complexes in Tay Ninh and BenTre, showcasing the company's innovation capacity, optimized operations, and scalable sustainable solutions. At the Ninh Dien demo farm in Tay Ninh, delegates observed precision agriculture in action – from smart irrigation systems and crop-monitoring drones to IoT sensors that optimize resource use and improve crop quality. This technological platform was developed by TTC Agricultural Research Institute (ARI), TTC AgriS's core R&D center. The next highlight was TTC Tay Ninh Sugar Factory, where the circular economy model is implemented on a large scale: bagasse is converted into electricity, molasses into ethanol, and filter mud into organic fertilizer. This closed-loop model, encompassing R&D, cultivation, and processing, was highly praised by Indonesian partners, particularly Sungai Budi leadership, for its sustainability, investment efficiency, and scalability. The delegation then traveled to Ben Tre, where TTC AgriS and Betrimex are building a comprehensive coconut value chain — from organic plantations to international-standard deep processing plants. Notably, the organic coconut farming model integrates traceability (via QR codes) and aligns with the principles of a circular economy, leaving a strong impression as a testament to efforts to enhance the value of Vietnamese agricultural products through sustainable development. Sungai Budi’s senior leadership team experienced the coconut value chain firsthand TTC AgriS and Betrimex proudly own the largest organic coconut plantation in Vietnam. Beyond traditional products like desiccated coconut and virgin coconut oil, the companies showcased a growing portfolio of high-value coconut products, including convenient canned coconut water and coconut milk, meeting international demand for direct consumption, mixing, and cooking. Indonesia – a strategic market in TTC AgriS's regional vision As the world's fourth most populous country and Southeast Asia's largest economy, Indonesia has always been central to TTC AgriS's regional strategy. Fulfilling these strategic commitments not only expands TTC AgriS's international footprint but also deepens the Vietnam–Indonesia partnership, contributing to the goal of raising bilateral trade to USD 18 billion by 2028. Through these efforts, TTC AgriS affirms its pioneering role in building a resilient and adaptable agricultural supply chain, capable of weathering global economic shifts while reinforcing ASEAN's central role in the international agri-value chain. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2881/uae-unveils-silals-innovation-oasis-io-facility-to-establish-agricultural-rd-technology-potentials.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2881/uae-unveils-silals-innovation-oasis-io-facility-to-establish-agricultural-rd-technology-potentials.html Mon, 28 Apr 2025 12:56:49 +0530 State-of-the-art laboratories, growth chambers, and phenotyping and experimental facilities, including greenhouses, net-houses, and open-field research plots Aligning with the key objectives of Silal's National Food Security Strategy 2051, the UAE has launched "Silal's Innovation Oasis (iO)" facility specialising in agricultural R&D technologies as a national effort to advance sustainable farming practices and strengthen UAE food security. His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, witnessed the inauguration of Silal’s Innovation Oasis (iO). Spanning over 300,000 square metres, iO is a dynamic ecosystem designed to foster collaboration among researchers, industry leaders, startups and academics. The facility is an incubator for agritech innovations, focusing on climate-resilient farming, optimised controlled environment agriculture, and resource-efficient food production. Equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, growth chambers, and phenotyping and experimental facilities, including greenhouses, net-houses, and open-field research plots, iO will provide an advanced platform for developing and testing various agritech solutions. Key focus areas include climate-resilient farming techniques to address the extreme temperatures of the UAE, water-food-energy solutions integrating solar thermal desalination, IoT-enabled precision agriculture, and saltwater-resistant crops. Additionally, AI-driven food systems will also be explored at the facility, leveraging machine learning, robotics and data analytics to enhance farm management and post-harvest technologies, improving supply chain efficiency and minimising food waste. Launch of the Advance AgriTech Academy An "Advance AgriTech Academy" was also inaugurated to establish the UAE’s next generation of AgriTech leaders and offer specialised programmes in career guidance and practical training, in collaboration with global research institutions, to equip Emirati talent with the skills and capabilities required to drive innovation in food and agriculture. A cooperation agreement between Silal and the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) was signed at the event in order to strengthen collaboration in agricultural research and innovation. In addition, five scholarships were offered in support of academic excellence and national talent for students from the UAEU College of Agriculture in the field of agricultural sustainability and food security. His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that investing in agritech research is a national strategic priority aimed at advancing sustainable local production, harnessing advanced technologies, supporting innovation and building a knowledge-driven economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening food supply chains and tackling regional and global food security challenges in the future. The inauguration ceremony was graced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan; His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Adviser to the UAE President and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU); His Excellency Professor Ahmed Ali Al Raeesi, Acting Vice Chancellor of the UAEU; Salmeen Obaid Al Ameri, CEO of Silal; Dr Mohammed Abdulmuhsen Salem Al Yafei, Acting Dean of UAEU’s College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine; Humaid Al Rumaithi, CEO of Food Security at Silal; and Dr Shamal Mohammed, CEO of Silal’s Innovation Oasis. Salmeen Obaid Alameri, CEO of Silal, said: “Innovation Oasis (iO) is redefining the future of agri-food in the UAE. By harnessing advanced technologies and fostering strategic partnerships, we strengthen the resilience and sustainability of our food system. With a strong focus on research, innovation, and knowledge transfer, we are driving progress and also positioning the UAE at the forefront of global agritech solutions. Additionally, the launch of the iO Advance AgriTech Academy further reinforces our commitment to developing local talent, ensuring that the UAE remains a global leader in agricultural innovation.”‍ ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2877/worlds-first-high-oleic-palm-oil-alternative-produced-entirely-through-the-fermentation-of-microalgae.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2877/worlds-first-high-oleic-palm-oil-alternative-produced-entirely-through-the-fermentation-of-microalgae.html Mon, 28 Apr 2025 11:39:23 +0530 Checkerspot Achieves Breakthrough in Sustainable Oil Production with First-Ever High-Oleic Palm Oil Alternative via Microalgae Fermentation Checkerspot, a pioneering biotechnology company has developed the world’s first high-oleic palm oil alternative produced entirely through microalgae fermentation. Utilizing the microalga Prototheca moriformis, Checkerspot employed classical strain improvement techniques to enhance oil yield and composition. The result is an oil that closely matches the fatty acid profile of conventional high-oleic palm oil, offering over 55% oleic acid and 32% palmitic acid. Notably, this achievement was accomplished without genetic engineering, aligning with growing consumer demand for non-GMO ingredients. “This milestone underscores our commitment to developing domestically produced, sustainable, high-performance alternatives to conventional oils,” said Scott Franklin, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder of Checkerspot. “By leveraging microalgae fermentation, we’ve created a scalable solution that addresses both environmental concerns and the supply chain vulnerabilities associated with the production of tropical fats such as high-oleic palm oil.” A Commercially-Viable High-Oleic Palm Oil Alternative The fermentation process demonstrated scalability from laboratory to industrial levels, achieving oil titers up to 145 grams per liter and oil content comprising approximately 70% of the dry cell weight. This positions Checkerspot’s microalgae-derived oil as a viable alternative for various applications, including food, nutrition and personal care where high oleic palm oil is widely relied upon as a key ingredient. Using the same underlying platform and technology, Checkerspot has already scaled the production of several other alternative oils developed in its lab. With that proof of concept in hand, Checkerspot’s approach to producing a high-oleic palm oil alternative is moving towards commercial viability with work already underway alongside partners in the palm oil alternatives market. Earlier in 2024, Checkerspot announced that it had successfully developed an analog of human breast milk fat. A Sustainable Solution to an Ailing Supply Chain Traditionally, high-oleic palm oil is cultivated in Latin America, particularly in Colombia and Ecuador, where reliance on hybrid pollination systems poses challenges due to high costs, labor intensity, and environmental impact, including deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. Bypassing conventional agriculture and producing oil directly at the molecular level, Checkerspot’s microalgae-based platform offers a clean, consistent, and scalable alternative. Jim Kim of Builders VC and Checkerspot board member says “This technology answers a critical market demand for domestically produced and reliable alternatives to unreliable existing global supply chains. These systems are ailing and with proven technology to address the gap, we’re confident that Checkerspot’s products will play a significant role in improving global nutrition.” The innovation not only mitigates environmental degradation, but also shows the versatility of microalgae as a production system capable of generating tailored oil compositions to meet changing market demands. The development aligns with Checkerspot’s broader mission to harness biotechnology for creating renewable, high-performance ingredients. The company’s platform enables the production of tailored oils and fats, meeting specific functional and nutritional requirements across multiple industries. Checkerspot develops high value triglyceride fats and oils not easily or sustainably sourced from nature, at commercially relevant scale & cost, providing market-ready ingredients. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2884/umami-bioworks-and-singapore-polytechnic-partner-to-cultivate-sustainable-proteins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2884/umami-bioworks-and-singapore-polytechnic-partner-to-cultivate-sustainable-proteins.html Sat, 26 Apr 2025 11:00:33 +0530 The Future Food Innovation Ecosystem, comprising the Future Food Lab (FFL), Food Innovation & Resource Centre (FIRC), at SP campus is envisioned as a centre for sustainable food research, development, and commercialization. Umami Bioworks, a leading cultivated seafood company, has officially set up a new R&D joint laboratory at Singapore Polytechnic (SP), marking an exciting step forward in its mission to strengthen ties within Singapore’s alternative protein ecosystem. This strategic collaboration represents a significant milestone in the journey towards a more sustainable and innovative food future. Through this collaboration, Umami Bioworks and SP’s School of Chemical & Life Sciences (CLS) will offer hands-on training opportunities for SP students looking to build careers in sustainable food and biotechnology. These internships and real-world learning experiences are designed to equip the next generation of food scientists and engineers with the practical skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the cultivated protein industry. By providing students with direct exposure to cutting-edge research anddevelopment processes, Umami Bioworks and SP aim to foster a new generation of skilled talent that is well-prepared to tackle the challenges of the future food landscape. The new R&D joint lab at SP is a part of Umami Bioworks’ broader commitment to Singapore’s innovation ecosystem, including its active role in SP's Future Food Innovation Ecosystem. This initiative underscores the company’s belief that strong local partnerships are key to creating lasting global impact. The Future Food Innovation Ecosystem, comprising the Future Food Lab (FFL), Food Innovation & Resource Centre (FIRC), and other companies co-located on the SP campus, is envisioned as a hub for pioneering research, development, and commercialisation of sustainable food technologies. By being a part of this vibrant ecosystem, Umami Bioworks aims to collaborate with other innovators and stakeholders to further propel the growth of the alternative protein sector in Singapore and beyond. Umami Bioworks specializes in creating cultivated seafood products, focusing on sustainability and innovation in the food industry. The company aims to provide high quality, environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional seafood by utilizing advanced biotechnology. It uses cellular agriculture to produce cultivated seafood. This process involves isolating fish cells, growing them in a controlled environment, and scaling up production to create seafood products that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. The company focuses on replicating the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of traditional seafood while reducing overfishing and environmental impact. “We are excited to be working side by side with Singapore Polytechnic,” said Mihir Pershad, CEO of Umami Bioworks. “This partnership reflects our shared belief in the power of collaboration — bringing together education, research, and industry to help shape a more sustainable and secure global food system. "Our partnership with Umami Bioworks provides SP students with invaluable hands-on opportunities to contribute and learn about the development of sustainable food technologies," stated Dr Tan Tuan Lin, Senior Director, Computing, Chemical & Life Sciences Cluster at Singapore Polytechnic. "These types of partnerships between the Official (Open) industry and academia are critical for driving innovation and building a more sustainable future for all." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2876/sunkist-signs-an-agreement-to-invest-in-sienz-to-accelerate-the-innovation-pipeline-and-develop-new-technologies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2876/sunkist-signs-an-agreement-to-invest-in-sienz-to-accelerate-the-innovation-pipeline-and-develop-new-technologies.html Wed, 23 Apr 2025 09:38:58 +0530 Sienz, a global leader in providing innovative technology solutions for fruit and vegetable packinghouses Sunkist Growers acquired a minority stake in Sienz, a global leader in fruit and vegetable packinghouse technology. With this strategic investment, Sienz assumed full responsibility for providing critical parts, service, and ongoing support to Sunkist's packinghouse equipment customers worldwide. Sienz will also collaborate with Sunkist to develop new technologies. Lisa Park, Chief Financial Officer at Sunkist Growers, Inc. said "With Sienz, we are ensuring to have access to best-in-class technology and service. Our aspirations do not end at the packinghouses but extend to the full value chain – seed to consumer. We need to collect the right data, leverage automation, and apply AI where necessary to deliver the best results for our members, and Sienz can help Sunkist get there." Sebastian Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of Sienz, shared, "We're excited about this new chapter with Sunkist, and we are fully committed to ensuring our strategic alliance delivers exceptional value. Our team will provide top-tier support to ensure all Sunkist customers are well taken care of with our advanced technology and service solutions." Sienz is a global leader in providing innovative technology solutions for fruit and vegetable packinghouses. Founded by industry pioneers, Sienz specializes in advanced optical sorting, grading, and packing equipment designed to enhance efficiency and product quality. Committed to sustainability and customer satisfaction, Sienz partners with growers and packers worldwide to deliver cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving demands of the fresh produce industry. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2860/philippines-launches-vaccine-development-center-at-centrad-campus.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2860/philippines-launches-vaccine-development-center-at-centrad-campus.html Mon, 21 Apr 2025 13:46:53 +0530 P151 million allocated for the facility to develop immunization shots against infectious diseases, particularly African Swine Fever (ASF), Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), and Avian Influenza (AI). The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) officially inaugurated the vaccine unit at the Center for Transboundary Animal Diseases (CenTrAD). This state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the development of shots to immunize animals against infectious diseases, particularly African Swine Fever (ASF), Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), and Avian Influenza (AI). These infectious diseases are major threats to the country’s livestock and poultry industries, as well as national food security. The DA has allocated P151 million for a three-year vaccine development program, which includes the procurement of the government’s first Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory (BSL-3). This type of laboratory allows research on microbes, both indigenous and exotic, that can cause serious or potentially lethal diseases through inhalation. The program aims to deliver vaccine prototypes by 2028 or sooner. Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. explained that while vaccines for ASF, AI and FMD are available internationally, locally developed vaccines based on indigenous strains tend to be more effective in preventing outbreaks. He said a dedicated facility like the vaccine unit at CenTrAD is crucial for addressing the economic losses caused by ASF and AI and for safeguarding the country’s livestock from FMD. The Philippine swine sector has incurred billions in losses since the first ASF outbreak in 2019. The current swine population is only at 60 percent of the nearly 13 million heads before the outbreak. ASF has led to significant job losses, billions in investments and income, and has hindered efforts toward achieving food security. AI, on the other hand, has caused the culling of over 10 million chickens since its first outbreak in 2017. Though the World Organization for Animal Health considers the Philippines to be FMD-free, cases in neighboring countries still pose a substantial risk to the swine and ruminant industries. Like ASF, there is no known cure for FMD. CenTrAD, a joint project of the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry and Central Luzon State University (CLSU), is funded by the DA. It is set to become the leading agency for the diagnosis, surveillance, research, and technology development related to transboundary animal diseases. Located adjacent to the CLSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital, CenTrAD houses laboratories for microbiology, virology, parasitology, histopathology, and molecular assays, along with an epidemiology training and digital analysis room. The construction of the entire facility began in 2019, with an estimated cost of P230 million, and was completed in 2022. The inauguration ceremony was led by Secretary Tiu Laurel, DA Undersecretary for Livestock Dante Palabrica, CLSU President Evaristo Abella, DA National Livestock Program Chief Dr. Claro N. Mingala and Dr. Virginia M. Venturina, Director of CenTrAD. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2834/todd-introduces-the-worlds-first-regenerative-vegetable-and-flower-seeds.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2834/todd-introduces-the-worlds-first-regenerative-vegetable-and-flower-seeds.html Fri, 04 Apr 2025 13:06:09 +0530 Partners with small and medium scale organic and biodynamic farms to restore farmland and surrounding ecosystems Todd, a generative agriculture firm is introducing the world's first regeneratively grown seed products, developed to reverse the damage caused by over-farming and synthetic fertilizers, by exhibiting tolerance to regenerative farming practices that heal the earth. Committed to setting a new standard in regenerative agriculture, Todd has transformed into a renowned agriculture firm by partnering with small and medium scale organic and biodynamic farms to restore farmland and surrounding ecosystems. This restoration is achieved by naturally enriching soil, increasing biodiversity, and restoring watersheds. Todd has earned widespread recognition from world-class farms, retailers, non-profit organizations, and the larger consumer base of Todd's clients, further moving our economy and culture closer towards a regenerative model. This recognition has allowed clients to differentiate themselves in competitive markets and build farm reputation. Beyond Todd's proven environmental impact, regenerative agriculture has the potential to transform what farmers grow, resulting in more nutrient-rich crops. Healthy soil yields thriving crops, and healthier crops combined with ecologically and socially responsible practices, contribute to a healthier world and society. This marks a strategic move for Todd to go beyond regenerative practices and explore further innovations to combat deteriorating soil and food quality, with an industry-first combination of seed products and farm management. Todd's extensive seed production program is built on decades of experience, from variety selection and trialing to final seed production. Todd has consistently maintained its longstanding reputation as the qualitative benchmark for unparalleled standards. Several of Todd's staple seed products include some of the world's rarest and most acclaimed genetics, which the Todd family is credited with saving from near extinction. This approach positions Todd in a category all its own, one focused on healthier food systems, increased biodiversity, strengthened communities, and improved farmer livelihoods. Todd produces its seed products on its own research farms located throughout the US, and in close partnership with several family-owned regenerative farms to trial varieties and produce seed. Every one of the over 2,000 vegetable and flower varieties are produced and tested each year, allowing complete quality control and traceability. Todd's in-house testing lab ensures quality, genetic purity, performance, and tolerance, while guaranteeing germination minimums that far exceed federal standards, and maintaining some of the highest standards in the industry. Todd seed products will be available to active clients who meet program requirements starting in summer 2025. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2828/singapore-scientists-create-fungi-tiles-eco-friendly-thermo-insulation-materials-using-plant-biomaterials-as-a-construction-component.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2828/singapore-scientists-create-fungi-tiles-eco-friendly-thermo-insulation-materials-using-plant-biomaterials-as-a-construction-component.html Wed, 02 Apr 2025 13:06:03 +0530 NTU Singapore invention 'fungi tiles’ can mimic the skin's biological process of regulating heat A team of scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed ‘fungi tiles’ that could one day help to bring the heat down in buildings without consuming energy. These wall tiles are made from a new biomaterial combining fungi's root network – called mycelium – and organic waste. Earlier research has shown that mycelium-bound composites are more energy efficient than conventional building insulation materials such as expanded vermiculite and lightweight expanded clay aggregate. Building on this proven insulating property, the NTU Singapore team worked with local ecology and biomimicry design firm bioSEA to add a bumpy, wrinkly texture to the tile, mimicking an elephant’s ability to regulate heat from its skin. Elephants do not have sweat glands and rely on these wrinkles and crevices on their skin to regulate heat. In laboratory experiments, the scientists found that the cooling rate of their elephant skin-inspired mycelium tile was 25 per cent better than a fully flat mycelium tile, and the heating rate was 2 per cent lower. They also found that the elephant skin-inspired tile’s cooling effect improved a further 70 per cent in simulated rain conditions, making it suitable for tropical climates. The construction industry accounts for nearly 40 per cent of all energy-related emissions worldwide, so the search for eco-friendly insulation materials is critical. NTU’s Associate Professor Hortense Le Ferrand, who led the study, said mycelium-bound composites could be a promising alternative. Assoc Prof Le Ferrand, who holds a joint appointment at NTU’s Schools of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) and Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), said: “Insulation materials are increasingly integrated into building walls to enhance energy efficiency, but these are mostly synthetic and come with environmental consequences throughout their life cycle. Mycelium-bound composite is a biodegradable material that is highly porous, which makes it a good insulator. In fact, its thermal conductivity is comparable to or better than some of the synthetic insulating materials used in buildings today. “We worked closely with bioSEA to integrate natural design principles that can optimise its performance as a building insulator. The result is a promising proof of concept that takes us one step closer to efficient, sustainable, and cheaper passive cooling solutions in hot and humid conditions.” Dr Anuj Jain, the Founding Director of bioSEA explained the inspiration behind the elephant-linked innovation: “Elephants are large animals that live in hot and sometimes humid tropical climates. To withstand the heat, elephants evolved to develop a skin that is heavily wrinkled which increases water retention and cools the animal by evaporation. We were inspired by how an elephant could cool itself in hot weather without sweat glands, and tried to see how we could replicate the same cooling mechanisms of shading, trapping cool air, and increasing the surface area for water to evaporate.” This study, published in Energy & Buildings in February, builds on Assoc Prof Le Ferrand’s work on possible uses for mycelium-bound composites, such as for greener construction materials. Turning fungi into a functional material Mycelium-bound composites are created by growing fungi on organic matter such as sawdust or agricultural waste. As the fungus grows, it binds the organic matter into a solid, porous composite. For this study, the NTU scientists used the mycelium of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) – a commonly found fungus – and bamboo shavings collected from a furniture shop. These two components were mixed with oats and water and packed into a hexagonal mould with an elephant skin-inspired texture designed by bioSEA using computational modelling and algorithms to select the optimal design. The mycelium tiles were left to grow in the dark for two weeks, then removed from the hexagonal mould and left to grow in the same conditions for another two weeks. Finally, the tiles were dried in an oven at 48°C for three days. This final step removes any remaining moisture, prohibiting further mycelial growth. Elephant skin-inspired texture improves heat regulation Previous research has shown that mycelium-bound composites have thermal conductivity comparable to conventional building insulation materials like glass wool and extruded polystyrene. To assess how an elephant skin-inspired texture affects the mycelium tile’s heat regulation, the scientists heated mycelium tiles on a 100°C hot plate for 15 minutes and tracked temperature changes using an infrared camera. They found that the elephant skin-inspired tile absorbed heat more slowly. When its bumpy textured surface faced the heat source, its temperature increased by 5.01°C per minute, compared to 5.85°C per minute when its flat surface was exposed to heat. As a control, the scientists also heated a flat mycelium tile and found it gained 5.11°C per minute. To measure the tile’s cooling efficiency, the scientists heated one side at 100°C for 15 minutes, then exposed it to ambient conditions (22°C, 80% humidity) and measured temperature changes on the tile’s opposite side. The elephant-skin-inspired tile cooled fastest when heated from the flat side, losing 4.26°C per minute. When heated from the textured side, its flat side lost 3.12°C per minute. The fully flat control tile lost 3.56°C per minute. Based on these findings, the scientists recommended installing the tiles with the flat side adhered to the building façade and the textured surface exposed to external heat for optimal thermal performance (See image in Notes to Editor for how tiles could be used). Tiles perform better in wet weather To simulate the effect of rain on the tiles, the scientists heated the tiles as described earlier. While allowing them to cool, the scientists sprayed water onto the tiles at one-minute intervals over a 15-minute period. When misted on its bumpy side, the elephant skin-inspired tile lost 7.27°C per minute – a 70 per cent improvement compared to its performance in dry conditions. The scientists attributed this effect to the mycelium-bound composite’s hydrophobic nature. “The fungal skin that develops on the tile’s surface repels water, allowing droplets to remain on the surface rather than roll off immediately. This promotes evaporative cooling, increasing the cooling rate,” explained Eugene Soh, an NTU researcher and the study’s first author. Building on this proof of concept, the scientists are now exploring ways to enhance the tiles for real-world use, such as increasing their mechanical stability and durability or using different mycelium strains. The scientists are also working with local start-up Mykílio to scale up the size of the mycelium tiles and conduct outdoor tests on building façades. A challenge they foresee in scaling up the production of the tiles is the time needed to grow the mycelium tiles. While it requires minimal energy resources, the process takes three to four weeks. The scientists also expect high inertia towards using mycelium tiles as an alternative construction material due to the well-established infrastructure in production, storage, and transportation of common insulating materials. Said Assoc Prof Le Ferrand: “We’ve developed a promising eco-friendly alternative that transforms waste into a valuable resource while rethinking conventional thermal management materials. This opens the pathway for more elephant skin-inspired designs and the use of different mycelium strains to overcome the challenges that come with using mycelium tiles as an alternative construction material.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2816/global-leaders-convene-to-set-the-trajectory-of-agricultural-innovation-and-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2816/global-leaders-convene-to-set-the-trajectory-of-agricultural-innovation-and-production.html Fri, 28 Mar 2025 16:11:54 +0530 At the DialogueNEXT more Than 115 Organizations Join Nobel, World Food Prize Laureates’ Call for Agricultural ‘Moonshot’ to Eliminate Hunger The World Food Prize Foundation convened a meeting of World Food Prize Laureates, Nobel Laureates, business leaders, policy makers, scientists, innovators and youth at DialogueNEXT in Washington, D.C. on March 25, 2025. The theme, A Root Awakening, reflects the stark realization that the current trajectory of agricultural production is veering dangerously away from meeting the food and nutrition needs of an expanding population. More than 115 organizations have endorsed the call from 153 Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates for “moonshot” efforts to address rising hunger worldwide. The letter – released earlier this year – underlined the urgent need for agricultural innovation to avoid a hunger catastrophe in the next 25 years, especially as climate change is already threatening the production of staple foods. The organizations come from a wide range of sectors, from research and academic to industry and nonprofit. They include one of the world’s biggest philanthropic organizations, The Rockefeller Foundation, prestigious research hub Wageningen University and Research and leading nutrition nonprofit, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). Signatories represent all regions of the globe, including the EARTH University in Costa Rica, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation in India, AfricaRice Center in Côte d'Ivoire and Australia’s Crawford Fund, amongst others. The original letter from the Laureates warned that the world was “not even close” to meeting future food needs, with an estimated 700 million people going hungry today and an additional 1.5 billion people to feed by 2050. The letter predicted humanity would face an “even more food insecure, unstable world” by mid-century unless the international community ramped up support for the latest research and innovation. Laureate signatories included Robert Woodrow Wilson, who won the 1978 Nobel Prize for Physics for his discovery that supported the big bang theory of creation and the 14th Dalai Lama. The effort was coordinated by Cary Fowler, joint 2024 World Food Prize Laureate, the former U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security. Other World Food Prize Laureates to join the call were NASA climate scientist Cynthia Rosenzweig, Ethiopian-American plant breeder and U.S. National Media of Science Recipient Gebisa Ejeta and Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank. “The International Seed Federation, representing tens of thousands of seed and plant breeding companies across more than 70 countries, is proud to join this global coalition by endorsing the Laureate Letter 2025,” said Michael Keller, Secretary General, International Seed Federation. “By signing this letter, we reaffirm that innovation in seed and plant breeding, supported by robust, science-based policy frameworks, is critical to tackling two of the most pressing challenges of our time: food insecurity and the climate crisis.” The announcement comes as the World Food Prize Foundation meets with agrifood experts, academics, business leaders and policymakers in Washington, D.C. to confront the challenge of feeding a growing global population over the next 25 years. DialogueNEXT will explore the measures needed in agricultural innovation to ensure 9.7 billion people have access to nutritious food. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2811/revolutionary-powdery-mildew-resistant-cultivars-discovered-by-aurora-cannabis.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2811/revolutionary-powdery-mildew-resistant-cultivars-discovered-by-aurora-cannabis.html Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:26:00 +0530 Groundbreaking research at Aurora Coast, Aurora's world-class research and development facility, sets new standard in cannabis science Aurora Cannabis Inc., the Canadian-based leading global medical cannabis company, is pleased to announce the Company's discovery of a novel source of genetic resistance against powdery mildew, PM2, that provides strong protection against this pathogen in cannabis sativa. The development of this proprietary genetic marker technology, which is now in use in Aurora's breeding program, is set to produce powdery mildew resistant cultivars that will be explored for commercial launch this year. "This discovery offers a critical solution to a pressing challenge in the cannabis industry worldwide. At Aurora Coast, our state-of-the-art research and development facility, we continuously search for ways to add value to our proprietary cannabis cultivars, and this discovery will lead to new means of managing disease in cannabis production. This success story underscores the impact of our investment in scientific excellence, a commitment that sets Aurora apart from our competitors," says Lana Culley, Vice President of Innovation and International Operations at Aurora. In the peer reviewed research lead by Jose Celedon, Principal Scientist of Breeding and Genetics at Aurora, in collaboration with researchers at The University of British Columbia, it is noted that, "breeding genetic resistance to economically important crop diseases is the most sustainable strategy for disease management and enhancing agricultural and horticultural productivity, particularly where the application of synthetic pesticides is prohibited" (Seifi, et al.). The discovery of PM2 will further the company's mission to enhance the biosecurity of production facilities, reduce production costs, and improve product quality. As a global medical cannabis company enabled by science, Aurora's dedication to scientific research and innovation has led to remarkable advancements, notably boosting potency and yield. These improvements have overall reduced costs and increased efficiency. This cutting-edge genetic research and development differentiates Aurora from others in the industry, as it aims to surpass traditional breeding limitations, leading to advanced cultivation methods and new market opportunities worldwide. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2809/international-advanced-technology-application-and-promotion-center-for-strawberries-inaugurated-in-yangcheng-jiangsu-province-china.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2809/international-advanced-technology-application-and-promotion-center-for-strawberries-inaugurated-in-yangcheng-jiangsu-province-china.html Thu, 27 Mar 2025 12:06:32 +0530 International Strawberry Symposium provided an effective method for achieving this goal "Strawberry from coast to plateau". A major international event in the strawberry industry, the 10th International Strawberry Symposium opened on March 16th to 21st, 2025 in Yancheng, China. The symposium welcomed global participants to China after 13 years, making it one of the most influential global strawberry events. Yancheng is a well-known strawberry growing area and production base in China. A key theme of the symposium, "Quality, Germplasm, Brand, Innovation," illustrated humanity's objectives concerning strawberry development. The event was organized by the Beijing Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS), The International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), Chinese Society for Horticultural Science (CSHS), Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the People's Government of Yancheng City. In Jiangsu Province, Yancheng is a significant strawberry production region, with a planting area of 13,000 mu (approximately 866 hectares) and an annual production of around 30,000 tons. Strawberry production is also carried out in the country's largest greenhouse. Over 20,000 hectares of strawberry fields cover Jiangsu Province, generating an annual output of 600,000 tons. A wide range of high-quality fresh strawberries and related processed products are supplied to markets around the globe from Jiangsu. During the event, 12 new strawberry varieties were introduced, including Yanmei No. 1, Jingxiang No. 2, Yanli, Jiande Red, Ji Jiu, and Zhongmei Xiangyu. A variety of strawberry substrates, production machinery, irrigation systems, water-soluble fertilizers, and cultivation systems were also displayed. International Advanced Technology Application and Promotion Center for Strawberries was unveiled jointly by Bruno Mezzetti, Chairman of the Berry Section of the International Society for Horticultural Science, and Ma Zhenghua, Secretary of the District Party Committee. Additionally, the Yandu Strawberry Industry Research Institute of Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences was officially launched at the conference. Since the strawberry growing fields in China cover a wide range of altitudes, from -100 meters to 3900 meters, the symposium provided an effective method for achieving this goal "Strawberry from coast to plateau". X ISS provided a forum for international professional exchange between researchers, academics, technicians, students, sales representatives and other professionals from the sector, establishing new collaborations and enhancing professional contacts. Additionally, the X ISS held exhibitions on strawberry production and research, including an exhibition of equipment and technology used in strawberry production by major domestic and international strawberry producers, in addition to invited lectures, oral presentations in various sessions, and technical visits. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2798/agmatix-and-basf-partner-to-develop-soybean-cyst-nematode-detection-tool.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2798/agmatix-and-basf-partner-to-develop-soybean-cyst-nematode-detection-tool.html Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:23:05 +0530 Aims to empower soybean growers with real-time, scalable insights to mitigate yield losses caused by soybean cyst nematode (SCN) Agmatix, a leading provider of AI-powered agronomic solutions, announced a strategic collaboration with BASF, one of the world’s largest chemical and agricultural solutions companies, to develop a cutting-edge digital solution for detecting – and predicting – the presence of soybean cyst nematode (SCN). This collaboration started through AgroStart, an open innovation and partnership platform by BASF, that aims to empower soybean growers with real-time, scalable insights to mitigate yield losses caused by SCN, one of the most damaging and often invisible soybean pests. By providing accurate, predictive data on SCN infestations, the Agmatix-BASF collaboration paves the way for future innovations in pest management and digital agriculture. The joint effort represents a significant leap forward in integrating digital agriculture with crop protection strategies, demonstrating how advanced analytics can drive on-farm decision-making and improve agronomic outcomes.  A Unique, Data-Driven Approach  At the heart of this initiative is Axiom, an advanced AI technology engine developed by Agmatix, which transforms vast amounts of raw agronomic data into highly standardized and enriched datasets. This rigorous data process enables the development of a robust machine-learning model capable of detecting and predicting SCN infestations with unprecedented accuracy and scalability.  Dr. Shai Sela, Chief Scientist at Agmatix. “By harmonizing and enriching SCN field trial data through our AI driven platform, we can ensure consistent, reliable outputs – regardless of region, soil type or cropping conditions. It’s a novel approach that dramatically increases the model’s predictive power, putting actionable insights directly into the hands of growers.”  Combining Expertise for Scalable Impact  Developed through AgroStart by BASF, this initiative combines Agmatix’s AI-driven agronomic platform with the deep expertise of BASF in seed and crop protection solutions and will foster the development of a scalable, user-friendly digital model. The tool will integrate with existing farm management practices, enabling users to access near real-time SCN risk assessments and tailor their pest management strategies accordingly.  “Collaborating with companies like Agmatix allows us to leverage advanced digital technologies and artificial intelligence in parallel with our existing seed and trait, seed treatment and crop protection solutions,” said Mika Eberl, Head of AgroStart and Digital Officer at BASF Agricultural Solutions. “This collaboration not only enhances our current offerings but also complements our future innovations like Nemasphere™, providing growers with a comprehensive, proactive approach to safeguard their soybean yields against SCN.” Addressing the Most Destructive Threat to Soybean Growers  SCN remains the leading pest in soybeans, with infestations frequently going undetected until yields are significantly affected. Traditional detection methods, such as soil sampling or mid-season root digs, are time-consuming, labor-intensive and not widely adopted. A digital tool could help create awareness and compliment these traditional methods. Ron Baruchi, President & CEO at Agmatix said “By digitizing large volumes of field trial data within Axiom, we believe our machine learning model will give growers the power to act before SCN causes irreversible damage.” With planting-time decisions crucial for effective SCN control, growers need a more efficient, scalable solution to detect and forecast pest pressure.  With €919 million in 2024, BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division invests in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action. For farmers, growers, and our other stakeholders along the value chain, BSAF solutions help deliver the best possible outcomes by connecting seeds, traits, crop protection products, digital tools, and sustainability approaches. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2788/indigo-ag-secures-1-5m-from-google-for-regenerative-agriculture-program-in-oklahoma.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2788/indigo-ag-secures-1-5m-from-google-for-regenerative-agriculture-program-in-oklahoma.html Mon, 17 Mar 2025 08:44:19 +0530 Collaboration empowers farmers to adopt practices to address water scarcity  Indigo Ag and Google have joined forces to scale up adoption of regenerative agriculture practices to replenish nearly one and a half billion gallons of water over the next seven years. Google's $1.5 million contribution supports regenerative agriculture on enrolled farms in Oklahoma, expected to result in increased soil moisture and water retention. Through Indigo Ag's regenerative agriculture program, supported by Google, farmers receive incentives to implement regenerative practices, such as cover cropping and no-till farming. These practices improve soil-water retention, facilitate groundwater recharge, and improve crop drought resilience, contributing to sustainable farming ecosystems. The resulting water savings supports Google's 2030 goal to replenish 120% of its freshwater consumption across its offices and data centers, while also working to improve watershed health in the communities where it operates. This first-of-its-kind agreement for Indigo Ag is another key milestone in its expanding portfolio of trusted and robust sustainability solutions alongside a global leader and major household name in technology and sustainability initiatives. "Our ongoing focus on quality and reliability, and working with our network of outstanding partners will enable us to quickly engage farmers to effectively meet Google's needs," said Dean Banks, CEO at Indigo Ag. "Our collaboration is another step toward verifiable positive impact on natural resources, the environment and climate through our robust and trusted mitigation strategies. We look forward to working with Google and other tech companies to ensure the environmental sustainability of data centers here and across the world." "We are thrilled to work with Google in bringing agriculture to life as a water and climate solution and we believe this initiative can serve as a useful model to enable technology leaders to meet their climate and stewardship goals," said Ewan Lamont, Head of Sustainability Solutions at Indigo Ag. "This collaboration between Indigo Ag and Google demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting healthy watersheds in the communities where we operate," said Ben Townsend, Head of Infrastructure Strategy & Sustainability, Google. "By providing farmers with the necessary resources to adopt water-saving practices, we're demonstrating how sustainable agriculture can create tangible, positive change for watersheds in Oklahoma." Program DetailsThe program begins this fall and will run through 2032. The initiative is expected to impact several thousand acres in the relevant watersheds for Google's data center in Pryor, Oklahoma. Water replenishment is estimated using a widely accepted process-based model that simulates the impacts of weather, soil, crop and land management practices on water quantity. Indigo Ag's approach is consistent with its longstanding commitment to measurable and independently verifiable outcomes for our sustainability solutions. This program is also aligned with Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting guidance for corporate water stewardship. Indigo Ag's existing measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) platform, data collection, and farmer enrollment capabilities allow for immediate implementation ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2783/saudi-arabias-kaust-developing-robotic-system-to-improve-date-palm-harvesting.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2783/saudi-arabias-kaust-developing-robotic-system-to-improve-date-palm-harvesting.html Wed, 12 Mar 2025 01:10:39 +0530 "Robotic farmers", with Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model leverages AI robotics for reliable farming and greater efficiency Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST ) has developed an automated robotic system designed to automate date palm harvesting. The artificial intelligence-powered robotics to automate key date farming processes, such as harvesting, pollination and tree maintenance, which will yield more nutritious dates in larger yields.   KAUST Assistant Professor Shinkyu Park is leading research that uses Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model that can allow smaller farmers to benefit from the technology without the burden of purchasing the robots outright. Field trials are scheduled to begin during the 2025 harvest season, with full operational capability expected within three years. Park's solution, "robotic farmers", combines robotics for reliable farming and AI for greater efficiency. The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage – to itself or the fruit. By equipping them with high-precision visual sensors, the robotic farmers can distinguish individual dates, flowers, and tree structures to execute various farming tasks like harvesting, spraying, and pruning, which ensures the health, productivity, and longevity of the trees and reduces the risk of pest infestations and diseases. With the AI component of the system, robots will be able to learn much faster than humans, while the best farmers spend decades developing their expertise.  By the end of the project, Park hopes to have his robotic farmers handle dates of varying sizes and firmness while maximizing their harvest rate. A robot's ability to operate and collect data will be enhanced by AI, similar to how farmers learn by working in the fields.   Through the system, Saudi Arabia hopes to disrupt the agriculture industry and become a leader in innovation in agriculture. The project is just one of many at KAUST that will benefit date farming and food security. At the end of 2024, the National Center for Palms and Dates signed an agreement to fund SAR 100 million ($25M) to KAUST for innovations in the date sector.    The Saudi diet has been dominated by dates for thousands of years. Date exports by the Kingdom have increased 10% between 2022 and 2023, and another 10% between 2023 and 2024. In date farming, ripeness has been determined by understanding the color and texture of the date and by the farmers' physical stamina, as they climb tall trees and cut off their harvest with knives and sharp objects. The ability to automate these processes - both the evaluation of the date fruit and the harvest - will allow date suppliers to supply higher quality dates more reliably and reduce worker risk.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2769/singapores-smart-researchers-pioneer-first-of-its-kind-nanosensor-for-real-time-iron-detection-in-plants.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2769/singapores-smart-researchers-pioneer-first-of-its-kind-nanosensor-for-real-time-iron-detection-in-plants.html Wed, 05 Mar 2025 13:18:27 +0530 Real-time, non-destructive monitoring of iron uptake, transport, and changes between its different forms, such as Fe(II) and Fe(III) Singapore researchers have developed a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent nanosensor capable of simultaneously detecting and differentiating between iron forms - Fe(II) and Fe(III) - in living plants.  A ground-breaking innovation was developed by the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) interdisciplinary research group (IRG) at Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT's Singapore research enterprise. It was developed in collaboration with the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Iron is crucial for plant health, supporting photosynthesis, respiration, and enzyme function. It primarily exists in two forms: Fe(II), which is readily available for plants to absorb and use, and Fe(III), which must first be converted into Fe(II) before plants can utilise it effectively. Traditional methods only measure total iron, missing the distinction between these forms – a key factor in plant nutrition. Distinguishing between Fe(II) and Fe(III) provides insights into iron uptake efficiency, helps diagnose deficiencies or toxicities, and enables precise fertilisation strategies in agriculture, reducing waste and environmental impact while improving crop productivity. This first-of-its-kind nanosensor by SMART researchers enables real-time, non-destructive monitoring of iron uptake, transport, and changes between its different forms, such as Fe(II) and Fe(III) – providing precise and detailed observations of iron dynamics. Its high spatial resolution allows precise localisation of iron in plant tissues or subcellular compartments, enabling the measuring of even minute changes in iron levels within plants - these minute changes can inform how a plant handles stress and uses nutrients.  Traditional detection methods are destructive or limited to a single form of iron. This new technology enables the diagnosis of deficiencies and optimisation of fertilisation strategies. By identifying insufficient or excessive iron intake, adjustments can be made to enhance plant health, reduce waste, and support more sustainable agriculture. While the nanosensor was tested on spinach and bok choy, it is species-agnostic, allowing it to be applied across a diverse range of plant species without genetic modification. This capability enhances our understanding of iron dynamics in various ecological settings, providing comprehensive insights into plant health and nutrient management. As a result, it serves as a valuable tool for both fundamental plant research and agricultural applications, supporting precision nutrient management, reducing fertiliser waste, and improving crop health. “Iron is essential for plant growth and development, but monitoring its levels in plants has been a challenge. This breakthrough sensor is the first of its kind to detect both Fe(II) and Fe(III) in living plants with real-time, high-resolution imaging. With this technology, we can ensure plants receive the right amount of iron, improving crop health and agricultural sustainability,” said Dr Duc Thinh Khong, DiSTAP research scientist and co-lead author of the paper. “In enabling non-destructive real-time tracking of iron speciation in plants, this sensor opens new avenues for understanding plant iron metabolism and the implications of different iron variations for plants. Such knowledge will help guide the development of tailored management approaches to improve crop yield and more cost-effective soil fertilisation strategies,” said Dr Grace Tan, TLL Research Scientist. The new nanosensor features single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) wrapped in a negatively charged fluorescent polymer, forming a helical corona phase structure that interacts differently with Fe(II) and Fe(III). Upon introduction into plant tissues and interaction with iron, the sensor emits distinct NIR fluorescence signals based on the iron type, enabling real-time tracking of iron movement and chemical changes. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2766/bayer-introduces-vyconic-soybeans-a-groundbreaking-advance-in-weed-management.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2766/bayer-introduces-vyconic-soybeans-a-groundbreaking-advance-in-weed-management.html Wed, 05 Mar 2025 13:01:33 +0530 Crop Science division of Bayer announced the introduction of Vyconic™ soybeans, a new trait technology that will be the first to feature five herbicide tolerances all in one breakthrough trait. The unveiling took place at Commodity Classic 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Vyconic soybeans will represent a leap forward in weed control, enabling farmers to manage their fields with unparalleled flexibility. Key Highlights of Vyconic Soybeans: Five Herbicide Tolerances in One Trait: Vyconic soybeans will be the first in the industry to offer tolerance to five herbicides: dicamba, glufosinate, mesotrione, 2,4-D and glyphosate. This complex trait package will provide farmers with unparalleled flexibility to enable excellent weed control programs based on their specific needs and individual preferences. Two Additional Herbicide Tolerance Options: With mesotrione and 2,4-D, Bayer is adding two new herbicide tolerances to its previous generation of soybean traits. Both herbicides are effective against a wide range of broadleaf weeds, including Palmer amaranth and waterhemp. Excellent Yield Potential From Industry-Leading Genetics: Vyconic soybeans will feature the very latest soybean genetics along with various beneficial agronomic traits to deliver outstanding yield potential. “Vyconic soybeans will offer farmers an unparalleled level of flexibility and control options in their weed management practices,” said Kacy Perry, North America soybean business lead, Crop Science division of Bayer. “Bayer knows that no two fields are alike, and that's why it’s important to provide farmers with products like Vyconic soybeans that empower them to create custom weed management plans that fit their specific needs, which could lead to increased effectiveness, better outcomes and, ultimately, higher yield potential.” Vyconic soybeans will offer several critical benefits for soybean farmers: Unparalleled Weed Control Flexibility: Will enable the use of five herbicides for a more robust integrated weed management program to help address specific field needs and challenges. Multiple Effective Weed Management Options: Broad-spectrum herbicide options will enable a wide range of weeds to be managed, pending EPA approval. Proactive Resistance Management: Enabling the use of multiple herbicides with different modes of action will help reduce the likelihood that weeds will develop resistance. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2747/syngenta-to-establish-its-third-global-crop-innovation-center-in-shanghai.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2747/syngenta-to-establish-its-third-global-crop-innovation-center-in-shanghai.html Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:30 +0530 Syngenta Group's largest global R&D investment in Shanghai's Jinshan district Syngenta Group has unveiled plans to set up its third global crop protection innovation hub in Shanghai, marking a major expansion of the agricultural tech giant’s research and development capabilities in China and globally. The new center will focus on developing crop protection products, formulation technologies, and integrated pest management solutions. Its research will span novel chemicals, biologicals, soil health, and sustainable chemistry, with a particular emphasis on rice innovation. The upcoming facility, to be located in Shanghai’s Jinshan district, will join existing centers in Stein, Switzerland and Jealott’s Hill, United Kingdom, the Basel-based company announced yesterday. The Shanghai center represents “the largest investment in R&D since the formation of Syngenta Group,” Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rowe said in an interview with Yicai. The group was formed in 2020, when Syngenta, Adama, and Sinochem Holdings’ agricultural businesses were merged. Syngenta signed a framework strategic cooperation agreement with the Jinshan district authorities on Feb 17, while its parent company Sinochem Holdings inked a deal with the city government. An Open and Global Platform The Shanghai center will have research laboratories, scientific greenhouses, and climate-controlled chambers, with the first phase scheduled to begin operations in 2028. The facility, which will eventually host 300 researchers from China and abroad, will function as an open innovation platform in collaboration with Chinese universities, research institutions, and industry partners. Jeff Rowe, Chief executive officer of Syngenta Group emphasized the new center’s role in Syngenta’s global operations. He noted the importance of data exchange and personnel movements between centers. Rowe also pointed out that the ability to enhance Syngenta's rice expertise will benefit both the Chinese and global markets. AI-Powered Agriculture Discussing artificial intelligence’s impact on agriculture, Rowe revealed that Syngenta extensively uses machine learning models in research projects for most of its crop protection products. The Shanghai center will embed AI and digital technologies throughout its operations. Rowe, also drew attention to the importance of access for small farmers to digital tools, such as satellite imagery, drones, and soil probes to capture more data, especially in China. Rowe said that farmers typically lack access to the best information, adding that these advances allow Syngenta to scale much more efficiently to those farmers. The Modern Agriculture Platform, or MAP centers, of Syngenta in China illustrates this digital transformation. The company plans to expand these agricultural service centers to 1,000 by 2028, increasing the income of farmers by 8 % over those who do not receive services. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2734/gates-agricultural-innovations-and-corteva-collaborate-to-accelerate-agriculture-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2734/gates-agricultural-innovations-and-corteva-collaborate-to-accelerate-agriculture-innovation.html Wed, 19 Feb 2025 12:04:02 +0530 To build climate resilience while increasing crop productivity for smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One) and Corteva, Inc. a global agriculture technology company, have embarked into a new collaboration to accelerate agricultural innovations in support of global food security.  Leveraging Corteva’s global leadership in agricultural innovation along with Gates Ag One’s mission to accelerate the most promising agricultural innovations into the hands of smallholder farmers, the collaboration aims to lead the development of novel seed technologies, to boost sustainable crop productivity while building climate resilience. Crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, are today only around a third of the global average, and smallholder farmers are among the most impacted by climate change despite being among the least responsible for its impact. By 2050, climate change could reduce yields for some crops by up to 35 percent.  “It’s exciting to imagine the possibilities that a collaboration like this could help deliver,” said Joe Cornelius, CEO of Gates Ag One. “This is especially important for Gates Ag One’s mission to ensure that agricultural innovations can better meet the needs and realities of smallholder farmers.” As a non-profit, Gates Ag One’s mission is governed by a Global Access policy, which means that technologies will be made more widely available and affordably accessible to their intended beneficiaries, namely smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The collaboration is a long-term effort targeting a range of promising discoveries and will leverage Corteva’s industry-leading capabilities in biotechnology and gene editing with the goal of delivering breakthrough impacts. These include discoveries relevant to improved nutrient symbiosis in crops to make better use of nutrients already present in the air and soil. While still in early stages, this advancement could enable greater productivity, and environmental and climate sustainability. Sam Eathington, Chief Technology and Digital Officer of Corteva Agriscience. explained, “Collaborations like this will not only expand global access to advanced technologies, but deliver breakthroughs that benefit farmers and consumers by making it possible to grow more food on roughly the same amount of land.” Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One) is a non-profit organization that accelerates breakthrough agricultural research to meet the urgent and neglected needs of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Out of the conviction that all lives have equal value, Gates Ag One serves the interests of smallholder farmers, who are most exposed to climate shocks yet lack the access that others have to the latest agricultural innovations. Gates Ag One works to level the playing field and empower smallholder farmers to transform their agricultural productivity, nutrition security and climate resilience. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2635/delta-electronics-powers-singapores-national-coral-restoration-efforts-with-advanced-automation-and-monitoring-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2635/delta-electronics-powers-singapores-national-coral-restoration-efforts-with-advanced-automation-and-monitoring-technology.html Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:24:30 +0530 Delta aims to cultivate up to 10,000 corals annually for the next 10 years Delta, a global leader in power management and IoT-based smart green solutions, has joined the National Parks Board of Singapore’s (NParks) 100k Corals Initiative to support coral reef restoration. Beyond financial support, Delta is contributing its industrial automation expertise and advanced engineering solutions to the new coral culture facility at the Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre on St John’s Island. It aims to cultivate up to 10,000 corals annually for the next 10 years. “Delta is dedicated to driving sustainability through innovation. By advancing smart technologies, we aim to create more efficient and impactful solutions for a greener future,” said Victor Cheng, Board Member of the Delta Environmental and Educational Foundation. “We are proud to contribute to the restoration of Singapore’s coral reefs by providing cutting edge automation and monitoring solutions. Through this collaborative effort, we look forward to strengthening the country’s marine biodiversity and supporting its long-term environmental goals. Leveraging Smart Technologies to Support Sustainable Coral Reef Restoration Delta is leveraging its proficiency in smart energy-saving systems, industrial automation, and building solutions to collaborate with NParks and coral restoration experts and researchers from the National University of Singapore at St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML). This partnership will enhance technical capacity for large-scale restoration and help strengthen the resilience of Singapore’s reefs. Marine conservation has long been a focus for Delta. In Taiwan, the company and the foundation worked with marine experts to develop coral nurseries and protect coastal reefs, using advanced automation systems to create controlled environments that foster coral resilience and optimal growth conditions. These efforts have significantly contributed to reef restoration in Taiwan’s waters. Recently, Delta achieved a significant biodiversity milestone by becoming the first corporation in Taiwan to serve as an official observer to the CBD COP16 through the Delta Foundation, showcasing its coral restoration efforts and commitment to restoring 10,000 coral colonies by 2025 as part of its ESG strategy. In Singapore, Delta will support the creation of ideal growing conditions for corals in land based aquaculture tanks through its automation and monitoring systems. The Smart Coral Aquaculture System will integrate technologies such as redundant Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), sensors for water quality monitoring, and wave makers to ensure good water mixing throughout the tanks. Additionally, a chiller system trialled by NUS researchers will manage water temperature, ensuring system reliability and optimal conditions for coral growth. Delta has enhanced the new coral culture facility to scale up restoration efforts with a custom tank control and monitoring system, energy monitoring system, alarm systems, and surveillance trackers. Key features of the Smart Coral Aquaculture System include: Monitoring and Protection • VTScada System is used for remote monitoring and continuous connectivity. • E-Fence Solution for culture tanks, providing after-hours protection and detecting unauthorised access by humans. Reliability and Efficiency • UPS power backup to ensure uninterrupted operations during outages. • Delta’s control topology helps maintain water temperature within the desired range, preventing chiller overruns and reducing energy waste. Environmental Optimization • System integration for environmental sensors, control systems and wave-making technologies that create ideal growth conditions for corals. Research Support • Data-driven insights—such as salinity and water temperature—are critical for cultivating corals. The 100k Corals Initiative seeks to plant 100,000 corals in Singapore over 10 years and beyond, incorporating research, cultivation, restoration, and education. Singapore’s southern waters, home to over 250 coral species, face climate change and development threats. Coral reefs naturally protect against erosion and support coastal resilience. Leveraging advanced technologies, Delta aims to enhance coral resilience, align with sustainable development goals, and help safeguard Singapore’s marine biodiversity for future generations. This initiative has received over $2 million in support from its donors, including Delta (approximately $1.7 million) through contributions to the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and IPC. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2633/silal-and-bayer-advance-agricultural-innovation-partnership-with-comprehensive-memorandum-of-understanding.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2633/silal-and-bayer-advance-agricultural-innovation-partnership-with-comprehensive-memorandum-of-understanding.html Fri, 13 Dec 2024 11:13:41 +0530 The agreement outlines four key initiatives: Digital Farming Solutions, Forward Farming Model, Agricultural Capacity Building & Traceability, and Vegetable Seed Trials Silal and Bayer expand their strategic partnership through a detailed Memorandum of Understanding, building on their successful collaboration announced in 2023. The agreement outlines four key initiatives: Digital Farming Solutions, Forward Farming Model, Agricultural Capacity Building & Traceability, and Vegetable Seed Trials / Partnership advances UAE's agricultural innovation goals while addressing climate change challenges through sustainable farming practices Silal and Bayer, a global leader in life sciences with a strong focus on healthcare and nutrition, have strengthened their commitment to agricultural innovation in the UAE through the signing of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in Dubai. This milestone builds upon the successful partnership established between the organizations in December 2023. The MoU outlines an ambitious program of collaboration through 2028, focusing on four key initiatives designed to advance agricultural practices in desert environments while addressing climate change challenges. The MoU was signed during a ceremony attended by key stakeholders from both organizations and the agricultural sector. Under the expanded partnership, Silal and Bayer will collaborate on developing cutting-edge digital farming solutions specifically tailored for the region's unique agricultural needs. A cornerstone of the collaboration will be the potential establishment of a ForwardFarming[2] demonstration site at Silal Innovation Oasis, showcasing sustainable desert farming practices. The partnership will also scale up agricultural capacity building through Bayer's BayG.A.P. program[3], with particular emphasis on regenerative agriculture practices suitable for arid climates. A key innovation in this phase includes the implementation of digital monitoring and verification platforms to ensure the effective adoption of sustainable farming practices. Additionally, the collaboration encompasses the extension of comprehensive vegetable seed trials aimed at identifying crops better suited to local growing conditions and market demands. Salmeen Al Ameri, CEO at Silal, commented on the expansion of the partnership: "This MoU marks a significant advancement in our collaboration with Bayer. By combining our local expertise with Bayer's global technological capabilities, we are creating a framework for sustainable agricultural innovation that will benefit UAE farmers and reinforce our commitment to local food production." Hugo Hagen, Senior Bayer Representative – Middle East at Bayer, stated: "The signing of this MoU represents a major step forward in our partnership with Silal. This detailed framework allows us to bring together Bayer's global expertise in sustainable agriculture with Silal's deep understanding of local agricultural challenges, advancing our mission of “Health for all, Hunger for none” while addressing critical climate challenges." Dr. Shamal Mohammed, Head of AgriTech at Silal, emphasized: "The initiatives outlined in this MoU, particularly the establishment of the Forward Farming model and seed development at our Innovation Oasis, will create a powerful platform for demonstrating sustainable desert farming practices. This collaboration will enhance our capability to drive agricultural innovation in the UAE." Sami Joost, Head of Communications, Public Affairs & Open Innovation – Middle East at Bayer, added: "This expanded partnership exemplifies Bayer's commitment to open innovation in agriculture. By combining our research and development capabilities with Silal's local agricultural expertise, we are well-positioned to develop solutions that address the unique challenges of desert farming." The collaboration between Silal and Bayer continues to represent a significant step forward in advancing agricultural innovation and sustainability in the UAE. Through this expanded partnership, both organizations aim to contribute meaningfully to the UAE's National Food Security while developing solutions that can benefit arid regions worldwide. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2630/singapores-nparks-launches-most-extensive-coral-reef-restoration-effort-using-smart-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2630/singapores-nparks-launches-most-extensive-coral-reef-restoration-effort-using-smart-technology.html Wed, 11 Dec 2024 11:28:59 +0530 Tapping on technology and research to plant 100,000 corals in Singapore’s waters over the next 10 years and beyond Singapore's The National Parks Board (NParks) has launched the 100K Corals Initiative, which aims to plant 100,000 corals in Singapore’s waters over the next 10 years and beyond. Corals will be cultivated at a new coral culture facility at NParks’ Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre on St John’s Island, before being transplanted into our marine environment to restore degraded reefs or establish new coral communities. This will be the most extensive coral restoration effort in Singapore to date. Given Singapore’s limited coral cover, the programme will also scale up NParks’ existing coral restoration efforts to substantially improve the resilience of local coral communities and reefs. NParks is working with the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory (SJINML) to roll out the 100k Corals Initiative, which has received over S$2 million in support to date through the Garden City Fund, NParks’ registered charity and IPC, from the following donors: Delta Electronics (approximately S$1.7 million);  GSK-EDB Trust Fund (S$1 million);  Deutsche Bank (S$100,000); Takashimaya Singapore;  KPI OceanConnect To mark the launch of the 100k Corals Initiative, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration Desmond Lee took part in a coral planting activity at the coral culture facility today. New coral culture facility for ex-situ coral cultivation As part of the 100k Corals Initiative, NParks is establishing a new coral culture facility at the Marine Park Outreach and Education Centre on St John’s Island. The cultivation of corals at the facility will be carried out by coral restoration experts and researchers from the National University of Singapore at SJINML. The coral species cultivated include several that are under NParks’ Species Recovery Programme, such as the Staghorn coral (Acropora digitifera) and Plate Acropora coral (Acropora millepora). Serving as an ex-situ coral nursery, the coral culture facility will house six tanks that can rear up to 600 coral nubbins each. The nubbins, which are small coral fragments produced from adult colonies, will be attached to a specially designed frame that maximises the number of corals that can be grown in the tanks, and grown under controlled conditions. Once the nubbins have grown large enough, they will be transplanted onto degraded reefs for restoration purposes, or inserted into other areas to establish new coral communities. Corals-of-opportunity, which are naturally fragmented corals lying free on the floor that may not survive without external intervention, could potentially be used as a source of transplant as well. The coral culture facility is targeted to be fully operational and open to the public in the second quarter of 2025. Photo Credit: CNA During the launch event, special guest Dr. Jane Goodall DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, also did a sharing on marine conservation at the new coral culture facility. Altogether, this will aid species recovery efforts for rarer coral species, and increase coral cover and diversity in Singapore, complementing efforts under NParks’ Marine Conservation Action Plan to protect the natural heritage of our City in Nature. NParks-Delta Corals Research Programme Established to kickstart the 100k Corals Initiative, the NParks-Delta Corals Research Programme is a collaborative project between NParks and Delta Electronics that integrates smart technology into NParks’ coral cultivation efforts. As part of the two-year research programme, NParks will leverage Delta’s expertise in industrial and building automation to optimise large-scale coral cultivation at the coral culture facility. As the healthy growth of corals is dependent on several parameters, including lighting, temperature, water quality and water flow, smart technology will be deployed to cultivate corals under controlled conditions in the tanks, enabling them to thrive without being subject to environmental stressors such as ocean warming and acidification. The tanks will be installed with a smart coral culture aquaculture system set up by Delta that integrates intelligent aquaculture and environment management. Designed to detect abnormalities that can affect coral growth, the system monitors water conditions using various instruments and transmits the data to researchers, enabling real-time, remote monitoring and timely intervention. For instance, if the temperature of the tanks is too high, the automated system will send an alert, allowing for a quicker response that can minimise adverse impact such as coral bleaching. As part of the research programme, NParks will work with experts to develop a nationwide coral reef restoration plan for resilience as well. A training programme will also be developed by NParks, SJINML and Friends of Marine Park for citizen science monitoring of the transplanted corals, and volunteers will be trained to assist with coral husbandry and underwater monitoring techniques. More details of volunteer training opportunities will be shared when ready. In all, the NParks-Delta Research Programme will provide the 100k Corals Initiative with a sustainable source of corals to be transplanted, and enable further cross-sector collaborations and research opportunities. Furthermore, it will build capacity and technical know-how in large-scale coral restoration for future conservation efforts. Importance of coral conservation Corals are keystone reef-building animals that support a marine ecosystem, and an estimated one-quarter of marine species depend on coral reefs to survive. They are also a potential nature-based solution to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, serving as a natural defence against shoreline erosion while providing habitats for a rich array of marine biodiversity. Hence, to safeguard this valuable ecosystem, it is imperative to scale up coral restoration efforts locally, which will contribute towards a high-quality living environment in our City in Nature. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2621/entomal-biotech-from-malaysia-and-kisui-tech-from-japan-honored-for-agri-innovations-at-aea2024.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2621/entomal-biotech-from-malaysia-and-kisui-tech-from-japan-honored-for-agri-innovations-at-aea2024.html Mon, 09 Dec 2024 11:00:03 +0530 Agri Entrepreneurs from Asian Countries and Regions Compete at AEA2024 Innovation Award held in Kashiwa-no-ha The Asian Entrepreneurship Award (AEA) Steering Committee held AEA2024, the 13th annual innovation award event for fast-growing Asian startups, on November 20th and 21st. Taking place in-person for the first time in five years, the event was held at Kashiwa-no-ha Smart City in Chiba prefecture. The Asian Entrepreneurship Award aims to help create an innovation ecosystem in Asia by bringing together young entrepreneurs from fast-growing Asian countries with Japanese investors, established major companies and other startup supporters from those countries. Entrepreneurs from Asian Countries and Regions Compete at AEA2024 Innovation Award held in Kashiwa-no-ha. This year’s winner: Entomal Biotech from Malaysia, offering biotech waste management solution that converts organic waste into insect protein and fertilizer. Kisui TECH from Japan wins Kashiwa-no-ha Award and places third overall with its autonomous AI off-road platform supporting agriculture. Entomal Biotech Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) : Entomal Biotech is a startup offering innovative and proprietary bioconversion technology that utilizes black soldier ants to convert food and other organic waste into high-quality insect protein and nutrient-rich fertilizer in just seven days. The solution can be used in small mobile systems or in large-scale processing facilities to handle diverse waste volumes. The company is a leader in sustainable waste management with a successful track record in a number of Asian countries including Malaysia and Korea. Formus (New Zealand): Formus provides innovative technology that combines AI automation and computational biomechanics to deliver personalized orthopedic care. The company’s 3D hip replacement planning software, the result of 20 years of research at the Auckland Biomedical Engineering Institute, is FDA-, PMDA- and TG A-certified and has been deployed in over 3,000 surgical procedures. Building on its success in Australia and New Zealand, Formus has partnered with Zimmer Biomet to roll out its solution in the Japanese market, aiming for commercial deployment in early 2025, leveraging the high penetration rate of CT imaging and surgical technology levels in the country. Kisui TECH Co. Ltd. (Japan): Kisui has developed an autonomous AI off-road platform called “Adam” – a modular machine that can undertake a variety of tasks such as transporting goods, mowing fields and applying pesticides, collecting data while it operates. The platform is designed to reduce workload and improve efficiency, particularly in primary sectors such as agriculture and construction that are facing labor shortages in Japan. Its suitability and usefulness have been confirmed in fields and farms across Japan, and the company has also received significant interest from Spain, Indonesia and the United States. The multinational Kisui team is leveraging their expertise in space robotics and AI to deploy some of the world's most advanced technology. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2612/ust-signs-mou-with-western-sydney-university-to-accelerate-agritech-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2612/ust-signs-mou-with-western-sydney-university-to-accelerate-agritech-innovation.html Wed, 04 Dec 2024 11:34:58 +0530 The strategic alliance will foster collaboration between industry leaders, promoting sustainable agriculture and enhancing global food security UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Western Sydney University (WSU), a leading university in Australia, to collaborate on advancing agritech solutions. The partnership aims to leverage WSU's research capabilities and domain expertise and UST's cutting-edge technology solutions, to drive sustainable agriculture and enhance global food security. Through this collaboration, UST and WSU will leverage their combined strengths to conduct focused research, develop innovative agritech solutions for agri industry needs, and nurture the next generation of industry leaders through mentoring programs. Additionally, the partnership will involve knowledge-sharing initiatives, to educate the public and promote sustainable agricultural practices. "It is truly exciting to partner with WSU, a leading educational institution in Australia. This partnership gives UST access to world-class research, talent and facilities, to enable us to leverage our technology solutions in a meaningful way for the agriculture industry. This partnership underscores our approach of understanding industry-specific challenges and building a partnership ecosystem to solve real issues and deliver a positive impact to our clients and the industries we serve," said Kumaran C R, Managing Director - ANZ, UST. "This is an exciting partnership with UST that will help us tackle issues such as food security and agricultural sustainability," said Distinguished Professor George Williams AO, Vice-Chancellor, Western Sydney University. "We are bringing together our respective research strengths and extensive expert knowledge to collaborate on joint research initiatives, foster new ideas and, most critically, develop innovative and sustainable agrictech solutions that can address these pressing global challenges." The MoU was signed at an event held in Bengaluru, India, in the presence of Hilary McGeachy, Australian Consul General, Bengaluru; Kirankumar Doreswamy, Vice President and Center Head, Bengaluru; Jaison Sebastian, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives; Tinu Cherian Abraham, Director and Head, Global PR & Media Relations, UST; Prof. Deborah Sweeney, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Enterprise and Global); Dr. Nicolene Murdoch, Pro Vice Chancellor (Global Partnerships and TNE); Dr. Nisha Rakhesh, Head International Strategy and Partnerships; and Dr. Kopal Chaube, PhD, Lead Research Collaborations and Partnerships, South Asia, Western Sydney University. This comprehensive partnership with a leading academic innovator aligns with UST's core values and commitment to 'Transforming Lives', by contributing to global food security campaigns. By combining the resources and expertise of both UST and WSU, the two organizations are poised to drive transformative change in the agricultural sector. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2608/agrofresh-solutions-launches-plant-based-organic-coating-to-extend-farm-produce-shelf-life.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2608/agrofresh-solutions-launches-plant-based-organic-coating-to-extend-farm-produce-shelf-life.html Mon, 02 Dec 2024 11:04:45 +0530 VitaFresh™ Botanicals Plant-based Platform; Receives Organic Certification AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. announced the launch of VitaFresh™ Botanicals Life Select, an organic plant-based coating to keep produce fresh longer and reduce food loss and waste. Developed from the carnauba tree palm leaf, the new VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select formulation has received organic certification from CAAE, a leading international certifier.  AgroFresh is a global agtech innovator and the leader in the fresh produce post-harvest segment, providing a full range of freshness solutions and digital technologies that enhance the quality and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Life Select is the newest addition to the company’s full VitaFresh Botanicals portfolio of proprietary plant-based post-harvest solutions for a wide variety of crops from citrus to avocados to mangos. The new coating reduces dehydration, maintains weight and locks in freshness throughout the supply chain.  Recent trial testing of the product in avocados showed positive results both before and after ripening, including increased shelf life by two to three days, decreased internal browning by 50 to 67 percent, and improved internal appearance by 50 percent. These impacts on shelf life translate into an overall 50 percent reduction in waste. “Our customers are looking for versatile solutions to address their most pressing operational and supply chain challenges in order to provide a consistent supply and the highest quality produce for consumers. Our focus is to help our customers with solutions that preserve freshness and minimize food loss and waste,” said Clint Lewis, Chief Executive Officer for AgroFresh. “Protecting our global food system has never been a more urgent charge. Advancements like VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select help us fulfill our promise to meet the world’s need for fresh, safe and abundant produce while reducing our impact on the environment.”  VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select ingredients are sustainably sourced and the product is created using certified ISO 14001 environmental management system standards. The new formulation has received CAAE organic certification according to REGULATION (EU) 2018/848 on organic production. In addition, it is packaged in reusable containers. Excellent crop coverage at low application rates offers better cost efficiencies to operators and gives retailers a stronger opportunity to market the best quality produce using consumer-friendly claims, while reducing food waste, increasing profit potential and adding the capability to reduce the amount of plastic packaging needed for the produce.  “Thanks to the dedication and formulation expertise of our scientific teams working around the world, we’re able to announce this important addition to our VitaFresh Botanicals portfolio,” said Duncan Aust, Chief Technology Officer for AgroFresh. “Now in addition to a full coatings product line that leverages natural and plant-based ingredients, we have an organic option that helps meet an increased demand for these types of solutions.”  AgroFresh operates seven innovation centers on four continents in key fruit growing regions and offers a full portfolio of post-harvest freshness solutions that meet the needs of growers and packers around the world. VitaFresh Botanicals products have exceptional quality, due in part to the company’s ISO 9001 quality management system certification. AgroFresh adds differentiating value by offering a comprehensive post-harvest portfolio, a complete range of packinghouse equipment, one-to-one problem-solving support and a high-touch service model, all aimed at delivering the highest level of client confidence and trust in the industry. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2591/singapores-smart-researchers-pioneer-method-to-detect-dehydration-in-plants.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2591/singapores-smart-researchers-pioneer-method-to-detect-dehydration-in-plants.html Mon, 25 Nov 2024 11:02:26 +0530 Covalent Organic Framework (COF) sensors integrated within silk fibroin (SF) microneedles capable of detecting pH changes in plant xylem tissues Singapore's SMART researchers have pioneered the first Covalent Organic Framework (COF) sensors integrated within silk fibroin (SF) microneedles capable of detecting pH changes in plant xylem tissues. These pH changes provide an early indication of drought stress in plants, which, if unmitigated, can lead to reduced plant growth and yield, and eventual death. The technology enables farmers to detect drought stress in plants up to 48 hours before visible physical symptoms manifest, enabling early intervention before irreversible damage occurs and thus reducing crop yield loss to climate or environmental factors. Researchers have been working on sensors to detect a wide range of chemical compounds, and a critical bottleneck has been developing sensors that can be used within living biological systems. This is all set to change with new sensors by the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) that can detect pH changes in living plants – an indicator of drought stress in plants – and enable the timely detection and management of drought stress before it leads to irreversible yield loss. Drought – or a lack of water – is a significant stressor that leads to lower yield by affecting key plant metabolic pathways, reducing leaf size, stem extension and root proliferation. If prolonged, it can eventually cause plants to become discoloured, wilt and die. As agricultural challenges – including those posed by climate change, rising costs and lack of land space – continue to escalate and adversely affect crop production and yield, farmers are often unable to implement proactive measures or pre-symptomatic diagnosis for early and timely intervention. This underscores the need for improved sensor integration that can facilitate in-vivo assessments and timely interventions in agricultural practices. “This type of sensor can be easily attached to the plant and queried with simple instrumentation. It can therefore bring powerful analyses, like the tools we are developing within DISTAP, into the hands of farmers and researchers alike,” said Professor Michael Strano, co-corresponding author, DiSTAP Co-Lead Principal Investigator and Carbon P. Dubbs Professor of Chemical Engineering at MIT.  SMART’s breakthrough addresses a long-standing challenge for COF-based sensors, which were - until now - unable to interact with biological tissues. COFs are networks of organic molecules or polymers - which contain carbon atoms bonded to elements like hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen - arranged into consistent, crystal-like structures, which change colour according to different pH levels. As drought stress can be detected through pH level changes in plant tissues, this novel COF-based sensor allows early detection of drought stress in plants through real-time measuring of pH levels in plant xylem tissues. This method could help farmers optimise crop production and yield amid evolving climate patterns and environmental conditions. “The COF-silk sensors provide an example of new tools that are required to make agriculture more precise in a world that strives to increase global food security under the challenges imposed by climate change, limited resources and the need to reduce the carbon footprint. The seamless integration between nanosensors and biomaterials enables the effortless measurement of plant fluids’ key parameters, such as pH, that in turn allows us to monitor plant health,” said Professor Benedetto Marelli, co-corresponding author, Principal Investigator at DiSTAP, and Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. DiSTAP researchers designed and synthesised four COF compounds that showcase tunable acid chromism – colour changes associated with changing pH levels – with SF microneedles coated with a layer of COF film made of these compounds. In turn, the transparency of SF microneedles and COF film allows in-vivo observation and visualisation of pH spatial distributions through changes in the pH-sensitive colours. This study sets the foundation for future design and development for COF-SF microneedle-based tomographic chemical imaging of plants with COF-based sensors. Building on this research, DiSTAP researchers will work to advance this innovative technology beyond pH detection, with a focus on sensing a broad spectrum of biologically relevant analytes such as plant hormones and metabolites.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2589/realseq-biosciences-announces-launch-of-ribomarker-rna-fragmentomics-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2589/realseq-biosciences-announces-launch-of-ribomarker-rna-fragmentomics-technology.html Fri, 22 Nov 2024 10:33:25 +0530 Next-Generation RNA Detection Solution for Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling even for agri biotechnology and lab cultures RealSeq Biosciences is proud to introduce the RiboMarker® RNA Fragmentomics Library Preparation Kit, an innovative solution for all-inclusive RNA detection. RiboMarker enables comprehensive transcript and RNA fragment profiling in a single reaction, ensuring accurate and reliable results across diverse sample types. With RiboMarker®, researchers can achieve unparalleled RNA detection, capturing:• Small RNAs such as miRNAs and siRNAs.• RNA fragments, including long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), and transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs/tDRs).• Select RNA modifications, offering additional layers of transcriptomic insights. The kit is optimized to work seamlessly with RNA from a wide variety of sources, including biofluids, tissues, and environmental samples. Its low RNA input requirement and compatibility with samples of low RIN (RNA integrity number) values ensure reliable performance even with challenging samples. “RiboMarker® represents a leap forward in RNA research,” said Sergio Barberan-Soler, Ph.D., CEO, RealSeq Biosciences. “Enabling comprehensive profiling in a single reaction, empowers researchers to uncover deeper insights into transcriptomic landscapes with unmatched simplicity and reliability.” Key Benefits:• All-inclusive profiling: Detects small RNAs, diverse RNA fragments, and select modifications.• Bias free library construction: Uncovers novel RNAs/RNA fragments.• Versatility: Compatible with a wide range of sample types.• Sample quality-independent: Effective even with low RIN (RNA Integrity Number) values, ensuring reliable results.• High sensitivity: Delivers robust results with low RNA input ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2586/leafworks-introduces-cannabis-sterility-rna-spray-non-gmo-for-better-hybrid-seed-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2586/leafworks-introduces-cannabis-sterility-rna-spray-non-gmo-for-better-hybrid-seed-production.html Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:58:08 +0530 Plant genomics leader LeafWorks unveils Ag-Tech breakthrough that combats Cannabis Hermaphroditism, offers affordable Male-Sterile line capability for growers LeafWorks, a trailblazing female-led plant genetics and testing company specializing in botanical identification for cannabis and hemp, has introduced a cutting-edge non-GMO classified RNA spray designed to control male sterility genes. This technology offers wide-ranging benefits, including mitigating the risk of cross-pollination and hermaphroditism and producing male-sterile plants for efficient hybrid seed production. The company has also submitted the technology prototype as a provisional patent application with the law offices of Fish and Richardson LLP to solidify patent protection on the use of male-sterile genes for commercial applications. Hermaphroditism is one of the most difficult agricultural problems in cannabis and hemp. Hermaphroditic plants, which develop both male and female flowers, are common in commercial cultivation and can significantly harm crop success and product quality by causing unwanted pollination. Pollination significantly lowers cannabinoid and terpene production, shrinks flower size and number, and turns valuable flower into low-quality seeded product. To solve this problem, LeafWorks developed a prototype spray that allows farmers to induce pollen sterility should male flowers form. This proprietary RNA-based spray technology will benefit the entire industry. Although difficult to capture, RNA forms naturally and is all around us. It is biodegradable and highly specific to its target—in this case, the male sterility genes in cannabis. Male sterility, a condition in which plants' male reproductive organs do not produce viable pollen, is a crucial trait in crop breeding programs because it enables the development of hybrid seeds with superior yield, quality and uniformity compared to conventionally bred cultivars. LeafWorks’ technology can also be applied to breeders’ programs that want to make 100% male-sterile seed lines for hybrid-line production. With this technology, LeafWorks is leading the way to assist commercial cannabis and hemp breeders to produce hybrid seeds at scale. Using sprays to alter the sex in cannabis plants is not a new technique. Breeders commonly use chemical sprays to create feminized seeds by activating the male flower genes. However, until now, no products have been able to successfully deactivate these male genes. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2792/the-3rd-agri-food-tech-asia-expo-aftea-convened-global-leaders-in-the-agri-food-tech-and-agri-food-industries-in-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2792/the-3rd-agri-food-tech-asia-expo-aftea-convened-global-leaders-in-the-agri-food-tech-and-agri-food-industries-in-singapore.html Thu, 21 Nov 2024 15:38:00 +0530 Asia’s leading agri-food tech and agri-food industry event; 4-6 Nov 2024 The 3rd edition of Agri-Food Tech Asia Expo (AFTEA) brought together global leaders, experts, and innovators to explore strategies for sustainable food systems on November 4-6, 2025 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo in Singapore. As Asia's premier sourcing and networking platform for the region’s agrifood and foodtech industry, the event was exclusively crafted for policymakers, decision makers, and innovators in food processing, food service operators, retail, and investment.  Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia was officially inaugurated by Dr. Poh-Koon Koh, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment & Ministry of Manpower on November 4. On the occasion, Dr. Koh spearheaded a collaborative effort to launch the Singapore Aquaculture Plan (SAP) at AFTEA 2024, involving more than 30 stakeholders across the aquaculture value chain. Based on five key pillars, the SAP aims to drive innovation, collaboration, and sustainable progress in aquaculture in Singapore. The AFTEA conference offered a comprehensive perspective on the latest trends and opportunities in the Asian food industry. Among the topics discussed were novel and sustainable foods, alternative proteins, smart and urban farming applications and systems, cutting-edge technologies, cellular agriculture, aquaculture, food safety, and sustainability management. One of the most unique trade events for bringing together cutting-edge technologies, innovative food solutions, and global investment opportunities to elevate the future of food sustainability and security, AFTEA plays a key role in ensuring food sustainability and security. AFTEA served as the cornerstone event of the Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW), providing a platform for agritech companies to showcase innovative products and solutions that can help future-proof the region's agriculture. AFTEA brought together global leaders, including government representatives, business leaders, venture capitalists and investors, facilitating knowledge exchange and exposure to the latest solutions in Asia's agri-food landscape. During the conference, key decision makers, including food manufacturers, processors, policymakers, farmers, and growers, as well as investors, had the opportunity to discover new technologies and preview innovative food products that will sustain and shape the future of food systems. The event was organised by Constellar Exhibitions Pte Ltd and DLG International GmbH. The event was supported by government agencies and industry partners, including the Singapore Food Agency, Temasek, and Enterprise Singapore as part of Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW). “In a rapidly evolving landscape where concerns about sustainability and food security, powered by technological advancements are transforming the agrifood sector in Asia, AFTEA serves as a vital platform for dialogue, collaboration and innovation to shape the future of the agrifood industry. I encourage all agribusiness stakeholders to participate in AFTEA 2024, to share and discover groundbreaking innovations in agri and food technology, sustainable and regenerative farming, alternative proteins, aquaculture, and more,” said Mr Chen Yuyuan, Portfolio Director, Constellar. Keeping collaboration at the forefront of agri-food tech helps drive sustainable solutions for food security and production by connecting startups, researchers, and industry leaders. Over 10,000 key players in the global agribusiness value chain attended the AFTEA gathering, including policymakers, decision makers, retailers, and investment professionals. The AFTEA showcases the latest agri-tech and foodtech solutions from exhibitors globally, offering a comprehensive view on the latest agri-tech and foodtech trends and opportunities.  AFTEA 2024 focused on Innovation, Safety, and Sustainability - three key components of agritech business - to drive regional agrifood growth and development. Innovation: Innovative solutions and technologies can help farmers and food tech companies scale food production, accelerate business transformation, expand distribution channels, and bridge financial support gaps. Safety: In parallel, safety solutions and processes for food processing, production, and distribution can benefit consumers, producers, and the environment. A range of solutions covering aspects of food tracking, traceability, hygienic design, fraud prevention, standards and certification, inspection and detection. Sustainability: In order to create positive impacts on people and the planet, sustainable solutions are necessary to transform food production. Solutions that conserve energy and resources, and optimize water and wastewater management while transforming food production. “AFTEA is an essential and valuable platform that brings together global leaders, experts, and innovators to promote sustainable food systems. Showcasing advanced agri-tech solutions, novel foods, alternative proteins, and smart farming applications, AFTEA spotlights cutting-edge trends and technologies. The event emphasises the importance of Public-Private Partnerships which is very much aligned with the priorities of APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security, and the critical role of the Agri-Food Tech World Championship in addressing food security challenges. Amid rising food prices and supply-demand issues, AFTEA is pivotal in promoting public-private cooperation for food security in APEC economies,” said Professor Matthew Tan, Chair for Sustainable in Agriculture & Fishery Sectors, APEC Policy Partnership on Food Security. Enthralling Pavillions and Panel Discussions: AFTEA provided a premier platform for agri-food tech companies to showcase cutting-edge technologies, products and solutions that will future-proof the region's agri-food industries. An international content partner of Constellar, DLG (the German Agricultural Society), AFTEA is a key participant in Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW), which is organized by the Singapore Food Agency and Temasek in collaboration with the Singapore Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), and the Singapore Government Agency for Science, Technology, and Research. It is organized by Constellar and Rethink Events. The AFTEA showcases the latest advancements in the agri-food sector through a living lab demo zone, knowledge sharing on content stages, and pitching competitions. Approximately 10,000 attendees will have direct access to 300 exhibitors this year, an increase of 40 percent from last year, including over 100 start-ups and 17 international and industry groups showcasing the latest innovations, practices, and strategies. For emerging and established players in the agrifood industry, Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia (AFTEA) offers a focused exhibition platform featuring live demonstrations, thematic experiential zones, a sandbox, and community-based learning opportunities. Agrifood-tech stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as knowledge institutions participated in a networking reception on the show floor to engage in constructive dialogue. The Asia-Pacific Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA) supported the Cultivated Meat Pavilion, which returns after its successful debut last year to present the latest products in cultivated meat. A number of leading cultivated meat companies were featured in the pavilion, including Avant Meat, Cell Agritech, DPR Construction Asia Pacific, JS Biosciences, among others.  Farmers and growers, manufacturers, technology providers, MNCs, start-ups, investors, wholesalers, and more are gathered at this pavilion, along with manufacturers, technology solution providers, investors, wholesalers, and more. As a dynamic platform for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the agri-business sector, Founder's Hub hosted a pitching stage for start-up competitions and was a featured event at a global start-up competition organised with Innovate 360. A start-up pavilion led by Innovate 360 and Impact Circle, was also hosted where start-ups could network, collaborate, and explore growth and investment opportunities. Bringing together the largest agri-food technology start-up ecosystem in Southeast Asia, the Championship was designed to identify, support, and celebrate trailblazing start-ups in agritech, food sustainability, health and wellness, and deep technology from Seed to Series A. A structured competition at the event also provided start-ups with the opportunity to connect with investors and corporates, gain exposure, raise funds, and pilot projects. The Grand Championship featured more than 60 teams.  A total of 10 awards have been given out, where prizes include investment term sheets worth about S$3.5 million from pledging VCs, such as First Frontier Ventures, Pine Ventures, TLA (Temasek Lifesciences Accelerator), Elev8, etc. Additionally, Founder's Hub featured over 5 hours of content from 35 international speakers across 13 sessions, encouraging knowledge exchange, collaboration, and inspiration among the next generation of agri-food disruptors. A Living Lab Tech Showcase, featuring Sananbio, an expert in vertical farming and horticultural lighting, offering sustainable bio-based solutions; Inong Agriculture Co Ltd, a Big Data-powered soil microbe expert offering cash-crop-specific solutions that use customized probiotics to boost crop yield; Takamiya, a manufacturer of high-performance greenhouses, demonstrated their latest collaborations. Sanobio's intelligent plant cultivation and LED lighting system were highlights. A new-generation automated plant factory in Fujian Province is currently using this system to produce 1.5 tonnes of vegetables each day for supply to Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Quanzhou.  A variety of engaging formats were used by corporations and industry organizations to showcase and discuss agricultural trends and agritech innovations at the Sandbox, including solo presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions. Attendees at the event discovered practical solutions for improving crop yield, reducing costs, and understanding agritech solutions.    A combined 30 hours of content were offered across two Sandbox stages on Innovation, Sustainability, and Food Safety. During the conference, 110 speakers from 15 countries and regions shared practical solutions for improving crop yields, reducing costs, and deepening attendees' understanding of agri-tech solutions, as well as presenting the latest agricultural advances, which will be demonstrated by exhibitors. On one of the Sandbox stages, the Climate-Smart Practices Forum featured senior executives from the World Bank, Mars, RIZE, Mae Fah Luang Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The executives shared their expertise on topics such as agricultural decarbonisation and digital transformation, as well as the convergence of agriculture and the Blue Economy. The discussion was staged on the background that the integration of ocean resource stewardship and environmental sustainability has gained traction for its potential to promote sustainable development, address climate change, and enhance food security. The Sandbox also hosted The Agri-Food Tech Demo Day, allowing founders to gain visibility, attract investors, and build relationships with industry leaders who can help propel their businesses forward. Teams from RP Trendlines' Agri-Food Tech Incubation Programme - a collaboration between Republic Polytechnic (RP) and Trendlines Agrifood - presented innovation-driven ideas to a judging panel for cash prizes worth more than S$150,000. Agri-Food Tech Demo Day featured finalist teams from Republic Polytechnic's (RP) Agri-Food Tech Incubation Programme and Trendlines Agrifood's Agri-Food Tech Incubation Programme. Over S$150,000 in cash and in-kind prizes were up for grabs for these innovative teams. Founders had the opportunity to gain visibility, attract investors, and build partnerships with industry leaders who can help propel their businesses forward during the event. Start-up Pavillions: AFTEA 2024 brought together a variety of innovative solutions and technologies across eight key profiles, exploring groundbreaking advancements and opportunities in agri-food technology namely, Aquaculture , Food Safety & Security, Novel Food Technology, Novel Food, Alternative Proteins & Sustainable Food, Smart Processing & Packaging, Sustainability & Resource Management, Technological solutions, Urban/Smart Farming. The AFTEA provided an opportunity for agribusiness players to increase their market share, forge partnerships, expand opportunities, and collaborate across sectors in order to meet regional agri-food demands. AFTEA  platform leveraging Singapore as the springboard for access to Asia's high-potential markets for agri-food tech and food-tech sectors, AFTEA's Agri-Food Tech World Championship is an important step toward empowering start-ups. A robust support system is being built to help start-ups overcome barriers to entry, scale sustainably, and address food security needs with more than S$3 million in investment and access to VCs, accelerators, and industry leaders. As part of this initiative, Innovate 360 reaffirms its commitment to nurturing innovative solutions that can transform agriculture and food systems in the future. At the startup pavilion, attendees had the opportunity to learn about groundbreaking, diverse solutions that are shaping the future of agri-food through food accelerators Impact Circle, SPACE-F, HAOSHI Accelerator, and Innovate 360. A few of the projects include a biomimetic underground irrigation system and an artificial sense platform, a protein-based sugar alternative with zero calories utilizing precision fermentation, and drone technology for spraying insecticides.    AFTEA was also an ideal platform for collaborations and alliances of companies with diverse backgrounds which can complement each other for a synergetic growth in the Agri-Food tech industry globally.  For instance, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Direct Carbon and ARIANETECH PTE LTD in collaboration that marks a significant milestone in Direct Carbon's mission to help indoor growers transition to circular farming practices with our sustainable CO2 enrichment solutions. In South East Asia, Arianetech aims to empower local growers to adopt carbon-neutral practices and attain sustainable growth.  International Pavillions: As an international sourcing platform for agri-food and agri-tech solutions, AFTEA displays agri-food technologies and agri-food solutions from exhibitors worldwide. A number of notable global and federal agencies, including the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Singapore, co-exhibited at AFTEA 2024. The Netherlands Pavilion was inaugurated by Ambassador Anneke Adema and followed by a seminar covering high-tech farming and alternative proteins. Dutch and Singaporean agri-tech companies, Light4Food, DanDutcH ApS and SG VEG, participated in a discussion on the successful application of agri-tech in Singapore and the region. As part of their food-tech solutions, Vivici and TNO presented precision-fermented milk proteins and 3D food printing, respectively. The French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (FCCS) organized the French Pavilion, officiated by His Excellency Minh Di Tang, French Ambassador to Singapore, to showcase groundbreaking innovations in sustainable food and agri-technology by leading French companies. Among the notable innovations were those from MYCOPHYTO, POITTEMILL - FORPLEX, and Genopole. In conjunction with the Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW), the BritCham Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia showcased cutting-edge agri-food and food technology, innovative food solutions, and global investment opportunities to forge new partnerships, discover new sales channels, and accelerate your business growth. The Spanish Embassy's pavilion explored the innovation and regulation landscape in foodtech for other Asia-Pacific countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam. An overview of Exhibitors and Visitors: AFTEA 2024 featured over 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest advances and innovations in the key exhibit themes, including pavilions from France, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and The Netherlands, as well as leading industry companies including DPR, Dragino, Eurofins, Grain Arianetech, JS Biosciences, Nexton, Priva, SCIEX, and Shenzhen FY Lighting. Around 100 start-ups were among the exhibitors, contributing to what is considered the largest ecosystem for agrifood and agritechnology start-ups in Southeast Asia. A total of eight profiles were showcased by AFTEA's exhibitors: Novel Food Technology, Smart & Urban Farming, Novel Food, Alternative Proteins & Sustainable Food, Aquaculture, Food Safety & Security, Sustainability & Resource Management, Technological Solutions, Aquaculture. Many new international groups also exhibited, including ones from Japan, South Korea, Sweden, and Taiwan. Gold Partner Nurasa returned to AFTEA this year with its network of collaborators and start-ups dedicated to advancing holistic nutrition and driving sustainable innovation. • Agri-Tech Companies: These are businesses that develop and offer innovative agricultural technologies, products, and services. • Food Manufacturers and Processors: Companies involved in food production, processing, and packaging. • Agribusinesses: Entities engaged in agriculture-related activities, such as farming, distribution, and logistics. Products include seeds, fertilisers, services like crop management and supply chain solutions. • Start-ups: They bring fresh ideas, novel technologies and solutions. • Research Institutions and Universities: Organisations contributing to agri-food research and development. • Farmers and Growers: Farmers, growers, or anyone involved in crop or livestock production. • Food Industry Professionals: Including chefs, food safety experts, brand owners, retail chains, and supply chain managers. • Food Manufacturers and Processors: Sourcing leading-edge technologies, ingredients, and equipment to enhance their own operations. • Government Representatives: Policymakers, regulators, and officials shaping the agri-food sector. • Investors: Those interested in funding agri-food tech startups and projects. • Academics and Students: Interested in learning about the latest advancements in agri-food tech. Further, Singaporean public, private, and academic institutions showcased their innovations at AFTEA 2024.  A*STAR SIFBI (Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation) presented their research, an opportunity to gain insight into how our organization is driving resilience and sustainability. The SIFBI has strengthened its efforts by developing value-added ingredients tailored to Asian palates through sustainable ingredient innovation and ??????? ??? ????????? ????????? through fermentation to enhance food experiences and promote health and wellness. The multidisciplinary approach to supporting a sustainable agri-food ecosystem with food valorization initiatives - bio-converting our agrifood waste into aquafeed and tailoring future food designs to consumer needs.  The 4th edition of Agri-Food Tech Asia Expo 2025 (AFTEA) is returning with all its glory again on 4-6 November 2025, at Singapore’s Sands Expo & Convention Centre  (Halls A & B).  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2584/breakthrough-research-demonstrates-how-gene-edited-microbes-offer-a-new-source-of-nitrogen-to-farmers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2584/breakthrough-research-demonstrates-how-gene-edited-microbes-offer-a-new-source-of-nitrogen-to-farmers.html Mon, 18 Nov 2024 11:42:29 +0530 Findings are the first, peer-reviewed evidence of gene-edited microbes supplying a material proportion of corn farmers' nitrogen in commercial production Peer-reviewed research published in Scientific Reports describes a new technology that could revolutionize a century-old approach to providing nitrogen to crops. The study, a collaboration of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Purdue University, and Pivot Bio, a leading sustainable agriculture company, presented first-of-its-kind evidence showing how gene-editing enhances microbes' ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and transfer it to cereal crops. Using isotopically labeled nitrogen, researchers traced nitrogen in the air to chlorophyll of corn leaves, providing evidence that it was fixed from the air by the gene-edited microbes. Field studies also showed that these microbes could fix and supply nitrogen comparable to up to 40 pounds of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer per acre with similar yields. Improving the effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizers has been a long-standing challenge. "The core issue," explains Dr. Bruno Basso, a professor of environmental science at Michigan State University, who was not involved in the study, "is that the soil-plant-atmosphere system is extremely complex." Unpredictable weather makes it difficult to match nutrient supply to plants' demand, and to determine precisely how much nitrogen a crop will require and whether the nutrient will remain in the soil. The on-fields research strives to devise solutions to use nitrogen fertilizer more efficiently to increase profit and reduce environmental impact, such as nutrient losses to groundwater and greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. Diazotrophs, special types of bacteria that occur in nature, have a unique ability to turn atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonium, the building block of amino acids and proteins. This process, commonly known as biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), was the main form of nitrogen nutrition for crops for thousands of years before synthetic nitrogen fertilizer was invented. Researchers at Pivot Bio developed gene-edited microbes using non-transgenic methods to enable diazotrophs to continue providing nitrogen to the crop even under high nitrogen conditions. "With the gene edits, we blind microbes to the presence of nitrogen in their surroundings, so they continue to fix ammonium, delivering it directly on the root system," said Dr. Karsten Temme, chief innovation officer and co-founder at Pivot Bio and a co-author of the paper. "We also introduced other edits to ensure the bacteria can transfer the fixed nitrogen to the crop instead of keeping it for itself." The paper presents evidence of this process happening in the lab and field test plots. It is also the first peer-reviewed paper covering PROVEN® 40, Pivot Bio's second-generation commercial product for corn containing gene-edited nitrogen-fixing microbes. In the field, the researchers used a variety of isotopic experiments to again demonstrate nitrogen fixation, this time under real-world conditions, and quantify the nitrogen levels in the plant. They also collected hundreds of samples from farmers who reduced nitrogen fertilizer rate by 35 to 40 pounds of nitrogen per acre, replacing it with Pivot Bio's PROVEN 40. On average, researchers found plants treated with PROVEN 40 had higher nitrogen levels early in the season and no negative impacts on yield, even though they had received less synthetic fertilizer. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2532/korean-smart-farming-technologies-drawing-special-attention-from-middle-east.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2532/korean-smart-farming-technologies-drawing-special-attention-from-middle-east.html Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:57:45 +0530 The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) held a ‘K-smart farm roadshow’ in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the State of Kuwait, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 7 to 14 October 2024 to ensure that K-smart farms can be more widely recognized in the Middle Eastern market. At the trade show, 12 Korean smart farm companies and 50 buyers had 369 business meetings to create export and import opportunities. In AgraME, the largest agricultural trade show in the Middle East, held in the UAE, the MAFRA opened its first Korean pavilion, while holding business forums and one-to-one business meetings for Korean smart farm companies and local buyers in the State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Importantly, buyers from the Middle Eastern countries showed special interest in a smart farming technology of reducing the use of water by converting moisture in the air into agricultural water. Vertical farming solutions and water treatment technologies also drew much attention from buyers. Meanwhile, in the business forum, Estidamah, the national research and development centre for sustainable agriculture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, gave a presentation on the current status of major smart farm projects of Saudi Arabia and asked Korean companies to participate in those projects. Also, the Public Authority of Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources of the State of Kuwait had business meetings with Korean smart farm companies. Recently, S. Korea and Laos expanded Agricultural Cooperation discussing the ways for multilateral cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as the ways for the ROK-Lao PDR cooperation. H.E. Song Miryung, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met with H.E. Linkham Douangsavanh, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in the city of Sejong amended the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on agricultural cooperation between the agriculture ministries of both countries. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2521/dbn-group-invites-global-agricultural-biotech-companies-to-co-create-a-leading-innovation-ecosystem-at-dbn-phoenix-international-innovation-park.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2521/dbn-group-invites-global-agricultural-biotech-companies-to-co-create-a-leading-innovation-ecosystem-at-dbn-phoenix-international-innovation-park.html Wed, 16 Oct 2024 11:15:41 +0530 DBN Phoenix International Innovation Park, located in the North District of ZGC Science City in Beijing, spans 13.65 acres and offers 160,000 m2 of research and office space. DBN Group, a leading high-tech agricultural enterprise, has opened its Phoenix International Innovation Park for global applications from high-quality agricultural biotech companies. This initiative seeks to establish an open innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by harnessing cutting-edge technologies and international collaboration, positioning the park as a key player in advancing agricultural technology globally. DBN Phoenix International Innovation Park, located in the North District of ZGC Science City in Beijing, spans 13.65 acres and offers 160,000 m2 of research and office space. Designed to foster innovation in key areas such as biotechnology, bio-manufacturing, medicine and healthcare, food technology and artificial intelligence, the park aims to become a world-class agricultural technology hub. DBN's vision for the park is to accelerate innovation through an open platform that supports startups and established companies alike. The park's "Industry leader + Research + Investment" model leverages DBN's strengths in technological innovation to build a shared, collaborative ecosystem. By capitalizing on its leadership in technological innovation, focusing on industrial applications, and relying on a strong foundation in R&D, the park brings together top-tier agricultural biotech projects to drive collective growth. The park offers innovative R&D facilities and access to top-tier innovation platforms, positioning itself as a key player in the rapidly evolving agricultural technology landscape. As part of its ongoing efforts, DBN Group is developing the ZGC BioIntelligent Manufacturing Innovation Center, focusing on synthetic biology, gene editing, proteomics, AI protein design, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. The center will partner with leading global scientists and industry players to create an innovation ecosystem. Current partners include unicorns like Bluepha, MEGAROBO, and BioMap, as well as rising stars like Microcyto, PhaBuilder, DPTechnology and MoleculeMind. The park is also collaborating with innovative companies such as BioGeometry, Oxsyns, Biocretech, Nobel Prize commercialization projects like Molefuture and IPO-bound firms like Tsingke Biotechnology. Major listed companies like Genliduo Bio-tech, Angel Yeast, and Huaheng Biotechnology have also joined. DBN is actively seeking global AI-driven life sciences projects to build a biomanufacturing industry cluster. The area hosts over 10,000 national high-tech enterprises, 50 unicorns, 270 listed companies, and 200 national-level research institutes, creating a first-class R&D environment. The park offers comprehensive services across various sectors, including financial technology, innovation, international exchange, talent management, and infrastructure services, creating a one-stop platform that supports the full lifecycle of agricultural biotech innovation projects. "DBN has been constantly committed to driving global agricultural advancement through technological innovation," said Vivian Liu, Director of International Cooperation Platform of DBN. "DBN Phoenix International Innovation Park is a key step in our future development, and we look forward to collaborating with innovators and companies worldwide to build a new frontier in agricultural science and drive industry transformation." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2491/starbucks-expands-global-efforts-to-protect-the-future-of-coffee-with-two-new-coffee-farms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2491/starbucks-expands-global-efforts-to-protect-the-future-of-coffee-with-two-new-coffee-farms.html Fri, 04 Oct 2024 11:45:00 +0530 In partnership with coffee farmers around the world, Starbucks is scaling solutions and adding two new coffee innovation farms located in Guatemala and Costa Rica, with future investments in farms in Africa and Asia Starbucks announced the expansion of its collaborative coffee innovation network, connecting more farmers around the world with resources to protect the future of coffee. Building on the pioneering global agronomic innovation of Hacienda Alsacia , Starbucks’ first coffee farm, the company has added farms located in Guatemala and Costa Rica, with future investments in farms in Africa and Asia. Learnings from these farms are aimed at finding solutions to increase productivity on farms, support increased profitability for farmers and build climate resilience. “ Starbucks works with more than 450,000 farms that grow the world’s highest-quality Arabica coffee,” said Michelle Burns, executive vice president of Global Coffee and Sustainability at Starbucks. “ Our promise to these farmers and their communities is that we will always work to ensure a sustainable future for coffee for all. Our solution is to develop on-farm interventions, share seeds, research and practices across the industry to help farmers mitigate the impacts of climate change.” Starbucks purchases 3% of the world’s coffee, sourcing and roasting only Arabica coffee beans, a variety known for its rich, complex flavors. Climate change is impacting the availability of high-quality coffee around the world, and farming communities are feeling the impact on productivity, crop quality, and their livelihoods. Rising temperatures causing droughts, coffee leaf rust disease, and other related climate challenges are impacting the availability, quality, and taste of coffee as we know it today. At Hacienda Alsacia, Starbucks is working to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The company has created best practices to make coffee farming more profitable, developed the next generation of quality, disease-resistant coffee, and shared these with farmers around the world. For example, since making a commitment to distribute 100 million coffee plants by 2025, Starbucks has distributed approximately 90 million climate-resilient coffee plants and more than 53 million coffee seedlings to farmers. More coffee innovation farms will enable more research in new geographies to better mitigate the threat of climate change. The new farms in Costa Rica and Guatemala will study hybrid coffee varieties at different elevations and soil conditions, an important step in the research of new genetic material. The Costa Rica farm, located adjacent to Hacienda Alsacia, will also be designed to explore the use of mechanization, drones and other technologies to help support the labor availability challenges facing farmers in Latin America. In Guatemala, one of Starbucks’ most important origins, the Antigua Valley farm will replicate a smallholder farming project with conditions that reflect the challenges many farms face today. With future farm investments also planned for Africa and Asia, Starbucks will have a coffee innovation network spanning the three major growing regions of the “Coffee Belt” – Latin America, Africa and Asia-Pacific – and will be equipped to study the diverse cultures, landscapes and farming methods that contribute to coffee’s flavor. Starbucks’ innovation farm research will be expanded through the company’s Coffee Innovation Network, a multi-faceted approach to ensuring a sustainable future of coffee for all. In addition to the innovation farms, the network includes 10 Farmer Support Centers in coffee-growing regions around the world, where world-class agronomists collaborate directly with farmers on research and best practices, and 70 “model farms” across Starbucks’ supply chain, where solutions are put into action. The network’s focus on learning and innovation will continue with the Sustainability Learning and Innovation Lab at Hacienda Alsacia, which will open in December 2024. “ Through these innovation farms, we will develop solutions that will not only improve coffee productivity and quality, but also empower farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in a changing world and challenging climate,” said Roberto Vega, Starbucks vice president of Global Coffee Agronomy, R&D and Sustainability. “ This work is done on behalf of coffee farmers around the world, with discoveries that can be applied to other sectors and crops that are also impacted by climate change.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2405/philippines-to-establish-more-soil-testing-centers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2405/philippines-to-establish-more-soil-testing-centers.html Mon, 26 Aug 2024 11:35:52 +0530 Department of Agriculture (DA) is aiming to have a total of 12 facilities by next year The Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) has been directed to make soil testing more accessible across the country by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. During a meeting in Malacañang, President Marcos lamented the shortage of soil testing centers. “We lack soil analysis. We cannot tell the farmers how much fertilizer to use. We cannot give them any advice because we don’t know ourselves what the condition of the soil is. That (soil mapping) actually applies to all crops, the President said. The President made the statement after the DA recommended conducting soil mapping and agricultural liming, initially in Luzon areas, as part of the program to expand the sugar industry. President said there should be at least one soil testing center for every region. This would allow agriculturists to respond promptly to farmers seeking guidance on crops suitable for their lands. The DA revealed that “restructuring” efforts are being undertaken to help increase the number of government soil testing centers. The agency is aiming to have a total of 12 facilities by next year.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2375/australian-vietnamese-collaborations-secure-1-45-m-to-advance-agricultural-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2375/australian-vietnamese-collaborations-secure-1-45-m-to-advance-agricultural-innovation.html Wed, 14 Aug 2024 11:18:25 +0530 Three year Project under the Aus4Innovation programme of CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency The Australian university sector and Vietnam's innovation ecosystem have been granted an A$1.45 million ($944,000) boost through the Australian government's Aus4Innovation programme to develop technological solutions that support sustainable agricultural practices in Vietnam. Managed by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, the Aus4Innovation programme announced funding for three projects on August 1 that aim to address the complexities of modern agriculture through the use of high-tech solutions. The impact of these projects will enhance agricultural productivity, include market development for agricultural outputs, and address efforts for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Kim Wimbush, CSIRO counsellor to Vietnam and director of the Aus4Innovation Programme, said, "The projects will use AI for carbon farming, geospatial technology to provide real-time crop data, and digital traceability and certification to enable more sustainable farming. Advancing technological solutions for local farmers in Vietnam by working with farmers, industry, and research institutes will build enduring capacity and skills to help reshape Vietnam’s agriculture practices. These projects will not only have an impact on individual smallholder farmers, but shape the sector through adoption of these solutions more broadly". Partnering Griffith University and the University of Southern Queensland with the innovation ecosystem in Vietnam means the universities can test products at scale and speed in a unique market and bring the successful techniques back to the Australian agricultural sector. Recipients of the Aus4Innovation Partnership Grants also benefit from CSIRO’s support through connections to its network of innovators and industry partners, guidance on gender and disability responsiveness and social inclusivity, and access to partnership brokering experts. This will help to ensure the success of projects and fortify the collaboration between Australian and Vietnamese entities within each project. Three projects will be funded through this round of partnership grants. First is improving crop monitoring and access to information by smallholder farmers and government decision-makers in Vietnam. As a collaboration between the University of Southern Queensland and the Vietnam National Space Center, this initiative will harness geospatial technologies to provide vital crop information, aiming to boost productivity. Second is proactive carbon farming with AI and digital twins for sustainable agriculture in Thanh Hoa province. Griffith University and Hanoi University of Science & Technology will develop an AI-driven platform to better quantify greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon farming, ultimately contributing to sustainable agricultural practices and revenue opportunities through carbon credits. Third is empowering smallholder farmers through AI-powered certification and traceability for sustainable agriculture. Griffith University is partnering Vietnam’s Commission of Standard, Metrology, and Quality on this project aim to elevate standards in agriculture through an AI and digitalisation system that ensures effective farm monitoring and product traceability. The Aus4Innovation Programme is a 10-year, $21.8 million flagship initiative lasting to 2028, aimed at strengthening Vietnam’s innovation system to support inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development. The programme is funded by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, co-funded and managed by CSIRO, and delivered in a strategic partnership with Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2380/the-seed-oil-free-alliance-certifies-promising-new-cooking-oil-made-from-algae.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2380/the-seed-oil-free-alliance-certifies-promising-new-cooking-oil-made-from-algae.html Wed, 14 Aug 2024 11:09:55 +0530 Algae Can Provide A More Sustainable, Healthy Alternative To Seed Oils The Seed Oil Free Alliance announced Seed Oil Free Certified™ cooking oils as an new alternative to traditional seed extracted cooking oils. The two US-based companies are harnessing technology to produce cooking oil from microalgae. 'Spotlight Foods' is the first company producing oil through fermentation to complete certification by the Seed Oil Free Alliance alongside retailer Algae Cooking Club. Seed Oil Free Certification of both companies’ products followed independent lab testing by the Seed Oil Free Alliance. “Algae-derived cooking oils could revolutionize how we feed a growing world. Unhealthy and unstable seed oils are produced from industrially grown crops associated with deforestation, loss of habitat, pollution, and disruption of biodiversity,” said Seed Oil Free Alliance CEO Jonathan Rubin. “Spotlight™ Foods can produce monounsaturated fats ideal for high-heat cooking in a matter of days with a fraction of the land, water, and carbon needed for low-quality seed oils, and now Algae Cooking Club is making it widely accessible to consumers.” “It may seem unlikely, but this new algae oil is quite delicious, extremely pure, and even higher in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats than olive oil. What excites me is that it’s all being done in a controlled environment with a lower environmental footprint than many seed oils and without blending with inferior ingredients,” said Dr. Andrew Weil, the Founder of the Andrew Weil University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, who also serves as Scientific and Medical Advisor to the Seed Oil Free Alliance. “If we are going to address the larger challenges around our food system, companies will need to deliver new ingredients that ask less of the planet without sacrificing taste, trust and the overall cooking experience,” said Algae Cooking Club CEO and co-founder Kasra Saidi. Kevin Ward, Sustainability Scientist at Spotlight Foods, explains "Plant-based sugars from sugarcane are fed to microalgae in large, stainless steel fermentation tanks. Similar to yeast fermenting sugar into alcohol, algae efficiently convert sugar into an edible oil in a matter of days. The result is a neutral-tasting cooking oil high in monounsaturated omega-9 fats and low in omega-6 fats, which recent research has shown to be inflammatory.” "Algae-derived cooking oils could revolutionize how we feed a growing world. Unhealthy and unstable seed oils are produced from industrially grown crops associated with deforestation, loss of habitat, pollution, and disruption of biodiversity,” said Seed Oil Free Alliance CEO Jonathan Rubin.  The Seed Oil Free Alliance is a third-party certifying organization that offers the world's first “Seed Oil Free Certified” seal for qualifying consumer packaged goods (CPG), ready-to-eat foods, food service operations, and bottled cooking oil products. The “Seed Oil Free Certified” seal guarantees consumers that the foods they choose have undergone independent laboratory testing to ensure the purity of added oils and refined fat ingredients ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2368/australian-farm-institute-afi-receives-638000-grant-to-support-international-collaboration-on-sustainable-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2368/australian-farm-institute-afi-receives-638000-grant-to-support-international-collaboration-on-sustainable-agriculture.html Mon, 12 Aug 2024 11:14:43 +0530 Address climate change and support sustainable production Australian Farm Institute (AFI) has been awarded a $638,000 grant to support international collaboration on sustainable agriculture. The grant will support advocacy towards sustainable agriculture trade standards and guidelines development that recognise Australian conditions and are consistent with the Australian Government’s commitment to address climate change and support sustainable production. Focusing on evidence-based sustainable agricultural practices, systems and standards will enhance sustainable productivity, support food security and minimise environmental impacts. AFI will partner with other members of the Global Forum on Farm Policy and Innovation (GFFPI) engaging in collaborative research and outreach efforts progressing evidence-based sustainability approaches internationally . AFI will also work with our Southeast Asian partners to share this knowledge and understanding to support sustainable agricultural practices in the region. Deputy Secretary of the Agricultural Trade and Regulation Group, Tina Hutchison, emphasised the importance of the grant in strengthening relationships with trading partners. “Australia has a lot to offer Southeast Asian partners through trade, investment and a shared commitment to sustainable agriculture to meet the growing food needs across our region. “This initiative will boost collaboration and engagement between Australia and Southeast Asia in this vital area to support long-term sustainable agricultural development. “Australia’s prosperity and security are closely linked to the prosperity and security of our neighbours, so it’s important we work together to support a strong future for all.”  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2365/the-gpca-agri-nutrients-conference-to-spotlight-ag-innovation-in-saudi-arabia-sept-10-12.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2365/the-gpca-agri-nutrients-conference-to-spotlight-ag-innovation-in-saudi-arabia-sept-10-12.html Fri, 09 Aug 2024 14:47:02 +0530 The 14th edition of GPCA to unravel with the theme “Agri-Innovation: Powering a Food-Secure & Climate-Smart Planet”, for the first time in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia The role of agri-innovation to enable food security and help to meet climate targets will come under the spotlight at the 14th annual edition of the Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Agri-Nutrients Conference taking place for the first time at the JW Marriott Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 10-12 September 2024. As of 2023, roughly 10%, or 783 million, of the world's population have not had access to enough food. With the world's population likely to add nearly another billion people and incomes rising, total food consumption is expected to increase by more than 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. Held under the theme “Agri-Innovation: Powering a Food-Secure & Climate-Smart Planet”, the 14th GPCA Agri-Nutrients Conference will discuss the latest technologies and innovations driving the efficient and smart use of agri-nutrients to help support food security globally, while at the same time lower CO2 emissions and mitigate the climate impact of farming. The GCC is a key producer of agri-nutrients globally, as 5% of the world’s population, or 350 million people, are fed with the support of agri-nutrients made in the region. The Arabian Gulf produces 34.6 million tons of agri-nutrients annually and exports $13.9 billion worth of agri-nutrients[1], helping to advance food security globally and contributing to the socio-economic development of the region. Saudi Arabia accounts for more than half (51.6%) of GCC agri-nutrient production and ranks as the 6th largest exporter of agri-nutrients globally, followed by Oman (7th) and Qatar (10th). The 14th GPCA Agri-Nutrients Conference will open on Day 1, 11 September, with an address by Abdulrahman Al-Suwaidi, CEO, QAFCO and Chairman, Agri-Nutrients Committee, GPCA, and welcome remarks from Fahad Al-Battar, CEO, SABIC Agri-Nutrients, who’ll address the importance of agri-nutrients in today’s landscape. Al-Battar will also take part in an Executive leadership dialogue on the “Impact of energy transition on agri-nutrients businesses, alongside Dr. Ahmed Said Al-Marhoubi, CEO, OMIFCO, and Hassan Al-Ali, EVP, Phosphate BU, Ma’aden. Dr. Tarifa A. Alzaabi, Director General, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), will deliver a keynote address on “Nourishing the planet, powering the future with sustainable agri-nutrients”. On Day 2, 12 September, Yasser Alabbasi, CEO, GPIC, will present the opening remarks, followed by Nicolas Denis, Partner I Global leader, McKinsey Center for Agriculture Transformation and Food Security, McKinsey & Company, who’ll deliver a keynote address on “The current state of food security and nutrition around the world” and Dr. Edwini Kessie, Director of the Agriculture and Commodities Division, World Trade Organization (WTO), who’ll present a keynote address on the “Global trade in agri-food products and the role of the WTO in ensuring removal of trade barriers”. The conference will host a workshop on 10 September, on “Operational excellence in the GCC agri-nutrient industry” followed by the 3rd GPCA Innovation Competition in the afternoon, where participants will share their presentations showcasing their innovative ideas to advance food security and sustainability. Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented: “We look forward to welcoming delegates to Riyadh this September, when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the 14th GPCA Agri-Nutrients Conference for the first time. Building on its legacy over the past 13 years as the premier gathering for leaders in the GCC agri-nutrient sector, the conference will foster dialogue and collaboration and provide a platform to discuss some of the most pressing issues impacting on the agri-nutrient sector in the region and globally.” He added: “With the dual challenge of rising food demand and meeting our climate targets, the agri-nutrient industry is uniquely positioned to support both the energy transition and decarbonization, while allowing the world to grow more food by leveraging existing agri-innovations and investing in research and technologies to develop the next-generation of climate-smart solutions. With the 3rd GPCA Innovation Competition focusing on the challenges of food security and sustainability for the first time, this is a unique opportunity for the GCC’s community of young graduates to share innovative ideas and contribute to our efforts to advance the industry’s objectives.” The 14th GPCA Agri-Nutrients Conference will foster networking and collaboration to develop a roadmap for a food-secure and climate-smart future. The conference will attract senior industry leaders in the agri-nutrient value chain, from producers and blenders to distributors, food cultivators, brand owners, technology providers, and international food organizations. To Register: Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Agri-Nutrients Conference [1] Source: GPCA, Figures refer to 2022 ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2361/potato-storage-technology-with-precision-ethylene-treatment-pet-introduced-by-restrain.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2361/potato-storage-technology-with-precision-ethylene-treatment-pet-introduced-by-restrain.html Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:29:18 +0530 Ensuring optimal potato preservation through the precise application and control of ethylene Restrain has announced the launch of its new Precision Ethylene Treatment (PET) technology, setting an unprecedented standard in storage solutions. This pioneering advancement continues Restrain’s legacy of innovation, ensuring optimal potato preservation through the precise application and control of ethylene, a natural plant hormone crucial for maintaining potato quality. Ethylene, a colourless gas naturally occurring in all plants, plays a vital role in various physiological processes such as ripening, ageing, and stress responses. For two decades, Restrain has harnessed the power of Ethylene to revolutionise potato storage, keeping potatoes sprout-free, quality-stable and market-ready. Restrain's Ethylene systems seamlessly integrate into commercial bulk, box, ambient and refrigerated storage facilities without requiring costly modifications. Our catalytic generators, designed and manufactured in-house since 2017, enhance safety, ensure quality, reduce costs, and foster continuous innovation. Leveraging advanced microcomputer technology, our systems offer unparalleled control and future-proof internet connectivity for real-time monitoring. Following the European 2020 ban on CIPC, Restrain emerged as the preferred solution for major french fry manufacturers and fresh potato suppliers. As priorities evolved, our focus expanded to address fry colour and weight loss, cementing our leadership in Ethylene management for potato storage. By 2023, Restrain had integrated iCloud technology for real-time remote monitoring and adaptive storage control. Our ongoing research and newly patented systems drive continuous advancements, solidifying our position at the forefront of potato storage innovation. Soon in this year, Restrain will unveil Precision Ethylene Treatment (PET) technology, the most significant innovation in potato storage yet. This advanced method introduces and maintains optimal ethylene levels in potato stores, preventing sprouting, preserving sugar levels, protecting fry colours, and minimizing weight loss through three revolutionary steps: The Sensor: Restrain's newly designed ethylene sensor offers unparalleled accuracy and response time, excluding interference from other molecules. It measures carbon dioxide, temperature, and relative humidity, providing comprehensive monitoring. The Pulse: The innovative ultra-low dosing pulse system delivers controlled ethylene at parts per billion, below sensor detection levels. This prepares potatoes for higher ethylene levels, effectively suppressing sprouting while minimizing respiration to protect fry colour and reduce weight loss. The Control: Restrain's state-of-the-art ethylene control management system employs sophisticated algorithms to establish and maintain precise ethylene levels in commercial storage facilities. This gradual increase in ethylene levels ensures superior storage outcomes. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2352/japans-breakthrough-discovery-of-an-plant-enzyme-could-lead-to-anti-bacterial-pesticides.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2352/japans-breakthrough-discovery-of-an-plant-enzyme-could-lead-to-anti-bacterial-pesticides.html Mon, 05 Aug 2024 09:11:00 +0530 Researchers uncover the crucial role of OpgD enzyme in enhancing Xanthomonas pathogenicity Plant diseases pose significant challenges to agricultural productivity, presenting formidable hurdles that require urgent attention. Left unchecked, these diseases can spread rapidly, inflicting widespread damage on crops and leading to reduced yields and substantial economic losses. Therefore, accurately identifying the pathogens responsible for these diseases is crucial. This identification allows for targeted interventions that minimize risks and effectively mitigate the agricultural impacts. Xanthomonas species are notorious plant pathogens that affect a broad spectrum of hosts, including key crops like rice, wheat, and tomatoes. These pathogens augment their pathogenicity by utilizing α-1,6-cyclized β-1,2-glucohexadecaose (CβG16α) to suppress essential plant defense mechanisms, such as the expression of pathogenesis-related proteins and the accumulation of callose. In a recent breakthrough a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Masahiro Nakajima from Tokyo University of Science unveiled a significant discovery. They identified XccOpgD, a glycoside hydrolase (GH186) found in X. campestris pv campestris which plays a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of CβG16α. The research team also included Sei Motouchi from Tokyo University of Science, Principal Scientist Shiro Komba from the Institute of Food Research, NARO, and Hiroyuki Nakai from Niigata University. The team conducted biochemical analysis to elucidate the role of XccOpgD in CβG16α biosynthesis. Advanced techniques such as X-ray crystallography were employed as structural analysis to unravel the enzyme's catalytic mechanism and substrate specificity. These efforts have yielded profound insights. XccOpgD belongs to the GH186 family, essential for regulating bacterial cell wall components. Unlike the first identified GH186 enzymes, XccOpgD exhibits an unprecedented enzymatic mechanism known as anomer-inverting transglycosylation. The discovery of XccOpgD and its role in CβG16α biosynthesis marks a major breakthrough in agriculture. It promises enhanced resilience and food security while mitigating environmental impacts linked to conventional pesticides. Overall, this advancement offers sustainable solutions to global agricultural challenges, promoting environmental stewardship and economic viability for farmers worldwide. These findings deepen our understanding and open avenues for developing targeted strategies against Xanthomonas-induced plant diseases. "We are expecting a pesticide concept targeting this enzyme homolog in the future. Unlike fungicides that promote the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria in soil, targeting this enzyme could potentially inhibit pathogenicity without causing sterilization. Enzyme homologs identified in this study may serve as promising structure-based drug targets, offering a potential solution to the issue of drug-resistant bacteria," says a hopeful Prof. Masahiro Nakajima from Tokyo University of Science. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2347/scientists-develop-sustainable-insecticide-using-nanotechnology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2347/scientists-develop-sustainable-insecticide-using-nanotechnology.html Fri, 02 Aug 2024 11:02:40 +0530 Encapsulated the insecticide molecule thiamethoxam in nanometric structures can be much more effective compared to existing conventional pesticides A more effective and sustainable insecticide has been developed by Embrapa Meio Ambiente (SP) in partnership with the Chemistry Institute of the State University of Campinas ( Unicamp ) in Brazil. The researchers have developed a controlled release system for the insecticide thiamethoxam. The encapsulation was carried out in polymeric nanomicelles, structures smaller than one billionth of a meter, or more than 80 thousand times smaller than the thickness of a strand of hair.  Studies indicate that nanopesticides are more effective than conventional pesticides and may completely replace them in the near future. Nanomaterials have unique physical, chemical and biological properties, different from the characteristics of the same materials on a larger scale, due to the increase in the surface-to-volume ratio and quantum effects. Nanopesticides formulations use nanomaterials in their composition and that present high application efficiency and less toxic effects on the environment compared to conventional formulations of the same active ingredient. Nanoencapsulation of the active ingredient results in a sustained release by the nanoparticles, high stability and specificity. The results indicated that the nanostructures were effective with a dose approximately two times lower compared to commercial formulations,” explains Embrapa analyst Marcia Assalin , coordinator of the study The effectiveness of the nano insecticide was assessed by controlling, in greenhouses, the insect ( Diaphorina citri) responsible for the spread of greening, also known as huanglongbing and HLB, caused by the bacterium  Candidatus liberibacter spp . The disease affects all citrus plants and has no cure: once contaminated, it is not possible to eliminate the bacteria from the plant, which continues to act as a source of inoculum for the contamination of other plants. Citrus greening is one of the most important diseases affecting citrus today.   In addition to increasing efficiency, the new product can lead to a reduction in the number of applications, attenuation in the development of pest resistance to the insecticide, and a reduction in environmental impact and associated costs. Nanotechnology plays a key role in promoting more sustainable agricultural practices through nano insecticides. According to Ljubica Tasic, a professor at Unicamp, the nano insecticide showed reduced toxicity to aquatic organisms used in ecotoxicity assessment studies ( Raphidocelis subcapitata and Artemia salina ).The effectiveness of the nanoinsecticide was assessed by controlling, in greenhouses, the insect ( Diaphorina citri) responsible for the spread of greening, also known as huanglongbing and HLB, caused by the bacterium  Candidatus liberibacter spp . The disease affects all citrus plants and has no cure: once contaminated, it is not possible to eliminate the bacteria from the plant, which continues to act as a source of inoculum for the contamination of other plants. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2308/basf-launches-heat-and-light-stabilizer-to-revolutionize-plasticulture-landscape-for-sustainable-farming-practices.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2308/basf-launches-heat-and-light-stabilizer-to-revolutionize-plasticulture-landscape-for-sustainable-farming-practices.html Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:47:13 +0530 Launches Tinuvin® NOR® 211 AR to promote sustainability through reduced polymer usage in plasticulture BASF launches Tinuvin® NOR® 211 AR to support film producers and converters globally in navigating the challenging landscape of plasticulture – the use of plastic materials in agricultural applications. This new high-performance heat and light stabilizer protects and prolongs the lifespan of agricultural plastics that require resistance to high levels of inorganic chemicals like sulfur and chlorine. Tinuvin NOR 211 AR offers an effective value-in-use solution for agricultural plastics exposed to intense UV radiation, thermal stress, and inorganic chemicals commonly used in crop management and disinfection. The advancements in plasticulture, heavily influenced by polyethylene (PE) grades, have led to a growing trend in downgauging and a greater emphasis on the use of plastic materials. Downgauging involves reducing the thickness of plastic films while maintaining their performance, made possible by incorporating new polymer grades to enhance the mechanical properties of PE materials. At the same time, converters are investing in new equipment to increase the number of layers in their films thereby improving performance and durability. This transition to thinner and more durable films is crucial for the sustainability of agricultural plastics as it helps to reduce plastic waste, enhances production efficiency and facilitates practices like recycling and upcycling. Tinuvin NOR 211 AR is a unique stabilization system that can be used in plasticulture, even in intensive horticulture, regardless of the application region’s severity of UV radiation, heat, and chemicals that are present. This new product solution is the best option when downgauging is required, especially in the presence of high levels of sulfur and chlorine. With the increasing use of inorganic chemicals in agriculture due to the adoption of “Integrated Pest Management” and “Organic Farming” practices, the need for effective stabilization of agricultural films is crucial. “Tinuvin NOR 211 AR additive solution addresses a broad variety of challenges for agricultural plastics, including sustainability requirements, increased chemical exposure, longer use durations and downgauging trends,” said Dr. Bettina Sobotka, Head of Global Marketing and Development for Plastic Additives at BASF. “BASF’s NOR HALS solutions improve stabilization by moving beyond solutions based on secondary and methylated HALS. Through collaboration with agricultural plastic producers as well as farmers, we facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise, creating solutions that will ultimately lead to improved crop yield.” BASF is reflecting in the expansion of its NOR® platform. Tinuvin NOR 211 AR, part of the VALERAS® portfolio, utilizes renewable electricity in production and optimizes product form to reduce energy consumption and emissions. It also improves material dosing precision, minimizes dust exposure, and promotes water and aquatic organism protection, leading to a safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly workflow.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2304/syngenta-collaborates-with-ginkgo-bioworks-for-rapid-launch-of-innovative-biologicals.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2304/syngenta-collaborates-with-ginkgo-bioworks-for-rapid-launch-of-innovative-biologicals.html Wed, 17 Jul 2024 14:49:32 +0530 Syngenta will leverage Ginkgo’s Ag Biologicals capabilities to optimize secondary metabolite production for a pioneering biological solution Syngenta Crop Protection, and Ginkgo Bioworks, which is building a platform for cell programming and biosecurity, has announced a new cooperation aimed at accelerating the launch of a new biological solution. The two companies have previously collaborated on next-generation seed technology. Through this new collaboration, Ginkgo plans to develop and optimize a microbial strain that can meet the productivity targets of a secondary metabolite from the Syngenta Biologicals pipeline. This molecule is earmarked by Syngenta as a pioneering biological solution. Successful cost-effective and large-scale production of this targeted metabolite would significantly expedite Syngenta's go-to-market timeline for its latest biological solution. To achieve this, Ginkgo will use its Ag Biologicals capabilities to calculate theoretical performance and guide rational strain engineering strategies to develop the microbial strain that is robust enough to meet Syngenta’s goals. Ginkgo will leverage its biological knowledge and machine learning approaches to develop insights from multiple complex data sources and apply this toward diagnosing strain performance limitations as well as biological feature discovery. “Biologicals are increasingly important in addressing the need for efficient and sustainable agricultural solutions worldwide. At Syngenta, we are committed to providing farmers with greater complementary product and technology choices that promote sustainable agricultural practices,” said Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Research at Syngenta Crop Protection. “We are excited to work with Ginkgo, and are confident that their distinctive capabilities will enable us to achieve our productivity goals for our targeted molecule, expediting our time to market.” Magalie Guilhabert, Head of Ag Biologicals at Ginkgo Bioworks, said: “We’ve built a successful relationship from our work together on plant traits and now look forward to doing the same with ag biologicals. Ginkgo is proud to put our excellent assets and experience against some of our customer’s toughest challenges. We’ll work to achieve productivity levels to realize commercial viability for Syngenta’s innovative ag biologicals product launch.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2293/first-mrna-vaccine-approved-against-elephant-endotheliotropic-herpesvirus-eehv-to-protect-asian-elephant-calves.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2293/first-mrna-vaccine-approved-against-elephant-endotheliotropic-herpesvirus-eehv-to-protect-asian-elephant-calves.html Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:56:05 +0530 Colossal Accelerates Ground-breaking Science for mRNA Vaccine with Dr. Paul Ling of the Baylor College of Medicine Colossal, the de-extinction company, announces that the mRNA vaccine it helped to provide research support and acceleration funding for has been administered to the first elephant in captivity at the Houston Zoo. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is the number one killer of Asian elephant calves living under managed care in North America and Europe and significantly impacts free-ranging populations of Asian elephants as well. Recent EEHV related deaths in several African elephants in the US have now raised concerns about EEHV in this elephant species, as well. The ground-breaking work will help with efforts to generate EEHV vaccines for both species of elephants. The pioneering work of Dr. Paul Ling at the Baylor College of Medicine began in 2009 with a partnership with the Houston Zoo where they developed better tools to detect and manage the elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) associated disease. In the past few years, progress on the development of the vaccine accelerated, in part due to the involvement of Colossal. “Colossal supported our efforts to work on an mRNA solution approach,” shared Dr. Paul Ling, Professor at the Department of Microbiology and Virology at Baylor College of Medicine. “It quickly became evident that the mRNA solution was going to be feasible, so we prioritized implementation of that approach. We are much further along today than we would have been without Colossal’s scientific support, research teams and funding.” EEHV can cause lethal hemorrhagic disease and is often associated with massive levels of virus in multiple organs. The EEHV mRNA vaccine is designed to expose elephants to viral proteins critical for attachment and entry of the virus into host cells, thereby enabling induction of an immune response to block these processes, and help elephants control viral growth and prevent lethal disease. The initial EEHV vaccine is specific for the EEHV1A strain of the virus, which causes the majority of lethal infections in Asian elephants. It is envisioned that the mRNA vaccine platform can be easily modified to express similar viral proteins for other EEHV strains, including those that circulate in African elephants, in the future. Extensive preclinical trials of the mRNA vaccine have been conducted and the results show that it can induce antibodies against the virus without adverse impacts. The vaccine was recently approved by multiple entities involved in overseeing use of experimental products to be applied to elephants. The Houston Zoo approved the vaccine for their managed community, and they have inoculated Tess. In the next three to five years, Dr. Ling hopes that this vaccine will be applied to the broad population of elephants under human care, worldwide. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2289/msd-animal-health-completes-acquisition-of-elancos-aqua-business.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2289/msd-animal-health-completes-acquisition-of-elancos-aqua-business.html Fri, 12 Jul 2024 09:50:24 +0530 Acquisition delivers industry-leading portfolio, scientific and research capabilities, while promoting fish health, welfare and sustainability in aquaculture MSD Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA has acquired aqua business of Elanco Animal Health Incorporated. The acquisition bolsters MSD Animal Health’s position in the aqua industry with a comprehensive approach to promote fish health, welfare and sustainability in aquaculture, conservation, and fisheries. “With the completion of this acquisition, we are well positioned within the aquaculture industry with a robust and comprehensive portfolio across warm water, cold water, vaccines, anti-parasitic treatments, water supplements and nutrition,” said Rick DeLuca, president, MSD Animal Health. “We are excited to welcome our new colleagues to MSD Animal Health and we look forward to working together, driven by our common purpose of the Science of Healthier Animals®.” With this acquisition, MSD Animal Health now owns innovative products such as CLYNAV®, a new generation DNA-based vaccine that protects Atlantic salmon against pancreas disease and IMVIXA®, an anti-parasitic sea lice treatment and water treatment products for warm water production, complementing MSD Animal Health’s vaccine portfolio. The increasing use of medicines and vaccines, nutritional's and supplements for aquatic species is driven by the growing demand for protein and food safety, ensuring a supply of quality food and protecting public health. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2288/corteva-agriscience-announces-trusource-wheat-a-high-fiber-durum-and-new-ingredients-category-to-better-meet-needs-of-consumers-and-food-industry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2288/corteva-agriscience-announces-trusource-wheat-a-high-fiber-durum-and-new-ingredients-category-to-better-meet-needs-of-consumers-and-food-industry.html Fri, 12 Jul 2024 09:30:58 +0530 The durum wheat offering and Value-Added Ingredients category spotlight the impact of agricultural innovation Corteva Agriscience has launched its new brand, Trusource™ wheat, a high fiber durum that can help meet dietary fiber with enhanced ingredient through use in high-volume foods such as pasta. Trusource wheat will be available to food companies to trial in product development and evaluation in late 2024, with North American commercialization plans for farmers to be announced in the coming years. Fiber is the most under-consumed macronutrient and there is a direct correlation between low fiber and chronic inflammation, leading to many human health issues. “We have used traditional breeding techniques to enable the taste and texture of Trusource wheat to better match the traditional sensory experience consumers want in pasta and baked goods while increasing their fiber intake with high fiber Trusource wheat,” said Michael Reimer, Innovation Manager – Value-Added Ingredients, Corteva Agriscience. Trusource wheat is an exciting addition to the new Value-Added Ingredients category from Corteva, which includes existing high stability Omega-9 Canola Oil and Plenish® high oleic soybean oil as well as a robust innovation pipeline. High stability oils are readily available through most major oil producers.  Produced from Corteva seeds, these innovative food ingredients deliver the great taste and improved nutrition consumers demand, and are easily integrated into food industry applications. “Consumers are increasingly asking for improved ingredients, and agriculture innovation is helping the food industry meet that demand,” said Tyler Groeneveld, North American Director – Value-Added Ingredients, Corteva Agriscience. “This collaboration adds value for our farmers, the food industry and, ultimately, the consumer.” Crops for Value-Added Ingredients are grown under an identity preservation (IP) system, supporting traceability and sustainability programs, and carry the strong agronomic traits farmers seek. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2263/strive-and-turtletree-to-build-adult-immunity-support-beverages-and-sports-nutrition-by-2025.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2263/strive-and-turtletree-to-build-adult-immunity-support-beverages-and-sports-nutrition-by-2025.html Wed, 03 Jul 2024 09:04:00 +0530 Expands Consumer Product Offerings with LF+™ for Adult and Sports Nutrition TurtleTree, a pioneer in sustainable nutrition, has entered a multi-year strategic partnership with Strive, a nutrition company focused on providing sustainable, protein enriched beverages that are better tasting, more nutritious and better for the planet. Strive currently offers FREEMILK, a true milk alternative with fermentation-derived protein and through the partnership with TurtleTree, plans to expand into additional products including a immunity support beverage aimed at adult nutrition as well as a ready-to-mix protein powder—both to include TurtleTree's lactoferrin (LF+), the world's first animal-free lactoferrin. The functional beverage landscape has a market size of $200B with 7.49% CAGR, confirming the need for more options being made accessible to the general population. The immunity support beverage from Strive with LF+ will be an 8 oz carton with 12-15 grams of fermentation-derived whey protein and 250 mg of fermentation-derived lactoferrin (LF+). There will also be a mix of 23 critical vitamins and minerals to enhance the product geared toward aging adults. Strive and TurtleTree are committed to providing products that will give the adult population the opportunity to address some of their concerns and provide the functional ingredients they are searching for. By creating an immunity support beverage that includes TurtleTree's LF+, Strive can provide consumers with the unique benefits of lactoferrin to support gut health and iron regulation as well as immune support while ensuring supplementation of the daily vitamins recommended. TurtleTree continues to have a stellar year receiving its vegan certification from Vegan Action, securing its first commercialization partnership and being recognized in Fast Company's 2024 World Changing Ideas. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2251/dovetail-genomics-and-agrf-announce-transformative-partnership-set-to-advance-genomic-research-in-australasia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2251/dovetail-genomics-and-agrf-announce-transformative-partnership-set-to-advance-genomic-research-in-australasia.html Fri, 28 Jun 2024 10:06:00 +0530 Collaboration establishes Cutting-Edge Genomic technologies, boosting innovation in agri-genomics access across Australia and New Zealand Dovetail Genomics, a pioneering leader in the development of genomic solutions, today announced a new strategic partnership with Australian Genome Research Facility (AGRF). As Australia's premier nonprofit genomic sequencing service provider, AGRF powers genomics through a national network of services and expertise. This collaboration is aimed at bolstering genomic research and innovation across Australia and New Zealand, launching AGRF as the premier provider of Dovetail's cutting-edge products and services in the Australasian market. Australasia is a subregion of Oceania, comprising Australia, New Zealand, and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. Under this partnership, AGRF will offer Dovetail's comprehensive 3D genomic portfolio of proximity ligation-based products, including Dovetail® Omni-C®, Micro-C, and the new family of LinkPrep™ Technology based products, TopoLink™, AssemblyLink™, and VariLink™ Kits. This alliance not only redefines the accessibility and application of advanced genomics across various sectors, including biomedical, agri-genomics, and clinical research, but it also significantly enhances and expands AGRF's service offerings. By integrating Dovetail's proprietary technologies, such as the rapid, single-day LinkPrep™ chemistry which is crucial for advanced genome assembly, genetic variation and epigenetic applications, AGRF will provide localized, high-quality genomic services, transforming the way researchers study the 3D genome. Mathew Easterday, Ph.D., J.D., Chief Executive Officer of Dovetail Genomics,  shared his enthusiasm for the new strategic partnership, stating, "Our collaboration with AGRF is not just a partnership; it's a powerful union that combines Dovetail's cutting-edge technological platforms with AGRF's extensive and robust service network to unlock new research opportunities in Australasia. Together, we are committed to advancing genomic research and setting new benchmarks for what can be achieved in the realms of biomedical, agricultural, and clinical research." The collaboration aligns with global industry trends as Hi-C technologies gain traction across a plethora of genomic applications and disease states. By joining forces with AGRF, Dovetail Genomics underscores its commitment to expanding its global footprint and supporting the scientific community with advanced genomic solutions. Cath Moore, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at AGRF, elaborated on the significance of the partnership, stating, “AGRF is very excited to partner with Dovetail Genomics. 3D genomics is transformative for researchers utilising AGRF’s genomic services.  Unlocking the spatial mysteries of DNA; how it folds and loops and how that impacts gene regulation, cell differentiation, genome stability, and disease mechanisms. Bringing this capability to AGRF, and so to the Australian research community, provides a comprehensive understanding of genome function beyond linear DNA sequences, transforming our knowledge of cellular biology and disease mechanisms.  AGRF’s mission is to partner with the genomics community to make profound improvements to people’s lives by delivering a world-class, innovative, and integrated capability. This strategic partnership helps us to deliver that capability.” The full suite of Dovetail products is available immediately through AGRF, providing Australasian researchers with advanced genomics tools aimed at transforming the way researchers study the 3D genome during this critical period of scientific advancement. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2244/agrifutures-growag-launches-in-new-zealand.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2244/agrifutures-growag-launches-in-new-zealand.html Wed, 26 Jun 2024 11:14:46 +0530 By connecting local innovators with international partners, the initiative opens doors to new opportunities and accelerates the development of cutting-edge solutions for sustainable agriculture AgriFutures growAG., the Australian agritech innovation platform, announced its launch in New Zealand. Agritech New Zealand founder and agritech venture capitalist, Peter Wren-Hilton, said the launch was an exciting opportunity for local industry. "New Zealand has world-class innovation happening here in agritech, and AgriFutures growAG is an ideal platform to showcase our achievements on the global stage. AgriFutures growAG team is creating opportunities all around the world – it's exciting to be able to now offer this to companies, researchers and investors here in New Zealand." AgriFutures Australia's General Manager, Global Innovation Networks, Harriet Mellish said the partnership would help connect the New Zealand ecosystem with opportunities in Australia and around the globe including R&D, trials, investments, and commercialisation partnerships. "In the three years since we launched we've supported over NZD$162 million in Startup investment; featured over 3,000 research projects and welcomed visitors from 190 countries," she said. Brendan O'Connell, CEO of AgriTech New Zealand, said, "The launch of AgriFutures growAG. in New Zealand is a significant moment for our agritech sector. By connecting our local innovators with international partners, we are opening doors to new opportunities and accelerating the development of cutting-edge solutions for sustainable agriculture." There are currently six New Zealand projects live on AgriFutures growAG. seeking research partners, suppliers and investment: Fleecegrow, a wool-waste innovation company researching turning wool-waste into a plant growing media and alternative to rockwool, as well as fertiliser. Map & Zap®, an AI driven early growth stage weed identification and laser-zapping solution that reduces the need for chemical herbicides for controlling weeds. Nanobubble Agritech, an irrigation technology company doubling the productive capacity of water. ProTag, a next generation smart tag for livestock that enables deeper individual animal insights through behaviour analytics and advanced location monitoring technology. SWAMI, an innovative solution that uses acoustic technology to predict and detect surface water build up to improve irrigation management, water efficiency and environmental outcomes. VinEye, a faster, more accurate and more cost-effective solution to identify Grapevine leafroll disease. The AgriFutures growAG. digital platform is underpinned by an in-person concierge team who facilitate listings of opportunities, and make personal introductions for international cooperation and collaboration. The team regularly travels to international events to promote the platform and showcase investment and partnership opportunities. So far in 2024, the team has been active on the ground in the USA, Netherlands, UK, as well as New Zealand. AgriFutures growAG. is powered by AgriFutures Australia and funded by the Australian Government. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2242/new-collaborative-international-research-project-to-improve-crop-yields.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2242/new-collaborative-international-research-project-to-improve-crop-yields.html Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:42:29 +0530 The $11.02 million multi-partner investment includes $6.1m from GRDC An international research project to improve crop yields is leading a significant increase in yields for growers of chickpeas, lentils, and faba beans across Australia within the next decade. The $11.02 million multi-partner investment includes $6.1m from GRDC for the Achieving improved genetic gain for yield in chickpea, faba bean and lentil using genetic diversity project, led by Murdoch University. This will see Australian pulse breeders gain access to advanced knowledge, tools and technologies, and novel sources of germplasm to broaden genetic diversity in pulse cultivars and ultimately drive yield gain. Project leader Professor Rajeev Varshney FRS, director of the Centre for Crop and Food Innovation at Murdoch University, says chickpea, lentil and faba bean production is currently hamstrung due to limited genetic diversity, resulting in meagre yield improvement of less than 0.5 per cent each year. Professor Varshney says researchers will use genomic prediction, artificial intelligence and speed breeding to identify and stack novel and superior DNA variants for yield and yield-related traits. “By incorporating genetic diversity from other landraces and employing the aforementioned advanced breeding techniques and AI, we believe we can achieve a 1.5 per cent increase in genetic gain, which would be unprecedented,” Professor Varshney says. “As part of the research, we will be collaborating with national pulse breeding programs, including Chickpea Breeding Australia, the National Lentil Breeding Program based in Victoria and the University of Adelaide-led National Faba Bean Breeding Program. “Through this investment we will develop ‘PulseBase’, a platform for hosting datasets generated through this project alongside other relevant existing datasets accessible for various pre-breeding and breeding programs.” Professor Varshney added that the key trait researchers will be targeting from international germplasm is yield as well as improved disease resistance. Project partners include the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (University of Queensland), Agriculture Victoria Research, University of Adelaide, University of Sydney, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and Analytics for the Australian Grains Industry (Curtin University) and ICARDA. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2230/syngenta-and-instadeep-collaborate-to-accelerate-crops-seeds-trait-research-using-ai-large-language-models.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2230/syngenta-and-instadeep-collaborate-to-accelerate-crops-seeds-trait-research-using-ai-large-language-models.html Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:32:19 +0530 Large Language Models (LLMs) aim to reduce research cycle time and bolster decision science to bring valued solutions to farmers. Syngenta Seeds, one of the world’s leading global agriculture technology companies, today announced a collaboration with AI company, InstaDeep, to bring Syngenta’s proprietary trait research and development capabilities together with InstaDeep’s Large Language Model (LLM) platform to accelerate the development of solution-providing crop traits for farmers. InstaDeep has developed a state-of-the-art language model, AgroNT1, trained on trillions of nucleotides from agriculturally relevant crop species, to interpret the complex language of the genetic code. This next-generation AI technology learns from nature and was designed to accurately predict how genes are regulated, potentially enabling a new level of trait control and crop performance. “We are excited to collaborate with InstaDeep and bring forward insights from advanced AI to accelerate the advancement of our proprietary trait pipeline, enabling us to bring innovative and effective solutions to challenges facing agriculture,” said Gusui Wu, Global Head of Syngenta Seeds Research. “The potential of LLMs to understand the language of DNA opens new opportunities to gain insight and to more quickly deliver traits farmers need to enhance and protect yields.” “Our collaboration with Syngenta Seeds is a major milestone for InstaDeep and the transformative agricultural science our Genomics AI team is helping pioneer,” said Karim Beguir, InstaDeep CEO and Co-Founder. “We’re excited by AI’s potential to discover and deliver new traits critical for advancing a more sustainable, resilient, and productive food system.” The initial phase of the collaboration will focus on AI-mediated trait design for both corn and soybeans. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2225/wsu-develops-robotic-gripper-for-automated-apple-picking-developed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2225/wsu-develops-robotic-gripper-for-automated-apple-picking-developed.html Mon, 17 Jun 2024 02:04:51 +0530 The gripper uses three cables to move 3D-printed hard plastic and silicone rubber-tipped fingers. A robotic gripper developed by Washington State University researchers is able to gently grab the majority of apples out of a tree without damaging the fruit. The research is funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission. The innovative gripper is part of a robotic set-up that the researchers are hoping will someday do fruit picking and other farm chores for Washington farmers to help alleviate ongoing labor shortages. Weighing about two-thirds of a pound, the gripper uses three cables to move 3D-printed hard plastic and silicone rubber-tipped fingers. The fingers have to be gentle enough that they don’t damage the apples but strong enough to pull the apple off the tree. At a cost of about $30 to produce, the gripper includes a switch to grasp the apple and let go. It was able to successfully grab more than 87.5% of the apples in an orchard without damaging them. Washington state leads the nation in apple production, and in 2022, the industry contributed more than two billion dollars to the U.S. gross domestic product. Throughout Washington, farms employ anywhere from a dozen to hundreds of workers each year for orchard operations, including for pollination, pruning, flower thinning and fruit harvesting. With an aging population and a decrease in migrant farm workers, however, farmers have struggled to meet their needs for workers during harvest season. In recent years, researchers have started developing robotic apple harvesting systems, but the ones that have been developed are expensive and complex to use in orchards. The WSU team will next connect their light-weight gripper to a low-cost robot system that they are developing. Similar to inflatable tube-people often used in outdoor advertising at car dealerships, the robot arm is made of a soft fabric filled with air that is similar but stiffer than the car dealership version. As part of the project, the researchers are also working to add an onboard camera to their system that can precisely guide the arm as well as a gripper that can twist, similar to a human hand’s rotation to reduce the damage of the apple stem. They expect to try the system out in their lab and then farm fields later this year. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2209/researchers-explore-plant-nanobiotechnology-by-adopting-nanomedicine-and-digital-twin-technologies-in-smart-agricultural-practices.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2209/researchers-explore-plant-nanobiotechnology-by-adopting-nanomedicine-and-digital-twin-technologies-in-smart-agricultural-practices.html Wed, 12 Jun 2024 10:58:18 +0530 Carnegie Mellon researchers develop sustainable solutions for Global food security Researchers in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University are using findings from nanomedicine and digital twin technologies to understand the new field of Plant Nanobiotechnology, address unsustainable agricultural practices, and meet increasing global food demands. Currently, agriculture accounts for 14-28% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of all freshwater withdraws. This, in addition to a range of other factors from extreme weather events, rampant crop pests, and rapidly degrading soil underlines the need for new agricultural practices and technologies. Researchers highlight that Plant Nanobiotechnology approaches can be used to deliver nanoforms of active agents, such as micronutrients or plant protection products, to specific biological targets. As a result, plants become more resilient against disease and harmful environmental factors like extreme heat or salt contents in soil, thus increasing crop yield and overall efficiency. However, because the field of Plant Nanobiotechnology is still in its nascent stages, many of the challenges to implementing new tools like nanocarriers are still unknown to researchers. To overcome this obstacle, civil and environmental engineering professor Greg Lowry, in collaboration with co-corresponding author Juan Pablo Giraldo at University of California Riverside, colleagues, and students, is looking beyond plants and agriculture to find solutions inspired by nanomedicine. Similar to nanomedicine, researchers found that nanocarriers are most successful when they interact well with the organism they’re targeting, navigate key biological barriers, and take advantage of natural processes while minimizing unintended consequences. The study also explored the potentially transformative approach of creating “digital twins” of plants for assessing the efficacy of different nanocarrier designs. Digital twins are breakthrough modeling technologies that have been widely used throughout infrastructure management, predictive maintenance, and manufacturing. Their unique ability to analyze a structure and its surrounding conditions, process the information, and use it to inform, predict, and modify what happens in the physical world has revolutionized the way researchers process data. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2204/syensqo-partners-with-agtech-innovation-in-brazil-to-drive-open-innovation-in-agricultural-technologies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2204/syensqo-partners-with-agtech-innovation-in-brazil-to-drive-open-innovation-in-agricultural-technologies.html Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:01:42 +0530 The collaboration is set to elevate Syensqo's agribusiness capabilities and forge stronger ties within the dynamic regional agribusiness ecosystem Syensqo teams up with Agtech Innovation located in the Piracicaba Technology Park, São Paulo, Brazil to boost Syensqo's agribusiness capabilities and strengthen connections within the South American agribusiness ecosystem. “Demonstrating Syensqo's keen interest in innovation within the South American agricultural landscape, our partnership with Agtech Innovation positions us to establish robust connections with both major corporations and burgeoning startups,” says Ana Paula Bodemeier, Research & Innovation Agro Lab manager for LATAM at Syensqo. Agtech Innovation, is recognized as a leading center for agricultural innovation. It is dedicated to fostering initiatives that bring together startups, producers, investors, academics, scientists, and various stakeholders to develop technological solutions that enhance sustainability, competitiveness, and social inclusivity across the entire agribusiness value chain. Supported by industry leaders, Agtech Innovation cultivates an ecosystem characterized by openness, connectivity, collaboration, and agility. Syensqo’s close ties to Agtech Innovation's extensive partner network provide invaluable opportunities to help accelerate the group’s innovation agenda for the agriculture market, including formulation solutions for biologicals. This partnership embodies the essence of open innovation and underscores our commitment to being a catalyst of responsible agriculture. Through the use of living microorganisms, natural substances, or semiochemicals, biopesticides prevent or reduce damage from pests, weeds, and pathogens, emerging as one of the most promising tools to empower a sustainable future of agriculture. As the industry leader in the development of agrochemicals for pesticide formulation, Syensqo aims to design innovative ingredients and formulation solutions for biopesticides, to address each specific application challenge of biopesticide formulations.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2195/startlife-partner-with-corteva-agriscience-to-foster-resilience-of-food-system.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2195/startlife-partner-with-corteva-agriscience-to-foster-resilience-of-food-system.html Fri, 07 Jun 2024 11:18:09 +0530 The partnership marks an important milestone for AgriFoodTech advancement, enabling solutions through open innovation and creating a bridge between the hundreds of startups StartLife partner with strategic partnership with Corteva Agriscience, a global leader in crop protection and seed technologies. The partnership marks an important milestone for AgriFoodTech advancement, enabling solutions through open innovation and creating a bridge between the hundreds of startups in the StartLife ecosystem and Corteva. In practical terms, the collaboration between StartLife and Corteva will foster knowledge sharing between corporate players, startups, and investors aligned in their mission to deliver positive change in the AgriFood value chain. Corteva has been promoting innovative solutions in the European agricultural landscape since its inception in 2018. Three years later, it opened an integrated R&D center in Eshbach (Germany), followed by the launch of its first Applied Seed Technology Center in Europe, the CSAT, a year later. Corteva recently introduced "Corteva Catalyst", a platform dedicated to investment and partnership aimed at accessing and commercializing agricultural innovations aligned with the company’s R&D goals, fostering value generation and positive impact. Corteva Catalyst collaborates with entrepreneurs and innovators to expedite the advancement of pioneering technologies in their early stages, facilitating farmers’ ability to produce food and fostering the resilience of the food system. Connecting to early-stage startups “StartLife has been a pioneer in promoting global innovation in the AgriFood technology space, helping grow a host of successful startups that went on to drive impact in their application markets,” shared Tom Greene, who leads Corteva Catalyst. “We look forward to collaborating with StartLife to connect to early-stage startups that align with our research priorities.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2169/australias-appf-strives-strengthen-national-uav-phenotyping-capability.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2169/australias-appf-strives-strengthen-national-uav-phenotyping-capability.html Wed, 29 May 2024 10:05:50 +0530 The new drones and GRYFN ‘Gobi’ sensor package will allow phenotyping of crop traits at high speed and with greater precision than currently possible.  Australian Plant Phenomics Facility's (APPF) national phenotyping capability strengthens with the recent delivery of one of the most sophisticated UAV phenotyping sensor packages ever deployed in Australia. The initiative will strengthen the capabilities of APPF’s network. The new drones and GRYFN ‘Gobi’ sensor package will allow phenotyping of crop traits at high speed and with greater precision than currently possible. This sophisticated multimodal package combines RGB, hyperspectral and LiDAR sensors with a world leading global positioning system to generate precisely aligned data from the three sensors. GRYFN provides an integrated software tool for processing these data streams against a common timeline. Combined with work done in APPF’s network of facilities, the aim is to allow Australian plant scientists faster delivery of new insights and crop improvements for the farming community. APPF team members from across Australia's national network of plant phenotyping nodes gathered in Adelaide in mid May for a week of training on the new drone platform, including detailed discussion of topics from planning flight profiles to collecting and processing data. GRYFN CEO Matt Bechdol, Director of Solutions Evan Flatt and UAS Pilot and Data Analyst Ryan Riley travelled to Adelaide from their base in Indiana, USA, to provide their insights and expertise on implementing the sensor and data processing packages. Training on the drone operating rules for Australia and conducting safe flight operations was provided by the University of Adelaide Unmanned Research Aircraft Facility (URAF), including URAF Director Molly Hennekam, Lead Data Analyst, Pilot and Instructor Dillon Campbell, and Senior Maintenance and Compliance Officer Steve Andriolo. Along with the classroom-style technical training and hands-on flying experience at Waite Oval, the course participants were able to use their time together to socialise, compare experiences and local issues, and strengthen the interpersonal bonds that connect our infrastructure network. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2164/new-frontiers-in-sustainable-agriculture-can-be-found-in-consortia-of-bacteria-or-fungi.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2164/new-frontiers-in-sustainable-agriculture-can-be-found-in-consortia-of-bacteria-or-fungi.html Tue, 28 May 2024 11:41:34 +0530 Microbial consortia were also effective in mitigating plant abiotic stresses, such as exposure to heavy metals, water deficit and soil salinization Researchers at Federal University of Lavras (UFLA)  report that the use of microbial consortia offers significant benefits for plant growth, surpassing traditional inoculation methods with single species. Recent studies have revealed that the combination of microorganisms like Bradyrhizobium and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans increased soybean yield by 11% in comparison with individually treated plants. The approach also promoted more robust root growth and better nutrient accumulation. Based on a comprehensive literature review, researchers report researcher at the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) Peterson Nunes explains, consortia involving four mycorrhizal fungi (Funneliformis constrictum, F. mosseae, Gigaspora margarita and Rhizophagus irregularis) and the fungus  Beauveria bassiana, found in the soil, significantly improved cotton growth. Those combinations not only increased protein and carbohydrate contents in plants, but they also reduced the growth of a pest, the caterpillar Spodoptera littoralis. The synergy between different strains of Beauveria resulted in 100% mortality of another pest, the moth Plutella xylostella. By the same token, a consortium of two strains of B. bassiana showed higher efficienct against Duponchelia fovealis caterpillar larvae. Additional studies indicates that microbial consortia can be effective in mitigating abiotic stresses, including those caused by heavy metals, water deficit and soil salinization.  For the Embrapa Environment analyst Gabriel Mascarin, os micróbios benéficos têm um papel crucial na agricultura moderna, atuando como biopesticidas, bioestimulantes e biofertilizantes. Eles também contribuem para a saúde e sustentabilidade das culturas, alinhando-se com os princípios da agricultura regenerativa. The use of microbial consortia is gaining recognition due to their many potential advantages, such as their stability under different environmental conditions and reduced application costs. The approach also increases microbial biodiversity in plants' rhizosphere and phyllosphere (which refer to the environments near the plant roots and above the ground, respectively), contributing to a more balanced ecosystem. Recent studies have indicated that microbial consortia can even help to reduce traces of pesticides. A consortium of Aspergillus versicolor and bacteria that had been isolated from sewage sludge showed higher efficiency in the degradation of carbendazim and thiamethoxam molecules. Likewise, a consortium made of Pseudomonas plecoglossicida and two Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates degraded organophosphate insecticides more efficiently than when they were individually applied.The combination of different microorganisms also demonstrate benefits in controlling plant diseases and promoting growth. In tests with chickpeas, the combination of Purpureocillium lilacinum and Rhizobium sp. provided superior protection against the nematode Meloidogyne javanica and promoted vigorous plant growth. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2159/research-develops-environmental-indicators-for-agroecological-production-in-goias.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2159/research-develops-environmental-indicators-for-agroecological-production-in-goias.html Mon, 27 May 2024 11:12:04 +0530 Indicators to verify the dynamics, changes and balance of the agroecological-based production system Researchers from Embrapa and the Goiana Agency for Technical Assistance, Rural Extension and Agricultural Research ( Emater Goiás ) developed a method to measure the impacts of family farm activities on the environment. The work proposes indicators to verify the dynamics, changes and balance of the agroecological-based production system, with the aim of generating better results for agriculture and the ecosystem. The work was conducted in partnership with family farmers linked to the Association of Agroecological Producers of Anápolis and Region (Aproar), located in the municipality of Anápolis (GO). All participants carry out activities following agroecological precepts, production linked to the conservation and regeneration of the diversity of plant, insect and animal species and natural resources (water and soil). The work is based on ten environmental indicators aimed at measuring soil quality and another ten to measure crop health. These indicators consist of attributes, characteristics that can be observed, which consider the entire extent of each rural unit and not just the productive activity. For each indicator, there was an evaluation with scores on a scale of zero to ten. For example, in relation to soil quality, notes were applied to measure its compaction, its microbiological activity, the presence of erosion and invertebrate organisms (insects, spiders, earthworms, etc.). In the case of crop health, the issues considered involved the natural vegetation surrounding the crops, the abundance and diversity of natural enemies of pests, the incidence of diseases, among others. According to one of the work coordinators, Embrapa Arroz e Feijão (GO) researcher Agostinho Didonet , the environmental indicators were established considering the farmer's management practices and coexistence with local resources, always bearing in mind the already existing agroecological principles. incorporated by rural properties. Also according to Didonet, the proposition of indicators that express and quantify environmental sustainability was determined, through a participatory methodology that combined technical knowledge with that of farmers, based on the leveling of concepts and in order to measure the management practices that most influence on the quality of crops. The objective was to help farmers recognize the types of management that most influence the quality of their crops and identify the agroecological practices most appropriate to the conditions of the agroecosystem, which can bring improvements in environmental sustainability and production. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2157/sparklabs-cultiv8-announces-2024-accelerator.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2157/sparklabs-cultiv8-announces-2024-accelerator.html Mon, 27 May 2024 11:02:10 +0530 The 2024 accelerator will bring the number of companies supported by SparkLabs Cultiv8 to over 50 SparkLabs Cultiv8 announced the nine innovative cleantech companies selected for its annual accelerator program. More than $AUD 750 million has been raised by their portfolio companies, which boast a combined value of more than $1.75 billion and have created over 750 jobs globally. Founder Jonathon Quigley said the companies had been selected for their contributions towards creating a more sustainable and efficient global food production system.  "As we endeavour to support a resilient and profitable agricultural system, technologies that curtail emissions and increase productivity are not just vital today but will become indispensable in the future" added Quigley. Located in Orange NSW, the SparkLabs Cultiv8 Cleantech Agri-Food Accelerator has been at the forefront of nurturing start-ups and scale-ups since 2017, facilitating their growth both within Australia and on the international stage. The SparkLabs Cultiv8 Cleantech Agri-Food Accelerator runs for six months, utilising a global network of experts and advisers. The 2024 cohort includes:  Alkiira Therapeutics specialises in Australian grown, Australian made botanical extracts and nutraceutical ingredients for global markets, valorising untapped waste streams from local agriculture. Bovotica is adding mass and reducing gas in cattle via a proprietary technology probiotic/prebiotic feed supplement that decreases methane production and increases weight gain.  Carbon Friendly provides end-to-end carbon technology solutions that enable the agricultural industry to develop and monetise large-scale carbon inset and offset projects. Levur is a cutting-edge biotech company harnessing yeast and sustainable methods for customisable, high-quality oil substitutes for the cosmetic and food industries. Nitronic is developing technology to produce on-site, zero-carbon fertilisers, mitigating price volatility and the dependence on imported fossil fuel-based products. NonTox is developing non-toxic, natural herbicides to manage resistant weeds along with animal farm anti-pathogen.  Invenios is exploring the untapped potential of microbes to develop innovative biological solutions tailored to market needs. Pyx Global is developing advanced digital architecture to ensure secure exchange of data and credentials along supply chains. Unibaio has created a microparticle from natural origins to formulate more efficient pesticides and fertilisers, boosting active ingredient uptake by plants.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2153/essential-oils-help-to-control-fungi-that-attack-mangoes-post-harvest.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2153/essential-oils-help-to-control-fungi-that-attack-mangoes-post-harvest.html Tue, 21 May 2024 17:54:29 +0530 Findings pave the way for the development of natural products that control fungi and replace chemicals Scientists from Embrapa and the State University of Campinas (Unicamp) have recorded antifungal activities of seven essential oils against four fungi that cause post-harvest diseases in mangoes. The study also identified the minimum inhibitory concentration of the four most efficient ones and the chemical composition of each of them. The findings showed that oregano, pepper-rosmarin (also known as rosemary pepper), cinnamon bark and clove basil esssential oils inhibited 100% of the growth of the pathogens under study.  Despite having a complex composition, essential oils have been widely studied for their effectiveness against microorganisms. The results of the study showed that the action varies according to the pathogen.  The minimum inhibitory concentration varied according to the oil and target fungus. Oregano stood out for its inhibitory effect on the pathogens C. siamense, L. theobromae and B. dothidea, demonstrating excellent antifungal activity at the lowest concentration tested. Meanwhile A. alternata was more sensitive to cinnamon bark essential oil than to oregano. More sustainable and competitive fruit According to Elke Vilela, an Embrapa Environment researcher, the use of fungicides in post-harvest mango treatment has been a common practice aimed at reducing the incidence of diseases and extending the shelf life of the fruit; however, given the awareness of their possible health risks, more sustainable treatments have been sought out, according to Vilela. The use of alternative treatments, which do not use chemical products, also helps to circumvent non-tariff barriers by countries that do not buy fruits that contain traces of agrochemicals. "Moreover, the excessive use of agrochemicals not only causes chemical contamination of fruits, but can also cause the rise of pathogen strains that are resistant to the fungicide, making it difficult to control post-harvest diseases", the analyst warns. Mango is a climacteric fruit, which is usually harvested while it is still unripe and ripens even after the harvest, in storage. Mango ripening involves physiological and biochemical changes, including a marked increase in respiration and ethylene production. “During this ripening process, fruits become more susceptible to pathogen attacks, especially during storage and transportation, causing severe losses”, the Embrapa researcher Daniel Terao explains. He reports that fungi are the main causes of fruit quality and productivity losses. "With fungi, having quality fruits reach consumers is a challenge," Terao says, citing that anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum siamense, is the most common post-harvest disease in mangoes. In addition to this pathogen, the fruit is also the target of Alternaria alternata, a fungus that causes alternaria spot; Lasiodiplodia theobromae, and Botryosphaeria dothidea, which cause severe rots in fruits. The essential oils' mechanism of antifungal action is attributed to their components, which work in a synergistic (one complementing the action of the other) or additive way as they perform their effects. Therefore, according to the researcher, knowledge of the antifungal activity of these constituents can help to understand the effectiveness of essential oils and their activity against fungi. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1208/achieving-high-yields-through-sustainable-controlled-release-fertilizer-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1208/achieving-high-yields-through-sustainable-controlled-release-fertilizer-technology.html Tue, 21 May 2024 11:11:00 +0530 By, Adrian Wong Ling Yung, Director, Kimia Utama and SK Specialties, Malaysia Can you elaborate on the polymer-encapsulated fertilizer technique? How beneficial is a controlled release of fertilizers and plant nutrients? It has long been established that plant nutrition plays an important role in crop production. The method to fertilize crops has changed much over the years. However, the past decades have seen advances driven by convenience and environmental concerns. Our team at SK Specialties is able to develop an ultra thin polymer coating (20 to 100 microns) which we can use to encapsulate on high quality water soluble fertilizers, which we manufacture under the brand name SK Cote. SK Cote contains an ultra thin polymer coating surrounding a water soluble fertilizer inner core. This creates a water impermeable layer protecting the water soluble fertilizer inner core from rapid dissolution. Soil water gradually penetrates the ultra thin polymer coating via its nanometre pores, dissolving the fertilizer nutrients. The fertilizer nutrients then slowly diffuse out from inside of the coating providing nutrition directly to plants. These types of highly advanced fertilizers are called controlled release fertilizers, which is broadly grouped under the Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizer category. SK Cote can be fine-tuned to match a plant's nutrient requirements over a single growing season. Therefore, only one single application is required for the growing season. This brings convenience to farmers as much labor is saved when compared to traditional methods which requires several applications of fertilizers a season. It also reduces fertilizer leaching which ends up in waterways and thus it is environmentally friendly. Usage of SK Cote is safe also for plants as the ultra thin polymer coating prevents the plant’s roots from coming into direct contact with high salt content fertilizer which can cause salt damage or scorching. All these benefits combined have been shown to contribute to uniform and consistently higher yields while using less fertilizers.   How do Slow Release Fertilizers (SRF) and Controlled Release Fertilizers (CRF) differ from each other? What is the current market outlook for these technologies? Slow Release Fertilizers (SRF) and Controlled Release Fertilizers (CRF) have been used interchangeably sometimes, however strictly speaking they are different. Both SRF and CRF offer sustained or extended compared to conventional fertilizers and are categorized under Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers. Both these types of advanced fertilizers try to bring convenience to crop production and to increase yield. However, CRFs are superior to SRFs in one major aspect. The key reason is the release or availability of nutrients to plants from CRFs are only affected by one factor, which is soil temperature. The dissolution of the nutrients to the plants or release pattern can be measured in the lab and consistently reproduced for every batch. Even though technically the release pattern for controlled release fertilizers such as SK Cote are affected by soil temperature and the polymer coating thickness, the polymer coating thickness is set during manufacturing. Therefore, controlled release fertilizers are truly “controlled” by only one factor. For SRFs, soil temperature, bacterial activity, soil moisture, soil pH and surface area all affect its release. SRFs are usually limited to controlling a few nutrients only at one time. SRFs usually only reduce immediate availability of nutrients, mainly nitrogen, to plants and there is no consistent release pattern as there are too many factors affecting the nutrient availability of the SRF. How does SK Cote's Controlled Release Fertilizer strategy perform? How does it contribute to the optimal utilization of plant micronutrients and promotes yields? At the moment, the market for CRFs is growing as there is shortage of labor worldwide. There is also an awareness of pollution from farming, that is leaching of fertilizers into waterways and also release of Nitrous Oxide into the atmosphere. Traditionally, CRFs are mainly accepted in the ornamental industry due to its intensive labor requirements. Usage of CRFs has successfully alleviated labor requirements which is a major cost factor in ornamental production. SK Cote as a CRF is able to match plant nutrient requirements over its growing season. This ensures precise usage of nutrition by the crop and thus ensures the best plant growth. With optimal plant growth, maximum potential yield can be achieved. This has been shown and observed in various trials around the world. As mentioned previously, CRFs are widely accepted in the ornamental industry. At SK, we endeavor to bring CRFs into horticulture, agriculture and silviculture. In Malaysia and Indonesia, SK Cote has been used successfully in oil palm plantations for growing nursery seedlings and also field planting. Trial is ongoing on mature yielding oil palms and results have been encouraging. SK Cote has also been used on other crops in these countries such as rice, maize, chilli, eggplants, ginger, sugarcane, tapioca, and many others and yields have been consistently high. We have also successfully introduced SK Cote to the agroforestry industry for forest plantations and reforestation. SK Cote has also been widely used overseas such as in Japan and South Korea for rice and vegetable production. In Australia and New Zealand, SK Cote has been widely used in pasture, maize, wheat, sugar cane, sugar beet and vegetable farming. In Latin America countries, SK Cote is extensively promoted in horticulture for vegetable and fruit crops and also in the reforestation industry as well. SK Cote is also commonly used as a premium fertilizer for maintenance of turf and greens in many countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Turkey, Qatar, Dubai and many others. Will external environmental factors affect Controlled Release Fertilizer release rates? What crops/fields are ideal for this approach? Only temperature affects the release of nutrients for SK Cote. SK Cote has been broadly used in the horticulture industry. With advancement of coating technology, the cost to produce CRF has been reduced and we can begin to introduce SK Cote into the horticulture, agriculture and silviculture industry. SK Cote has already been proven and used in several crops as mentioned above. The main factor limiting SK Cote or CRF being used universally in mainstream agriculture is the price point. We are working hard to bring prices of SK Cote CRF down to a point where it can be accepted widely as compared to the benefits it brings. We believe it is a matter of time as the shortage of labor in agriculture is becoming a major issue worldwide. Not only that, many countries are starting to pay attention to pollution from the agriculture industry. With SK Cote, the volume of fertilizer required is much lesser than that of conventional fertilizers and therefore less wastage will enter the environment causing pollution. How do you foresee market prospects in Malaysia and the Asia region? What other countries benefit from SK Cote's innovations? Another major factor with regards to CRFs is the biodegradability of the polymer shell coating. We at SK are aware of this and have taken proactive steps to overcome this. Many CRFs in the market are not biodegradable. We at SK have developed our polymer coating to be biodegradable. SK Cote’s coating is ultra thin too, therefore there are more nutrients and less polymer per unit fertilizer. We strive to continue to improve our product to ensure its safety.  We see limitless potential for our product and we believe SK Cote will not only bring convenience to farmers but also will increase their income through increased yield. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2151/australia-announces-5-million-national-open-call-for-forest-research.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2151/australia-announces-5-million-national-open-call-for-forest-research.html Mon, 20 May 2024 11:23:29 +0530 Boosts advance research and innovation in Australian forest and wood products Australia is aiming at establishing new high-value wood products with the launch of forestry research projects. The first of four $5 million national open calls began on 17th May.The annual national open calls are open to applications from all Australian-based researchers supporting the forest and wood product industries, and is not limited to the AFWI research centres. Project applications close on 12 July, 2024. For further details on this funding scheme, including eligibility requirements, refer to the relevant Grant Guidelines and Application form template on the AFWI website.The funding is part of Governments grant agreement with the University of Tasmania (UTAS) to establish and manage the $100 million Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI). Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt said the open call will allow industry and researchers to undertake projects that will make a positive impact on Australia’s forest and wood product industries.“We’ve cast the net wide to ensure a broad range of Australians get the chance to share their ideas on how to propel the industry forward. Establishing AFWI was an election commitment which we are proud to deliver and forms part of our record $300 million investment in the industry. This program will help to deliver a sustainable future for the industry, by helping to unlock the full potential of wood as the ultimate renewable material, while also supporting a future made in Australia” Minister Watt said.University of Tasmania Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Anthony Koutoulis said this funding presents an opportunity for researchers to develop novel and impactful ideas that support the sustainable production of wood products."AFWI is committed to fostering innovation and empowering researchers to enhance the research capacity and capability in the forest and wood products sector now and into the future. Encouraging collaboration between researchers and industry is vital for impactful projects. With robust industry support and anchoring research on what really matters, research outcomes become readily applicable, ensuring lasting benefits for Australian communities.” Professor Koutoulis said. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2147/farmraise-launches-novel-software-suite-revolutionizing-farmer-financial-incentive-programs.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2147/farmraise-launches-novel-software-suite-revolutionizing-farmer-financial-incentive-programs.html Mon, 20 May 2024 11:04:03 +0530 FarmRaise delivers software and educational resources that enable farmers to master their farm funding FarmRaise launched its novel product aimed at transforming the administration of farmer-facing programs, including financial incentives and sustainability programs. This innovative solution marks a significant step forward in empowering farmers and institutions alike with user-friendly tools. FarmRaise delivers software and educational resources that enable farmers to master their farm funding. With a deep commitment to simplifying farm-specific administrative tasks, FarmRaise develops solutions that are simpler and more impactful than existing small business management systems. "At FarmRaise, we are dedicated to equipping farmers with the tools they need to thrive," said Jayce Hafner, CEO at FarmRaise. "Our latest software product represents a game-changer for organizations seeking to administer farmer-facing programs efficiently and effectively." FarmRaise's newest product offers a secure and scalable web application to facilitate the administration of farmer-facing programming for financial incentives, grants and sustainability programs, including programs focused on climate smart agriculture. Institutions can now effortlessly manage farmer enrollment through a streamlined administrative dashboard. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2121/usda-breaks-ground-for-the-precision-agriculture-research-center-at-nebraska-innovation-campus.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2121/usda-breaks-ground-for-the-precision-agriculture-research-center-at-nebraska-innovation-campus.html Fri, 10 May 2024 09:46:16 +0530 The state-of-the-art research center will focus on the challenges and opportunities in agricultural innovation for the 21st century The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), and Nebraska Innovation Campus held a groundbreaking ceremony to launch the construction of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture. The state-of-the-art research center will be located on Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. It will primarily focus on the challenges and opportunities in agricultural innovation for the 21st century. The Center will focus on key research areas to address these challenges and promote sustainable, resilient, and highly efficient agriculture practices. Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics explained that “Updated facilities ensure our best and brightest scientists work in the environment and with the tools they need to successfully meet the challenges agriculture faces.” “This project is a testament to the long history of innovation, ingenuity, and adaptability of agricultural producers across the United States and right here in Nebraska. It celebrates an incredibly productive 120-year partnership between USDA-ARS and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and it exemplifies the passion and dedication of agricultural, state, and federal leaders,” said Mike Boehm, NU Vice President and Harlan Vice Chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Construction will start with state-of-the-art greenhouses that will allow ARS to perform research on wheat, barley, sorghum, forage and bioenergy grasses and other crops. Research on how these plants respond to emerging pests and pathogens under a full-range of environmental conditions will empower scientists to make cutting-edge discoveries with the goal of developing climate-resilient crops for the U.S. agriculture industry. Once fully completed, the 120,000-square-foot agriculture research complex will function as a central hub for multidisciplinary experts, scientists and engineers who will collaborate with industry and producers to improve water and food security, increase the resilience of agricultural landscapes, and enhance agricultural profitability. The establishment of the National Center for Resilient and Regenerative Precision Agriculture will further strengthen the long-lasting collaboration over the past century between ARS and UNL. These partnerships are instrumental in advancing research on sustainable bioenergy crops and production systems in an age where agriculture is expected to supply 40 percent of U.S. liquid fuels within the next three decades, in addition to providing food and fiber to the nation’s growing population. The Wheat, Sorghum and Forage Research Unit and the Agroecosystem Management Research Unit are currently located on UNL’s campus. The scientists working at these units are making significant contributions to crop and livestock production systems by improving productivity, stability of production, sustainability, and profitability. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2112/pepsico-drives-sustainable-innovation-in-apac-food-beverage-arena.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2112/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/81/2089/pursell-biodegradable-coating-paves-way-for-sustainable-fertilizer-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2089/pursell-biodegradable-coating-paves-way-for-sustainable-fertilizer-innovation.html Mon, 29 Apr 2024 04:09:00 +0530 USPTO patent application filed on novel coating technology that will make biodegradable controlled-release fertilizer a viable solution to address industry sustainability challenges Pursell has filed a non-provisional patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to protect Intellectual Property related to its biodegradable coating components and application process. The company is currently in end-stage research and development of a novel coating technology that will enable commercialization of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) products meeting European Union (EU) biodegradability standards. Pursell's patented, lower-temperature coating process enables the incorporation and survival of best-in-breed biostimulants and microbes. This unique capability allows Pursell to deliver a biodegradable CRF product with nutrient uptake and a biostimulant package tailored to a crop’s specific needs. “Our current coating technology utilizes an extremely thin membrane, which already decreases the amount of polyurethane used in the process. This biodegradable technology, coupled with biostimulant inclusion, has the potential to be a true game-changer for both Pursell and the fertilizer industry at large,” said Joe Brady, Pursell CFO and Sustainability Initiatives Lead. “When introduced, our biofortified, biodegradable CRF products will offer the broad benefits of our current products, without any of the potential effects of non-biodegradable coatings.” Application of Pursell biofortified, biodegradable CRF products will not require growers to change their standard growing practices and will help them achieve: Increased plant and soil health Higher yields and crop quality Substantial sustainability benefits through minimization of nutrient leaching into waterways, GHG emissions and volatilization “Ultimately, nature provided the key to unlocking the possibility of biodegradable controlled-release fertilizers,” said Brady. “Our coating technology will allow us to introduce a simple-to-use, single-source product that offers meaningful benefits to farmers and the public.” “Our research has shown that the use of controlled-release fertilizers is an effective approach to improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental pollutants,” said Dr. Upendra Singh, IFDC Vice President, Research. “We are currently performing degradation tests on Pursell’s biodegradable coating technology and are excited about the additional soil health benefits it may offer.” Initial biodegradable product field trials are being conducted this spring in university and industry grower trials in the Midwest, Southeast and Canada, targeting corn production. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2081/singapores-smart-researchers-pioneer-sensor-multiplexing-for-real-time-decoding-of-plant-stresses.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2081/singapores-smart-researchers-pioneer-sensor-multiplexing-for-real-time-decoding-of-plant-stresses.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:15:39 +0530 Leveraging the real-time insights from nanosensor multiplexing, researchers have formulated a mathematical model Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, in collaboration with Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have developed a cutting-edge nanosensor that allows for the real-time monitoring of salicylic acid (SA) during the early stages of stress response. SA is a crucial plant hormone for growth, development, and stress response to pathogens, temperature, drought, salinity, metals, UV light, and osmotic stress. The researchers also pioneered a method to multiplex, or combine, this sensor with others for simultaneous and real-time tracking of multiple plant hormone profiles and chemical signals. This insight into the complex communication within stressed plants is vital in cultivating crops that are resilient to various stressors, including climate change. Traditional methods of stress detection in plants are reliant on laborious lab tests, time-consuming, and both destructive and disruptive to plant growth, while emerging technologies like chlorophyll fluorescence and hyperspectral imaging focus on the metabolic changes that occur when reparative measures are limited and only after the initial stress perception and signalling. SMART researchers achieved double breakthroughs in plant health monitoring. Firstly, the development of the first-ever nanosensor, validated in-planta in living pak choi (commonly known as Chinese cabbage), that specifically detects SA, a plant hormone key in mediating plant stress response and adaptation. Secondly, the researchers also pioneered a method to combine this sensor with others, paving the way for simultaneous and real-time tracking of multiple plant chemical signals and stress markers during early stress stages, which can, in turn, enable earlier diagnoses and, ultimately, improve plant stress tolerance and mitigate crop losses due to environmental stress. This research and technology builds upon SMART DiSTAP's long-standing body of work with innovative plant sensors based on the concept of corona phase molecular recognition (​​CoPhMoRe) pioneered by the Strano Lab at SMART DiSTAP and MIT. This includes a breakthrough by DiSTAP in 2021 in the development of the first-ever nanosensor to enable rapid testing of synthetic auxin plant hormones;  followed by another world-first in 2023 with the first-ever nanosensor designed to detect and distinguish gibberellins (GAs) – a class of hormones important for plant growth. This success of the CoPhMoRe concept has now been further advanced with this latest development of a highly selective plant nanobionic sensor for SA through a distinct and unique process of design, synthesis and testing. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2075/americas-cultivation-corridor-launches-new-cohort-of-cultivo-virtual-academy-for-australia-and-canada-firms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2075/americas-cultivation-corridor-launches-new-cohort-of-cultivo-virtual-academy-for-australia-and-canada-firms.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 08:01:32 +0530 Entrepreneurs from Australia, Canada are participating in program designed to build connections, accelerate U.S. market entry  A new cohort of Cultivo® Virtual Academy hosted by America’s Cultivation Corridor® launched on April 15. Over the next six weeks, seven companies from Australia and Canada will participate in the virtual program that provides entrepreneurs with mentorship, interaction with Iowa’s agricultural leaders and an online curriculum focused on U.S. market entry, regulatory and financing systems, and customer perspectives.    The program’s virtual sessions will be facilitated by Iowa business and university leaders. America’s Cultivation Corridor will host and coordinate the Cultivo Virtual Academy in partnership with its investors and supporting organizations. The Iowa Economic Development Authority is the presenting sponsor of the program.     “The companies in this cohort of Cultivo Virtual Academy bring exciting new technologies and innovations to improve animal health, crop health, sustainability and financial management for farmers,” said Kevin Rasmussen, Chair of America’s Cultivation Corridor Board of Directors, Owner of Owl Lake Production Company, and board member of Iowa Pork Producers Association. The seven participating companies include:  BioScout (Australia) develops patented technology to detect fungal diseases in crops before they appear by sampling disease spores in production fields.   Data Farming (Australia) develops digital products to help manage crop variability, weed management, variable rate fertilizer and yield data, including a product to detect weeds using satellite imagery.   Farm Health Guardian (Canada) offers biosecurity management technology to help farms and food companies improve animal heath using facial recognition technology and real-time alerts.  FeedFlo (Canada) develops sensors and AI-backed software tools to enable pork producers to automate feed orders, optimize animal health and welfare and raise higher quality pigs.   GrainFox (Canada) creates a data-driven farm wealth solutions platform designed to help producers build a clearer path from bin to bank, including personalized sales recommendations and other tools.  Pairtree Intelligence (Australia) is an ag tech, farm app and imagery integrator, enabling agribusinesses to connect to the data from behind the farm gate for compliance, reporting and productivity insights.   Zetifi (Australia) develops novel connectivity solutions that unlock the power of digital technology by extending and optimizing coverage from existing networks to make it accessible wherever it is needed by farmers and their machinery.   “The next generation of ag innovations are being developed in Iowa right now, and we look forward to the networks and new opportunities that will be built when global entrepreneurs connect with our strong network of university researchers, industry leaders, startup companies and forward-thinking farmers and livestock producers,” said Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Finance Authority. “The Cultivo program will provide unequalled access to the best and brightest minds in every sector of Iowa’s agricultural community, and help entrepreneurs build the network they need to reach their business goals.”  The Cultivo Global Ag Innovation® program was launched in 2021 and features the six-week Virtual Academy as well as consultations, connections and curriculum for international scale-ups to learn from Iowa’s agricultural leaders and prepare for a U.S. market entry.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2070/argonnes-decarbonization-scenario-model-analyzes-net-zero-carbon-emissions-pathways.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2070/argonnes-decarbonization-scenario-model-analyzes-net-zero-carbon-emissions-pathways.html Thu, 18 Apr 2024 12:12:57 +0530 Developing carbon-mitigation strategies The US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory has developed a Decarbonization Scenario Analysis Model to predict the effects of carbon mitigation strategies on energy use and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) across the U.S. economy. Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET®) lifecycle analysis models were used to develop the tool. A recent study published in Sustainable Energy & Fuels examined decarbonization scenarios for five sectors of the U.S. economy: transportation, industry, agriculture, residential/commercial, and energy power from 2020 to 2050 using the Decarbonization Scenario Analysis Model. These sectors of the economy are the primary sources of CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases such as methane that are warming the planet. Climate change cannot be stopped or slowed by any single pathway, even though the world would love to have a quick fix. All carbon dioxide (CO2) mitigation strategies across the U.S. economy rely on clean energy technologies and low- and zero-carbon fuels, while decarbonization pathways vary and are specific to individual industries. Scientists are also developing tools for assessing strategies as they develop them. Based on the life-cycle analysis of technology pathways, Hawkins' approach combines both top-down and bottom-up modeling in order to provide a high level of detail. The top-down approach offers a high-level perspective, while the bottom-up approach analyzes each scenario in detail. Researchers developed carbon mitigation strategies for each sector based on decarbonization scenarios from 2020 to 2050. In comparison with the baseline, researchers proposed a decarbonization pathway that would reduce GHG emissions by 80-90% economy-wide in 2050. Over the specified timeframe, the modeling effort represents a variety of factors, trends, and potential advancements in the U.S. energy landscape. Key components of the economy-wide pathway are replacement and scale-up of the electric grid with renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal and biomass; partially electrifying the transportation sector; using low- or zero-carbon biofuels; improving building energy efficiency and replacing natural gas with renewable energy sources. Carbon-mitigation pathways at the economy-wide level are feasible, but reducing GHG emissions 80-90% would be extremely difficult. Progress depends on transforming each area of the economy, including deep CO2 emission cuts across all industries and in hard-to-abate sectors like aerospace and locomotives. In addition, the model is not intended to bring users to net-zero overnight. As a data-driven tool, the Decarbonization Scenario Analysis Model helps users assess what works and what doesn't in specific decarbonization scenarios to guide their future decisions. Technology choices - the engine that drives decarbonization - can have long-term effects on carbon mitigation. Researchers focused on transitioning from high-carbon to low-carbon technologies, making current technologies more efficient and replacing conventional fuel with renewable options. The model does not include carbon-negative technology such as carbon capture and storage but can be expanded to include carbon-reduction technologies that would reduce CO2 emissions even further. Expansion of biofuel pathways could also reduce CO2 emissions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2067/chinese-researchers-transform-a-salt-alkali-field-into-fertile-land.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2067/chinese-researchers-transform-a-salt-alkali-field-into-fertile-land.html Thu, 18 Apr 2024 10:43:57 +0530 A total area of 4.1 million mu has been cultivated on saline-alkali land in Cangzhou The city of Changzhou in north China, in Hebei province, is a desert region. However, the city has prioritized the comprehensive use of saline-alkali land, leveraging science and technology, growing appropriate crops, and intensifying the processing of farm products. Cangzhou's National Dryland Alkaline Wheat Agricultural Standardization Regional Service and Promotion Platform project, the first of its kind nationwide, has been approved by the China National Standardization Management Committee. It covers the low-lying plains near the Bohai Sea as a planting area for dryland alkaline winter wheat. Dryland alkaline wheat agriculture has developed in Cangzhou due to its unique natural conditions. In Cangzhou, winters and springs are dry, with low rain levels, and soils are salinized and alkalized to a high degree. Dryland alkaline wheat thrives in such an environment, while ordinary wheat struggles. A total area of 4.1 million mu has been cultivated on saline-alkali land in Cangzhou, which accounts for more than 70% of the saline-alkali land in Hebei Province. Local agricultural technicians have been improving the yield of dryland alkaline wheat in Cangzhou year after year through repeated selection and improvement. A total of 4.67 million tons of grain was produced in Cangzhou City in 2023, completing the provincial grain production tasks. A total of 1.547 million mu were planted with dryland alkaline wheat, exceeding the target of 1.5 million mu. This saline-alkali land, which used to yield nothing nine out of ten years, is now not only a fertile farmland but also a major granary in Bohai Bay. The grains of dryland alkaline wheat grown in Cangzhou are full and translucent, rich in calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and other trace elements, with a protein content ranging from 13% to 16% (national standard is 12.2%). As soon as the project is completed, over 1333 hectares of core demonstration sites will be established, radiating and driving the planting area of dryland alkaline wheat around the Bohai Sea, including Hebei, Shandong, and Tianjin, to reach 33,300 hectares. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2060/australia-to-strengthen-the-agricultural-sectors-chemical-regulator.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2060/australia-to-strengthen-the-agricultural-sectors-chemical-regulator.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 10:45:35 +0530 A significant achievement in the fight against vitamin B1 deficiency, which is associated with a rice-based diet A team of scientists from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), ETH Zurich, and Taiwan's National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) have successfully increased the Vitamin B1 content of rice grains, a significant achievement in the fight against vitamin B1 deficiency, which is associated with a rice-based diet. Rice is a staple food for half the world's population, particularly in the tropical countries of Asia, South America, and Africa. But rice grains are low in vitamin B1, and processing such as polishing reduces it even further, taking 90 percent with them. The research team specifically targeted the nourishing tissues of the rice grain and succeeded in increasing its vitamin B1 content, without compromising agronomic yield. The scientists generated rice lines expressing a gene that sequesters vitamin B1 in the endosperm tissues. The rice was grown in glasshouses, harvested, and the grains polished. The research team found that the vitamin B1 content of rice from these lines increased.  The lines were then seeded in an experimental field in Taiwan and grown for several years. The characteristics analyzed were plant height, number of stems per plant, grain weight, and fertility. The NCHU team observed that the level of vitamin B1 in rice grains multiplied by 3 to 4 in the modified lines even after the polishing stage. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2026/corteva-announces-new-paxeo-technology-against-eleusine-indica.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/2026/corteva-announces-new-paxeo-technology-against-eleusine-indica.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 12:10:36 +0530 Corteva Agriscience has launched its new herbicide, Paxeo, in Brazil to control various broadleaf and narrowleaf weeds for a long time.  Among these targets is Eleusine indica, commonly known as goosegrass, which is one of the main weeds in soybean crops. According to the Brazilian Association for Action Against Weed Resistance to Herbicides, Eleusine indica can potentially cause losses of up to 80% in productivity. Goosegrass is considered a difficult-to-control weed and is present not only in soybeans but also in corn, cotton, beans, sorghum, and wheat. This weed is characterized by forming multiple plants close together, forming a tuft, making it challenging to apply pesticides and, consequently, achieve effective control. Effective management is often only possible with different management strategies, combining pre-emergent, and post-emergent applications, and the use of contact herbicides subsequently. Paxeo is a solution belonging to a new family of Corteva soybean desiccation herbicides, combining excellent post-emergent action in controlling the main broadleaf weeds. The product has residual and systemic action, long-lasting control, and is formulated with Arylex Active technology, without antagonism with grass herbicides. After application, the herbicide is absorbed by the leaves and roots, with the main translocation route in the phloem, allowing it to act on the root system and growth points of these weeds. In addition to goosegrass, Paxeo is efficient in controlling various weeds common to soybeans, such as hairy fleabane (Conyza bonariensis), sourgrass (Digitaria insularis), morning glory (Ipomoea grandifolia), hairy beggarticks (Bidens pilosa), false buttonweed (Spermacoce verticillata), and wandering Jew (Commelina benghalensis), among others. "To ensure that soybeans continue to achieve successive records of productivity, profitability, and planted area, the producer must identify the existing weeds in the region, know the damage and losses caused by them, and implement effective management, avoiding losses due to weed competition," emphasizes André Baptista, Herbicide Portfolio Leader at Corteva for Brazil and Paraguay. "Goosegrass is one of the main weeds present in Brazil, and now soybean growers have Paxeo as an effective solution for pre-emergent control," Baptista said in conclusion. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1965/australia-lunches-afwi-program-with-100m-in-grant-for-forest-and-wood-innovations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1965/australia-lunches-afwi-program-with-100m-in-grant-for-forest-and-wood-innovations.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 08:50:15 +0530 To secure sustainable future for forestry The future of sustainable forestry received a significant boost with the official launch of Australia's $100 million Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) program. AFWI is a collaboration between Australia and the University of Tasmania, committed to advancing research and innovation in Australian forest and wood products. AFWI would also shortly be announcing the opening of the first of four, $5 million annual national open calls for forestry research projects. The annual national open calls will be open to applications from all Australian-based researchers supporting the forest industry, and not be limited to the research centres established by AFWI. AWFI is a key part of this ensuring forestry research and innovation can continue to meet wood and fibre needs into the future. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, said the University of Tasmania AFWI Headquarters in Launceston would support a local AFWI research centre, with further centres planned for the University of the Sunshine Coast and the University of Melbourne. “Establishing AFWI was an election commitment which we are proud to deliver and forms part of our record $300 million investment in the Australian forestry and forest product sector. This program will support sustainable forestry, while also helping to deliver a future made in Australia. We work towards unlocking the full potential of wood as the ultimate renewable material and growing our forests and forestry industry” Minister Watt said. The three research centres will undertake research to enhance our production forests and the wood products sourced from them – managing and sustainably expanding our Australian forestry resources, transforming wood residues into renewable products and energy solutions – all while helping to address the threat of climate change. AFWI will draw on the best researchers and facilities across the nation to ensure Australia’s forest and wood products industries remain on the front foot, supporting applied research, development and innovation. “We saw demand for forest products significantly increase during the Covid-19 pandemic — increasing production in our sustainably managed plantation estate and product recovery from our sawmills and wood and fibre processing plants will see us better positioned to meet demand into the future” added Minister Watt. The AFWI Board is chaired by Bob Gordon and includes nine other members with industry and forestry research experience, an understanding of workers’ needs, First Nations perspectives and from the Commonwealth. AFWI will create opportunities for innovation and support the development of researchers to support the sectors’ future, building on the work the existing regional National Institute for Forest Products Innovation centres have already delivered. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1938/singapore-nus-upcycles-fish-scales-for-water-pollution-control-and-encryption.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1938/singapore-nus-upcycles-fish-scales-for-water-pollution-control-and-encryption.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:45:18 +0530 A research team, led by Professor Sow Chorng Haur from the NUS Department of Physics, discovered that heating fish scales at an optimal temperature transformed them to become suitable adsorbents for water pollutant Rhodamine B, a common pink dye used in textiles, paper, paints and water flow tracing agents. Rhodamine B is associated with potential health risks such as cancer and liver failure, and threats to marine ecosystems. The scientists also found that the heat-treated fish scales emitted a vibrant cyan glow, compared to a dim royal blue fluorescence when they were untreated, under ultraviolet (UV) light. This characteristic can be harnessed to utilise fish scales as a natural material capable of transmitting micro and macroscopic text and imagery. “As the global population grows and resources become more limited, sustainability involves greater emphasis on reusing waste materials. Globally, an estimated 7.2-12 million tons of fish waste is projected to be discarded yearly. This makes fish scale waste an abundant resource for upcycling. By re-evaluating waste streams, fascinating properties and multifunctionalities can be discovered in materials that may have been overlooked previously,” said Prof Sow. Fish scales primarily consist of interlacing collagen, a protein known for maintaining a youthful appearance, and hydroxyapatite, a mineral found in bones and teeth. Due to the good biocompatibility of these two compounds, different methods have been used to extract them for further development into fluorescence labels which help detect biomolecules in research. However, these processes often require significant amounts of time, energy, and chemical resources. Enhancing the fluorescence of fish scales through a more direct and efficient method would improve cost-effectiveness. With the researchers’ facile heating method, the fish scales undergo both chemical and physical changes. Long chains of collagen are broken down into smaller segments that emit blue light under UV excitation. Simultaneously, atom arrangement is altered which creates surface and internal pores that transform fluorescence properties and enhance pollutant adsorption. When in contact with Rhodamine B, the heat-treated fish scales effectively removed 91 per cent of of the pollutant within a short 10-minute contact time. Fish scales contaminated with Rhodamine B can be reused through a simple sonication process, enhancing the sustainability of the material. With just a single thermal annealing step required, this innovative technique is more cost, energy and time efficient than using other inexpensive biomass such as activated carbon white sugar which needs to go through multiple steps of chemical treatment, washing and thermal annealing in order to remove Rhodamine B. Looking ahead, the research team will look into developing economical and readily accessible Rhodamine B test kits for use in outfield detection using heat-treated fish scales. The approach will help minimise the risk of Rhodamine B consumption and exposure by communities relying on natural water bodies, and outfield scientists transporting contaminated water sources. Further research is also planned to explore whether the heat-treated fish scales can adsorb other toxic chemicals. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1907/syngenta-group-expands-collaborations-for-more-innovative-scientific-and-technological-solutions-in-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1907/syngenta-group-expands-collaborations-for-more-innovative-scientific-and-technological-solutions-in-agriculture.html Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:28:01 +0530 Maxygen, a US biotech specializing in the directed evolution of proteins, is collaborating with Syngenta Seeds to optimize its molecular enabling technologies Syngenta Group, announced important collaborations following the launch of its innovation accelerator platform Shoots by Syngenta in 2023. These collaborations, which connect expertise across industries and sectors, are aimed at making possible novel solutions to agricultural challenges more quickly and efficiently. Two collaborations – with IBM Research and with US biotech Maxygen – brought their respective pioneering approaches in data-based predictions modelling, and in the directed evolution of proteins more commonly leveraged in the pharmaceutical industry, together with Syngenta’s world-leading agricultural research and proprietary data sets. IBM Research and Syngenta accelerate optimization of chemical compound synthesis with language models. Syngenta Group, in collaboration with IBM Research, has enhanced productivity in chemical synthesis using IBM-RXN – a software developed to enable the use of language models for the synthesis of new molecules and materials. IBM-RXN encodes, models, and predicts chemical reactivity. By combining Syngenta’s world-leading chemistry research and proprietary data sets with IBM’s world-class reactivity modelling capabilities and leveraging Natural Language Processing (NLP), IBM’s pioneering modelling approach, enables the partners to deliver scalable, accurate, and data-based predictions modelling. This enables Syngenta to investigate multiple related compounds simultaneously and prioritize routes that offer compounds with the most desirable commercial attributes. Syngenta is closing the data loop by connecting the IBM-RXN platform to the synthesis platform. Reactivity predictions are now an integral part of the design of synthetic procedures. The models’ outcomes are fully integrated with synthesis planning and execution, establishing a virtual loop where high-quality data generate more relevant models that, in turn, inspire better synthetic procedures. The digitalization of synthetic workflows and the adoption of predictive reactivity modelling are increasing the efficiency and the effectiveness of the synthetic process. Both teams worked on extending reactivity modelling to include bio-catalyzed reactions and metabolic transformations, to support the design of more sustainable synthetic procedures that have a better safety and environmental footprint. As the predictive power of reactivity models increases, scientists may become increasingly confident in delegating part of their work to AI-enabled automation. This should allow shifting the focus to the synthesis strategy and overall chemical design. Syngenta collaborates with Maxygen to optimize molecular enabling technology. US biotech, Maxygen, which specializes in the directed evolution of proteins, is collaborating with Syngenta Seeds to optimize its enabling technologies. Since the collaboration launched, one of the success factors has been the consistent and robust level of scientific engagement on both sides. Both Maxygen and Syngenta adopted an open collegiate approach from the start, with Syngenta giving the collaboration a high-priority status as part of its core portfolio, enabling the project to progress swiftly. The teams from Syngenta and Maxygen met frequently to review results, manage decision-making, adjust plans, and mark progress milestones. This approach has delivered success resulting in protein variants with highly improved attributes and the subject of novel intellectual property. New collaborators to six challenges Shoots by Syngenta spotlights specific innovation needs from across the Syngenta Crop Protection and Seeds businesses. Science-based innovation challenges are posted on its website ShootsBySyngenta.com, inviting anyone with a scientific interest to submit proposals in response. Proposals are quickly evaluated, and if there is a mutual fit, progressed to a collaboration partnership to take forward the research or technology that might eventually be licensed. Currently, Shoots by Syngenta lists six challenges, ranging from identifying new chemical building blocks derived from biomass waste streams, to developing diagnostic tools for detecting non-visible indicators of poor crop growth. “We’re looking forward to connecting with new partners from academia, research institutes, start-ups, and cross-industry sectors, to work with our extensive global network of scientists and to push the boundaries of what is known today in science,” said Camilla Corsi, Syngenta’s Global Head of Crop Protection Research. “We’re proud of our strong reputation as a collaborator of choice and are excited about the potential of the Shoots by Syngenta platform to generate new possibilities to benefit farmers and agriculture ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1898/dataharvest-to-unlock-australian-grains-rde-data-potential.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1898/dataharvest-to-unlock-australian-grains-rde-data-potential.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:35:31 +0530 DataHarvest – a new partnership between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Curtin University – is set to build expertise to advance the management of grains research, development and extension (RD&E) data for Australian grain growers. DataHarvest will achieve its goal by upskilling more than 80 GRDC research partners Australia-wide to ensure they can expertly collect, manage and appropriately share grains RD&E data in a standardised way. This will make the treasure trove of RD&E data become much more useful, leading to faster knowledge sharing and innovation for the grains industry. “DataHarvest will support our research partners to manage data to ensure it is findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable – the FAIR principles,” says Dr Washington Gapare, GRDC research data manager. This will make it easier for researchers to know what research data sets exist outside their organisations or published datasets, and then use it to advance research outcomes for growers. DataHarvest will help our research data realise its full potential, by extracting greater value from existing datasets, accelerating research outcomes and avoiding duplication of effort and investment.” The $2.9 million DataHarvest co-investment – including $1.3 million provided by GRDC – follows the success of GRDC’s Data Partnership Initiative. The Data Partnerships Initiative brought together 12 GRDC research partners to develop data management best practices and to locate valuable data. DataHarvest will build on the Data Partnerships Initiative extending what was learnt and developed by the original 12 partners to more of GRDC’s research partners. “DataHarvest will help our research data realise its full potential, by extracting greater value from existing datasets, accelerating research outcomes and avoiding duplication of effort and investment.” The $2.9 million DataHarvest co-investment – including $1.3 million provided by GRDC – follows the success of GRDC’s Data Partnership Initiative. The Data Partnerships Initiative brought together 12 GRDC research partners to develop data management best practices and to locate valuable data. DataHarvest will build on the Data Partnerships Initiative extending what was learnt and developed by the original 12 partners to more of GRDC’s research partners. Curtin University will lead DataHarvest by tapping into the research data management expertise of the Curtin University Library and combining it with the extension and training capability of the Centre for Crop and Disease Management (CCDM). The DataHarvest team will help uplift the capacity and capability of GRDC’s research partners by creating online data management resources, tailored workshops and a dedicated Support Services Centre which will provide comprehensive assistance in effective data management. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1902/australias-grdc-extends-platform-for-agri-tech-innovators-with-improved-grain-farming-practices.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1902/australias-grdc-extends-platform-for-agri-tech-innovators-with-improved-grain-farming-practices.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 09:30:00 +0530 The 12-week accelerator program helps companies seeking support and guidance in go-to-market commercialisation and investment Australia's GRDC is inviting innovative agtech solution who are at the forefront of agricultural technology to redefine grain growing in Australia. Innovators that meet the following eligibility and criteria are encouraged to apply. The program also includes an industry Demo Day event where innovators demonstrate their solutions to potential investors and growers. Expressions of interest are now open for the GRDC GroundUp Program and startup founders with innovative, real-world solutions to improve grain farming productivity and practices are encouraged to apply. The GroundUp Program, a partnership between the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Agtech and Logistics Hub, is part of a suite of GRDC investments aimed at accelerating agtech innovation for the Australian grains industry. The program is calling for innovators to work directly with growers to ground-truth their potential commercial solutions before going to market. GRDC business development manager Tim Spencer says industry being involved from an early stage will ensure results are tailored to the needs of grain growers and provide real-world solutions. “The GroundUp program is looking to help support innovators to take their technologies to the next level and deliver solutions for grain growers,” Spencer says. Agtech and Logistics Hub Director Thomas Hall says the accelerator was crucial given the importance of grain growers to Australia’s economy. “The grains industry is our largest agricultural sector, with more than 22,000 grain farms across the country. It’s important for grain growers to have access to new technologies that can improve their environmental practices, while increasing productivity and profitability. Last year’s program accelerated some incredible technology, including advanced drones - capable of locating pests and diseases bigger than five millimetres, and revolutionary spray technology from a company that has just signed an agreement to distribute to Australian and New Zealand growers. “We look forward to seeing what this year’s GroundUp innovators bring to the table and seeing how we can provide them with an opportunity to work with industry to advance their solutions" explains Thomas Hall. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1891/syngenta-and-lavie-bio-announce-partnership-to-discover-and-develop-novel-bio-insecticide.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1891/syngenta-and-lavie-bio-announce-partnership-to-discover-and-develop-novel-bio-insecticide.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 09:36:47 +0530 Agreement reinforces both companies’ commitment to developing and bringing innovative biological solutions to farmers Syngenta Crop Protection, a leader in agricultural innovation, and Lavie Bio Ltd., a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd., and a leading ag-biologicals company, has announced an agreement for the discovery and development of new biological insecticidal solutions. The collaboration will leverage Lavie Bio's unique technology platform to rapidly identify and optimize bio-insecticide candidates, as well as Syngenta’s extensive global research, development and commercialization capabilities. Insects pose a major challenge to the health of crops worldwide, directly injuring plants as they feed on the plant’s stems, fruit and roots, as well as indirectly by transmitting bacterial, viral and fungal infections to crops – costing the global economy an estimated $70 billion a year, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. Experts predict such losses will worsen with global warming widening the spread of invasive insect risk and rising resistance to available insecticides. “Syngenta is a leader in advancing sustainable agriculture and we are thrilled to collaborate with Lavie Bio in biocontrol innovation and bring novel modes of action in the growers’ toolbox to combat insect resistance,” said Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Research at Syngenta Crop Protection. “This collaboration underscores Syngenta's commitment to collaborating with cutting-edge agricultural technology companies, merging digital and experimental approaches to accelerate and diversify innovation.” Amit Noam, CEO of Lavie Bio said "Both companies share a mutual commitment to sustainable farming and together, we aim to develop an impactful bio-insecticide product. Lavie Bio's unique computational capabilities and Syngenta's vast experience in developing and commercializing innovative products make this partnership significant. We enthusiastically look forward to joining forces to achieve the mutual task of insect management in agriculture." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1890/origin-agritech-achieves-breakthrough-in-hybrid-corn-breeding-by-incorporating-wild-genes.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1890/origin-agritech-achieves-breakthrough-in-hybrid-corn-breeding-by-incorporating-wild-genes.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 09:22:02 +0530 The integration of the wild corn gene marks the world's first instance of using genetics from wild corn Origin Agritech Ltd., a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, has achieved a breakthrough development in its commercial corn hybrid offerings. Origin Agritech has successfully integrated a gene from wild corn into one of its elite commercial corn hybrids for the first time in the industry. This approach represents a significant scientific milestone and sets a new benchmark for crop yield performance and efficiency. The integration of the wild corn gene marks the world's first instance of using genetics from wild corn—a type of grass—to enhance the performance of commercial corn hybrids. This innovative genetic modification has improved plant type and photosynthesis efficiency, enabling the hybrid to achieve higher yields by supporting increased plant density per acre. One of Origin Agritech's mainstay commercial hybrids, which has been a market leader for over 20 years due to its superior performance, has been the focus of this enhancement. The improved version of this hybrid can now be planted at a 10-15% higher density, offering a potential yield increase of more than 10%. This advancement is expected to drive the new hybrid to replace the current version within two years, further solidifying Origin Agritech's market share and leadership in the agricultural sector. Dr. Gengchen Han, Chairman and CEO of Origin Agritech, stated, "By harnessing the untapped potential of wild corn genes, we have significantly improved our hybrid's performance, setting a new standard for efficiency and yield in the industry. We anticipate the enhanced hybrid will replace its predecessor and capture more market share with its superior performance and adaptability." Origin Agritech is dedicated to leveraging cutting-edge biotechnological research to develop crops with higher yields, improved nutritional profiles, and better adaptability to environmental challenges. This latest innovation underscores the company's role as a leader in the global agritech industry and its commitment to enhancing food security and farming efficiency worldwide. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1894/cargill-empower-farmers-with-customizable-grain-marketing-solutions-to-optimize-farm-practices.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1894/cargill-empower-farmers-with-customizable-grain-marketing-solutions-to-optimize-farm-practices.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 07:39:30 +0530 ElevateTM farm management platforms give farmers the flexibility and control they need to make informed decisions to stay competitive in the marketplace Cargill is forging in grain marketing solution arena by helping farmers unlock enhanced profitability with Cargill ElevateTM – a mix of market insights, pricing solutions, world-class expertise and access to robust farm management platforms that give farmers the flexibility and control they need to make informed decisions to stay competitive in the marketplace.  “Our grain representatives actively listen to farmers and understand that no two farmers have the exact same needs. Cargill’s industry-leading portfolio of pricing solutions empowers farmers to take charge and execute their individual grain marketing plans to meet their individual goals,” said Ryan Dwyer, Cargill Elevate program leader.   The Cargill ElevateTM grain marketing solutions portfolio enables farmers through: Market Insights – Farmers gain free access to condensed updates on market developments, cultivated across the company’s view of global supply chains. Provides relevant details empowering them to make more informed and savvy business decisions. Pricing Solutions – Building a grain marketing plan also requires diversification, which is an important strategy for managing risk and getting better returns. Tool offers a wide variety of contracts tailored to a grower’s desired level of control, cash flow, grain movement needs and overall risk tolerance. Growers can diversify their grain marketing options to match different market conditions with grain contracts including "Price Contracts, Insure Contracts and Enhance Contracts". Cargill Elevate+ – Provides more in-depth market insights and tailored cash grain recommendations to assist growers in creating more competitive and profitable grain-selling strategies. Users will receive access to leading farm management software, BushelFarmTM provides a ground-level and big picture view of their farm’s operational and financial performance. Cargill Elevate+ will be available starting in summer 2024. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1889/breakthrough-innovation-achieves-bioplastics-from-seaweed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1889/breakthrough-innovation-achieves-bioplastics-from-seaweed.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 10:13:01 +0530 California-based bioplastics manufacturer Sway has unveiled a groundbreaking new technology that it hopes will facilitate the commercial-scale production of bioplastics from seaweed. Representing an entirely new class of biopolymer plastics,  Sway 's Thermoplastic Marine Algae (TPSea) plastic  is a completely bio-based, home compostable, microplastic-free component made from a Ocean trees have the ability to regenerate, contribute to ecosystem structure and function, and support coastal communities. Sway's new technology is designed to connect seamlessly with most existing large-scale plastics manufacturing systems, enabling growth and impact. The packaging sector is the world's largest generator of single-use plastic waste. Sway's growing product portfolio made with TPSea includes flexible packaging applications such as poly bags, retail bags and food wraps for consumer brands, representing approximately 30% of total packaging Single-use plastic. This launch comes alongside Sway's successful $5 million seed round led by Third Nature Investments and included investments from The Helm, Alante Capital, BAM Ventures, Superorganism and aligned investors with other industries. The fund will be used to support the scaling of Sway's product portfolio, in addition to driving the adoption of biomaterials by fashion, food and home goods brands such as J.Crew, Burton and other brands involved in the Tom Ford Plastics Innovation Award. Sway's seaweed materials have a variety of applications in the packaging industry, and aim to add ecological and social value along the way – opening up new, affordable pathways to reducing plastic pollution and expanding access to biodegradable materials. TPSea resin, film rolls and finished packaging are now available for adoption by packaging manufacturers and consumer brands. . ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1856/2blades-delivers-on-project-with-bayer-crop-science-in-effort-to-combat-asian-soybean-rust.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1856/2blades-delivers-on-project-with-bayer-crop-science-in-effort-to-combat-asian-soybean-rust.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 08:02:16 +0530 The joint collaboration has focused on identifying novel sources of genetic resistance to Asian soybean rust (ASR) 2Blades announces that it has successfully delivered on goals in a project launched in 2018 and extended in 2023 with Bayer Crop Science to identify resistance genes against Asian Soybean Rust (ASR). The project also involved partners at The Sainsbury Laboratory (Norwich, UK) and the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil). This achievement marks the successful completion of the collaboration, paving the way for Bayer to advance new targeted strategies for controlling and combating this destructive disease. The joint collaboration has focused on identifying novel sources of genetic resistance to Asian soybean rust (ASR), the leading cause of crop losses in Brazil and other soy-producing countries. The collaboration included partners at The Sainsbury Laboratory (Norwich, UK) and the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Minas Gerais, Brazil). “Asian soybean rust is one of the most significant threats to soybean production globally,” said Ty Vaughn, Head of Plant Biotechnology for Bayer Crop Science. “The successful work that we’ve been able to accomplish with 2Blades will allow us to bring the solutions that growers need to farms more quickly.” Asian soybean rust is a fast-moving disease caused by the airborne fungus, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, that can cause rapid crop losses of up to 90% within just 3 weeks of initial infection. ASR thrives in tropical regions and is the leading cause of soybean disease across the large soy production areas of Brazil, causing crop losses of more than US$ 10 billion since 2001. While fungicides have historically been used to combat P. pachyrhizi, the pathogen is rapidly adapting and building tolerance to these chemical controls. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1851/syngenta-korea-launches-vaniva-an-innovative-new-product-for-nematode-control.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1851/syngenta-korea-launches-vaniva-an-innovative-new-product-for-nematode-control.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 09:06:29 +0530 Controls the entire life cycle of plant parasitic nematodes from eggs to adults. Syngenta Korea  debuts its innovative new nematode control product, ‘ Vaniva ® ’ to control the entire life cycle of plant parasitic nematodes from eggs to adults. ' Vaniva '  granule is the first product to be released in Korea using Syngenta's newly developed ' TYMIRIUM TM technology '  ,  blocking the invasion, movement and reproduction of nematodes , blocking the entire life cycle of nematodes from eggs to adults . Effectively controls .  It has a strong root protection effect through its excellent nematicidal effect , and  it does not affect growth even when used in the early stages of planting crops, so farmers can use it with confidence . Plant parasitic nematodes mainly damage crop roots and inhibit crop growth . ' Vaniva ' protects roots by removing nematodes by contacting and absorbing the skin surface of nematodes moving through the soil after treating the entire soil.  This makes crops strong and healthy and improves yield .  'Vaniva', which has proven to have excellent nematicidal effects through various tests at home and abroad, will be a solution that can maximize crop production by protecting roots from nematodes with its powerful effects . The ' Vaniva '  formulation is currently applicable to melon root-knot nematode and cabbage cyst nematode , and  is scheduled to be expanded to apply to watermelon ,  cucumber , and  tomato after April 2024 . “' Vaniva ' is an innovative product developed by Syngenta Global after about 10 years of research and development. Worldwide, more than 10%  of crop yields are lost to plant parasitic nematodes. Based on estimates , we expect that ‘ Baniba ’ will increase farmers’ yields and be of great help to sustainable agriculture” said Park Jin-bo, CEO of Syngenta Korea. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1844/vietnam-deploys-an-innovative-real-time-sea-water-monitoring-system-for-aquaculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1844/vietnam-deploys-an-innovative-real-time-sea-water-monitoring-system-for-aquaculture.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:52:24 +0530 Collaboration between Australia's University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Vietnamese university researchers to create water monitoring solution A groundbreaking collaboration between UTS, Vietnam National University and Ho Chi Minh University of Technology has led to the development of a real-time sea-water monitoring system in Xuan Dai Bay, Vietnam. As the system is scalable and non-site specific, the technology has the potential to be used not just in further sites across Vietnam, but globally, and the team is actively seeking new partners to help them realise its full potential. The project, funded by Aus4Innovation and part of UTS Rapido Vietnam, employs the latest Industry 4.0 technologies such as Internet of Things, data analytics, and mechatronics. "Aquaculture is an important industry in Vietnam, generating an income of AUD$11 billion per year. But while it can have rich economic rewards for farmers and the regions they live in, it can be a precarious livelihood," says Professor Eryk Dutkiewicz, the chief investigator of the project at UTS. The system, launched in March 2020, monitors temperature, acidity, ammonia, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and turbidity, providing real-time data to farmers. The advanced technology withstands harsh conditions, offering alerts for timely decision-making. The monitoring stations, the first of its kind in Vietnam, are now permanent fixtures in the bay. Mr Le Tan Ho is Vice President of Phu Yen province and was impressed with both the UTS team and the results of the project. He says the information it has provided has been invaluable for decision making. "The data from the realtime seawater monitoring system allows the local government to assess and better plan aquaculture and other activities like tourism towards the sustainable social and economic development goals while protecting environment and coping with global climate changes, especially in coastal areas," says Le Tan Ho. The research team hopes the application of IoT platforms for coastal water system management in Phú Yên will just be the start. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1841/boehringer-ingelheim-partners-veeva-to-advance-its-clinical-and-regulatory-operations-in-animal-health.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1841/boehringer-ingelheim-partners-veeva-to-advance-its-clinical-and-regulatory-operations-in-animal-health.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 10:16:43 +0530 Global animal health leader adopts Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM for greater efficiency, visibility, and speed Boehringer Ingelheim has selected Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM applications as its technology foundation for clinical and regulatory management in its animal health business unit. By adopting unified applications on a single platform, Boehringer Ingelheim can streamline clinical execution to speed development of new medicines that help animals live healthier and happier lives. “Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM will help us drive higher operational efficiency across functions while providing the insights for data-driven decision making,” said Marcus Gravendyck, head of global regulatory affairs and pharmacovigilance, Animal Health at Boehringer Ingelheim. “This will allow us to execute and innovate faster to improve the lives of animals.” Boehringer Ingelheim will use Veeva Vault CTMS in its animal health business unit to manage and monitor trials and Veeva Vault eTMF for real-time inspection readiness, visibility, and control. The company will also use Vault RIM applications, including Veeva Vault Registrations, Veeva Vault Submissions, and Veeva Vault Submissions Archive for advanced regulatory processes. Connecting these applications on a single cloud platform will enable real-time access to data and seamless information exchange. “Boehringer Ingelheim is driving innovation to accelerate the development of new treatments for animals,” said Thomas Reith, corporate vice president, IT research, development, and medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim. “By establishing a centralized and digital foundation with Veeva, we can deliver a better user experience for our teams, and offer lean, end-to-end processes for speed and agility.” “We’re proud to partner with Boehringer Ingelheim in animal health to simplify their clinical development and regulatory processes,” said Stefan Jahnecke, vice president of animal health strategy at Veeva. “Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM will help Boehringer Ingelheim increase data integrity and provide the visibility to quickly adapt to changing business requirements.” Vault Clinical and Vault RIM are part of Veeva Development Cloud, the technology foundation for product development across clinical, regulatory, quality, and safety ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1830/advanced-ai-technology-to-uncover-novel-rd-and-commercialization-opportunities-of-dairy-nutrition.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1830/advanced-ai-technology-to-uncover-novel-rd-and-commercialization-opportunities-of-dairy-nutrition.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:21:00 +0530 US national dairy research and promotion organization to leverage AI application LEAP™ to explore the full spectrum of Dairy dietary nutrition PIPA LLC, AI leader in Nutrition and Ingredient Innovation and Dairy Management Inc, the US national dairy research and promotion organization, have partnered to further explore the full spectrum of dairy's health benefits. Leveraging AI application LEAP™, DMI will work with the dairy industry and other partners to expedite the identification of novel R&D opportunities in milk while also analyzing scientific evidence to validate and build new product claims. "This partnership represents a groundbreaking development for the U.S. dairy industry, pioneering the integration of AI in dairy research and innovation," said Barbara O'Brien, President and CEO of Dairy Management Inc. "Dairy farmers' long-standing investments in nutrition research have made significant contributions to the portfolio of credible science demonstrating the positive impact dairy foods have on overall health and wellness. The partnership with PIPA will leverage the power of AI to uncover dairy-centric health and wellness opportunities that can meet the growing world's needs for personalized nutrition solutions." PIPA's Chief Commercial Officer, Eric Hamborg said: " With PIPA's technology and the subject matter expertise of DMI, we'll unlock novel research and commercialization opportunities for the industry with a speed and accuracy we've never seen before." PIPA aims to accelerates science and innovation for nutrition and Ingredient industries by embedding AI in their R&D, manufacturing, and commercial business, decreasing times and improving productivity. PIPA's AI apps, LEAP and Ingredient Profiler, coupled with in-house pipelines, enables a comprehensive suite of solutions to advance scientific breakthroughs in feeding plants, animals and humans. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1824/beijing-strengthens-smart-agriculture-through-strategic-co-research.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1824/beijing-strengthens-smart-agriculture-through-strategic-co-research.html Tue, 13 Feb 2024 09:54:10 +0530 LEW's Subsidiary partners with Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS) for Co-Research Collaboration LE Worldwide Limited (LEW), a leading provider of innovative grow light solutions, has signed a co-research collaborative agreement between its subsidiary and the prestigious Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS). This strategic partnership aims to advance research and drive innovation in the field of smart farming. BAAFS pivotal in developing modern urban agriculture and China's agriculture sector overall. Over its rich 60-year history, BAAFS has made valued contributions through pioneering technological advancements, academic excellence, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. The Chinese government has strongly encouraged and backed agriculture, providing favorable policies and resources to stimulate innovation and modernization. Recognizing agriculture's importance for national food security and evolving needs, the government supports technological advancements and sustainable practices. LEW's collaboration aligns with this vision, emphasizing the crucial role of LED grow lights as supplemental devices for facility horticulture vegetables. The partners seek to explore the impacts of light spectra on crop growth and advance LED grow light technologies through joint research. By combining knowledge and capabilities, LEW and BAAFS strive to develop cutting-edge agricultural solutions that align with government goals for efficient, sustainable agriculture. Teddy Lo, the CEO and Chairman of LEW, expressed his enthusiasm for the research collaboration, stating, "By combining our knowledge and resources, we aim to contribute to China's agricultural development and address the evolving needs of farmers through the advancement of LED grow light technology. With strong support and encouragement from the Chinese government, we are confident in our ability to drive innovation and provide valuable LED grow light solutions for the modernization of agriculture." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1797/twist-bioscience-unveils-innovative-solution-to-drive-ngs-adoption-in-agbio.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1797/twist-bioscience-unveils-innovative-solution-to-drive-ngs-adoption-in-agbio.html Tue, 06 Feb 2024 10:06:00 +0530 Differentiated Ultra High-Throughput Library Preparation Solution at AGBT Twist Bioscience Corporation a company enabling customers to succeed through its offering of high-quality synthetic DNA using its silicon platform, today announced technology early access of the Twist Flex Prep Ultra High-Throughput (UHT) Kit, which aims to enable unparalleled throughput at a fraction of the cost of existing on market solutions, accelerating NGS’ microarray conversion and adoption in agricultural genomics. Built upon enzymatic fragmentation library preparation, the Twist Flex Prep UHT Kit utilizes novel chemistry that accepts and self-normalizes a wide range of sample input amounts through a new proprietary Normalization By Ligation (NBL) technology. This is crucial for researchers in AgBio who sequence thousands of samples of varying inputs and removes the need to manually normalize each one, saving significant time and costs. The kit also enables enhanced multiplexing by pooling samples early in the workflow so that researchers can process more samples without additional capital investment. The enhanced multiplexing further limits hands on time and saves researchers costs of reagents in downstream purification and indexing steps. In addition, pooling samples significantly reduces cost and plastic waste from pipette tips and plates in high-throughput labs. “In agricultural genomics, researchers often test thousands of samples at once, relying heavily on automation to support large scale testing. Many researchers continue to perform traditional microarray based workflows, as overall higher cost per sample for NGS based workflow has hindered adoption,” said Emily M. Leproust, Ph.D., CEO and co-founder of Twist Bioscience. “With the technology early access of our Twist Flex Prep UHT Kit, researchers will soon have access to a scalable, streamlined, and most importantly, cost effective NGS workflows for their various samples and research areas, and overcome the challenges that have caused slow adoption of NGS in the AgBio space. This ultra high-throughput solution could enable them to push new boundaries in breeding, trait selection, and other high-throughput applications, with high data quality while saving costs.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1790/japans-sumitomo-invests-in-brazilian-insect-protein-production-to-boost-next-gen-sustainable-feed-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1790/japans-sumitomo-invests-in-brazilian-insect-protein-production-to-boost-next-gen-sustainable-feed-production.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 10:56:13 +0530 Joint investment in a Seed round for Cyns, a biotechnology company to unlock the next chapter of black soldier fly (BSF) farming in Latin America Sumitomo Corporation, through Sumitomo Corporation do Brasil S.A. has announced a joint investment in a Seed round for Cyns, a biotechnology company located in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to unlock the next chapter of black soldier fly (BSF) farming in Latin America. Lambarin Investimentos, a Brazilian family office and wealth management firm, has also joined the Seed Funding Round together with Sumitomo. Cyns is the leading biotechnology company specialized in sustainable insect-based animal nutrition in South America, having been the first company to obtain regulatory approval to produce and market black soldier fly-based ingredients for animal nutrition in Brazil. The company is located in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, the most prominent agtech valley in Brazil, and has developed a unique, cost-competitive horizontal BSF rearing system that delivers high bioconversion rates with minimum HVAC requirements by leveraging Brazil’s naturally-suitable conditions for BSF rearing and large availability of sustainable food byproduct streams which are used as the source of nutrition for BSF larvae. Cyns originated in 2015 as a project incubated by Bug Biological Agents, which was the pioneer in insect rearing for biological pest control in Latam. In 2020, it received its first angel investment from Lambarin Investimentos, and in 2022 Cyns opened Brazil’s first BSF industrial pilot to receive regulatory approval. Since then, Cyns has successfully introduced its ingredients to the market, which can now be found in dog treats, bird and other exotic pet foods available in Brazil’s largest pet retail outlets. Insect-based nutrition is one of the leading solutions to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of animal nutrition, which together with agriculture, make up the 2nd largest source of greenhouse gas emissions with roughly 25% of all emissions. Insect-based ingredients are known for having a much lower carbon intensity than those of its plant and animal-based ingredient counterparts, contributing to reducing the carbon footprint of pet food and animal feed by at least 60-70% or more. Together with the investment, Sumitomo Corporation do Brasil has also inked a commercial partnership agreement with Cyns, under which Sumitomo Corporation do Brasil will be in charge of application development and R&D, as well as marketing Cyns’ products in the Americas Region. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1789/mewa-minister-sponsors-strategic-partnership-on-phase-ii-of-algae-aquaculture-project.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1789/mewa-minister-sponsors-strategic-partnership-on-phase-ii-of-algae-aquaculture-project.html Mon, 05 Feb 2024 10:45:25 +0530 Project aim to establishing the algae industry and its technologies within the Kingdom and aims to create employment prospects and mitigate the impacts associated with CO2 emissions The Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, His Excellency Abdulrahman Abdulmohsen Alfadley, sponsored the signing of a strategic partnership agreement in research, development and innovation between the Ministry and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). This collaboration seeks to strengthen the integration between the two entities, aligning with the ministry's executive strategic plan for research and innovation and KAUST's strategy. HE Alfadley also launched the Algae & Aquaculture Technologies Development Project Phase II at KAUST. This undertaking plays a crucial role in algae technology development and the aquaculture initiative within the Kingdom. During the event, many memorandums of understanding were signed between KAUST and several parties. Alfadley said that the ministry's research and innovation executive plan focuses on embracing technology and innovation to address challenges and generate opportunities in the sector. He emphasized the project's goal of establishing the algae industry and its technologies within the Kingdom. Additionally, the initiative aims to create employment prospects and mitigate the impacts associated with carbon dioxide emissions. KAUST President Tony Chan remarked, “Not only are we introducing cutting-edge technology, but we are also nurturing the next generation of Saudi algae farmers. Through training programs, we equip them with the knowledge and skills to cultivate, produce, harvest, and process algae – fostering a homegrown aquaculture industry marked by expertise and innovation.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1781/israel-u-s-binational-industrial-rd-foundation-to-invest-9-6-million-in-10-new-projects.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1781/israel-u-s-binational-industrial-rd-foundation-to-invest-9-6-million-in-10-new-projects.html Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:25:00 +0530 The approved projects, with an overall budget of $24.5 million, involve innovations in the areas of Agrotech, Biotechnology, Electronics, Energy, Foodtech, Healthcare IT, and Life Science The Board of Governors of the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation has approved $9.6 million in funding for ten new projects between U.S. and Israeli companies. In addition to the grants from BIRD, the projects will access private-sector funding, boosting the total investment in all projects to $24.5 million. The decision was confirmed on late Dec, 2023, at  Washington D.C., and announced lately. The BIRD Foundation promotes collaborations between U.S. and Israeli companies in various technological sectors for joint product development.  In addition to providing conditional grants of up to $1.5 million, the Foundation assists by working with companies to identify potential strategic partners and facilitate introductions. The submitted projects are reviewed by evaluators appointed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Israel Innovation Authority. The ten projects approved by the Board of Governors are in addition to the over 1000 projects that the BIRD Foundation has approved for funding during its 46-year history. To date, BIRD's total investment in joint projects is over $390 million, helping to generate direct and indirect sales of more than $10 billion. The projects approved are: Celleste Bio (Misgav, Israel) and Mondelez International (Chicago, IL) to develop and produce on-demand non-fat cocoa solids and cocoa-based powder using cell-based technology. CENS Materials (Beer Sheva, Israel) and LiCAP Technologies (Sacramento, CA) to develop a dry electrode process with carbon nanotube technology dispersion to advance EV battery capacity and performance while lowering production costs.   Diptera.ai (Jerusalem, Israel) and Vectech, Inc. (Baltimore, MD) will utilize advances in artificial intelligence to build a process and system to monitor and control the Anopheles Stephensi mosquito, a highly competent malaria vector. Greatnix, dba Opmed.AI (Herzliya, Israel), and Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) to advance the development of an AI-driven Planner that optimizes procedure scheduling, enhances operating room efficiency, and maximizes resource utilization. Hypervision (Yokneam Illit, Israel) and Light Polymers (Santa Clara, CA) will develop a liquid crystal-based polarized coating technology, methods & systems tailored for Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality optics. Imagindairy (Haifa, Israel) and Ginkgo Bioworks (Boston, MA) to develop and manufacture non-whey dairy proteins at scale and cost parity for novel food products. Israel Aerospace Industries (Lod, Israel) and MELD Printworks (Christiansburg, VA) to develop and approve large civil aviation components utilizing Additive Friction Stir Deposition technology. LahakX (Ramat Hasharon, Israel) and Aero Systems West (San Martin, CA) to develop a heavy payload spraying drone swarm for agriculture and fire prevention. Sheba Medical Center (Ramat Gan, Israel) and Serpin Pharma (Manassas, VA) will perform a Phase II clinical trial to provide a targeted therapeutic to restore immune balance for patients with acute myocardial infarction. Tissue Dynamics (Rehovot, Israel) and ATCC, (Manassas, VA), will develop an advanced organoid kit for cardiac toxicity assessment. The deadline for submission of Executive Summaries for the next BIRD cycle is March 7, 2024.  Approval of projects will take place in June 2024. The BIRD (Binational Industrial Research and Development) Foundation encourages and facilitates cooperation between U.S. and Israeli companies in a wide range of technology sectors and offers funding to selected projects. The Foundation supports projects without receiving any equity or intellectual property rights from the participating companies or the projects themselves. BIRD funding is repaid as royalties from sales of products that were commercialized as a result of BIRD support. The Foundation provides funding of up to 50% of a project's budget, beginning with R&D and ending with the initial stages of sales and marketing. The Foundation shares the risk and does not require repayment if the project fails to reach the sales stage. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1780/lucent-bio-introduces-nutreos-a-biodegradable-seed-coating-to-comply-with-microplastic-bans.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1780/lucent-bio-introduces-nutreos-a-biodegradable-seed-coating-to-comply-with-microplastic-bans.html Thu, 01 Feb 2024 09:17:23 +0530 Lucent BioSciences, a leader in sustainable crop input solutions, announced a groundbreaking innovation with the launch of Nutreos, a non-toxic, plant-based, and biodegradable micronutrient seed coating. This environmentally responsible solution aligns with impending regulatory changes addressing the environmental impact of microplastics in seed treatments, particularly in anticipation of upcoming EU microplastic ban regulations. Nutreos is designed to address the growing concerns surrounding microplastic pollution while evolving advancement in agricultural seed coating. Unlike conventional seed coatings that often contain microplastics, Nutreos offers improved germination, early vigour, and root growth, delivering uniform crop establishment and nutrition without compromising the environment. The inclusion of iron, manganese and zinc provides vital nutrition without toxicity or microplastics, fostering strong crop establishment. Germination results of Nutreos micropplastic-free seed treatments "As the world looks toward more sustainable solutions, Lucent Bio is committed to leading the charge in climate-smart crop input innovations," states Michael Riedijk, CEO of Lucent BioSciences. "The introduction of Nutreos is the second product line based on our plant-based nutrient carrier technology supporting our mission to accelerate the transition to a sustainable and climate-positive agri-food system." Lucent Bio is building the first Nutreos manufacturing plant in British Columbia, Canada, targeted to become operational by the end of 2024, and aims to expand production capacity in the US, Brazil, and Europe. Lucent Bio is co-developing and conducting trials with leading seed companies using the Nutreos seed coating technology and is expanding its partner and co-development program. Besides its Soileos granular micronutrient products and the Nutreos seed coating technology, Lucent Bio is also working on a third product line of biodegradable and microplastic-free controlled-release NPK fertilizer coatings, which will be announced later this year. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1777/researchers-net-1-5-million-for-oral-sea-lice-vaccine-development.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1777/researchers-net-1-5-million-for-oral-sea-lice-vaccine-development.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:29:44 +0530 Scientists led by Moredun Research Institute have been awarded £1.5 million in a bid to develop an oral vaccine for salmon lice in farmed Atlantic salmon. A multidisciplinary team of scientists led by Moredun Research Institute has been awarded £1.5M from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to combat salmon lice in farmed Atlantic salmon through the development of an oral vaccine. This represents a pivotal step towards a sustainable and effective solution to the pervasive challenges posed by sea lice in the aquaculture industry. Many marine-farmed fish species are significantly affected by sea lice, impacting their health, welfare, and aquaculture productivity. The salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is an ectoparasite that feeds on the mucus, skin, underlying tissues and blood of farmed Atlantic salmon, and there is no efficacious commercial vaccine. An increase in salmon louse prevalence and disease issues, largely as a result of climate change, has an estimated annual economic impact on the industry of $1bn. Demand for salmon also continues to increase, making the need for the timely development of an effective vaccine, more pressing than ever. There are major challenges associated with current control approaches against salmon lice that create a barrier against industry expansion, which is worth over £1bn annually to the UK economy. Development of a commercial salmon louse vaccine would provide a practical, safe, and eco-friendly approach to tackling the issue while also supporting the goal of the Scottish Government to double the value of Atlantic salmon production between 2016 and 2030. Tests using traditional methods for administering salmon lice vaccines via injection have shown limited success. As an alternative, a team of internationally renowned experts in the field of ecto-parasitology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, veterinary medicine, and fish immunology led by Moredun’s Dr Kim Thompson, are developing an oral vaccine that will generate an effective immune response within the skin of the salmon. The oral vaccine will be designed to affect the biology of the salmon louse during its parasitic phase, impacting aspects such as attachment, development and/or maturation. The team will utilise state-of-the-art techniques, including reverse vaccinology (RV) and artificial intelligence (AI) via the EpitoPrediktTM platform to quickly identify key biological targets within the salmon louse and predict which candidate antigens are able to stimulate the correct immune response in the fish. The relevant candidates will then be fused together and expressed as a mosaic antigen through the EpitoGen® scaffold technology. The mosaic antigen will form the basis of a suitable vaccine. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1776/nrgene-establishes-supree-a-food-tech-company-developing-self-drying-fruits-and-vegetables.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1776/nrgene-establishes-supree-a-food-tech-company-developing-self-drying-fruits-and-vegetables.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:14:13 +0530 Supree™ develops innovative fruit and vegetable varieties designed to naturally dry on the vine while preserving high vitamins and nutrient levels, and rich taste Israeli AgTech firm, NRGene Technologies Ltd. has introduce Supree (Supree-Zanim), its newly established FoodTech subsidiary, specializes in innovative fruit and vegetable varieties that naturally self-dry on the vine while maintaining nutritional value and flavor. Supree is an Israeli food-tech company specializing in the production of self-drying fruits and vegetables. Leveraging NRGene's genomics and AI technology, Supree aims to bring new naturally dried fruits and vegetables to the market, enriching food with tasty, healthy, and long shelf-life products. For more information, visit the company's website: Supree's first product line is a unique semi-dried tomato varieties that stand out for their delicious taste, high nutritional value and one year frozen shelf-life. The uniqueness of these varieties is in their skin's structure that is filled with microcracks which enables natural moisture evaporation. This natural drying process preserves the rich taste, vibrant color, vitamins, and antioxidants, resulting in a superfood that loses about 80% of its original weight when ripe, intensifying flavor and nutritional concentration. Emerging Competator in B2B marketing Presently, Supree is targeting premium B2B markets in Israel, Europe, and the Middle East, including restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and food manufacturers. Leading chefs, such as Chef Ran Shmueli from the Claro restaurant, Tel Aviv, have tried Supree's semi-dried tomatoes. The potential market size for Supree's tomatoes is estimated to reach USD 1.5 billion by 2030. Supree anticipates that its semi-dried tomatoes will create a new category within the USD 16 billion market for dried tomatoes. Additionally, the tomatoes may serve as a substitute product for the USD 10.2 billion dried fruit market, the USD 4.4 billion frozen fruit market, and the USD 60 billion superfood market. Our projections consider the market shares of these segments and take into account market education and penetration rates.  Elevating sustainability and cost efficiency, Supree's tomato varieties enable optimal seasonal growth, eliminating the need for artificial heating or cooling. Immediate post-harvest drying, packaging, and freezing significantly reduce fruit loss along the supply chain. In addition, mechanical harvesting is planned and is expected to bring substantial savings in labor cost, ultimately reducing tomato prices. To facilitate the production and processing of the first product, Supree has signed a partnership agreement with Tzabar Tech, which strengthens the agricultural foundation and promotes technological innovation in agrifood-tech. Together, the companies will establish a joint venture, with Tzabar Tech providing its expertise in farming and trading of agricultural produce to support the unique growing and post-harvesting processes of the tomatoes. Tzabar Tech's CEO, Gilad Mintz, stated, "The collaboration between Tzabar Tech and Supree presents an excellent opportunity to integrate innovative growth technologies, while allowing farmers to improve work processes and achieve more profitable yields." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1775/apaari-proposes-establishing-a-global-nars-consortium.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1775/apaari-proposes-establishing-a-global-nars-consortium.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:08:33 +0530 Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR) and six Regional Fora (AARINENA, APAARI, CACAARI, EFARD, FARA, and FORAGRO) have signed a Declaration for the establishment of the Global NARS Consortium (GNC) The Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) gathered members and partners in an insightful discussion focused on the Global NARS Consortium (GNC) on 29 Jan 2024. As the agricultural landscape continues to evolve, it’s imperative for stakeholders to come together and address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Key Objectives: Explore the role of NARS in the changing global agricultural landscape. Discuss the benefits and opportunities offered by the Global NARS Consortium. Foster collaboration and linkages among stakeholders for collective action. In March 2023, the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAR) and six Regional Fora (AARINENA, APAARI, CACAARI, EFARD, FARA, and FORAGRO), came together to sign a Declaration for the establishment of the Global NARS Consortium (GNC), supported by the European Commission. The GNC represents a significant step towards strengthening the global voice of National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS). It aims to enhance the influence and capacities of NARS worldwide. On March 17, 2023, the heads of the six GFAR Regional Fora (AARINENA, APAARI, CACAARI, EFARD, FARA, and FORAGRO) signed a Declaration to establish a Global NARS Consortium (GNC) and entrusted it to GFAR. The Regional Fora represent diverse stakeholders involved in agrifood systems transformation and agricultural research, specifically the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in their regions. The past Declaration calls for collective action to strengthen and revitalize NARS in the rapidly changing global context through the creation of a Global NARS Consortium (GNC) within GFAR. In 2024, the GNC will seek to strengthen the global voice, enhance the influence, and improve the resource base and capacities of NARS as well as strengthen the collaboration and linkages among partners. The Declaration was witnessed by high level representatives from the CGIAR and IFAD, and the representatives of the NARS of Australia, Iran and Vietnam, and it’s here attached. The GFAR Regional Fora agreed to operationalize the GNC, in consultation with relevant national, regional and global institutions, networks and organizations, undertaking to facilitate the implementation of a roadmap by 2025, to mark the 30th year of GFAR’s existence. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1774/fresh-del-monte-launch-rubyglow-pineapple-a-innovative-red-shelled-pineapple.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1774/fresh-del-monte-launch-rubyglow-pineapple-a-innovative-red-shelled-pineapple.html Wed, 31 Jan 2024 08:52:37 +0530 The Rubyglow® pineapple is first being launched in Chinese market, further cementing company's position as the world’s leader in pineapple innovation Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, has launched its latest pineapple innovation, the Rubyglow® pineapple – a red-shelled pineapple. This pineapple has a red outer skin, bright yellow flesh, and a new, sweet flavor similar to Del Monte pineapples. The Rubyglow® pineapple is first being launched in China, in time for Chinese New Year as part of the company’s grand debut in the Chinese market. With around 5,000 pineapples available worldwide in 2024 and 3,000 in 2025, the pineapple’s rarity and limited inventory make Rubyglow® pineapple a highly coveted item. Grown in Costa Rica, the Rubyglow® pineapple has been in development for more than 15 years and has a registered plant patent in the United States. It is a cross between a traditional pineapple and a Morada pineapple — which is typically inedible — making the Rubyglow® pineapple a hybrid fruit produced through traditional crossbreeding techniques. Rubyglow® pineapples are naturally ripened in Costa Rica on the plant and sold crownless in elegantly designed packaging. “We are proud to unveil our latest pineapple innovation to the world, the Rubyglow® pineapple. This Del Monte exclusive pineapple further cements our global leadership position in the pineapple market,” said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and CEO of Fresh Del Monte. “Our scientists continue to elevate the bar by creating new pineapple varieties, with varied tastes and colors, that cater to more and more consumers worldwide. We believe that the Rubyglow® pineapple is the perfect product to build our market presence in China.” Fresh Del Monte has been leading pineapple innovation since the 1990s with the debut of the Del Monte Gold® Extra Sweet pineapple, the first of its kind. The pineapple has a golden color and, at that time, was much sweeter than any other pineapple on the market. Since then, the company’s robust pineapple program has released the Pinkglow® pineapple, the Honeyglow® pineapple, the Del Monte Zero™ pineapple, and now the Rubyglow® pineapple. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1763/pepsico-launches-second-apac-greenhouse-accelerator-2024-sustainability-edition.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1763/pepsico-launches-second-apac-greenhouse-accelerator-2024-sustainability-edition.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:42:00 +0530 Reinforces Commitment to pep+ Goals: With the program, PepsiCo aims to address packaging waste, agricultural sustainability, and climate change by creating a positive impact through collaboration and partnerships. The final winner of the $ 100,000 prize will be announced in Thailand in September 2024. PepsiCo has launched its second Greenhouse Accelerator program in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Following the success of last year’s program, PepsiCo is looking to make an even greater impact on the food and beverage sector in the region by collaborating with and supporting entrepreneurs who are developing innovative solutions in sustainable agriculture, climate action, and the circular economy. As the Asia Pacific experiences a notable shift towards more sustainable supply chains in an effort to reach net zero, PepsiCo understands its position to influence and be a part of this transition. The Greenhouse Accelerator APAC Sustainability Edition is an initiative to partner with innovative entrepreneurs in the region to advance the company’s goal to be net zero by 2040. As part of the program, PepsiCo will select up to 10 applicants to receive $ 20,000 in grants as well as mentoring from subject-matter experts from PepsiCo’s executive bench and broader leadership team. The final winner of the $ 100,000 prize will be announced in Thailand in September 2024. Applications for 2024 are now open, and APAC startups with solutions in the sustainable packaging, climate action, and sustainable agriculture spaces are eligible to apply. The shortlisted applicants will be selected based on the degree of innovation, business model scalability, uniqueness, disruptive potential, and a mission to drive emissions reduction and circularity. “Building on the strong start we made in 2023, we are extremely proud to launch the second edition of the Greenhouse Accelerator program across the Asia Pacific region. Last year, we initiated seven pilot projects, each contributing to our sustainability goals and demonstrating the power of partnership. APAC is a focal region for agri and food tech innovation, and with new partners joining us, we aim to use our reach to positively influence the food ecosystem.” shared Wern-Yuen Tan, PepsiCo, CEO of APAC. Greenhouse Accelerator Program Significance Since its inception in 2017, the Greenhouse Accelerator has included over 86 companies across the Middle East and North Africa, Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa, the United States, and APAC. To date, the collective revenue of the emerging startups has exceeded $20 million. Last year, the program received over 100 applications across the APAC region, with Powered Carbon delivering the winning solution. Powered Carbon’s low carbon fertilizer solution which uses CO2 to cultivate bacteria, has since been tested on potatoes in PepsiCo’s China Shandong Farm. For the second edition of the program in APAC, PepsiCo has partnered with Suntory PepsiCo Beverage Thailand, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage, and Circulate Capitalwith an aim to address a comprehensive range of environmental challenges and to cultivate a generation of entrepreneurs who can drive positive impact across multiple facets of sustainability. Ashish Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Suntory PepsiCo Beverage (Thailand), said, "As a leader in the beverage industry, Suntory PepsiCo Thailand is proactively addressing environmental challenges through an unwavering commitment to sustainability, innovation, and compliance. We are dedicated to optimizing internal processes and reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our entire value chain while collaborating with other stakeholders to achieve a net-zero carbon society. We clearly define priority issues, including achieving water conservation and replenishment, fostering a sustainable packaging management for the circular economy, and greenhouse gas reduction throughout our operation. Emphasizing the importance of collaboration, we are pleased to participate in this program to build a sustainable society that prioritizes environmental responsibility.” “Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam is proud to be a partner in this impactful initiative, create a platform where innovations can thrive and can contribute to the movement toward a more sustainable future. Our company’s sustainability strategy and goals align with the Vietnam Government’s commitment, especially its pledge to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025. We have collaborated with strategic partners to implement multiple initiatives in realizing sustainability goals, notably, our phasing out of fossil fuel in manufacturing plants and reduced virgin plastic consumption leading to the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.” said Jahanzeb Khan, CEO and General Director, Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1764/lanzajet-unveils-freedom-pines-fuels-plant-the-worlds-first-ethanol-to-sustainable-aviation-fuel-production-facility.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1764/lanzajet-unveils-freedom-pines-fuels-plant-the-worlds-first-ethanol-to-sustainable-aviation-fuel-production-facility.html Mon, 29 Jan 2024 07:51:00 +0530 World's first ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility using Next-Gen SAF Technology; Located in Soperton, Georgia LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and sustainable fuels producer, have collaborated with government officials, industry leaders, partners, and supporters to open LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels, the world's first ethanol to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility. LanzaJet's technology is recognized as the pioneering ethanol to SAF production process and pathway. This ethanol-based technology is the world's first viable next-generation SAF technology capable of scaling production to the levels needed to decarbonize aviation through widely available and sustainable feedstock, emerging commercial waste-based feedstock solutions, and promising economic conditions. Located in Soperton, Georgia, LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels represents one of the most promising SAF technologies in nearly a decade to reach commercial readiness, and will produce 10 million gallons of SAF and renewable diesel per year from low carbon, sustainable, and certified ethanol which meets U.S. and global standards. LanzaJet's technology enables current and future supply volume to support a scaled SAF industry as well as the White House's SAF Grand Challenge, which calls for a supply of at least 3 billion gallons of SAF annually by 2030 to tangibly reduce aviation emissions. With its proprietary ethanol to SAF technology, LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels serves as a blueprint for utilizing first-of-its-kind innovation to scale SAF production and combat the worsening climate crisis. LanzaJet's Freedom Pines Fuels plant represents the culmination of a history of firsts within the SAF industry, dating back to its origin in 2010 as the first ethanol to SAF technology to have derived in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL). The technology's first commercial flights were completed with Virgin Atlantic and All Nippon Airways (ANA) in 2018 and 2019, respectively. LanzaJet CEO Jimmy Samartzis said "Our novel LanzaJet ethanol to SAF process technology is now deployed at our commercial plant in Georgia which will convert ethanol into drop-in SAF. As we start-up the plant, we will continue to refine our technology, while launching our efforts to advance new sustainable fuels projects globally. Between feedstock versatility, efficiency, and economics that enable scale in the US and globally, we stand ready to meet aviation's decarbonization goals established at the United Nations and country ambitions, such as the U.S. SAF Grand Challenge." LanzaJet was joined at Wednesday's event by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk, Georgia Public Service Commissioner Tim Echols, Treutlen County Commissioner Phil Jennings, and Soperton Mayor John Koon. Additionally, the opening of Freedom Pines Fuels also featured LanzaJet shareholders International Airlines Group (IAG), LanzaTech, Mitsui & Co, Shell, and Suncor Energy and investors such as the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Breakthrough Energy, British Airways, and All Nippon Airways (ANA). The SAF produced by LanzaJet in Soperton, Georgia will be used immediately as drop-in fuel for existing aircraft in an aviation industry, which contributes two to three percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions from humans. The technology used at LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% and produced from a variety of sustainable feedstocks, such as agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, energy crops, carbon captured from industrial processes, and more. LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels is fully funded and has committed offtake agreements for all fuel produced in the next 10 years. Located in Treutlen County, Georgia and less than 100 miles from Savannah, the facility will have created more than 250 total jobs and generate an estimated $70 million in annual economic activity for the local economy ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1904/saudi-arabia-partners-with-world-economic-forums-uplink-platform-to-catalyze-breakthrough-innovations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1904/saudi-arabia-partners-with-world-economic-forums-uplink-platform-to-catalyze-breakthrough-innovations.html Fri, 26 Jan 2024 08:04:00 +0530 Aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) innovation platform UpLink today signed two agreements to catalyze innovative global solutions to today’s most pressing environmental and sustainability challenges. Signed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos, Switzerland, by His Excellency Faisal F. Alibrahim, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning and Børge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, the agreements focus on ‘Catalyzing Innovation for an Ocean Positive Economy’ and ‘Catalyzing Innovation for a Positive Circular Carbon Economy (CCE).’ The two agreements aim to foster innovation ecosystems around early-stage impact entrepreneurs to stimulate investments and support for breakthrough solutions that address critical sustainable development challenges including ocean degradation, biodiversity loss, and the circular carbon economy. The initiative is spearheaded by the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP), in partnership with the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), the Saudi Green Initiative (SGI) and the WAVE Initiative under FII. Commenting on the signing of the new agreements at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, His Excellency Alibrahim said, “Saudi Arabia is determined to meet this moment of deepening climate and sustainable development challenges with responsible environmental stewardship, and driving transformative investments in breakthrough, innovative and scalable technological solutions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1752/department-of-science-and-technology-of-ho-chi-minh-city-to-develop-new-rd-center.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1752/department-of-science-and-technology-of-ho-chi-minh-city-to-develop-new-rd-center.html Tue, 23 Jan 2024 11:29:28 +0530 On January 11, the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City organized a conference to implement the project "Building a promotion mechanism to form and develop a research center that meets international standards" and "Guidelines for implementing Resolution No. 19/2023 /NQ-HĐND dated November 11, 2023 of the City People's Council". The goal of the Project is to support a number of potential public science and technology organizations in Ho Chi Minh City to develop into applied research and innovation centers meeting international standards. The project strives to have at least 2 units approaching international level by the end of 2025; By 2030, there will be at least 5 units approaching international standards; By 2045, there will be at least 5 units meeting international standards. According to the Project, the criteria for a research center to meet international standards include: Publishing an average of at least 10 articles per year in scientific journals in the Web of Science and Scopus databases; be granted at least 5 patents for inventions or utility solutions, or 10 protection titles for plant varieties, or 5 protection titles for semiconductor integrated circuit layout designs. In addition, organizations must have at least 10 technology transfer activities, or 10 commercialization activities of scientific research and technological development results, or have 1 recognized S&T product; have at least 3 cooperative research, development and innovation contracts with research and development organizations and businesses. At the same time, public science and technology organizations also need to have sustainable development capacity, leadership capacity, organizational governance and effective application to serve the City's development. In the first 5 years, the research organization must achieve targets such as the number of international articles, the number of patents, the number of technology transfers, the number of commercialized research, and the number of research cooperation contracts. research, the number of applied policies increased by 2 - 5 times depending on the field compared to before participating in implementing the Project.  A reporting regime must be conducted every three to six months by participating organizations. If it does not meet the requirements, the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City can terminate the program at any time. Participating centers enjoy a number of special preferential policies, including a maximum income of 120 million VND for leaders, a remuneration policy for performing science and technology tasks of 60 million VND for project leaders, and policies to prioritize investments in laboratories and equipment and support capacity building. The city prioritized four field groups to participate in the project, including: electronic technology - information technology; biotechnology; new material; Researching city development policies. According to Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, the Project is a way for the City to focus on investing resources in strong research groups and centers of excellence, helping to streamline budget allocation for Science and Technology, avoiding spread investment. Therefore, Mr. Dung encourages strong research units and cooperation at home and abroad to solve practical problems with specific products, thereby helping to form a center that meets international standards.Mr. Dung added that the entire process of selecting units to participate in the Project is carried out according to the principles of openness and transparency with clear criteria, assessed by an independent professional council. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1716/hkust-and-apel-establish-joint-laboratory-to-develop-novel-health-and-environmental-innovations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1716/hkust-and-apel-establish-joint-laboratory-to-develop-novel-health-and-environmental-innovations.html Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:50:00 +0530 With an initial funding of HK$20 million from APEL, an affiliated subsidiary of the listed company Yee Hop, the Joint Lab will contribute sustainable solutions Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has jointly established a laboratory with Absolute Pure EnviroSci Limited (APEL) to develop and translate novel discoveries into groundbreaking health and environmental innovations.  These include highly effective and long-lasting pest repellent against bedbugs that can also inactivate up to 99.9% of highly-infectious viruses, bacteria and hard-to-kill spores, as well as artificial organoids that could help quantify pollution’s risks on human health and provide essential data for establishing a health monitoring system in Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area (GBA). Prof. YEUNG King-Lun from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST and Dr. Pat YEUNG, Director of APEL, signed the memorandum today on the establishment of HKUST-AP EnviroSci Ltd Joint Laboratory (the Joint Lab). With an initial funding of HK$20 million from APEL, an affiliated subsidiary of the listed company Yee Hop, the Joint Lab will contribute sustainable solutions to support water resources management, reduce and revalorize food waste and support decarbonization by enhancing energy efficiency from conditioning to power plant. The advanced formula, derived from the anti-pathogenic Multilevel Antimicrobial Polymer (MAP-1) – one of the earliest disinfectants to provide long-lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2 during the global COVID-19 pandemic – has been certified by two labs in Mainland China and Switzerland of having 100% repellency against bedbugs. This eco-friendly anti-pest spray is set to be adopted by Hong Kong athletes during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in response to a growing bedbug issue in Europe. The formula can also be incorporated into fabrics such as cotton and linen without altering their texture, providing long-lasting anti-pathogenic protection to clothing and accessories, especially those worn or used by patients, elderly or infants.   HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development Prof. Tim Cheng said, “These units provide a platform for collaboration between academia and industry, allowing us to leverage our strengths and expertise to tackle complex problems and develop innovative solutions. They also provide students with unique opportunities to gain practical experience and exposure to industry-relevant projects, preparing them for successful careers in their chosen fields".  APEL Chairman Dr. David Chung said, “The four main areas we will be focusing on are: environmental hygiene and sanitation, air and water purification, net-zero, circular resource utilization, and energy-saving decarbonization processes." Researchers led by Prof. Yeung have also built 3D-printed cellular scaffoldings of human skin, lung, kidney, and heart cells to create artificial organoids* for monitoring air and water pollutions to directly measure their potential harm to human health. The cellular viability, functional changes, and biological expressions data from these artificial organoids will provide important health index to inform policy-makers locally and across the GBA on pollutions and pave the way to improving citizen’s health and well-being. Other innovative solutions being developing by the Joint Lab included Algi-Gel, an award-winning hydrogel that controls and prevents the rapid proliferation of algae in fresh and seawater.  It is currently being tested in partnership with the Water Supplies Department. The Joint Lab has also embarked on developing a sustainable washable air filter for better indoor air quality and an enhanced cooling surface to improve air conditioning and cooling systems. * An organoid is a miniaturized and simplified version of an organ produced in vitro in three dimensions that mimics the key functional, structural, and biological complexity of that organ. Scientists use organoids to study development and disease in the laboratory. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1715/lincoln-university-and-ballance-agri-nutrients-join-forces-to-drive-agricultural-innovation-in-nz.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1715/lincoln-university-and-ballance-agri-nutrients-join-forces-to-drive-agricultural-innovation-in-nz.html Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:46:00 +0530 Aim to drive positive change for Kiwi farmers and growers, ensuring they remain profitable and sustainable New Zeeland's Lincoln University and Ballance Agri-Nutrients (Ballance) signgned Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to underscores a joint commitment to advancing new and better farming and growing practices in New Zealand’s agricultural sector. Both Lincoln University and Ballance share a common vision of a prosperous, sustainable, and innovative future for New Zealand's primary industries. By joining forces, they aim to drive positive change for Kiwi farmers and growers, ensuring they remain profitable and sustainable while meeting the increasing expectations of consumers, both in New Zealand and around the world. Climate change has brought a pressing need for rapid and effective solutions, especially in areas like greenhouse gas emissions, carbon farming, and carbon sequestration. Lincoln and Ballance are committed to tackling these challenges head-on, as well as promoting on-farm diversification and adapting to climate-impacted land use changes. By addressing these challenges collaboratively both Lincoln and Ballance can contribute significantly to the resilience and sustainability of New Zealand’s primary industry and support industry aspirations such as the Fonterra Climate Roadmap. Lincoln University’s Provost, Professor Chad Hewitt says "the agreement establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration, with a focus on identifying and prioritising opportunities for joint projects. These opportunities include improving planning and co-ordination, conducting research and demonstrations on Lincoln University’s farms and enhancing environmental stewardship. The collaboration also seeks to foster innovation, commercialisation, and promotion of the agricultural sector to the public and policy makers.” One key aspect of this partnership is that it creates a foundation for ongoing and future collaboration with the University says Dr Stuart Kay, Innovation Leader at Ballance Agri-Nutrients. Key highlights of the partnership: Agriculture research and commercialisation: combining the expertise of Lincoln University and Ballance bringing together two organisations with a solid history of agricultural research and innovation. Closer to the R&D hub: Lincoln University boasts a strong research and development hub with CRIs such as AgResearch, Plant & Food Research and Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. This collaboration will improve Ballance’s access to valuable expertise and resources. Intern programme: Ballance's intern programme draws significantly from Lincoln University, making this partnership an excellent opportunity to build closer relationships with the next generation of agricultural leaders, and further establishing the company as a place for agricultural talent to grow. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1695/malaysia-accelerator-program-plug-and-play-fosters-start-up-innovation-in-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1695/malaysia-accelerator-program-plug-and-play-fosters-start-up-innovation-in-agriculture.html Mon, 08 Jan 2024 08:48:37 +0530 Plug and Play hosts inaugural Malaysia Expo Day in Kuala Lumpur with strategic partners Khazanah Nasional, CelcomDigi, Sime Darby Plantation, and EDOTCO Group Plug and Play held the inaugural Expo Day for its newly launched Malaysia Accelerator program which seeks to accelerate the growth of the innovation ecosystem in the country by working with leading corporations and startups across the globe. The event featured pitches from 10 startups that were selected to be part of the first batch of its Malaysia-based accelerator program. At the event, Khazanah Nasional ("Khazanah") shared about the Future Malaysia Programme and its commitment to accelerating innovation within the country. Together with other Malaysian conglomerates such as CelcomDigi, Sime Darby Plantation, and EDOTCO Group, Plug and Play aims to scale the startups' solutions and drive substantial socio-economic impact within Malaysia. The Malaysia Accelerator program focuses on pivotal founding themes such as Digital Society & Technology Hub, Sustainability & Climate Resilience, and Food Security & Agriculture. Khazanah Managing Director Dato' Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said, "Khazanah, through our Advancing Malaysia strategy, is committed to nation-building and economic empowerment, in support of the government's aspiration of bolstering the nation's resilience, advancing economic transformation and improving socioeconomic outcomes. The Future Malaysia Programme, an initiative under Dana Impak, is a representation of that commitment specifically for local entrepreneurs, startups, and businesses to spur innovation and economic growth, by driving strategic collaborations within Malaysia's startup and corporate venture ecosystem." "It is encouraging and exciting to be part of something that is driven by innovation, especially creating new synergies between startups and corporates. We are committed to collaborating with other companies and exploring new solutions in areas such as artificial intelligence/machine learning, IR4.0, Web 3.0, digital SME solutions, electrification, etc. This is further made possible through CelcomDigi's Innovation Centre, which is dedicated to exploring and developing innovative technologies while creating a vibrant ecosystem where startups can thrive and make a meaningful impact," shared T. Kugan, Chief Innovation Officer, CelcomDigi. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1683/australias-centre-for-entrepreneurial-agri-technology-ceat-rebrands-as-agrifood-innovation-institute-afii.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1683/australias-centre-for-entrepreneurial-agri-technology-ceat-rebrands-as-agrifood-innovation-institute-afii.html Wed, 03 Jan 2024 11:08:21 +0530 AFII will continue to focus on advancing agri techhnology with CEAT reserved $12 million investment for CEAT Innovation Institute for a further five years Australia's Centre for Entrepreneurial Agri-Technology (CEAT) rebrands as Agrifood Innovation Institute (AFII) effective from 1 January 2024. When CEAT started in 2018, focus was on addressing agricultural challenges by harnessing Australian National University (ANU) expertise in plant, environmental and computing sciences, engineering and technology development. This opens the opportunity to utilise ANU expertise across a broader range of disciplines (including social sciences, business and economics, law, policy and regulatory frameworks) to address a wider range of agrifood challenges facing society, industry and the environment.  With the University having committed to invest $12 million in the CEAT Innovation Institute for a further five years, through the rebranding, the scope has been widened beyond just 'agri-technology' to encompass all the interdisciplinary capabilities of ANU to address complex agrifood challenges at the regional, national and global levels. As an ANU Innovation Institute, AFII will invest in initiatives that: develop an entrepreneurial culture that promotes the translation of ANU research knowledge for societal benefit support researchers to build new partnerships with the agrifood sector invest in new models of biological, technological, social and policy innovation that change how ANU researchers work with industry harness the full interdisciplinary capabilities of ANU to address complex national and global challenges that threaten the resilience, stability and growth of the agrifood sector help shape national and global debates about how to meet increasing global demand for nutritious, abundant food that is produced in ways that are environmentally sustainable provide graduate students with a wider range of career opportunities.  With the rebrand comes an increasing need for ANU to deepen connections with industry and innovation networks beyond our campus. To complement the initiative new leadership roles are announced.  Associate Professor Alison Bentley will join ANU, both as AFII Deputy Director and as a Group Leader in the “Research School of Biology”. In addition, the new AFII Board will include members from the corporate sector bringing significant industry and innovation ecosystem experience: Victoria Taylor (Chair): Head of Sector Building at Cellular Agriculture Australia, Non-Executive Director of Horticulture Innovation Australia and WaterNSW, member of the NSW Rice Marketing Board Ben Fargher: Lead of Cargill Environmental Markets in the APAC region.  Hebbat Manhy: Head of Deep Technology at Cicada Innovations, member of the NSW Smart Sensing Network Advisory Board and Monash University’s Faculty of Robotics and Automation Industry Advisory Board Rob Gordon: the former CEO of SunRice, Non-Executive Board Director of the Inghams Group (Chair, Risk and Sustainability sub-Committee; Member, Finance/Audit Committee), and is a member of RaboBank’s Agribusiness Advisory Board.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1679/philippines-to-launch-new-world-class-agri-genomics-center-in-partnership-with-koica-and-irri.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1679/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/81/1592/syngenta-joins-the-phytobiomes-alliance.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1592/syngenta-joins-the-phytobiomes-alliance.html Wed, 06 Dec 2023 11:01:09 +0530 Syngenta Crop Protection, a global leader in agricultural innovation, has become a sponsor of the International Alliance for Phytobiomes Research, cementing a partnership between the research community and industry that is aimed at advancing both fundamental science and sustainable agriculture. Phytobiome is a collective term for plants within a specific growing environment, for example soil, and the complex interactions influenced by microbes, nutrients, animals, climate, weather, and management practices. This complex and dynamic ecosystem plays a crucial role in the health and functioning of crops, affecting their growth and overall well-being. For example, beneficial microbes in the phytobiome provide essential aid to plants, such as protection against pathogens and acquisition of nutrients. At the same time, there can also be elements of the phytobiome that cause diseases or stress to the plants, such as pathogenic microbes, high heat, or low water availability. Interactions within the phytobiome are highly complex, with much of it yet to be fully understood. Through its partnership with the Phytobiomes Alliance, Syngenta will contribute towards international research into understanding the interactions of the phytobiome’s diverse components. The results of these studies will play a pivotal role in ensuring sustainable food security for a growing population over the next decades. In a key aspect of this collaboration, Syngenta will lead a dedicated working group focused on soil health. Furthermore, Syngenta will work with fellow Alliance partners to identify focus areas for the development of cutting-edge biological solutions and support science-based regulations that facilitate farmers’ access to the biological products they need. Syngenta invests significantly in delivering new solutions that improve farming’s environmental footprint. From novel technologies that precisely address farmers’ pest challenges to biologicals that improve a plant’s ability to leverage available nutrients, Syngenta is at the forefront of agriculture’s transformation. Its participation in the International Phytobiomes Alliance reflects its strong commitment to be a collaborator of choice. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1545/syngenta-group-announces-mary-dell-chilton-awarded-national-medal-of-technology-and-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1545/syngenta-group-announces-mary-dell-chilton-awarded-national-medal-of-technology-and-innovation.html Wed, 15 Nov 2023 11:20:23 +0530 Award recognizes significant contributions and achievements in science, technology and innovation that contribute to Americans’ well-being Syngenta Group announced that Mary-Dell Chilton, Ph.D., has been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Biden. Dr. Chilton led the team of Syngenta researchers that produced the first transgenic plant and pioneered plant biotechnology, discovering novel methods to improve plants’ ability to control pests and withstand extreme conditions. The award was bestowed by the President in a ceremony at the White House on October 24. The National Medal of Technology and Innovation is the highest honor awarded for achievements in technology in the United States, recognizing innovators whose skills have “strengthened America’s economy and improved quality of life.” The award, first presented in 1985, was established by Congress and is administered by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. “Mary-Dell Chilton is a true trailblazer and icon in our industry, and this extraordinary award further confirms the scale and impact of her contributions to the field,” said Justin Wolfe, President Syngenta Seeds. “We are honored to recognize this achievement alongside our former colleague and leader who has inspired innovative thinking and approaches to research during her 35 years at Syngenta and beyond.” This award is the latest recognition in a history of awards and achievements for Dr. Chilton, including the recent honor of the Golden Goose Award on September 27th, which celebrates federally funded research that benefits society. Previous awards include the World Food Prize in 2013 and the Benjamin Franklin Medal. Dr. Chilton led the team of Syngenta researchers that produced the first transgenic plant and discovered novel methods to improve plants’ ability to control pests and withstand extreme conditions. Dr. Chilton retired in 2018, but her legacy of innovation continues through the Syngenta Seeds R&D program. As of today, Syngenta Group employs more than 7,000 global R&D experts, invests more than $1.4 billion annually in global R&D, and operates multiple state-of-the-art facilities across the globe – designed to bring farmers and researchers together to accelerate product advancements. A complete list of Dr. Chilton’s previous award follows: National Academy of Sciences, 1985 Rank Prize in Nutrition (United Kingdom), 1986 David Gottlieb Medal, University of Illinois, 1986 Hendricks Medal, American Chemical Society, 1987 John Scott Award, City of Philadelphia, 2000 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Sciences, Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, 2002 Washington University, St. Louis, Distinguished Professorship in Arts and Sciences, 2009 CSSA Presidential Award, Crop Science Society of America, 2011 Triangle Business Journal Lifetime Achievement Award, 2013 Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award, 2013 Raleigh News & Observer Tar Heel of the Year, 2013 USDA Hall of Heroes Inductee, 2015 National Inventors Hall of Fame, 2015 National Academy of Inventors Inductee, 2016 World Changer Award, Research Triangle Park Rotary Club, 2018 Golden Goose Award, 2023 National Medal of Technology and Innovation, 2023 ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1533/thai-union-announces-oceanium-as-innovation-challenge-winner.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1533/thai-union-announces-oceanium-as-innovation-challenge-winner.html Wed, 08 Nov 2023 07:29:15 +0530 UK startup Oceanium has won the Thai Union Innovation Challenge at this year’s Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore. One of the world’s leading seafood producers, Thai Union set the challenge to discover fresh ideas and solutions that will support its SeaChange 2030 Sustainability Strategy, which aims to reshape the seafood industry. The Innovation Challenge, ‘Novel Ingredients and Applications from Ocean-Derived Ingredients’, attracted entries from over 60 agri-food startups around the world. After a rigorous selection process, two finalists - Ingrediome, and Oceanium - had the opportunity to showcase their innovative solutions on stage in Singapore, to the Thai Union judges and a global summit audience of global agri-food stakeholders. UK-based Oceanium presented its biorefinery process which claims to extract maximum value from sustainably farmed seaweed to produce plant-based food ingredients and high-purity bioactives for health and wellness. Israeli start-up Ingrediome employs photosynthetic fermentation and maps the culinary function of seafood proteins to produce recombinant animal proteins that are carbon negative, low in capex, and require minimal workforce. As winner of the Innovation Challenge, Oceanium will have access to Thai Union’s Global Innovation Team for technical expertise, regulatory assistance, and formulation development. Chris Aurand, open innovation lead at Thai Union, stated in the press release: “We are excited to begin working with Oceanium as their seaweed biorefinery process provides multiple products that we can begin testing with Thai Union. Oceanium fits in well with our SeaChange 2030 strategy by providing opportunities to local seaweed growers, and nutritious solutions that leverage the wholesomeness of the ocean.” Reacting to the win, Karen Scofield Seal, CEO and co-founder of Oceanium, said: “It is a great honour to win the Thai Union Innovation Challenge. We’re on a journey to provide efficacious, functional seaweed ingredients with excellent traceability and provenance using sustainably sourced seaweed, whilst contributing to people’s health and ocean health. This award and meaningful partnership with Thai Union will help propel us forward at a pivotal moment as we bring our products to market.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1503/australian-innovation-competition-merits-cutting-edge-farm-solutions-and-technological-advancements.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1503/australian-innovation-competition-merits-cutting-edge-farm-solutions-and-technological-advancements.html Mon, 30 Oct 2023 07:10:33 +0530 Five industry pioneers EarFlo, Innofocus, Ripen Tech, Vaulta and Zondii have been recognised as Australia's leading innovators harnessing technology to solve real-world problems The Australian Innovation Competition has rewarded progressive industries which demonstrates technologically-driven creativity through solutions with potential to transform their sectors. Health, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, software, social, environmental, resources and industrial applications were represented by over 180 entries submitted to the competition, with the winners selected based on aggregate scores from the seven judges. Innofocus has developed a high-performance flexible film that can cool down any covered object without consuming electricity, with the nanostructure on its surface allowing objects to radiate heat completely into outer space while completely avoiding solar heat absorption in the visible and infrared. Use cases in industries such as agriculture, transportation and energy storage have the potential to significantly reduce carbon footprints. Ripen Tech has developed an IoT device that weighs fruit in real-time while it is still on the plant, removing the need for wastage and inaccurate measures through visual estimation. This will replace the need to use traditional methods that are inaccurate and lead to common downstream issues such as product rejections, helping growers avoid fruit loss by offering highly accurate yield impacts before harvest. Vaulta has developed an Australian made, long duration battery storage product using advanced composite materials and a smart, streamlined design for its casing that condenses multiple functions into fewer parts. Vaulta's simple no-weld design means modules can be easily assembled and disassembled, while cells can be reused and recycled, reducing waste and, crucially, giving batteries a second life. Zondii's simple handheld device replaces expensive on-farm legacy technology that woolgrowers have used to-date to class wool. It helps them save time and money on mustering labour and with instant micron measurement, makes on-farm breeding and classing decisions more efficient and effective. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1462/ql-ag-partners-with-ginkgo-bioworks-to-develop-dairy-proteins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1462/ql-ag-partners-with-ginkgo-bioworks-to-develop-dairy-proteins.html Fri, 13 Oct 2023 11:03:43 +0530 QL AG, an innovative food technology solutions company, extends collaborative partnership to develop dairy proteins with Ginkgo Bioworks, which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity. QL AG will tap into Ginkgo's extensive capabilities in strain engineering across multiple chassis organisms to support its goal of providing the market with high-quality nutritionally equivalent dairy proteins. The dairy industry faces significant pressures as climate change continues to lead to a reduction in arable land and water. Across the world, supply chain disruptions are increasing input costs and consumers are seeking out more healthy, tasty, sustainable, and affordable food options and alternatives to animal agriculture. As a result, the alternative dairy market has grown by tens of billions of dollars in recent years. Yet, current dairy alternatives still fall short of consumer criteria on critical factors like taste and texture. "Dairy proteins derived using fermentation have advantages across many key dimensions, including taste and texture, as well as the fact that they have no arable land requirement and a lower water requirement," said Roger Föhn, CEO and co-founder of QL AG. "By accessing Ginkgo's platform, QL AG can help reduce the cost of producing dairy proteins with fermentation. We are excited to pursue our goal of making a quantum leap in alternative agriculture by leveraging Ginkgo's unique capabilities in producing strains at high titers and scaling fermentation processes." "Dairy proteins provide an exciting opportunity to leverage our platform, as they have traditionally presented product developers with significant challenges around protein productivity, economics, and functionality for efficacy across different applications. We aim to solve such challenges with our deep expertise in protein engineering, novel bioactivity and biochemistry identification, high-throughput expression, functional studies and scale-up capabilities," said Kalpesh Parekh, Vice President of Business Development at Ginkgo Bioworks. "We are so excited about QL AG's mission, and can't wait to further grow our capabilities in the precision fermentation space by working with such an innovative partner." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1455/medgene-to-develop-platform-vaccines-for-nipah-virus-and-rift-valley-fever-animal-diseases.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1455/medgene-to-develop-platform-vaccines-for-nipah-virus-and-rift-valley-fever-animal-diseases.html Thu, 12 Oct 2023 08:48:10 +0530 Two specific foreign animal diseases with zoonotic (animal-to-human transmission) potential are being targeted  Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and Medgene, a company that produces highly-targeted platform vaccines, recently signed a cooperative agreement.  According to the agreements, Medgene will apply its proprietary platform vaccine technologies against Nipah Virus and Rift Valley Fever, two well-known foreign animal diseases.  In the case of Nipah Virus, a highly fatal disease currently affecting swine in Southeast Asia, the agreement is to test Medgene's platform vaccines developed on its proprietary baculovirus protein expression system.  The Rift Valley Fever agreement is to develop an assay to measure the antibody activity of Medgene's platform vaccines in order to differentiate an infected animal from a vaccinated animal.  This assay is especially important to international trade as it helps ensure that diseased animals are not being released into unaffected populations.  Rift Valley Fever is also a highly fatal disease that originated in Africa and affects livestock.  Dr. Alan Young, immunologist and Chief Technology Officer of Medgene, explained the significance of these agreements.  "Foreign animal diseases are monitored very closely for many reasons.  As important as American agriculture is to the world, we must be prepared to address these and other diseases now.  These projects with USDA-ARS will be a solid step forward in protecting against foreign animal disease outbreaks in the U.S." These projects are part of the Biologics Development Module (BDM) at USDA's National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF), which aims to create collaborations that will enhance and expedite the transition of research to veterinary-medical products. The ultimate goal of the collaboration between USDA-ARS and Medgene is to develop and maintain preparedness for foreign animal disease outbreaks within the U.S.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1454/singapore-international-agri-food-week-siaw-to-return-with-3rd-edition-in-october-end.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1454/singapore-international-agri-food-week-siaw-to-return-with-3rd-edition-in-october-end.html Thu, 12 Oct 2023 07:26:46 +0530 Innovations in sustainable food production and decarbonisation initiatives to headline 2023's Singapore International Agri-Food Week Singapore International Agri-Food Week (SIAW) returns for its third edition from 30 October to 2 November to showcase the latest innovations in sustainable food production in the region's agri-food industry. It will also spotlight decarbonisation initiatives to support companies in their transition to net zero emissions. Held at Sands Expo & Convention Centre, SIAW is a focused platform for knowledge exchange, opportunities exploration, networking, and collaboration to bolster food security and strengthen supply chains for the region. The event is hosted by global investment leader Temasek and co-hosted by the Singapore Food Agency, in partnership with Economic Development Board, Enterprise Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board, Agency for Science, Technology and Research and event organisers, Constellar and Rethink Events. SIAW 2023 expects an estimated 15,000 attendees this year. SIAW will open with a by-invite-only Roundtable on Novel Food Regulations, hosted by the Singapore Food Agency. Key events include the thought leadership focused Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit; the region's only focused exhibition platform Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia (AFTEA); and the Global Agri-Food Scientific Symposium to catalyse scientific advancement. More details on the individual events can be found in the Annex. This year's AFTEA highlights also include a Cultivated Meat Pavilion, hosted by the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), featuring cultivated meat; a Founder's Hub showcasing the best start-ups and experience sharing by various founders; and a Demo Day and Pitching Competition among 20 start-up companies by Republic Polytechnic's alumni and partners under the RP-Trendlines Agri-Food Incubation Programme. Some highlights are; Day 1: Roundtable on Novel Food Regulations – Organised by SFA, the Roundtable is a platform for regulators, local and international industry players, and members of international organisations to discuss latest technologies for novel food production, challenges in safety assessment, and explore opportunities to advance the regulatory approach while encouraging food innovations. Key international stakeholder groups attending this year include the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, UK's Food Standards Agency, and US Department of Agriculture. Days 2 – 4: Asia Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit – The summit convenes over 1,000 of the world's leading agribusinesses, food brands, growers, entrepreneurs, and investors to discuss how technology and investment can be targeted to have the greatest impact on the agri-food value chain in the Asia-Pacific region. Together these senior agri-food leaders will identify strategic priorities, share ideas and collaborate towards greater capacity, security and resilience. The three-day summit will feature start-up pitches, roundtable discussions and themed programmes for agriculture, food-tech, indoor farming, and blue food. From supporting the region's smallholder farmers and seafood producers, to scaling novel foods and tackling energy efficiency in CEA, the summit will address the challenges in meeting demand for nutritious and affordable foods while reducing carbon throughout the supply chain. Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia - Organised by Constellar, the Expo provides a focused exhibition platform with a "living lab" environment, thematic experiential zones, sandbox and community- based learning for emerging and established industry players in the agri-food industry to launch, showcase and testbed their solutions. The second edition will deep-dive into three key areas – Innovation, Sustainability and Safety – to explore solutions and technologies that will enhance every stage and aspect of the food production and manufacturing supply chain for future generations in the Asia-Pacific region. SIAW Gala Dinner - The Singapore International Agri-Food Week 2023 Gala Dinner is set to gather a distinguished group of agri-food corporates, start-ups, investors, policy makers, and research scientists. This exclusive, invite-only event, held under the theme "Innovating for Sustainable Food Production in Asia," promises an evening of networking, a four-course dinner featuring locally produced ingredients, and insightful discussions. Global Scientific Symposium - Organised by SFA and the National University of Singapore, the symposium aims to bring together researchers, scientists, and technology solution providers to encourage the exchange of knowledge and catalyse scientific discussions amongst those with an interest in the food ecosystem. It also serves to advance cutting-edge science, technology and innovation, and foster collaboration to build agri-food capabilities for climate-resilient and sustainable food ecosystems. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1440/vietnam-accomplishes-three-stages-white-leg-shrimp-farming-model-without-discharging-water.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1440/vietnam-accomplishes-three-stages-white-leg-shrimp-farming-model-without-discharging-water.html Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:05:08 +0530 Novel model brings in high economic value, helps control the environment factor, increase the survival rate and secure biosafety The shrimp farming model without water discharging is also called the three-stage super intensive white leg shrimp farming model which has been invested and tried in Vietnam's Cà Mau for the first time. The novel model brings in high economic value, helps control the environment factor, increase the survival rate and secure biosafety. Since zero water discharge system was studied and successfully applied in shirmp culture, Cà Mau’s worry about water pollution has been eased. The model brings in high efficiency, reducing the costs on chemical substances for water treatment, labor, and water change. Reportedly, the production rose by 20% from before. The innovative model requires 4,500 m2 of land to construct a grow-out pond and a raceway system. The total fund is over 2,1 billion dong, three times as much as the conventional model, but the model helps cut down the production costs, and output can reach 60 – 70 tons/crop with 6 – 8 crops being carried out per year, hence increasing the production. The amount of carbon discharged by 1 kg of shrimp is extra low. Consumers don’t have to worry about chemical substances or antibiotics. This is the most significant achievement that the model brings in. However, as the investment fund is high, the Department of Science and Technology proposed to the province to establish a fund for science and technology development so as to financially support local shrimp farmers. The system works continually all day and night, thus the microbiome is provided with nutrients constantly. In the long run, this model can improve the gas emission and climate change as it helps reduce the carbon volume discharged to the environment. Châu Văn Thọ, deputy director of the Department of Science and Technology said: “This is an entirely closed super-intensive shrimp farming technology which can carry out the tasks of rearing shrimp and protecting the environment at the same time. It can be affirmed that this is a sustainable shrimp farming model which will be multiplied widely in Cà Mau province.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1424/common-fund-for-commodities-cfc-advocates-investing-in-innovation-to-benefit-smallholders.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1424/common-fund-for-commodities-cfc-advocates-investing-in-innovation-to-benefit-smallholders.html Wed, 27 Sep 2023 10:15:48 +0530 As farmer data volumes increase, farmers need to be able to better access, use, and own their data to make informed decisions and data management must be farmer-centered. However, extending technology's benefits to remote smallholder farmers and gathering accurate information about them that can shape effective policymaking is challenging. If this data is unavailable, smallholders risk being excluded from the supply chain. It is also a business imperative for food companies that rely on smallholders, as regulations evolve and consumers become more conscious of a brand's sustainability credentials.  Field data quality is the key to ensure compliance with the upcoming EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR). However, the rigorous farm data required is hard for companies to achieve. It is particularly challenging to get this data within the tropical commodities sector, where around 75% of crops are grown by smallholder farmers. Having partnered with a leading business in the sector will contribute to building more equitable food systems as technology revolutionizes agriculture. Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), is keen to support technological innovations that improve the ability of smallholders to enhance their livelihoods. Recently CFC invested EUR 300,000 in Netherlands-based firm Meridia, which is driving transparency in food chains and ensuring the equitable treatment of smallholder farmers.  From the CFC's perspective, Meridia offers benefits all along the supply chain. The firm specialises in collecting, analysing, and verifying high-quality data in smallholder supply chains. This helps food companies achieve environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and compliance, while building supply chains that are inclusive of smallholders. Meridia helps companies overcome these challenges and prepare for compliance. Through assessing supply chain data and verifying its quality, compliant and none-compliant data are separated. Data verification can also unlock other benefits, such as accurate farmer payments and carbon calculations. Chief Executive Officer Thomas Vaassen describes Meridia as ‘a geospatial data company that puts farmers at the centre of its work to make supply chains transparent, sustainable, and inclusive of smallholders. Tracing commodities back to the farms where they were grown has historically been difficult. But, our software provides accurate farm mapping and field data collection – farms can be mapped even in the most remote locations. As part of several large consortiums, we have taken up important data stewardship activities to secure land rights and tackle issues related to agroforestry for cocoa farmers and cooperatives in West Africa and Indonesia.’’  Collecting this data has numerous advantages for smallholders. ‘They become visible and can access regulated supply chains, sustainability programmes, and investments to maintain a stable income and stop deforestation.’ In addition, farmers gain better insights into their productivity and a deeper understanding of their business. For example, exact farm size and production data enable accurate yield per farm calculations. This verified data also enables smallholders to secure land rights for themselves and future generations. Having land documents embeds prosperity by giving them greater control over land use and the income it generates.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1412/novel-agroecological-innovation-improves-sunflower-performance.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1412/novel-agroecological-innovation-improves-sunflower-performance.html Tue, 26 Sep 2023 09:14:33 +0530 The agrotechnology company Elicit Plant launches EliSun-a,  a new innovative solution to care for sunflower crops In conjunction with the International Day for Climate Risk Prevention, Elicit Plant convened agribusiness professionals and experts around the world to discuss the challenges of climate change in agriculture. During the event, the Elicit Plant announced the deployment of this unique solution for corn crops, BEST-a, in Brazil, Ukraine and throughout Europe by the end of this year. Additionally, a new solution designed especially for sunflowers was launched in Europe: EliSun-a.   EliSun-a, is the new innovative solution to care for sunflower crops In addition to alleviating water stress on crops around the world, Elicit Plant also fosters synergistic cooperation with other harvesting methods. A consequence of climate change today is water stress. It is a threat to the most important agricultural regions and affects, above all, crops that cannot fully benefit from integrated irrigation systems because of their size, as are specialty crops. This lack of balance becomes an even greater concern because 50% of the world's population's caloric intake comes from just four crops: cereals, rice, corn and soybeans. These crops are often not taken into account when fighting to prevent drought. Furthermore, if the right solution is not found, food security will be threatened. More than ever, our ambition is to accelerate the adaptation of the agricultural world to manage the rapid changes brought about by climate change,” explains Aymeric Molin , farmer and co-founder of Elicit Plant. “By the end of 2023, the product will be available throughout Europe. Currently, there are 300,000 hectares that will have been treated with our product. Regarding sales forecasts, we anticipate a strong increase compared to last year, with figures up to seven times higher than those of the previous 12 months."concludes Jean-François Déchant , general manager of Elicit Plant. "There are more than 200 different phytosterols in nature. Each one is specific to a type of stress and a type of species. Our technological platform, called EliTerra®, has allowed us to develop a new solution fully adapted to sunflowers. To "By 2025, we will also be able to offer new products for straw cereals” says Jean-François Dechant. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1416/basf-launches-mycarbonfootprint-dashboard-for-sustainable-procurement.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1416/basf-launches-mycarbonfootprint-dashboard-for-sustainable-procurement.html Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:23:20 +0530 Comprehensive insight for customers into sustainability status of their individual purchasing portfolio at BASF BASF has released a new digital application designed to help customers gain a better overview of the sustainability status of the product portfolio they purchase from BASF. It also helps customers identify the best BASF solutions to reach their sustainability targets with regard to CO2 reduction and/or use of renewable raw materials. The app called “MyCarbonFootprint” contains data on over 700 selected large volume BASF products, including pharma ingredients, amino resins, butanediol and derivatives, acids, polyalcohols, acetylenics, carbonyl derivatives and amines. It is initially available to certain BASF customers who purchase products included in MyCarbonFootprint. Currently, more than 50 customers are already using the app. Customized overview for each customer                                                           MyCarbonFootprint informs customers about the individual cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint (PCF) of the BASF products they purchase. The app furthermore indicates the share of renewable raw materials used in the manufacture of these products. The data is presented in a customized way for each customer: Depending on the purchased quantities of a selected product, MyCarbonFootprint calculates the CO2 emissions, the product carbon footprint and the share of renewable raw materials according to the respective customer’s purchasing portfolio at BASF. Optimizing the carbon footprint and renewable raw material share With the help of MyCarbonFootprint, customers can determine how adjustments in their purchasing portfolio affect their sustainability status in terms of CO2 emissions and the use of renewable raw materials. For example, MyCarbonFootprint calculates the potential reduction in CO2 emissions when a product variant with a lower carbon footprint is selected instead of the previously purchased product. MyCarbonFootprint also shows BASF customers various alternatives to increase the proportion of renewable raw materials in the value chain by choosing a suitable product variant. “We developed MyCarbonFootprint to create the transparency that our customers need to pursue their CO2 emission reduction goals and to select the best sustainable product variants from the BASF portfolio to achieve their desired sustainability positioning,” explains Niels Möller, Global Strategic Marketing, Operating Division Intermediates, BASF. A team lead by Möller invented the innovative IT tool and developed it to market maturity. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1378/syngenta-launches-agcelerators-campaign-to-promote-collaborative-sustainable-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1378/syngenta-launches-agcelerators-campaign-to-promote-collaborative-sustainable-agriculture.html Mon, 11 Sep 2023 06:26:00 +0530 Syngenta has launched a multi-media campaign called Agcelerators to encourage creativity, collaboration, and impact for sustainable agriculture. In order to promote more sustainable agricultural practices, the campaign will feature people transforming agriculture and run initially in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.  According to the 2019 World Resources Report: “Creating a Sustainable Food Future”, meeting this challenge will require closing three gaps: A 56 percent “food gap” between what was produced in 2010 and food that will be needed in 2050; A nearly 600 million-hectare “land gap” (an area nearly twice the size of India) between global agricultural land area in 2010 and expected agricultural expansion by 2050 An 11-gigaton “greenhouse gas mitigation gap” between expected emissions from agriculture in 2050 and the level needed to meet the Paris Agreement. Sustainability in agriculture involves balancing the need to increase food production with the need to protect the environment, conserve natural resources, and ensure long-term viability of agricultural systems. Agcelerators help accelerate the transformation of agriculture in this regard. Through Agcelerators, Syngenta will highlight its enduring commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation, and support for farmers, showcasing people, products and services that are making a positive difference. The campaign humanizes the efforts through telling real-life stories, demonstrating the positive and tangible impact being made on the lives of individuals and communities around the world. Alexandra Brand, Regional Director, Syngenta Crop Protection, Europe, Africa and Middle East said, "Agcelerators are champions developing and embracing new ideas and establishing new partnerships and ways of working. They are the driving force behind sustainable farming practices that will have a lasting impact on our planet. It is now time we hear their stories.” Syngenta is addressing critical farming challenges while showcasing cutting-edge technologies and pioneering approaches, Syngenta seeks to catalyze a movement that leverages the collective strength of farmers, stakeholders, and the broader community to shape a new era for agriculture. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1305/acs-laboratory-expands-mushroom-testing-scope-for-product-safety-compliance.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1305/acs-laboratory-expands-mushroom-testing-scope-for-product-safety-compliance.html Fri, 18 Aug 2023 08:04:52 +0530 ACS Laboratory is an analytical panels cater to the burgeoning Amanita industry ACS Laboratory, the largest hemp and cannabis testing facility in the Eastern U.S., launched a comprehensive Amanita mushroom testing program. ACS Laboratory ha now expanded its testing scope from cannabis and hemp to mushrooms and Kratom. As Amanita mushrooms gain popularity for their unique psychoactive effects and unregulated ingredients, ACS Laboratory believes it's crucial to accurately quantify their strength, purity and more importantly the absence of psilocybin, psilocin and contaminants that a DEA-licensed lab can provide. The facility's testing capabilities include Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina species, enabling benefiter to gain Certificates of Analysis (COAs) with documented results. ACS Laboratory is an analytical panels cater to the burgeoning Amanita industry, providing accurate and reliable results for potency, purity and compliance. ACS Laboratory's cutting-edge program allows innovative brands to offer the highest quality products while adhering to safety and legal standards. Having a DEA license enables ACS Laboratory to test psilocybin containing mushrooms as well as Amanita products for compliance. As a DEA-licensed laboratory, compliance in ruling out potentially illicit compounds such as Psilocybin and Psilocin is incredibly important. ACS Laboratory tests Amanita mushrooms in various product types, including dried mushrooms, powders, chocolates, tinctures, gummies and capsules. The team also conducts ongoing research to better understand Amanita's active ingredients and potential medicinal applications. With a strong commitment to precision and reliability, ACS Laboratory is a trusted partner for transparent brands that seek to produce exceptional products. “ACS Laboratory state-of-the-art facilities and advanced methodologies enable us to deliver accurate and clinical-grade results, reinforcing our commitment to excellence and accountability” says Roger Brown, president at ACS Laboratory. To enhance transparency and accessibility, ACS Laboratory generates a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for each sample, available through a public portal. Additionally, the laboratory provides QR codes linked to the COA for product packaging and utilizes blockchain technology for secure tracking and tamper-proofing. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1212/china-pledges-more-efforts-to-develop-modern-facility-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1212/china-pledges-more-efforts-to-develop-modern-facility-agriculture.html Mon, 24 Jul 2023 09:34:31 +0530 Ministry proposes modern facilities and guidelines for planting, husbandry, fishery, and logistics China is planning to take further action to develop modern facility agriculture, as part of efforts to diversify the food supply, an official told a press conference on Friday. Zeng Yande, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said modern facilities and guidelines have been issued for industries such as planting, husbandry, fishery, and logistics. “Scientific and technological innovation should be utilized to tackle crucial and prominent problems which restrict the development of modern facility agriculture. Efforts will be made to renovate old facilities to improve production efficiency and increase modern facilities such as solar greenhouses, plant factories and marine ranches” added Zeng. Zeng suggested fiscal and financial support be provided to develop facility agriculture, and market vitality should also be enhanced. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1204/nanjing-agricultural-university-established-the-consortium-for-innovations-in-agricultural-education-and-research-in-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1204/nanjing-agricultural-university-established-the-consortium-for-innovations-in-agricultural-education-and-research-in-asia.html Thu, 20 Jul 2023 09:35:41 +0530 CIAERA aims to create innovation hub by collaborating academic R&D to foster sustainable agriculture in Asia On July 17, the Consortium for Innovations in Agricultural Education and Research in Asia (CIAERA), initiated by Nanjing Agricultural University (NAU), was officially established in Sanya, Hainan. Concurrently, 2023 Asia Hub Annual Meeting was held. More than 200 representatives from over 60 domestic and foreign universities, institutes, and enterprises in Asia gathered together to discuss topics related to agricultural science and education innovation, and to jointly create a brighter future for Asian agriculture. The CIAERA, proposed by NAU, received positive responses from agricultural universities, institutes, and enterprises across Asia. The vision of CIAERA is to create a hub of innovation through collaborations, to leverage the strengths of universities and institutions for sustainable agriculture, to promote regional prosperity, and to enhance the well-being of people in Asia. During the inauguration, the CIAERA was officially established, with 52 members, including China Agricultural University, Northwest A&F University, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, IPB University in Indonesia, and Kasetsart University in Thailand. The Secretariat of the CIAERA will be based at Nanjing Agricultural University. At the conference, the attending representatives recognized the significance of strengthening close cooperation among Asian countries in the fields of agricultural education and technology, actively inheriting the fine tradition of exchanging agricultural civilizations in Asia. The collaboration was essential for promoting agricultural development, ecological construction, economic prosperity, and the sharing of civilization among Asian countries. It will contribute to the continuation of the new brilliance in Asian agricultural development. From the July 18 to the 19, the 2023 Asia Hub Annual Meeting held seven academic sub-forums focusing on topics including "Water for Food Security", "Climate Change", "Land Use, Land Cover, and Soil Research in the Asian Region", "Natural Disaster Monitoring, Mitigation, and Response", "One Health", and "Joint Training". These sub-forums aim to gather the strengths of Asian agricultural institutions, innovate the cultivation model of high-level talents in the agricultural field, jointly address agricultural challenges faced by Asia and the world, and promote sustainable agricultural development in Asia and the globe. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1190/corteva-secures-exclusive-rights-to-develop-and-commercialize-lavie-bios-bio-fungicides.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1190/corteva-secures-exclusive-rights-to-develop-and-commercialize-lavie-bios-bio-fungicides.html Wed, 19 Jul 2023 07:59:00 +0530 Corteva to receive exclusive rights to further develop and commercialize Lavie Bio's lead product candidates for fruit rot and powdery mildew fungicide biologicals Lavie Bio Ltd., a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd., and a leading ag-biologicals company that develops microbiome-based, computational driven bio-stimulant and bio-pesticide novel products, announced today a licensing agreement with Corteva Inc., a leading ag innovation company. The agreement grants Corteva exclusive rights to further develop and commercialize the lead bio-fungicide product candidates targeting fruit rots and powdery mildew, which were discovered and developed by Lavie Bio. The agreement comes after two years of independent field validation conducted by both companies. Fruit rots and powdery mildew, two destructive diseases affecting vineyards, fruits, and vegetables, have resulted in annual losses estimated at billions of dollars globally. Fruit rot pathogens, such as Botrytis, can cause damage upon contact with infected plant material. Meanwhile, powdery mildew spreads swiftly between plants via wind-dispersed spores. The agreement is part of Lavie Bio's strategy to cooperate with the world's leading companies to allow the products it develops to reach farmers worldwide and Corteva, with its proven agbiological capabilities, can leverage Lavie Bio's product candidates toward commercial success. This collaboration demonstrates both companies' commitment to providing farmers with environmentally friendly, sustainable tools with proven effectiveness. "Our licensing agreement solidifies the collaboration between both companies, leveraging Corteva's impressive scale-up capabilities and market leadership, in conjunction with Lavie Bio's distinctive discovery expertise powered by Evogene's MicroBoost AI tech-engine and comprehensive product development capabilities" said Amit Noam, CEO of Lavie Bio. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1172/non-gmo-hybrid-hemp-seed-is-poised-to-transform-the-hemp-supply-chain.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1172/non-gmo-hybrid-hemp-seed-is-poised-to-transform-the-hemp-supply-chain.html Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:54:30 +0530 NWG's AMPLIFY™ technology combines genetic traits, hybrid vigor, to drive hemp grain New West Genetics (NWG) announced that the seed production for its hybrid trait, AMPLIFY, has begun this 2023 season. NWG's AMPLIFY trait creates a non-GMO hybrid that doubles grain yield while offering the traditional benefits of a hybrid crop. This jump in yield and reliability will revolutionize the economics of hemp production, enabling hemp to compete with established crops like soy and canola, paving the way for hemp's entry into the food, feed, and sustainable fuels markets. NWG's AMPLIFY technology combines genetic traits, hybrid vigor, and entirely female populations to drive hemp grain to reach and even exceed this threshold. Whereas a typical hybrid yield increase in row crops ranges from 10-30%, AMPLIFY enables a 2x yield increase. This innovative combination allows NWG's seed to out-compete traditional sources of oils and proteins. AMPLIFY hybrid technology will roll out in 2024 with NWG's strategic partners, then will be widely available in the 2025 season. The power of hybrid crops has transformed agricultural production, addressing the needs of the expanding population and the needs of farmers for more vigorous and reliable genetics. In challenging conditions, hybrid varieties can become better established than open-pollinated or conventional genetics. Hybrids like AMPLIFY also allow for more flexibility with planting timing, which is highly valuable for unpredictable weather patterns. "Beyond yield increases that come with hybrids, the benefits also include faster growth, seedling vigor, better stress responses, and disease resistance," reports NWG Chief Technology Officer Rich Fletcher. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1168/new-zealands-tomra-food-reveals-new-research-orchard-programs-for-optimal-fruit-growth.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1168/new-zealands-tomra-food-reveals-new-research-orchard-programs-for-optimal-fruit-growth.html Wed, 12 Jul 2023 08:17:36 +0530 "Research Orchard" facility is the only manufacturer of sorting and grading systems to determine effects of growing conditions on fruit to improve sorting and grading TOMRA Food has revealed the first details about its Research Orchard, the only facility of its kind run by a manufacturer of sorting and grading solutions. The Research Orchard occupies a 2.5-hectare (6.2-acre) plot in Waikato, New Zealand, next to the company's 5,100-square-meter Field Research Center, which opened in 2022. TOMRA Fresh Food's Field Research Manager, Richard Pickard, explained: “The orchard's purpose is to monitor the flowering and fruiting of plants at each stage, adding to our understanding of the core commodities handled by our sorters and graders. We will assess fruit defects, quality issues, and key characteristics such as flavor, sweetness, and firmness. This complements our Fruit Science program, which for ten-plus years now has been researching how the chemical and physical properties of fruit correlate with fruit quality and sorting requirements.” OMRA Food possesses what is believed to be the world's largest library of fruit data, acquired from hundreds of thousands of fruit samples and analyzed for factors such as flavor, firmness, storage potential, defects, and the influence of weather conditions. It is this strong scientific foundation of fruit knowledge that the Research Orchard will build on. TOMRA Fresh Food’s Commodity Science Team Lead, Brittany Jaine, commented: “For scientific studies, we need high-quality data plus an understanding of the full history of each piece of fruit we analyze. The Research Orchard provides a controlled source of fruit, where we know all pre- and post-harvest conditions, such as climate, irrigation, sprays, and handling. From this base, we can draw accurate conclusions with confidence.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1152/scientist-modify-algae-to-make-rare-antioxidants-in-extreme-environments.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1152/scientist-modify-algae-to-make-rare-antioxidants-in-extreme-environments.html Fri, 07 Jul 2023 10:35:55 +0530 AzCATI and KAUST collaborative research develop genetically engineered algae to produce orange-red pigments that make sea food healthier Researcher’s at Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have collaborated with the US based Arizona Center for Algae Technology & Innovation (AzCATI) at Arizona State University (ASU) are genetically engineering algal species to produce therapeutic antioxidant pigments unavailable naturally in nature. An Collaboration between AzCATI and KAUST aims to develop an orange-red antioxidant pigment from fully sequenced algae Cyanidioschyzon merolae incorporated with a gene encoding the pigment. These antioxidants are chemicals called carotenoids, which are yellow-orange-red pigments responsible for the colour of tomatoes and carrots, as well as the pink color of salmon and flamingos through diet.  The genetic modification causes the blue-green coloured alga to produce orange-red antioxidants like canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant and has numerous health benefits and has the potential to make seafood healthier.  Introducing astaxanthin to the diets of animals such as farmed shrimp can improve their health and enhance their red colour. The carotenoid pigments can also be used as natural dyes for textiles and have wide nutraceutical and biopharmaceutical applications. The alga also contains a light-capturing blue pigment called phycocyanin which is used as a blue food colouring in confectionery and drinks. The scientists found production of canthaxanthin and astaxanthin did not reduce phycocyanin in the alga, meaning both blue and orange-red pigments can be produced together at once.  Dr. Kyle J. Lauersen, Assistant Professor of Bioengineering at KAUST and senior author of the study, says: “For the first time, genetic engineering has been used to change natural carotenoid pigments in a red alga. Genetic engineering of algae can help produce important natural chemicals like carotenoids sustainably. Algae has untapped potential as a sustainable solution which could benefit both the food and health industry, and the science shows it is possible to scale.” Growing algae requires optimal levels of sunlight, trace nutrients and carbon dioxide (CO2). The engineered algae in the study demonstrated tolerance to high levels of CO2 and high temperatures, which is relevant for growing in specific environments, for example, hot urban areas during summer months in Saudi Arabian or American deserts. As Cyanidioschyzon merolae is natively found in extreme environments with high temperatures, it is a promising candidate for local production in these areas. Dr. Peter J. Lammers, Research Professor at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at ASU and co-corresponding author of the study, adds: “These acid-loving red algae have great potential for safe and innovative industrial applications. Their ability to grow in acidified waste afford options for circular economics and renewable materials that could sustain future generations. Together with KAUST, our long-term goal is to eliminate waste and use bioengineering to benefit humans and nature simultaneously. This study is the first of many that will harness biochemical pathways to generate renewable options for chemicals used every day.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1147/australian-researchers-discover-genes-in-barley-that-may-lead-to-higher-yields.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1147/australian-researchers-discover-genes-in-barley-that-may-lead-to-higher-yields.html Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:28:00 +0530 The findings suggest that hybrid breeding in wheat and barley can be facilitated by enhancing cross-pollination and boosting fertility, leading to an increase in grain yield. Researchers at Australia’s University of Adelaide’s Waite Research Institute have for the first time identified several genes in barley that could eventually lead to larger yielding crops. Research team employed genetic techniques and molecular biology to examine several historical multi ovary barley mutants. The discovery may lead to the identification of genes that boost fertility and enhance cross-pollination. It could pave the way for enhanced food security and a more sustainable agricultural future “Although the mutant varieties appeared to be quite similar when grown in the glasshouse, we found one type was more fertile than the others and was capable of producing up to three times the number of seeds than the other plants. The genes in that mutant variety of barley could hold the key to increasing the yield of cereal crops” said lead researcher Dr Caterina Selva, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine at University of Adelaide. The multiovary barley mutants have remarkable features compared to typical Australian barley varieties, producing extra female reproductive organs in each single flower. They were discovered in the 1980s, but this is the first time that the genes responsible for increasing fertility have been identified. Dr Selva believes these sequences obtained from the mutant varieties could be used to modify the flower structure of conventional barley, making it more receptive to hybrid breeding. “By mixing the mutant with other varieties of barley, we can create stronger, more resilient crops that produce higher yields in even the most challenging of environments,” she said. “This breeding process, known as hybrid vigour, is already used successfully in maize and rice. We can overcome barriers to cross pollination by using the more fertile, mutated plants to produce stronger barley and more of it" explained Associate Professor Matthew Tucker, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide. “Wheat and barley flowers are structured in a way that makes cross-pollination difficult. This research is an example of how changing one gene can have a positive effect on grain yields. We can overcome barriers to cross pollination by using the more fertile, mutated plants to produce stronger barley and more of it,” said Professor Matthew Tucker. “This is even more important in the face of rapid urbanisation, volatile international markets, and extreme weather conditions, which are making growing barley more challenging,” he added. Australia produces just over nine million tonnes of barley each year, the majority of which is exported to Asia. It is one of the nation’s most widely grown crops and covers around four million hectares of land from southern Queensland through to Western Australia.The research was published in the Journal of Experimental Botany  and could be used to help improve the agricultural industry both nationally and on a global scale. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1138/adamas-herbicide-formulation-tech-platform-enables-a-robust-resistance-monitoring-tool.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1138/adamas-herbicide-formulation-tech-platform-enables-a-robust-resistance-monitoring-tool.html Wed, 05 Jul 2023 02:17:05 +0530 ADAMA receives registration for Sierra®, the first Off-Patent, self-produced Saflufenacil-based product in Australia ADAMA Ltd., a leading global crop protection company, announces the registration of Sierra®, its self-produced Saflufenacil-based herbicide formulation, the first off-patent product based on this active ingredient, in Australia. Sierra®, powered by ADAMA's unique formulation technology platform, provides farmers with a critical resistance management tool for improved knockdown of annual grass and broadleaf weeds in various crop and non-crop situations, while maximizing efficiency and minimizing loss of valuable soil moisture. Sierra's® superior and consistent performance in comparison to existing solutions has been confirmed by more than 100 trials conducted across different conditions. “This significant milestone is the first global registration of Saflufenacil, one of the active ingredients in our ’Core Leap’ strategy,” said Walter Costa, VP Marketing and Product Strategy at ADAMA. “The registration in Australia of this important molecule demonstrates our dedication to delivering innovative solutions that meet farmers’ needs and ADAMA's agility to bring that strategy to life. We are excited to bring this patented, high-performance product to the market. It is part of our commitment to offer a complete range of crop protection solutions to cereals and pulse growers around the globe.”  ADAMA expects further registration approvals for this product to be obtained in the upcoming years in Brazil, Canada, Argentina, South Africa and others.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1126/sophies-bionutrients-develops-chlorella-ice-cream-with-enhanced-iron-b12-than-cows-milk.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1126/sophies-bionutrients-develops-chlorella-ice-cream-with-enhanced-iron-b12-than-cows-milk.html Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:26:00 +0530 Collaborates with the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) to make chlorella-based, vegan-friendly ice cream Singapore based, Netherlands B2B food tech company Sophie's BioNutrients has collaborated with the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) to produce its first chlorella-based ice cream. Sophie's specializes in microalgae innovations – its previous breakthroughs include the world's first algae-based milk and cheddar cheese.  Made with Sophie's dairy-free Chlorella Protein Concentrate, the new vegan ice cream boasts a complete nutritional panel, with more B12 and iron than most dairy and plant-based alternatives. Sophie's Chlorella Protein is a neutral-hued microalgae flour naturally cultivated from Chlorella vulgaris. The company states the Chlorella vulgaris strains it uses are US GRAS and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approved as food ingredients. To create the ice cream, the team at Sophie's worked with DTI's technical experts to perform an initial screening of the ingredient's potential, before combining it with functional ingredients that mimicked ice cream's natural texture. The finished product can be used to make several popular ice cream flavors. According to Sophie's, a 1 oz serving of chlorella ice cream has the potential to provide double the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B12. Chlorella is also a good source of iron – a nutrient absent in cow's milk. Furthermore, chlorella is sustainably grown and harvested within three days in a protected environment, carrying a much lower carbon footprint than dairy farming. "Microalgae is one of the most nutrient-rich and versatile resources on the planet,"  said Eugene Wang, Co-Founder and CEO of Sophie's BioNutrients. "Today we have shown another facet of the unlimited possibilities this superfood can offer – a dairy and lactose-free alternative to ice cream that, thanks to microalgae, offers a higher nutrition content than most available dairy-free alternatives. We are incredibly excited for this development in allergen-free foods and the prospect of more inclusive dining." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1127/angel-yeast-launches-hubeis-first-synthetic-biology-synbio-industrial-park.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1127/angel-yeast-launches-hubeis-first-synthetic-biology-synbio-industrial-park.html Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:23:00 +0530 Partners with Beijing's PhaBuilder to drive dider Synthetic Biology applications with launch of Joint Venture PHA factory in China Angel Yeast, the world's leading yeast manufacturer, along with Beijing PhaBuilder in a joint venture, Hubei PHAngel Biotechnology, recently put a large polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) production line in Hubei province into construction. In early June, the two partners held a launch ceremony to mark the event and the opening of Hubei's first synthetic biology (SynBio) industrial park. Academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, government officials, Angel Yeast, PhaBuilder, and Siemens China executives were all in attendance. The PHAs factory, located in Yichang city, has a production line capacity of 30,000 tons and is the largest PHA production line built with Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology (NGIB) in the world. PHAs are a polyester produced naturally by microorganisms and its biodegradable and biocompatible properties make it highly sought-after in fields such as biomedical material and biodegradable packaging material. Already a trending field in biotechnology, the SynBio sector has been rapidly growing backboned by advanced technologies and increasing demand for SynBio applications. Zhang Xu, deputy director with Angel Yeast's Strategic and Investment department, said, "We have stepped up our efforts in synthetic biology and its applications and the opening of the PHA factory is a major milestone and a significant step forward for Angel Yeast in SynBio. It aligns with our commitment to sustainability and will fuel green and low carbon development in manufacturing." In addition to the PHA factory, Angel Yeast has rolled out a strategic plan for SynBio. It aims to build a comprehensive service platform catering to the needs of biotechnology companies when they are transforming and commercializing SynBio products. The Company will also seize downstream opportunities and actively seek cooperation partners who have complementary advantages in technology, products, channels, and branding. It will promote the application of SynBio in areas such as healthcare, biodiversity preservation, and pharmaceuticals. According to data from CB Insights, the global market size of synthetic biology is projected to reach $18.9 billion by 2024. In China, as noted by Deng Zixin, academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, SynBio technologies are rapidly progressing towards practical and industrial applications so it is vitally important that various sectors and industries collaborate to drive its development to new heights. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1128/chint-expands-smart-energy-and-sustainability-expertise-to-south-korea.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1128/chint-expands-smart-energy-and-sustainability-expertise-to-south-korea.html Mon, 03 Jul 2023 08:22:00 +0530 To reimagine smart energy solutions new office in S. Korea encompasses a CHINT Experience Center in collaboration with partners, stakeholders, and customers CHINT, a global leader in smart energy solutions, has officially expanded their smart energy and sustainability services to South Korea yesterday. The new office is driven by a dedicated team of the industry's top scientists, engineers, and experts who have the local expertise to serve the South Korea market and support companies in their energy and resource transition journey to sustainable solutions. CHINT partners with businesses, governments, and communities to reimagine smart energy solutions globaly. CHINT's South Korea office and its Experience Center are co-located at Indeogwon IT Valley. As a global end-to-end solutions provider, CHINT offers Power-to-Plug assistance that propels organizations in the United States of America, Europe, West Asia and Africa, and Asia Pacific (APAC) to succeed with customizable, realistic, and superior quality products and services. Over the last three years, CHINT has been rapidly expanding their services across APAC. In 2022, CHINT established offices in Singapore, Malaysia, and Philippines, with the Singapore office serving as the Asia Pacific Headquarters and co-located with CHINT Asia Pacific Innovation Lab. "Globally and in APAC, CHINT has established a strong track record in driving local companies in their global and regional smart energy expansion plans without compromising environmental goals. Our presence in South Korea will enable us to support the business ventures of companies in the country, specifically in green technologies such as Electric Vehicles and smart power grids." said Lisa Wu, Deputy General Manager, Asia Pacific, CHINT Global. South Korea is the newest addition to CHINT APAC's foothold in the region. This marks another milestone of CHINT's commitment to continually partner with their customers to achieve their business and environmental goals while boosting production efficiency. CHINT supports their local market in key business segments, namely Renewables, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), Electric Vehicles (EV) and Transmission and Distribution (T&D). The office in South Korea encompasses a CHINT Experience Center that showcases solutions built on next-generation technology, including Low-voltage Power Distribution Systems, Digital Substation Solutions, ESS technologies, and EV charging solutions that range from products and services required to build charging facilities to customer services and smart energy management solutions. This purpose-built center enables CHINT's partners, stakeholders, and customers to draw inspiration from the solutions on display and reimagine innovation to find solutions to their business pain points. It is built with collaboration in mind, where customers can discover the Research & Development experience that will spearhead the next leading edge smart energy solution for the region. The CHINT office launch in South Korea was co-officiated by Ms. Lisa Wu, Deputy General Manager, Asia Pacific, CHINT Global, and Er. Lim Say Leong, IEC Ambassador (2018-2021) and Technical Director of Asia Pacific, CHINT Global and Sunlight Electrical. Distinguished guests who honored the event included international prominent authorities. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1120/new-zeelands-start-up-produces-worlds-most-sustainable-leather-from-fungi.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1120/new-zeelands-start-up-produces-worlds-most-sustainable-leather-from-fungi.html Fri, 30 Jun 2023 11:21:29 +0530 Sapro-Tech has raised a $1 million pre-seed round to harness the power of fungi, mycelium fibres to manufacture textiles The New Zealand-based start-up Sapro-Tech has raised a $1 million pre-seed round for its world-first process of creating leather alternatives from fungi for the global textile market. By harnessing the power of fungi, mycelium fibres are used to manufacture textiles that are comparable to traditional leather with less toxic effects on the environment. Globally, the leather goods industry contributes around $400 billion to greenhouse gas emissions. Aiming to make sustainable materials more widely available, Sapro-Tech owes to future generations to pioneer a sustainable, long–term economy. The startup is also well-connected into international collaborations and dealflow and has received close advice from global pioneers in this space. The investment will be used to productionise SaproTech’s research and development in this space, including building out both innovation and business development teams. “Our competition grow mycelia in the form of a ‘foam’ which they then compress to produce a textile. Sapro-Tech has pioneered a way of producing layers of mycelia that can be grown together in sheets. This method is more controllable and sophisticated, therefore allowing us to create a variety of textiles that are more consistent, more scalable, and more similar to animal-based leather than existing products”, says Sapro-Tech Founder Dr Keith Hudson. By leveraging the inherent properties of fungi, Sapro-Tech produces innovative, long-lasting, and visually appealing textiles that disrupt the conventional textile industry. Sustainable alternatives are aimed at revolutionising the fashion industry and extending their reach to other industries. “As consumer demand for more environmentally friendly products increases, we believe Sapro-Tech is well-positioned to become a global industry leader in this space. Not only do their materials have a very natural feel and appearance - which is key when seeking to replace something - but, importantly, they’ve found a cost-effective production method that is unique, setting them apart from their competitors,” comments Warren Bebb, Investment Manager for Sprout. “Climate change is one of the biggest challenges our generation will face. Using organisms like fungi, together with other disruptive technologies will be game-changing for entire industries. We’ve barely scratched the surface in terms of the problems these organisms have the potential to solve and it’s exciting to be part of a team pioneering new approaches,” comments Dr Erin Stroud, Sapro-Tech’s lead scientist. Launch of prototypes and licensing will follow, initially to handbag manufacturers - a lucrative niche that values sustainability and favors novelty over price. Sapro-Tech is the sixth investment of over thirty NZ$1 million agritech and foodtech investments Sprout Agritech LP will make over the next five years. Sprout Agritech LP is on a mission to help entrepreneurs build agritech and foodtech businesses into investable, global companies. Through their accelerator, Sprout has helped grow over 80 early-stage companies which have raised over$50m+. Having joined forces with investment partners US-based Finistere Ventures, Kiwi dairy giant Fonterra and Israeli venture builder OurCrowd, as well as Callaghan Innovation’s Tech Incubator programme designed to support the commercialisation of early-stage deep tech ventures in New Zealand. This investment was made off the back of Sprout’s 12-week accelerator designed to support startups who are solving agricultural and food value chain's toughest problems.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1102/new-zealands-biolumic-scales-first-uv-light-technology-for-corn-and-soybeans.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1102/new-zealands-biolumic-scales-first-uv-light-technology-for-corn-and-soybeans.html Mon, 26 Jun 2023 09:45:00 +0530 Partners with Gro Alliance to achieve double-digit yield without excessive chemical inputs or genetic modification New Zealand and U.S.-based agricultural biotech company, BioLumic ™ and  North America’s largest independently owned contract seed production company, Gro Alliance LLC have entered a strategic partnership to deploy BioLumic's proprietary ultraviolet (UV) light seed treatment technology for corn and soybean seed production.  Partnership aims to  propel commercial-scale entry of UV light technology into the global row-crop seed industry. The collaboration will bring to farmers a new category of seed treatment with improved crop performance programmed into seeds with light. Based on 20 years of science and seven years of large-scale field validation, BioLumic’s light treatment technology unlocks the natural genetic potential of plants by regulating their genetic expression to improve yield, crop quality, root growth and plant resilience across specific cultivars. Since 2021, BioLumic has tested light-treated corn and soybeans seeds on more than 3,000 United States field plots, averaging yield increases of 15% in corn and 12% in soybeans. “UV light signaling is the next frontier in plant science, changing the paradigm of crop production gains without solely relying on genetic modification, chemical inputs or time-intensive breeding programs,” said Steve Sibulkin, CEO of BioLumic. Rapidly deploying light-activated seeds increases farmer profitability and contributes to a more sustainable global food production system. BioLumic’s UV Light Signal Recipe™ platform combines plant genetic insights, wide-ranging plant response data and a software and hardware platform that can deploy trillions of short duration ‘light recipes.’ BioLumic’s Light Recipes™ are a targeted, programmed sequence of light spectrum exposure which activate positive growth responses in seeds and young plants. BioLumic’s Light Recipe “in-seed” treatment process takes just seconds to complete, does not impact other seed treatment applications or require farmers to change their growing practices and is completed in seed production facilities prior to shipment to seed dealers or growers. The partnership will deploy BioLumic’s light treatments platform in Gro Alliance’s corn and soybean seed production facilities. Gro Alliance is North America’s largest independently-owned contract corn and soybean seed producer, supplying seed production and breeding services for more than 100 different organizations around the world. Jim Schweigert, president of Gro Alliance says “This innovation enables farmers to improve their financial and environmental performance, helps seed companies deliver on their ESG goals and creates more climate-resilient crops.” The partnership will start at Gro Alliance's Mt. Pulaski, Illinois production facility and expansion across the Midwest starting in 2025. Later this year, select seed companies will be given access to BioLumic Light Treatments for their cultivars and the in-seed treatment will be commercially available to the broader market in 2024. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1046/thailands-sericulture-researches-develops-improved-silk-varieties.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1046/thailands-sericulture-researches-develops-improved-silk-varieties.html Fri, 09 Jun 2023 11:15:39 +0530 The Department of Sericulture researches new silk varieties, NAN X J108 which is high yield in the north and in winter" explains Prakob Phaopong, Director-General of the Sericulture Department Thailand's Department of Sericulture researches has developed a new silk variety NAN X J108 (a cross between NAN and J108) that can be raised well in the north. Especially in winter most high cocoons yield large yellow cocoons high fresh nest weight and good nest shell weight have a higher nest shell percentage. Helps to increase income for the farmers. The sericulture industry in the northern region It is a commercial sericulture where sericulture farmers are the main occupation. There are entrepreneurs who come to buy cocoon products. The Sericulture Department encourages farmers to grow sericulture according to market-led production policy in the contract farming system. There is a contract or agreement between each other (Contract Farming), which currently operators need Buying 5,000 tons of cocoons from farmers per year, but farmers produce only 2,000 tons of cocoons per year, still a production insufficient to meet market demand One of the reasons was that farmers produced a small number of cocoons. Due to the lack of silk varieties that produce high yields and are suitable for the area's conditions and farming in each season. As a result, farmers are at high risk in raising silkworms. Due to low surviving percentages and efficient cocoon production, there is not enough cocoon production every year to feed and send to entrepreneurs. To ensure business continuity, the Silk Mulberry Department researched and improves silk varieties to create silk that is strong and grows well. It can increase productivity both in terms of the quantity and quality of silk thread. Silkworm variety NAN X J108 (a cross between NAN and J108) from the yellow cocoon NAN (NAN) mixed with the white cocoon J108, is an international variety. According to the research study, it was found that the new silkworm species Able to feed well, giving high yields of cocoons in the northern region especially in winter most have good agricultural characteristics large yellow cocoon high fresh nest weight and good nest shell weight It has a greater percentage of the nest shell, about 20 - 21 percent, has good fertilization characteristics, is easy to fling, and gives a large fiber length to the nest. And can increase the income from the sale of cocoon products is high.       The Sericulture Department is committed to helping farmers increase production. Therefore, research has been brought to help improve silkworm breeding until new and more efficient silkworm varieties are obtained. The Department will bring the new silkworm species to encourage farmers who grow mulberry silkworms in the northern region to breed in the winter. Interspersed with raising silkworm breeds that were raised in the original breeding Yellow Saraburi (J108 x Nang Lai Saraburi) in other seasons so that farmers can increase cocoon yield. in line with market demands And continue to generate stable income for farmers, ”said the Director-General of the Sericulture Department. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1039/philippines-researchers-drives-technology-to-preserve-fruit-freshness.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1039/philippines-researchers-drives-technology-to-preserve-fruit-freshness.html Thu, 08 Jun 2023 14:20:00 +0530 The novel technology Fruitect® consists of edible coating formulations that delay the ripening of mangoes and bananas University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)-based inventors founded HS InnoTech, Inc. (HSII) to manufacture products that make fresh fruit last longer. The technology named Fruitect® consists of edible coating formulations that delay the ripening of mangoes and bananas. Unlike petroleum wax coatings, Fruitect® is biodegradable because it is made from agricultural waste such as peels and leaves. Carabao mangoes stored at room temperature (28°C–31°C) turn ripe and sweet five to six days after harvesting, but when mangoes are coated with Fruitect®, the fruits ripen after 10 or more days. At cooler storage temperatures, the Fruitect®-coated fruits ripen after 20 days. On the other hand, Lakatan bananas stored at room temperature turn ripe and ready to eat six or more days after harvesting, while bananas coated with Fruitect® start to ripen after 20 days. The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) awarded HSII the Grants for Research towards Agricultural Innovative Solutions (GRAINS) in 2022 to start the operation of its pilot plant located in UPLB, Los Baños, Laguna. The grant enabled the fabrication of support structures and test runs to produce Fruitect® up to 300 liters. Dr. Veronica Sabularse and Dr. Hidelisa Hernandez, inventors of Fruitect®, cite their technology as a solution to two common problems of agriculture: post-harvest life extension and agricultural waste utilization. “By preserving the freshness of fruits sold to consumers, the technology promises better earnings and improved livelihood of our local farmers,” they explained. The new pilot plant will be producing Fruitect® in liquid form, which is ready to apply to whole fresh fruits. Moreover, Fruitect® will also be available as a wettable powder for easier packaging, distribution, and longer shelf life. HSII is now exploring ways on how to cut production costs. SEARCA Director Glenn Gregorio shared the impact of Fruitect®’s technology. “This nature-based coating technology significantly contributes to reducing food wastage and preserving fruit exports.” The development of Fruitect® was initially funded by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (DOST-PCIEERD) to apply nanotechnology in creating new materials for commercialization. HSII reported that it is now ready to sell its Fruitect® formulation for Carabao mangoes. Groceries, fruit processors, retailers, and consumers will soon have a greener way of keeping produce fresh longer. Fruitect® for Lakatan banana will also be for sale soon ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1000/japans-jaca-convenes-stakeholders-to-review-cellular-agriculture-field.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1000/japans-jaca-convenes-stakeholders-to-review-cellular-agriculture-field.html Fri, 02 Jun 2023 08:21:00 +0530 JACA aims to form policy recommendations about cultivated meat Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA), a Japan-based non-profit research institute hosted the inaugural meeting in Tokyo to promote and foster the domestic cultivated food industry. JACA aims to form policy recommendations about cultivated meat, contributing to key issues in Japan such as food security and sustainability. JACA convened around 150 stakeholders from the Japanese Parliament, government officials from Japan and abroad, industry associations, member companies, and academia to build a consensus on necessary measures on food safety requirements for cultivated food. The consortium also discussed measures to protect Japanese farmers’ rights to branded animal cells such as “Wagyu”; proper usage of the “Wagyu” term in the cellular agriculture field. In addition there was a proposal on food labeling requirements including the definition of “Made in Japan" for cultivated products along with necessary guidelines for transparent consumer communications. A representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry was present, along with representatives of Japan's Parliamentary Group for Cellular Agriculture and Japanese food majors such as NH Foods Ltd., and Ajinomoto Co., Inc. Following a panel discussion, Maruha Nichiro Corporation represented the seafood industry. Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi, Representative Director of JACA, said “Japan should leverage its global presence in food and regenerative medicine area to show its presence in the cellular agriculture field”.The JACA demonstrated cultivated meats, including bio-printed cultivated marbled beef from the Consortium for Future Innovation by Cultured Meat, cultivated chickens from Diverse Farm, and cultivated beef from the Joint Institution for Advanced Biomedical Sciences of Tokyo Women's Medical University and Waseda University. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1006/international-soil-borne-pathogens-rd-center-launched-in-ankara-turkey.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1006/international-soil-borne-pathogens-rd-center-launched-in-ankara-turkey.html Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:30:00 +0530 New center will initiate programs on robust surveillance system for tracking pathogens, a genebank for germplasm, and screening facilities for SBP resistance Food security is threatened by soil-borne pathogens (SBP), especially as climate extremes (temperature, precipitation) become more common. A variety of specific adverse effects are caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes, including root rot, wilt, yellowing, and dwarfing. Crop yields can be reduced by 50-75% as a result of these pathogens. Turkish Agriculture and Forestry Minister Vahit Kirişci inaugurated the Center, the first of its kind in Central West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) dedicated to advancing research on SBPs and developing innovative solutions to control and prevent their spread. Among the new programs at the center are a robust surveillance system for tracking pathogens, a genebank for germplasm, and screening facilities for SBP resistance. The opening ceremony took place in early May 2023 at the Directorate of Plant Protection Central Institute working under the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), and it was attended by deputy ministers, TAGEM’s DG, and high-level officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In order to enhance crop health and productivity, Country Representative of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Soil-Borne Pathogens Research & Development Center (ISBPRDC) are signing a joint R&D collaboration agreement that will facilitate knowledge exchange and technology transfer. Thirty-five scientists and technicians will work at the ISBPRDC and the institute will act as an umbrella for all SBP research in Turkey. Bahri Dağdaş International Agricultural Research Institute (BDIARI), the Transitional Zone Agricultural Research Institute (TZARI), and the Plant Protection Central Research Institute (PPCRI) with offices in Konya, Eskisehir, and Ankara, respectively, will support the ISBPRDC center and collaborate with the SBP program at CIMMYT to deliver high-yielding wheat germplasm that is resistant to SBP. In accordance with international sanitary standards, the ISBPRDC will be operated, said the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM), part of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. CGIAR and TAGEM mutually supported the SBP CIMMYT Turkey program by establishing and funding the ISBPRDC. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/986/new-crispr-technology-creates-enterprise-scale-gene-editing-tools-for-agri-biotechnology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/986/new-crispr-technology-creates-enterprise-scale-gene-editing-tools-for-agri-biotechnology.html Thu, 25 May 2023 11:49:00 +0530 Pairwise’s Fulcrum™ Platform creates custom gene editing tools will help accelerate innovation in agricultural product portfolios, supply chains, and production systems. Pairwise, a health-focused food and agriculture company, launched its FulcrumTM Platform today. Using proprietary CRISPR technology along with custom gene editing tools, Pairwise will be able to make complex changes to plant genetics quickly and successfully, leading to innovative enterprise-scale applications. With this game-changing platform approach, Pairwise applies it to both its own ConsciousTM Foods brand and to the products of its business partners. Pairwise is among the first companies in the world to commercialize food developed using CRISPR gene editing technology. “With the Fulcrum platform, we can make small genetic changes that deliver big product impacts. We call this approach the Seismic Tweak,” said Ian Miller, Chief Development Officer at Pairwise.  In May 2023, Pairwise launched its first branded product, Conscious™ Greens, in the food service channel through a partnership with Performance Food Group. Additionally, via a five-year partnership with Bayer, Pairwise used the Fulcrum platform to identify nearly 200 unique gene sequences that can be changed to improve productivity and disease resistance across a variety of row crops, including a unique target in corn that has increased kernel rows by up to 20%.  Pairwise unique CRISPR intellectual property (IP), enables the company to edit genes more effectively than other companies in the market, helping it evolve to become an industry-leading tool. Novel Pairwise-developed technologies that underpin the Fulcrum platform include REDRAW™, or RNA-encoded DNA replacement of alleles with CRISPR, a precise templated editing toolbox that can make any type of small edit at CRISPR-targeted sites. Another tool is SHARC™, a proprietary enzyme that works well for cutting, base editing, and REDRAW editing. This is a combination that’s created a foundational, game-changing genome editing toolkit. SHARC, REDRAW, and Pairwise’s other proprietary base-editing tools allow for precise changes at virtually any location in a genome, an approach that holds huge potential not only in agriculture but in other fields as well, such as medicine. Anchored by the Fulcrum Platform and the company’s deep technical and agronomic expertise in over 60 crops, Pairwise is leading the way in genetics-based innovation in plants and plant-based systems. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/953/ai-to-reduce-production-costs-and-shorten-time-to-market-for-cultivated-meat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/953/ai-to-reduce-production-costs-and-shorten-time-to-market-for-cultivated-meat.html Thu, 18 May 2023 09:15:53 +0530 Israeli firms Aleph Farms and Enzymit are co-developing novel insulin substituents in microorganisms that can fulfill the function of proteins found naturally in animals Enzymit, a bioproduction platform company developing enzymatic manufacturing technology, has successfully developed insulin substitutes, in partnership with food technology company Aleph Farms, that can reduce the cost and development time for producing cultivated meat at scale. One of the most prohibitive expenses in scaling up cultivated meat production is developing non-animal-derived serum protein mimetics that promote and support cell growth. Such proteins are not widely available in the current market at the quantity, quality and cost necessary for large-scale production. Israeli firms Aleph Farms and Enzymit are co-developing novel insulin substituents in microorganisms that can fulfill the function of proteins found naturally in animals and do so with greater desired activity per molecule. "This innovation, combining Enzymit's outstanding protein design and experimental capabilities with our team's expertise in cellular agriculture, is helping to build the foundations for our sector to achieve cost-efficiency and long-term impact. Developing more suitable processing aids for the production of cultivated meat is imperative for driving economies of scale and taking cultivated meat mainstream" says Neta Lavon, PhD, CTO of Aleph Farms. The success of this collaboration opens the door to additional benefits, far beyond the cultivation of cow cells. As insulin is a highly conserved protein across mammals and other species, it has the potential to similarly influence the production of other cultivated meat types, such as porcine, ovine and poultry. "Aleph Farms has been an invaluable partner for this initiative, which can pave the way for more cost-efficient production of cultivated meat," said Gideon Lapidoth, PhD, CEO of Enzymit. "With recombinant proteins currently accounting for the overwhelming majority of cell culture costs, creating highly stable and more active insulin substituents can markedly reduce the cost of growth media and increase efficiency in producing cultivated meat at scale." Utilizing its proprietary computational design algorithms and high-throughput testing capabilities, Enzymit was able to quickly develop a variety of insulin substituents and experimentally assess their functionality. All those selected were soluble proteins expressed in E. coli and purified without requiring refolding, complex purification steps, or other treatments. Further screening resulted in several leading candidates exhibiting superior results in activity for cell culturing and requiring minimal concentration for activation. These new proteins, which demand notably fewer downstream purification and maturation processes, dramatically reduce production time and costs. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/949/start-up-nation-central-partners-with-microsoft-to-promote-israeli-agrifood-tech-startups.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/949/start-up-nation-central-partners-with-microsoft-to-promote-israeli-agrifood-tech-startups.html Thu, 18 May 2023 07:39:00 +0530 Collaboration aims to integrate innovative agricultural data companies with core technologies of AI, Cloud & Machine Learning with Microsoft's AI tools to develop models for optimal, sustainable agriculture across the value chain Start-Up Nation Central has collaborated with Microsoft to promote Israeli AgriFood Tech startups in the international marketplace. The collaboration focuses on connecting AI, data, cloud, and machine learning technologies from agricultural information to Microsoft's AI tools. In the first phase of the collaboration, Start-Up Nation Central and Microsoft will promote a series of tech challenges to propel mapping Israeli startups and relevant technologies within the AgriFood Tech sector. Together, Start-Up Nation Central and Microsoft will work to identify global AgriFood Tech challenges, with an emphasis on connecting AI technologies that can help develop durable models for optimal and sustainable agriculture across the entire value chain. Led by Microsoft AgriFood CTO Ranveer Chandra, the collaboration will identify relevant innovative companies in Israel that are using agricultural data for cutting edge applications. It will also examine how these technologies can be integrated into Microsoft's cloud-based agriculture-focused business tools. Israeli AgriFood Tech entrepreneurs will benefit from exposure to global opportunities through Microsoft's network of connections. Potential opportunities include collaborations with strategic partners, access to new markets, and showcasing market-ready technologies on a global scale. Start-Up Nation Central CEO, Avi Hasson said "Israel boasts over 250 leading cloud agriculture startups that offer fertile ground for innovation in this rapidly developing sector. The Israeli AgriFood Tech industry is well advanced in data, software, and connectivity, and offers incredible potential for Microsoft in the growing field of data-driven agriculture". The first two tech challenges are already underway with a focus on water management and sustainable agriculture. As part of these challenges, over 40 relevant Israeli startups were mapped, and two Israeli AgriFood-Tech companies– Projini (developers of innovative pesticide solutions) and Saturas (developers of a breakthrough sensor-based precision system for optimized irrigation) – were selected to collaborate with Microsoft at this event and have the opportunity to collaborate with Microsoft's global technology and investment teams. Start-Up Nation Central is a non-profit organization that connects Israeli innovation to the world in order to help international entities solve global challenges. Supported by the Israeli technology ecosystem, the organization provides a platform that nurtures business growth and generates partnerships with corporations, governments, investors, and NGOs to strengthen Israel's economy and society. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/947/danish-innovation-to-convert-shrimp-and-fish-farming-derivatives-into-edible-seaweed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/947/danish-innovation-to-convert-shrimp-and-fish-farming-derivatives-into-edible-seaweed.html Wed, 17 May 2023 07:50:00 +0530 Nutrients and CO2 from land-based aquaculture to be converted to a green protein and valuable high-fiber seaweed species The University of Copenhagen has launched an innovative project co-funding by Innovation Fund Denmark, which has developed a sustainable method to produce fish, shrimp, and seaweed together. Instead of polluting the sea and contributing to global warming, nutrients and CO2 from land-based shrimp and fish farming will be used to produce sea lettuce – a green protein and valuable high-fiber seaweed species – for human consumption. An innovative project called SeaFree, has been launched at the University of Copenhagen in association with Aarhus University and a range of companies who will collaboratively develop a closed, sustainable cycle on land that utilizes residual nutrients and CO2 from shrimp and fish farming to grow high-value seaweed for the food and healthcare industries. The project is expected to reap results in 4 years. "The project aims to use seaweed production to absorb and convert emissions from land-based aquaculture into a high-value product. Among other things, the seaweed will be used for dietary supplements that can prevent diabetes and sustainable foodstuffs innovations. In addition to capturing emissions that would have otherwise been emitted into the atmosphere and aquatic environment, the seaweed produced is both healthy and rich in umami flavour," says Professor Marianne Thomsen from the Department of Food Science at the University of Copenhagen. The project, funded by Innovation Fund Denmark with DKK 14.4 million (€1.9m), is being carried out in a collaboration among the companies Pure Algae, DryingMate, Food Diagnostics, Sigrid Therapeutics, XOventure GmbH/Rigi Care, KOST, SOF Odden Caviar and HanseGarnelen. The project’s starting point is a 40ft container setup equipped with eight one-thousand-liter tanks. The container solution is a so-called Plug’n’Play technology with great export potential. By combining salt water, CO2 and nutrients with LED lights, the unit can produce a full batch of seaweed in just one week, resulting in an extremely short harvest period. "SeaFree represents the latest in recycling technology for land-based shrimp and fish farming. Besides capturing emissions, the system also recirculates surplus heat from the plants to the Plug'n'Play technology. The project includes the development of a new technology that makes it possible to use surplus heat to dry the seaweed which is then sold to the healthcare industry. In this way, SeaFree contributes to a more sustainable and efficient production process," says Marianne Thomsen.   The final product consists of climate-friendly fish, shrimp and sea lettuce – a healthy, fiber and protein-rich seaweed species. In addition to the production of various dietary supplements, sea lettuce is also used as an edible accompaniment when people buy seafood. According to Thomsen, there is huge potential in farming fish and seaweed in the manner envisioned by SeaFree. If all of the world's land-based shrimp and fish farms implemented the method, it could significantly reduce the CO2 footprint of global food systems. "As such, the combination of aquaculture and seaweed cultivation in closed systems may well develop into a new Danish export market. On a global level, it will be possible to implement the technology, marketed as "SeaFree Synergy Solutions", anywhere in the world. As for the technology’s environmental benefits, they are unequivocal. We are already in contact with South Korea, which is very interested in the technology and the project’s development," adds Marianne Thomsen. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/927/corteva-agriscience-launches-global-herbicide-active-ingredient-brand.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/927/corteva-agriscience-launches-global-herbicide-active-ingredient-brand.html Sun, 14 May 2023 08:20:17 +0530 Bexoveld™ Active is a innovative proprietary Herbicide molecule discovered by Corteva Corteva Agriscience has launched "Bexoveld™ active" as the newest herbicide brand from its robust innovation pipeline. The active ingredient will offer cereal farmers another tool for controlling broadleaf weeds. Bexoveld is expected to launch in North America in 2028 and in Europe in 2030, pending regulatory approval. “Bexoveld demonstrates Corteva Agriscience’s commitment to bringing farmers innovative, sustainable crop protection solutions. With Bexoveld, Corteva will continue adding value to the cereal herbicide market by providing an expanded spectrum of weed control through differentiated products” said Robert King, Executive Vice President – Crop Protection Business, Corteva Agriscience. Bexoveld is an innovative proprietary molecule discovered by Corteva and is a third-generation 6-Arylpicolinate (6-AP) herbicide built upon the company’s deep knowledge of Arylex™ active and Rinskor™ active herbicides.  “We are very excited about the novel class of auxin herbicides that we are bringing to the market. These new molecules interact with auxin receptors in a unique manner providing resistance management and differentiated attributes, while also meeting our sustainable innovation criteria” said Sam Eathington, Chief Technology and Digital Officer, Corteva Agriscience. Bexoveld has demonstrated remarkable control of broadleaf weeds, including key resistant species in cereal crops. It is effective at low use rates against Kochia, the number one broadleaf weed in cereal crops in North America, as well as poppy, Veronica and wild mustard, which are common weeds impacting wheat, rye, triticale and barley farmers in Europe. Arylpicolinate herbicides are noted for their favorable regulatory, toxicological, and environmental profiles. Bexoveld's environmental profile stands out among other auxin mimic herbicides due to its low dose use rate and superior efficacy. Bexoveld breaks down quickly in soil, reducing crop restrictions in the following season to a minimum. Residue levels of Bexoveld and its metabolites are below the Limit of Quantification in cereal grains. Bexoveld is highly complementary to Corteva’s current cereal herbicide portfolio and will be offered in several pre-mixed formulations with leading Corteva herbicides. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/924/uk-india-partner-to-tackle-shrimp-diseases-and-advance-shrimp-farming.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/924/uk-india-partner-to-tackle-shrimp-diseases-and-advance-shrimp-farming.html Thu, 11 May 2023 13:16:17 +0530 Launches a raft of joint research programmes with £119 million grants to advance shrimp farming, HAB detection, fisheries The UK and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement on science, research and innovation, which facilitates a raft of upcoming joint research programs – including aquaculture initiatives. Partnership attracts initial £119 million from the International Science Partnerships Fund. The partnership will begin with two new joint UK-India research programmes: £5 million UK funding, matched by India, for research into Farmed Animal Diseases and Health £3.3 million UK funding, matched by India, towards a technology and skills partnership programme that will enable UK and Indian researchers to develop skills, technologies and knowledge in areas such as AI, machine learning and bio-imaging. The agreement includes a study on using “cutting edge UK technology” to spot diseases in shrimp aquaculture, as well as a partnership using data to detect harmful algal blooms (HABs) affecting the ocean. Programmes include the establishment of a new UK-India Net Zero Innovation Virtual Centre focusing on industrial decarbonisation and the launch of the first ever UK-India scientific deep sea voyage. The collaborative activities carried out under the MoU will be supported by joint funding agreed by both sides, with finances for each program determined between the UK and India on a case-by-case basis. Furthur, the collaboration enables quicker, deeper engagement on science between the two science powerhouses that will drive economic growth, create skilled jobs and improve lives in the UK, India, and worldwide. “The agreement will remove red tape standing in the way of major collaborations while unleashing a raft of new joint research schemes aiming to deliver progress on some of the biggest issues facing the world: from climate change and pandemic preparedness through to AI and machine learning,” reads the official report of the UK government announcements. “With our extensive trading and cultural links, shared democratic values and interest in urgent global issues from green technology and agri-tech to biosecurity and pandemic preparedness, we have very strong platforms for deepening research collaboration" said Minister of State for the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology George Freeman. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/909/singapore-invents-worlds-smallest-led-holographic-microscope-for-botanical-studies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/909/singapore-invents-worlds-smallest-led-holographic-microscope-for-botanical-studies.html Wed, 10 May 2023 07:29:00 +0530 SMART researchers create world’s smallest LED and holographic microscope that enable conversion of existing mobile phone cameras into high-resolution microscopes Singapore researchers at SMART have developed the world’s smallest silicon (Si) light-emitting diode (LED) coupled with state-of-the-art Si LEDs and with multiple potential applications. The invention enables to reconstruct objects measured by this microscope, including plant seeds and tissue samples - enabling enhanced microscopic examination of a wide range of objects that has been impossible previously, as well as the detection of plant disease and aberrant plant tissues. Researchers from the e Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) and the Critical Analytics for Manufacturing Personalized-Medicine (CAMP) Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore. The new world’s smallest LED (light emitting diode) enables the conversion of existing mobile phone cameras into high-resolution microscopes. Smaller than the wavelength of light, the revolutionary LED was used to build the world’s smallest holographic microscope, paving the way for existing cameras in everyday devices such as mobile phones to be converted into microscopes via only modifications to the silicon chip and software. This technology also represents a significant step forward in the miniaturization of diagnostics for indoor farmers and sustainable agriculture. This breakthrough was supplemented by the researchers’ development of a revolutionary neural networking algorithm that reconstructs objects measured by the holographic microscope. This enables enhanced examination of microscopic objects such as cells and bacteria without bulky conventional microscopes or additional optics. The research also paved the way for a major advancement in photonics - the building of a powerful on-chip emitter smaller than a micrometer, which has long been a challenge in the field. The novel LED developed by SMART researchers is a CMOS-integrated sub-wavelength scale LED at room temperature exhibiting high spatial intensity (102 ± 48 mW/cm2) and possessing the smallest emission area (0.09 ± 0.04 μm2) among all known Si emitters in scientific literature. In order to demonstrate a potential practical application, the researchers incorporated this LED into an in-line, centimeter-scale, all-silicon holographic microscope requiring no lens or pinhole, integral to a field known as lensless holography.  The research team also developed a deep neural network architecture to improve the quality of image reconstruction. The researchers envision that this synergetic combination of CMOS micro-LEDs and the neural network can be used in other computational imaging applications, such as a compact microscope for live-cell tracking or spectroscopic imaging of biological tissues such as living plants. This work also demonstrates the feasibility of next-generation on-chip imaging systems. Already, in-line holography microscopes have been employed for a variety of applications, including particle tracking, environmental monitoring, biological sample imaging, and metrology. Further applications include arraying these LEDs in CMOS to generate programmable coherent illumination for more complex systems in the future. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/896/singapore-develop-plant-based-cell-culture-scaffold-meat-which-can-be-3d-printed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/896/singapore-develop-plant-based-cell-culture-scaffold-meat-which-can-be-3d-printed.html Fri, 05 May 2023 11:03:12 +0530 Besides speeding up the process for cheaper, more sustainable lab-based meat cultivation, these edible scaffolds can be 3D-printed using widely available plant prolamins A research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has successfully used common plant proteins to 3D-print an edible cell culture scaffold, allowing more affordable and sustainable lab-grown meat to be served on the table. The research team has successfully cultured meat that is similar in texture and overall appearance to real animal meat. Lab-grown meat has become an increasingly popular source of dietary protein, as consumers become more conscious of the environmental and ethical ramifications of their protein source. Cultured meat or cell-based meat is produced by taking skeletal muscle cells from animals and growing them on three-dimensional constructs called scaffolds, which provide structural support as the cells multiply and develop into tissues. “Scaffolds made from plant proteins are edible and have diverse and variable peptide sequences that can facilitate cell attachment, induce differentiation, and speed up the growth of meat. In contrast, synthetic scaffolds such as plastic beads used for cultured meat have no functional group which makes it difficult for animal cells to attach and proliferate. In addition, synthetic scaffolds are not edible and extra steps are required to separate the scaffolds from the meat culture,” elaborated Prof Huang. However, cell culture scaffolds are typically made from synthetic or animal-based materials, which are either too expensive or inedible. In search of an alternative, the team led by Professor Huang Dejian, Deputy Head of the NUS Department of Food Science and Technology, turned to plant proteins. These proteins are biodegradable and biocompatible with animal cells. Crucially, plant proteins also satisfy common food consumption requirements, making the resulting scaffold suitable for culturing meat. The researchers used mixtures of prolamins derived from corn, barley and rye flour, also known as zeins, hordeins and secalins, respectively. These mixtures then acted as the ink for electrohydrodynamic printing, a high-precision 3D printing technology commonly employed in biomedical applications. “By using readily available cereal prolamins as biomaterials for high-precision 3D printing technology, we open up a new method for manufacturing edible and structured scaffolds to produce cultured muscle meat slices with fibrous qualities,” said Prof Huang. For scaffolds to be of any use in cultivating meat, they need to be biocompatible with muscle cells from agricultural animals, meaning that they need to be able to accommodate these cells and support their growth and development. Researchers found that the cells divided extensively on the scaffolds, when seeded the prolamin constructs with stem cells from pig skeletal muscle, reaching a maximum count 11 days after they were inoculated. The stem cells grew comparably well in both zein/hordein and zein/secalin scaffolds. Of significance, when compared against a standard polycaprolactone scaffold, a common tool in tissue engineering, pig cells seeded onto the prolamin constructs proliferated much faster, demonstrating that the plant protein-based scaffold was more feasible for cultured meat production than standard synthetic polymers. These results further verify the potential of the proposed prolamin-based scaffolds in cultivated meat production. Prof Huang and his team are actively working on refining the plant protein-based technology ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/893/novel-technology-can-monitor-plant-nutrition-and-crop-protection.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/893/novel-technology-can-monitor-plant-nutrition-and-crop-protection.html Fri, 05 May 2023 08:30:55 +0530 Tidal Grow novel technologies to deliver effective plant nutrition and crop protection tools along with solutions for labor, nutrient runoff, weather, and regulations Tidal Grow® AgriScience has launched a technology-driven portfolio of solutions to tackle agriculture challenges including labor, nutrient runoff, weather, and regulations to provide impressive ROI for growers. A powerful pipeline leverages novel technologies to deliver enhanced levels of effectiveness in plant nutrition and crop protection. "Our core goal is to help farmers and growers maximize profits, increase yields, and protect their valuable production resources, all while reducing their environmental footprint," said Kevin Hammill, CEO of Tidal Grow AgriScience. "We meet them exactly where they are, integrating seamlessly into their existing production practices, resulting in improved performance and less traditional crop inputs. We bring our products to the market and be a catalyst for a healthier population and planet" adds CEO Kevin. Critical Ag-tech Targets the Core of Grower's Needs Tidal Grow® Integra Technology is positioned to scale and significantly impact the $100B+ crop protection and fertilizer markets. With this technology, they engineer how fertilizer, such as nitrogen, and crop protection products are delivered to the crop or target pathogen. This technology works by maximizing the potential of one of earth's most powerful biomolecules and deploying it to target grower's greatest challenges. This integration of biology and chemistry fundamentally changes the future of agriculture by making cropping inputs more effective. The first fertilizer built on this technology, alignN™, delivers nitrogen to the crop more effectively. The result is a higher yield per unit of fertilizer and a lower carbon footprint for the industry. Construction on a commercial production facility for alignN™ will begin this year while significant field trials are being conducted across the USA.   Additionally, the Tidal Grow® Bioactive portfolio offers significant contributions to regenerative practices with Tidal Grow® Spectra, a new offering in crop protection, and Pacific Gro® Oceanic and Sea Phos®, OMRI-listed organic carbon-based fertilizers. "Our Crop Production Input (CPI) Equation establishes a new standard of crop nutrient effectiveness," said Hammill. "Defined in mathematical terms, our solutions apply to both crop protection and nutrition and are measured in yield per input. Our approach is working. This year, more than 1 million acres will be under the positive influence of our products." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/888/asia-africa-us-promotes-visionary-framework-for-south-south-cooperation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/888/asia-africa-us-promotes-visionary-framework-for-south-south-cooperation.html Thu, 04 May 2023 09:00:00 +0530 Ministerial-level multinational inter-regional roundtable agreed on many important contents to promote the food and food system through South-South cooperation Agriculture and Food Ministers from Vietnam, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Rwanda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines joined the Ministerial Roundtable to Promote Sustainable Investment and Innovation, digital transformation, opportunities for gender mainstreaming in the food and food system through South-South cooperation. South-South cooperation is a form of cooperation to promote effective development through learning and sharing experiences, practices, and technologies among developing countries. The international community agrees that South-South cooperation plays a crucial role in the global partnership for development in general and for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. South-South cooperation provides specific solutions to common global development challenges; share best practices, finance pilot projects, provide funding for scaling up successful projects, deliver public sector goods, and develop and adopt appropriate technologies turmeric. Over the past few years, Vietnam has actively strengthened and expanded bilateral and multilateral cooperation with developing countries, especially countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Vietnam has close cooperation ties with many African countries in areas such as agriculture, poverty reduction, food security, and environmental protection. The majority of Vietnam's partnerships with these countries involve experience sharing and knowledge transfer, especially through the sending of experts to train and transfer technology. Additionally, Vietnam has promoted bilateral cooperation with Angola, Mozambique, Egypt, Libya in rice export, rubber tree development, coffee, cashew, vegetables, and aquaculture. Vietnam's Minister Le Minh Hoan said "Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development responded to the World Economic Forum initiative and established the Food Innovation Network (FIH) for the East region. South Asia in Vietnam within the framework of the Vietnam Sustainable Agriculture Partnership (PSAV) - a highly successful Public Private Partnership initiative between MARD and more than 130 partners from various regions in the region. agricultural industry". Furthur, within the framework of FIH and PSAV, many innovative programs, initiatives and projects in the field of LTTP have been successfully implemented and have the potential to be further replicated such as the coffee chain linkage model; initiative to apply drone technology in the use and management of pesticides; low emission rice production model; building and transferring technology of cold storage of agricultural products associated with raw material areas for export… Vietnam is always ready to cooperate and share. As Minister Le Minh Hoan expressed, the presence of ministers from many Asian, African and Latin American nations, as well as representatives of many countries and donor organizations, will provide a great opportunity for us to exchange, share experiences, and develop technical assistance projects, toward building a world free of poverty, protecting and developing the green planet together. The event was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Grow Asia and the Food Action Alliance (FAA) on the sidelines of the 4th Global Conference on Sustainable Food Systems Program. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/881/jwel-revolutionizes-social-media-marketing-of-agricultural-and-fishing-products-in-china.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/881/jwel-revolutionizes-social-media-marketing-of-agricultural-and-fishing-products-in-china.html Thu, 04 May 2023 08:11:38 +0530 Establishes new subsidiary to expands Company's business from Web-Based E-Commerce to High Growth Social Media Influencer E-Commerce Shanghai headquartered Jowell Global Ltd. has established a new wholly owned subsidiary, Shanghai Lianfu Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("Lianfu") to expand agricultural and fishing products business through social media marketing. Lianfu will work with social media influencers at the source of freshly grown agricultural products, where they will live stream and show oranges, pears, and apples just being harvested on-site and offer them for sale to viewers. Lianfu will also have influencers selling fresh fish caught by fishing boats back to the harbor after they return from the sea. These products will be shipped immediately upon purchase, ensuring ultra-fresh foods for consumers. Chief Executive Officer of JWEL, Haiting Li stated, "As we look to the future, we recognize that the web-based e-commerce industry is mature, where consumers often compete on price, leading to tight margins for businesses. However, influencer e-commerce is rapidly growing where sales are driven by spontaneous purchases and the consumer's connection with influencers. In this type of market, price is not necessarily the main driving factor in a consumer's decision to make a purchase. This represents a significant opportunity for our company to improve our margins and reach a wider audience. While our ecommerce software, infrastructure, and fulfillment capabilities will continue to play a vital role in our new business, we are excited about the potential that influencer ecommerce holds for our future business." Jowell Global Ltd. is one of the leading cosmetics, health and nutritional supplements and household products e-commerce platforms in China.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/880/exosomm-introduces-new-bioactive-ingredient-for-medical-food-space.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/880/exosomm-introduces-new-bioactive-ingredient-for-medical-food-space.html Wed, 03 May 2023 09:03:32 +0530 EXOSOMM introduces proprietary immune supportive natural exosomes from upcycled whey Jerusalem headquartered, Israeli BioFoodTech start-up EXOSOMM, Ltd., has explored the natural mechanisms inherent in human breastmilk to create a novel bioactive ingredient that can potentially support millions of adults with inflammatory disorders. Based on its scientific findings EXOSOMM developed an innovative technology that isolates exosomes—natural particles in maternal milk that play an important role in the healthy development of the immune system. EXOSOMM upcycles byproducts of the traditional cheese making process to create this potent functional ingredient. While still a young start-up, it has already reached commercial production capacity of its patent-protected exosomes for the medical food space. “Exosomm’s technology is based on cutting-edge scientific discoveries and is inspired by the virtues of mother’s milk and its unique health properties,” enthuses Reif. “We believe adults, can benefit from exosomes as a valuable nutrient to help better manage chronic metabolic inflammatory disorders and to boost overall well-being. Further clinical research is in the pipeline, and we currently are focusing our studies on the role of exosomes in managing IBD conditions, such as Crohn’s and Colitis.” Maternal milk is recognized as the key vital resource for infants to provide them with the essential elementary nutrients needed to promote optimal growth and wellbeing. It has been linked to protection against various diseases, such as infections, inflammation, and obesity, and plays a crucial role in developing the immune system. Scientific inquiry attributes these benefits predominantly to the presence of exosomes. Exosomes are small nanoparticles produced by the body’s cells that naturally accumulate at high concentrations in mother’s milk. They contain beneficial microRNAs: small, single-stranded, non-coding RNA molecules shown in studies to have a significant impact on early child development and also on the infant’s future health. The Exosomm research team were astonished to find that different mammals (human, cow, or sheep) share similar exosome composition, indicating the evolutionary importance of exosomes in offspring. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/879/bosch-basf-reinforces-smart-farming-values-novel-brand-for-herbicide-and-weedicide.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/879/bosch-basf-reinforces-smart-farming-values-novel-brand-for-herbicide-and-weedicide.html Wed, 03 May 2023 08:50:04 +0530 Partnership lunches a new brand ONE SMART SPRAY for value creation to farmers and manufacturers and commercialization activities As a joint venture between Bosch and BASF Digital Farming, Bosch BASF Smart Farming has launched its new brand name: ONE SMART SPRAY. This distinctive new brand name also applies to its product, which was previously referred to as the Smart Spraying Solution. With the change in name, a new logo, visual identity, and messaging will be introduced in all markets worldwide. The singular ONE SMART SPRAY brand was developed based on farmer feedback gathered in North America, South America, and Europe throughout the last 12 months, as field trials progressed towards full commercialization of the product. “ONE SMART SPRAY as a brand brings together the value we create and our purpose, which is to offer one integrated, convenient, and reliable solution to make herbicide spraying precise and smart. The new brand supports our commercialization activities. Our new tagline ‘Precision Made Smart’ brings our purpose to life: to take weed control to the next level by integrating precision, digital and agronomic intelligence into ONE solution” says Jorge von Kostrisch, Global Marketing & Communications Manager at ONE SMART SPRAY. Florian Gwosdz, Co-Managing Director of ONE SMART SPRAY, “Back in 2021, Bosch BASF Smart Farming joined Bosch's hardware, software, and connectivity capabilities with BASF's digital and agronomic expertise. The new brand is our next step to scaling up in the market.” Konstantin Kretschun, Co-Managing Director of ONE SMART SPRAY, adds: “ONE SMART SPRAY is a camera-based system developed by Bosch that detects weeds in milliseconds and precisely sprays only where necessary and only as much as needed. Using field-specific data in a digital platform by Xarvio Digital Farming Solutions, ONE SMART SPRAY also offers customized agronomic recommendations, intelligent sensitivity levels, high-precision agronomic maps, automated documentation, and further features in ONE solution. This is truly smart weed control, which supports maximum input efficiency and sustainable farming practices.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/872/japanese-firms-to-establish-revolutionary-sugar-manufacturing-technology-in-thailand.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/872/japanese-firms-to-establish-revolutionary-sugar-manufacturing-technology-in-thailand.html Tue, 02 May 2023 08:47:18 +0530 Toray and Mitsui DM Sugar inedible Biomass-Based pave way to sustainable Fibers, Resins, and Films Japanese firms Toray Industries, Inc., and Mitsui DM Sugar Co., Ltd., have jointly demonstrated and established a basic technology to manufacture sugar derived from inedible biomass which is a common raw material in fiber and resin production. The biomass includes surplus bagasse, a pulpy residue from sugarcane processing, and pulp that results from squeezing cassava in starch factories. Combining this technology with Toray's revolutionary technology to make monomers from sugars will facilitate the integration of biomass-sourced polymers for fibers, films, resins, and other products produced from biomass-derived polymers that contribute to a circular economy. Toray looks to set up a structure to supply cellulosic sugar in collaboration with Thailand's sugar refineries and starch manufacturers and other companies using biomass resources. Toray proved the separation, purification, and concentration of cellulose-derived sugars in inedible biomass as part of this demonstration project. It leveraged a membrane-based bioprocess that combines the company’s water treatment membrane technology and enzymes that employ biotechnology. Toray undertook this effort at a demonstration facility in Thailand as part of a project the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) supports. Compared to conventional processes that concentrate sugar solutions by evaporating water, this process emits less than half the carbon dioxide. The breakthrough demonstration is a first step toward creating a technology to make cellulosic sugar from biomass, putting it on track to mass production. Earlier in 2022, Toray developed 100% bio-based adipic acid, a raw material for polyamide 66 (nylon 66), from sugars derived from inedible biomass. To achieve this, Toray used a proprietary synthesis technique combining the company’s microbial fermentation technology and chemical purification technology that harnesses separation membranes. The company is now looking to establish an integrated technology to manufacture fiber and resin from abundant agricultural residues, avoiding competition with the food chain. It will endeavor to upscale technology from an effort under development to produce adipic acid from cellulosic sugar. In providing cellulosic sugars to chemical companies around the globe, Toray seeks to help materialize a circular economy by replacing petroleum-based chemicals with plant-derived offerings that are not part of the food chain.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/871/israel-approves-animal-free-milk-protein-products.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/871/israel-approves-animal-free-milk-protein-products.html Tue, 02 May 2023 08:18:46 +0530 Remilk secures first-of-its-kind regulatory approval from the Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH) for the marketing and sale of non-animal milk products and boosts alternative protein industry Israel has become one of the first countries in the world to offer real dairy products made without cows and free of lactose, cholesterol, antibiotics, and growth hormones.  Remilk, a global leader in the development and production of animal-free dairy protein has received a first-of-its-kind approval from the Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH). This historic regulatory event clears a path for the marketing and sale of non-animal dairy products made with Remilk for Israeli consumers. "Israel becomes on of the first in the world to recognize the significance of precision fermentation in global alternative protein industry" said Aviv Wolff, CEO and co-founder of Remilk. Remilk is a world leader in the development of animal-free milk proteins produced through a proprietary fermentation process. The Ministry of Health approval follows Remilk's receipt of an FDA "No Questions Letter," confirming FDA acceptance of an expert panel's conclusion that Remilk's animal-free protein can be safely used in food products under its GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) standards, as well as a recent regulatory clearance from the Singapore Food Authority. Remilk has raised more than $130M to date and signed deals with leading players in the global food industry. Last year, Remilk, which is already producing its protein at industrial volumes in facilities around the world, announced a large-scale commercial agreement with the Central Bottling Company (CBC Group), the exclusive Israeli franchisee of Coca-Cola, and one of the largest food companies in Israel, to launch a line of dairy products made with Remilk's protein, for the Israeli market. The product launch planned with the Central Bottling Company is on the horizon of Remilk. "Remilk non-animal milk protein is thoroughly tested by MOH and found to be safe, of high-quality, and identical to its cow-derived counterpart," said Dr. Ori Cohavi, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and co-founder of Remilk. "The opening of the Israeli market to real, animal-free dairy products will place Israel not only at the forefront of global food-tech research and development, but also as a leading market in the world for new food consumption. It opens the door for the introduction of high-quality and nutritious animal-free dairy products" he added. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/868/clinical-study-discovers-powerful-anti-aging-benefits-in-four-botanical-blend.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/868/clinical-study-discovers-powerful-anti-aging-benefits-in-four-botanical-blend.html Mon, 01 May 2023 12:19:00 +0530 Polyphenol-rich blend of botanicals from Suanfarma, shown to preserve telomeres:- the body’s primary skin rejuvenator Madrid - A new clinical study supports powerful anti-aging skin benefits of Eternalyoung®, a blend of four botanical ingredients from Monteloeder, S. L., a subsidiary of Suanfarma. Eternalyoung is the result of extensive research and contains several polyphenols that work synergistically to provide anti-aging benefits for the skin. Suitable for beauty-from-within supplements, the formula combines pomegranate (Punica granatum), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), desert ginseng (f. Cistanche), and gotu kola (Centella asiatica) which, together, demonstrate abilities to promote better skin moisturization, radiance, and elasticity. The research, led by Dr. Vincenzo Nobile, at the Complife Italia Srl in Pavia, Italy was a 12 week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 60 women aged 35 to 69, all of whom exhibited signs of both sun-induced and chronological skin aging, specifically mild to moderate wrinkles and dark spots. The study analyzed several parameters of skin health via various measurement methods. The botanical blend intervention visibly and structurally improved the skin and reduced signs of aging, without side effects. Statistically significant improvements in wrinkle depth, elasticity, firmness, skin thickness, skin moisturization, epidermal water loss, and dark spots pigmentation were observed as early as four weeks. Subjectively, subjects who consumed the botanical blend reported improvement in skin condition reduction in stress and fatigue, suggesting the blend’s potential. Miguel Poza, Nutra Division Director of Monteloeder “Unique botanical blend designed to synergistically target the underlying mechanisms of skin aging and enhance beauty from within. The Eternalyoung blend is the result of extensive research and experimentation on numerous botanical actives for their antioxidant and melanin-inhibition activity, as well as their ability to boost skin cell proliferation. Another goal was tofind the right combination of ingredients that could reduce telomere shortening while activate telomerase, an enzyme that helps maintain telomere length and in turn, stimulate rejuvenation.” According to previous studies, the consumption of specific phenolic compounds native to the Eternalyoung blend—specifically punicalagins, flavones, phenylpropanoids, and triterpenes—benefit skin due to both antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties that modulate or reduce different cellular pathways involved in the skin aging process. The clinical study was a follow-up to a previous in vitro study in a cell line of human dermal fibroblasts that demonstrated the patent-pending, four-extract botanical blend could counteract key mechanisms involved in the skin aging process, including slowing down telomere shortening rates and reducing the percentage of critically short telomeres. Telomeres have been found to play a central role in longevity. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/863/aleph-farms-launches-new-product-brand-aleph-cuts.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/863/aleph-farms-launches-new-product-brand-aleph-cuts.html Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:15:49 +0530 The world’s first cultivated steak is anticipated to launch in Singapore and Israel later this year Aleph Farms, an Israeli food technology company announced the launch of its first product brand, Aleph Cuts. Under the Aleph Cuts brand, the company will market its first product, the Petit Steak, the world’s first cultivated steak anticipated to launch in Singapore and Israel later this year, pending regulatory approvals. Developed in partnership with brand and experience design agency, BOND, this branding initiative distinguishes Aleph Farms’ products and builds momentum ahead of commercialisation and subsequent engagement with customers and end consumers. “With the launch of Aleph Cuts, we are introducing our product through an epicurean lens to connect people to our incredible ‘new take on steak,’ sharing what this choice means in an engaging and authentic way,” said Nicky Quinn, VP of Marketing at Aleph Farms. “Iconic brands aren’t built overnight or by one person or team. We look forward to co-creating our brand over time with consumers, so we can best serve their evolving needs.” The visual identities for Aleph Farms and Aleph Cuts are part of a unified system designed to support the scale of Aleph Farms’ growing product portfolio. The brands are related through visual elements such as the wordmark, icon, and colour palette but evoke different aspects of the Aleph ethos: Aleph Farms is more pragmatic and focuses on technology and innovation, while Aleph Cuts is more emotional and focuses on educating about the product and celebrating culture through the lens of food. They share a new icon inspired by the company’s previous ox head symbol, reflected in the letter A in Aleph but flipped, creating a mirror effect that compels the viewer to see familiar things in a new way. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/862/global-seaweed-coalition-gsc-convenes-seaweed-stakeholders-to-streamline-global-standards-and-regulations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/862/global-seaweed-coalition-gsc-convenes-seaweed-stakeholders-to-streamline-global-standards-and-regulations.html Fri, 28 Apr 2023 11:58:46 +0530 Safe Seaweed Coalition has been renamed into the Global Seaweed Coalition (GSC) The Safe Seaweed Coalition has evolved into the Global Seaweed Coalition (GSC). The announcement was made on a occasion hosted by its founding partner, the United Nations Global Compact. With seaweed, the world can enjoy climate-positive food, feed, medicines, materials, and fuels. To realize this potential, global standards and regulations must be based on science-based safety and sustainability. The GSC will reflect an upscaled, responsible, and restorative seaweed sector that will play a significant role in achieving Global Goals by contributing to food safety and security and helping respond to climate and environmental crises. “The potential of seaweed production has the rare combination of the scalability of local production, nature-based climate action and supporting local communities and economies over time,” said Erik Giercksky, UN Global Compact Head of Oceans. The Coalition is changing its name to reflect the global scale-up we envision. Seaweed International's mission is to facilitate the emergence of an international seaweed sector based on global safety standards. Four pillars will be implemented to achieve it: funding, advocacy, science, and policy. Lloyd's Register Foundation (the Foundation), co-founder and inaugural funder of the Coalition identified aquaculture and blue food industries as means of meeting the world's looming food safety challenges in its Foresight Review on Food Safety. The Foundation recognized the importance of seaweed. By supporting Safe Seaweed Coalition, it has helped industry and regulators work together to scale up this industry safely and effectively. “We look forward to seeing the Global Seaweed Coalition continue the good work of the Safe Seaweed Coalition, tackling the need for a safe and sustainable food source for a growing population, as well as other major benefits, and helping to advance the Foundation’s charitable mission,” said the Foundation’s Tim Slingsby. The Coalition's work was initially supported by the French National Research Centre (CNRS) enabling a deeper engagement with the UN Global Compact. In addition to Compact's global reach, its strong local network enables it to engage governments, local producers, the private sector, and other UN entities. Leveraging a unique network of global stakeholders will improve access to various public and private fundraising opportunities and support new partnerships. Seaweed has gained tremendous momentum in the past two years through the Safe Seaweed Coalition, which has strengthened the representation of the value chain and its main drivers. UN summits on food systems, climate change, and biodiversity have led to unprecedented recognition of seaweed's sustainability potential, allowing it to take its rightful place in policy conservation. The Coalition directly backs the sector’s growth: to date, we have granted €1.2 million in seed funding to 24 projects in 26 countries and attracted a further €2 million to support this work. GSC has built partnerships and created alliances to mobilize seaweed support. It collaborates with the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition, a follow-up to the UN Food Systems Summit. The UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Oceans, Ambassador Peter Thomson, recognizes seaweed as a powerful nature-based solution. The Coalition will be overseen by a Leadership Committee composed of representatives from the UN Global Compact, the Foundation, and CNRS. Two new bodies will provide complementary guidance to the Coalition's governance structure: a Scientific Council and a Strategic Advisory Council. Independent academic researchers will make up the Scientific Council.  “Their unique expertise in the seaweed value chain will ensure our actions and funding priorities stay grounded in the most up-to-date seaweed science,” said Coalition Scientific Director Philippe Potin, who will chair the Scientific Council while continuing as Research Director at CNRS. The Strategic Advisory Council will provide perspectives and guidance on seaweed and its role in the global economy, society, and environment. Experts drawn from fields such as economics, finance, the environment, climate, and food systems will serve alongside representatives of seaweed stakeholder groups such as value chain organizations (including organizations representing small-scale and Indigenous actors), international organizations, academia, governments, and Coalition financiers. The Secretariat will support the Leadership Committee and the two advisory bodies. To strengthen the Secretariat, Senior Advisor Nichola Dyer will lead its work. A dedicated Science Officer will be recruited. These changes will enable our Coalition to deliver an even greater impact and better position us to achieve our mission. This will help the seaweed sector scale up safely for workers, consumers, and the environment. Check out our website and social media for future developments announcements ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/860/indias-absolute-xenesis-institute-excels-in-bio-agriculture-biomaterials-and-biocare-rd.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/860/indias-absolute-xenesis-institute-excels-in-bio-agriculture-biomaterials-and-biocare-rd.html Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:16:09 +0530 Xenesis' Nature Intelligence PlatformTM (NIPTM) is one of the world's largest databases of microorganisms, secondary metabolites, signaling molecules, and other biomolecules. An Indian bioscience company, Absolute, is developing powerful and safe bioengineered agricultural inputs through its R&D arm Xenesis Institute. The research team is working on groundbreaking research on renewable and sustainable biomaterials. Xenesis pioneers bio-enabled agriculture in order to improve access to clean and nutritious food. In addition to biomaterials and biocare research at Xenesis, the company's pioneering agriculture research is channeled through the Ag Frontier group. Over 5 million square feet of product development and testing space are available at Xenesis, including state-of-the-art research laboratories headquartered in New Delhi with further expansion in Pune. The team at Xenesis comprises 150+ leading scientists many of whom have returned from Israel, the US, South Korea, and Africa. Xenesis scientists include experts in plant biology, microbiology, molecular biology, transcriptomics, metagenomics, metabolomics, proteomics, strain engineering, biomaterial development, and bioprocess engineering. Since its inception in 2015, Xenesis has developed a gamut of proprietary platforms for discovery and technology. Xenesis' Nature Intelligence PlatformTM (NIPTM) is one of the world's largest databases of microorganisms, secondary metabolites, signaling molecules, and other biomolecules. Additionally, the AgFrontier group at Xenesis has developed a new technology called Signal Triggered Regenerative Activity Complex (STREAC), which provides farm biologicals with superior stability, extended shelf life, and beneficial effects on target crops. Biocare at Xenesis has introduced XenDHA, a novel approach to addressing quality, yield, and contamination challenges in Omega-3 fatty acids supplements. XenDHA is capable of producing high-quality DHA for human consumption. Bio-Cat Insta TechnologyTM (BCITTM) is a proprietary technology developed by Xenesis that enables the company to utilize novel microbial strains to produce biocatalysts with incredible endurance. Enhance biocatalysts have industrial applications – baking, brewing, detergents, fermented products, biofuels pharmaceuticals, and textiles. Xenesis Observatory (XenO), another new tool developed at Xenesis using Absolute's proprietary agri data stack, provides detailed insights into smart farms connected to Absolute's network. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/858/green-water-labs-introduces-algae-control.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/858/green-water-labs-introduces-algae-control.html Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:17:07 +0530 A revolutionary eco-friendly solution to prevent and eliminate unwanted algae growth Green Water Labs, a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly chemicals from organic waste has launched its first product, Algae Control. Designed to prevent and eliminate algae growth, Algae Control is a revolutionary bio-based solution that is safe to be used around people, pets, and the environment. The product works in a variety of different environments such as: Aquariums, Ponds, Fountains, Roofs/Decks, Boats. Algae Control is made using a proprietary blend of plant-based compounds that are transformed into a powerful, algae-controlling solution. Unlike traditional algae prevention solutions that bioaccumulate and harm aquatic life; Algae Control is safe for fish, plants, and other aquatic organisms. It can also be used on roofs, decks, and walkways without causing damage to structures or the surrounding environment. The formulation has been carefully developed to biodegrade, offering a safe alternative to current products on the market today. Green Water Labs is committed to reducing the environmental impact of chemical solutions by using organic waste as the basis for its products.  Green Water Labs is the biochemical arm of Planted Materials Inc, working hard to recycle organic waste into renewable materials and chemicals. By developing scalable processes to convert organic waste into abundant materials, Planted Materials Inc is able to develop and manufacture a wide variety of alternatives to petroleum based materials and chemicals.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/857/bangkok-to-host-agriconnect-conference-exhibition2023.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/857/bangkok-to-host-agriconnect-conference-exhibition2023.html Thu, 27 Apr 2023 14:17:01 +0530 Address Southeast Asia's agriculture industry challenges with smart farming innovations ; On May 24/25, at True Digital Park in Bangkok, Thailand The AGRICONNECT Conference & Exhibition 2023, organized by the German Agricultural Society (DLG) and VNU Asia Pacific with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives as official co-host, is set to address the challenges facing Southeast Asia's agriculture industry. The conference and exhibition will take place on May 24, 2023, at True Digital Park in Bangkok, Thailand. The event will convene over 300 participants from various sectors to discuss sustainable agriculture practices and farm visit options on May 25, 2023. The theme of this transformative event is "Eco-efficiency: Solutions for Environmental Farming Business." Eco-efficiency combines cross-cutting topics to integrate sustainable farming practices that benefit the environment, the economy, and society. The AGRICONNECT Conference & Exhibition 2023 is powered by AGRITECHNICA ASIA and HORTI ASIA, Southeast Asia's leading exhibitions in agriculture. The event will feature more than 30 speakers from nine countries and innovative sponsors. In addition, keynote speakers and representatives from international organizations, such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), will share their best practices and solutions in more than 15 sessions. On May 24, 2023, the exhibitors will showcase their latest agriculture-related services and products. In addition, the AGRICONNECT Conference & Exhibition 2023 offers a diverse range of sessions and speakers covering various topics relevant to sustainable agriculture. Some of the highlights include:Environmental Protection: Narapat Kaeothong, Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, who will provide an overview of the ministry’s initiatives on environmental protection.; Takayuki Hagiwara, Regional Programme Leader of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will discuss the graduation process from farmer to entrepreneur. Innovations in Smart Farming: Matthew McDonald, APAC Precision Technology Product Manager at CNH Industrial will speak on Pivotal role of technology in securing a prosperous future for Southeast Asia; Stewart Andrews, CEO of BioSci(Thailand), Ltd., will expound on his experiences in implementing actionable data insights and intelligent farming.; Tobias Fausch, CIO of BayWa AG will explain Sustainable food security and digital Twin German-Thai Cooperation Project for Clusterfarms, the Department of Agricultural Extension and the Thai Society of Agricultural Engineering will discuss views on the achievements, challenges and opportunities of adopting Smart Farming technologies in Thailand. Dr. Bjöern Ole Sander, Country Representative of Vietnam for the International Rice Research Institute will discuss Carbon market regulations in Southeast Asia agricultural sector. A exclusive panel discussion on vertical farming will discuss characteristics of successful business models in vertical farming. Panel features Christine Zimmermann-Loessl, Chairwoman and Co-Founder of the Association for Vertical Farming, Ralph Becker, CEO/Founder of Urban Greens Hydroponics Systems, Inc., and Sansin Sriphiromrak, CEO of Distar Fresh. Participants will also have the opportunity to participate in interactive sessions and roundtable discussions. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Germany (BMEL) will offer an in-depth exploration of the challenges related to sustainable production in Southeast Asian agriculture, providing valuable insights into opportunities for German agribusiness companies. Similarly, the Sino-Thai Agricultural Young Farmers Exchange Conference will conduct an interactive workshop on "Future Farmer: Strategies for Success in Sustainable and entrepreneurial agriculture by Young Chinese and Thai Farmers," featuring the perspectives of young farmers from China and Thailand. May 25, 2023, will involve farm visits. Participants can visit the Choncharoen Farm in Kanchanaburi, run by Chia Tai x True Digital Solutions to witness technologies surrounding irrigation systems, weather stations, drones, and robotics, are integrated into sustainable farming practices. Alternatively, participants can visit DiStar Fresh Farm, Thailand's largest indoor vertical farming facility. Participants can see how soilless growing using Perlite and Vermiculite provides protection from pests and pathogens while maintaining optimal water usage and an ideal environment for crops. All this is accomplished while controlling LEDs, AC, nutrients, and CO2 levels for an ideal balance of light, atmosphere, and nutrients. AGRICONNECT Conference & Exhibition 2023 will bring experts, stakeholders, and industry leaders in the agriculture sector to discuss and showcase sustainable agriculture practices, innovative technologies, and best practices for achieving eco-efficient farming. The event promises to provide valuable insights, networking opportunities, and new business collaborations for participants from various sectors, including agribusiness, the food industry, and agriculture. To register for the AGRICONNECT Conference & Exhibition 2023 visit www.agritechnica.com/agriconnect/ ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/850/researchers-produce-purple-tomatoes-with-healthy-antioxidants.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/850/researchers-produce-purple-tomatoes-with-healthy-antioxidants.html Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:54:38 +0530 OSU breeding program followed non-GMO traditional cross pollination and cultivated methods over a decade to produce antioxidant rich breed variety Oregon State University, situated in Corvallis, United States has undertaken a crucial research project on vegetable breeding which has grown the world's first Indigo Rose (purple) tomato containing the same healthy compound found in blueberries. None of the tomatoes was produced using genetically modified genes. Prof Myers, OSU College of Agricultural Sciences, and his team took 10 years to develop. A novel breed has exclusive antioxidants called anthocyanins giving it a unique color. In addition, the team has generated four other purple tomatoes to add to the mix: Indigo Cherry Drops, a cherry tomato with better flavor and yield than Indigo Rose; Indigo Pear Drops, a sweet, pear-shaped fruit; and Indigo Kiwi, with improved growth habit, flavor and resistance to leaf curl. Now, there are 50 progenies from Indigo Rose, five from OSU, and the rest from private breeders using Myers’s germplasm, which are the cells that transfer characteristics from generation to generation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/849/biomar-and-agronutris-partners-on-the-next-generation-insect-meal.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/849/biomar-and-agronutris-partners-on-the-next-generation-insect-meal.html Thu, 27 Apr 2023 09:56:31 +0530 A scalable, viable model for producing black soldier fly meals for aquaculture as an effective source of aqua nutrition Vietnam-headquartered global aqua feed company, BioMar and French animal nutrition Biotech company Agronutris have signed a long-term partnership to develop the next generation of black soldier fly meals specifically designed for the needs of the aquaculture industry. A wide portfolio of insect meals designed for aquaculture are entering the market following years of research and development. “Black soldier fly meal has always been a promising prospect that could be well suited to aquafeeds. Agronutris has developed a scalable model for black soldier fly able to meet the nutritional and sustainability profile required by the industry" said Fernando Norambuena, Global Category Manager, Novel Raw Materials at BioMar. With extensive attention to feedstock sourcing, 12 years of R&D achievements, and significant industrial investment, the Agronutris solution aims to deliver a stable, high-quality product demonstrating high sustainability performance. Using a circular economy approach, Agronutris has taken a step towards developing an ingredient that significantly impacts the aquaculture industry by moving beyond novel protein sources. "For insect meal to successfully enter aqua feeding, it must demonstrate high nutritional value and support healthy growth for fish and shrimp. Agronutris' innovative products have an excellent nutritional profile suited to the aquaculture industry. We aim to create the ideal product that meets BioMar's ambitious sustainability parameters”, said Chris Haacke, Director of Business Development at Agronutris. “A truly sustainable insect meal should be decoupled from the human food supply chain and fed off a substrate based on waste foods and by-products. With Agronutris, we see a viable, scalable model for producing black soldier fly meals. This could see this product become an effective source of nutrition in aquaculture”, said Vidar Gundersen, Global Sustainability Director at BioMar. BioMar's strategy of supplying low environmental impact alternatives aligns well with Agronutris' mission of providing low environmental impact alternatives. By 2030, 50% of its ingredients will be sourced from a circular and restorative economy and its feed carbon footprint will be lowered by 1/3. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/848/ifarm-to-construct-the-worlds-largest-high-tech-vertical-farm-in-mexico.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/848/ifarm-to-construct-the-worlds-largest-high-tech-vertical-farm-in-mexico.html Thu, 27 Apr 2023 08:32:14 +0530 Around 38.500 square meter cultivation area built with cutting-edge technology to grow over 35 types of leafy greens and microgreens with a hydroponics vertical farming system. In Oaxaca, Mexico, the vertical agriculture technology provider iFarm has partnered with the Opus 2G Group to build a massive automated high-tech vertical farm in the Smart City of Tehuantepec. With its 38.500 square meter cultivation area, the farm will be the world's largest vertical farm and built with cutting-edge technology. A Smart City of Tehuantepec will be built by Opus 2G Group as part of The Smart Industrial Corridor Benito Juarez (CIINT) project. The initiative forms part of Tehuantepec Isthmus Interoceanic Corridor, a governmental initiative. In order to boost economic growth in Mexico's Southeast states, it connects the port of Salina Cruz in Oaxaca with Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz. Opus 2G Group's initiative is supported by the state government of Oaxaca. As part of its initial phase, the CIINT Benito Juárez will create approximately 75,000 jobs in heavy industries such as chemicals, energy, and agriculture. In the Smart City of Tehuantepec, iFarm will build an automated vertical farm based on cutting-edge iFarm StackGrow technology. The largest automated vertical farm in the world will have a total cultivation area of 38.500 square meters to grow over 35 types of leafy greens and microgreens with a hydroponics vertical farming system. Each month, the farm will produce over 288 tons of high-quality crops. In 2024, the Smart City of Tehuantepec will launch its pilot farm. By 2028, Opus 2G Group and iFarm plan to build 22 automated vertical farms in the smart city. A wide variety of crops will be grown in the future, including berries, fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medical plants. A joint investigation between iFarm and Opus 2G Group is also underway to develop an indoor farming system to grow coffee and cocoa beans. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/841/steakholder-foods-creates-worlds-first-3d-printed-fish-fillet.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/841/steakholder-foods-creates-worlds-first-3d-printed-fish-fillet.html Thu, 27 Apr 2023 08:11:00 +0530 Partner with Singapore's Umami Meats to create a scalable process for producing structured cultivated fish products using proprietary 3D bio-printing technology and customized bio-inks Steakholder Foods has achieved a milestone by using its 3D bio-printer to create the world’s first cultivated fish fillet in partnership with Singapore-based cell-based seafood company Umami Meats. The successful printing of the grouper fillet is a significant step towards commercializing the bioprinter and developing sustainable solutions for the food industry. The Steakholders’ unique technology allows the fillet to be ready for cooking immediately after printing, mimicking the texture of cooked fish.  In partnership with Singapore-based cell-based seafood company Umami Meats, Steakholder Foods has developed this propriety product. Using grouper cells provided by Umami Meats, Steakholder Foods customized its bio-inks to print the cultivated grouper product. The partnership’s goal is to create a scalable process for producing structured cultivated fish products using Steakholder Foods’ proprietary 3D bio-printing technology and customized bio-inks. The success of the 3D printing of the grouper fillet represents a significant step towards the commercialization of the bioprinter. Unlike other cultivated meat products, the grouper fish fillet is ready to cook after printing, Steakholder Foods’ unique technology allows the mimicking of the flaky texture of cooked fish. The seafood and fish market is a long-term part of Steakholder Foods’ vision to introduce sustainable solutions that increase food security. With an estimated size of $110 billion and projected growth of 3-4% annually, the company anticipates expanding its collaborations to a greater variety of species with additional partners. Steakholder Foods is developing a slaughter-free solution for producing a variety of beef and seafood products as an alternative to industrialized farming and fishing. The achievement by Steakholder Foods represents a significant milestone in the development of 3D bio-printing technology for the food industry. The successful customization of bio-inks to an external cell line opens the door to a wide variety of potential collaborations along the path to commercializing the 3D bio-printer. In the future, other structured cultivated products, including beef and seafood, will likely be developed as a result of the significant progress in developing sustainable solutions for the food industry. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/839/brinc-and-enterprise-singapore-launch-food-technology-program.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/839/brinc-and-enterprise-singapore-launch-food-technology-program.html Thu, 27 Apr 2023 08:08:00 +0530 The Program is tailored for startups focused on plant-based meat or dairy, novel ingredients, nutraceuticals or food as medicine, food safety, shelf life stability, or sustainable packaging. Brinc, a leading venture accelerator with a global sustainability focus, and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), a Singapore government agency promoting enterprise development, have partnered to launch the Food Technology Program. The initiative aims to provide the tools, expertise, and commercial network necessary to support Singapore-based food technology startups looking to enter the mainland China market. The Program is part of EnterpriseSG’s Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) initiative in China, which connects Singaporean startups with business and technology communities in major innovation hubs. The Program is tailored for startups focused on plant-based meat or dairy, novel ingredients, nutraceuticals or food as medicine, food safety, shelf life stability, or sustainable packaging. Participating in food technology, startups will receive support through educational content, network access, and advisory services. The virtual program will be run on a rolling basis, with startups participating in cohorts of two-to-three per intake to allow for personalized, hands-on support. Applications for the program are open, with the first cohort expected to start in May 2023. Over 12 weeks, participants will leverage Brinc and EnterpriseSG’s extensive networks in the food technology industry to meet potential commercial partners, including mainland China-based food brands, hospitality groups, restaurants, and grocery stores. The Program’s educational content will focus on go-to-market and commercialization best practices in the context of mainland China, with an emphasis on portability, regulation, pricing, market sizing, and customer discovery. Participants will also be able to work out of Brinc’s Shanghai office to connect directly with potential customers and partners and gain access to Brinc and EnterpriseSG’s regional investor networks during and after The Program. Manav Gupta, Founder and CEO of Brinc, said, “To be successful in the region, we believe it is essential for companies to craft a strategy rooted in a deep understanding of local consumer behavior, taste preferences, and sensory expectations.” Eugene Toh, Director of Food Manufacturing and Agritech at Enterprise Singapore, added, “We are happy to partner with Brinc on this regional market accelerator program and encourage startups looking to establish a presence in the Chinese market to tap this program.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/844/saudis-sabic-solutions-win-5-edison-awards-for-innovations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/844/saudis-sabic-solutions-win-5-edison-awards-for-innovations.html Wed, 26 Apr 2023 12:48:40 +0530 For the third year in a row, SABIC has been recognised for its innovations Saudi Arabia’s SABIC Solutions has been awarded five of the prestigious Edison Awards 2023 for its innovative solutions, designed to meet the needs of its customers and the broader value chain, and as well aligned with SAUDI Vision 2030. This is the third year in a row SABIC's solutions have been recognised by Edison Awards, which honour the world's most innovative new products, services, and business leaders, and this is the second year in a row that SABIC received at least five Edison awards.  SABIC won 3 gold and 2 bronze awards across three separate areas for its new products and solutions. These areas include ‘Food and Agriculture’, ‘Material Science’ and ‘Sustainability.’  These awards reflect SABIC's commitment to pushing the limits of science, technology and innovation and defining the future of chemistry that allows SABIC and its customers to address some of the world's biggest challenges. "SABIC is proud to be recognised for the third consecutive year by Edison Awards, demonstrating our continued leadership in new technology and innovation advancements. These are key elements of our continued business growth on our journey to be the preferred world leader in chemicals and provide innovative solutions for the future that create a more sustainable world," said Abdulrahman Al-Fageeh, CEO at SABIC. Notably, for its sustainability contribution, the Edison Awards recognised SABIC's collaboration in the innovative development of a frozen food packaging solution that uses recycled ocean-bound plastic.  Recognised as a gold award winner within the ‘Green Remediation’ category, the solution uses SABIC's TRUCIRCLE-certified circular polyethene from feedstock sourced from post-consumer plastic waste recovered from ocean feeding areas and rivers. The solution was designed in collaboration with the manufacturer of flexible film products, Polivouga and the brand owner Nueva Pescanova Group, who specialise in products like frozen seafood, making it a genuinely circular product. In the ‘Food and Agriculture Advancements’ category, SABIC was recognised as a gold award winner for its Blue Urea solution, a sustainable, low-carbon nitrogen fertiliser. SABIC Agri-Nutrients produced the product using ammonia that has a zero-carbon footprint and recently achieved the world's first independent certification for blue ammonia production. The third-party certification was made by TÜV Rheinland, a leading independent testing, inspection, and certification agency. To be certified as ‘blue’, a significant part of the CO2 associated with the manufacturing process needs to be captured and utilised in downstream applications.  Also, in the food and agriculture area, the Edison Awards bestowed a bronze award on SABIC's Next Generation Fertiliser which increases crop yield while reducing the need for large amounts of fertiliser. The unique multi-nutrient foliar fertiliser was developed with crop yield-building and protecting components in a single formula to provide nutrition and stress protection to plants. SABIC studies on the formulation have shown an improvement of up to 17 per cent in yield with up to 25 per cent reduction in fertiliser use. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/842/asean-level-framework-for-alternative-proteins.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/842/asean-level-framework-for-alternative-proteins.html Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:06:46 +0530 Stabilizing and harmonizing regulatory policies around alternative proteins is crucial to promoting fair trade competition in alternative protein products across ASEAN, explains Ankur Chaudhary, a thought leader in ASEAN Public Policy sector The global meat industry emits 17.3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases a year, representing approximately 35% of global emissions. As the global population continues to grow both in numbers and wealth, meat consumption is predicted to continue growing. This will increase the detrimental environmental and biodiversity effects of this industry. Alternative proteins have become a key substitute food source that promises to reduce many of these detrimental effects significantly. In the ASEAN region, interest in alternative proteins' game-changing potential is rapidly increasing among consumers, firms, and governments. Governments need support and a regulatory framework to effectively capture alternative proteins' wide-ranging benefits. Alternative proteins refer to various protein sources different from traditional animal-sourced proteins such as beef, poultry, and fish. Alternative proteins include plant-based proteins, cell-cultured proteins, and microbial proteins. Plant-based proteins are derived, for example, from soybeans, peas, and rice, and are used to make products such as plant-based meat substitutes, protein bars, and milk alternatives. Cell-cultured proteins, also known as cultivated meat or lab-grown meat, are produced by culturing animal cells in a laboratory setting and can be incorporated into produce meat products such as burgers and sausages. Microbial proteins are produced by microorganisms such as fungi, algae, and bacteria and can be used to make protein powders and snacks. Alternative proteins have garnered international attention due to their potential to change the game against climate change. According to scholars from the University of Michigan, plant-based burgers generate 87% less greenhouse gas emissions than a beef burger. For a cell-cultured meat burger, the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is even bigger at 96%, as a study published in Environmental Science & Technology finds. Additionally, both plant-based and cell-cultured meat requires 95% less land (University of Oxford, ES&T) and up to 90% less water (University of Oxford) than traditional meat production.  In addition to their climate-positive effects, alternative proteins also have beneficial societal outcomes. Alternative proteins can also increase food security by providing a sustainable source of protein not dependent on traditional animal agriculture. This is particularly critical in regions of the world where protein access is limited. According to a report by the World Economic Forum, alternative proteins have the potential to address food insecurity by providing a more sustainable and efficient protein source. Furthermore, traditional animal agriculture relies heavily on antibiotics, which contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria development. Cell-cultured and plant-based proteins do not require antibiotics to make them. Across the ASEAN region interest in alternative proteins is rapidly increasing, with a growing number of companies and startups developing plant-based and cell-cultured protein products. Singapore has been at the forefront of alternative protein innovation in Southeast Asia, with several startups and research institutions developing plant-based and cell-cultured meat products. In 2019, Singapore became the first country in the world to approve the sale of cell-cultured meat and has since seen the establishment of numerous cell-based meat companies, such as Float Foods, Unmeat, Turtle Tree, etc. The Thai government has also supported the industry's development, with the National Innovation Agency launching a program to support startups in the alternative protein space. Indonesia has seen the emergence of several plant-based protein companies, including Green Butcher, which produces plant-based meat alternatives, and Green Rebel Foods, which produces plant-based chicken and beef. As the demand for these types of proteins increases, regulation is needed to ensure their safety and quality. Regulation around alternative proteins is necessary to promote fair competition in the market. Without regulation, some companies may misrepresent their products or use deceptive marketing practices. This could mislead consumers and give them an unfair advantage. Regulation can protect public health by ensuring alternative protein products are safe and free from harmful contaminants. This is particularly pertinent for cell-cultured proteins grown in a lab which may be more susceptible to contamination. Regulation can help to promote sustainability in the food industry by encouraging the development of alternative protein sources that are more environmentally friendly than traditional animal-based proteins. As ASEAN has diverse food regulations, an ASEAN-level framework for alternative proteins could contribute to harmonizing regulations across member countries. This would enable companies operating in the region to navigate regulatory requirements more easily and facilitate trade in alternative protein products across ASEAN. An ASEAN-level framework could help ensure that alternative protein products sold in the region meet certain safety and quality standards. This would help protect consumers and build trust in alternative protein products. A harmonized regulatory environment could also support and promote sustainability in alternative protein production and consumption. By setting standards for environmental impact and resource use, an ASEAN-level framework could encourage the development of sustainable alternative protein products. It could also contribute to promoting innovation in the alternative protein industry by providing a clear regulatory framework for companies to operate within. This could help attract investment and talent to the region and help ASEAN countries become leaders in the alternative protein space. In summary, a framework around alternative proteins is essential to ensure the safety and quality of these products. It is essential to promote fair competition in the market, protect public health, and encourage sustainability in the food industry. Author: Ankur Chaudhary, Speyside Group (Public policy, Government and Regulatory affairs); Scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/847/bostik-unveils-solvent-free-laminating-adhesive-for-food-and-pharma-industries-in-china.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/847/bostik-unveils-solvent-free-laminating-adhesive-for-food-and-pharma-industries-in-china.html Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:26:00 +0530 The high performance heat and chemical resistance adhesive solutions are much required for packing in food, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and pharmaceutical industries Bostik, a leading global adhesive specialist for industrial, construction and consumer markets, has launched HERBERTS LF686/H186, a high performance solvent-free adhesive, for the China market. Bostik HERBERTS LF686/H186 was developed specifically for rigid packaging, and it can be applied primarily on packaging with aluminium foil, PET/VMPET and aluminium plate. Such packaging can be seen in market segments such as food and beverage, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and pharmaceuticals. With a wide range of applications, HERBERTS LF686/H186 promotes good wettability, which means there will not be appearance of bubbles on the PET/AL or PET/VMPET films. The solvent-free adhesive can also withstand heat from reheating, boiling, or retorting of packaging with aluminium foil structures. Its other properties include excellent chemical resistance and composite process stability. HERBERTS LF686/H186 is the ideal solution for rigid packaging with no solvent retention, one that has a good appearance with fast lamination speed, excellent bonding strength and heat resistance. “The solvent-free laminating adhesives market size is projected to reach multimillion USD by 2028, and there is no better time than now to showcase our capabilities with the launch of HERBERTS LF686/H186. By introducing the product in China, we are demonstrating the necessity to meet the strict packaging requirements in some of our key markets” said Jane Sun, Director of Advanced Packaging and Converting BU, Asia Pacific, Bostik. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/835/lypid-launches-worlds-first-plant-based-pork-belly-product-in-taiwan.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/835/lypid-launches-worlds-first-plant-based-pork-belly-product-in-taiwan.html Tue, 25 Apr 2023 12:10:51 +0530 Lypid pioneers fat encapsulation technology to make plant-based vegan pork belly taste like the real thing using PhytoFat Taiwan-based innovative food technology start-up, Lypid has launched its plant-based, vegan pork belly product, supporting cruelty-free and eco-friendly food products. Made from 100% plant-based ingredients and patented PhytoFat technology (special encapsulated technology for canola or olive oil), Lypid’s pork belly has a juicy, smoky flavor simulating real meat. In addition to taste and texture, it is high in protein and free of antibiotics. To make plant-based meat tastier, Lypid uses PhytoFat. Lypid targets a growing food segment that identifies itself as vegetarian, or flexitarian with a preference for plant-based food. Lypid unveiled its newest innovation, serving as a major ingredient in vegan macaroni and cheese, as well as a pizza topping. Pork belly from Lypid offers a wide range of possibilities to fill the gap in the alternative meat market. Furthermore, compared to traditional pork bacon, the derivates have been proven to be lower in cholesterol, 85% lower in saturated fat, 39% lower in calories, and 69% lower in sodium. Lypid's pork belly cooks and sizzles just like traditional pork, making it a perfect substitute for a variety of recipes and cooking scenarios. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/829/syngenta-to-leverage-biotalys-insecticide-biocontrol-pipeline.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/829/syngenta-to-leverage-biotalys-insecticide-biocontrol-pipeline.html Tue, 25 Apr 2023 09:57:49 +0530 Syngenta and Biotalys partners to advance AGROBODY™ technology platform to expand biological innovations for sustainable agriculture Syngenta Crop Protection and Biotalys (Euronext – BTLS) has announced a collaboration to research, develop and commercialize new biocontrol solutions to manage key pests in a broad variety of crops. The new solution will be based on Biotalys’ AGROBODY™ technology and will offer a new mode of action to broaden farmers’ access to novel technologies that counter the threat of pest resistance and advance sustainable agriculture. This new partnership allows Biotalys to accelerate the development and global commercialization of innovative crop protection solutions and cement its biocontrol innovation leadership by leveraging the expansive network and capabilities of a global agriculture business. Under the terms of this partnership, Syngenta will collaborate on a research program with Biotalys, an agricultural technology company focused on protein-based biocontrol solutions, to leverage its AGROBODY™ technology platform for Syngenta’s specific insect targets. Camilla Corsi, Head of Crop Protection Research at Syngenta Crop Protection said “by combining our proven research and development capabilities with the breakthrough protein-based innovations of the Biotalys AGROBODY™ platform, we are determined to play a pivotal role in addressing critical farmer needs around the globe.” With resistance development and increasing regulatory and environmental pressures, growers are eager to explore innovative and effective biological solutions that limit the impact on the environment and biodiversity. Biotalys has demonstrated the potential of its protein-based biocontrols to deliver novel modes of actions for effective and safe application in food and agriculture. “Syngenta, a world-leading agricultural company, on one of the most pressing industry challenges – the development of innovative and effective pest control solutions – by delivering on the promise of our AGROBODY™ technology,” said Patrice Sellès, Chief Executive Officer at Biotalys. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/826/agrofresh-partner-with-strella-to-launch-real-time-monitoring-tool-in-horticulture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/826/agrofresh-partner-with-strella-to-launch-real-time-monitoring-tool-in-horticulture.html Mon, 24 Apr 2023 17:18:09 +0530 New innovative sensor technology enhances real-time monitoring of apple and pear ripening process; offers packers an eye into their storage rooms as part of post-harvest solution The leader in post-harvest freshness solutions, AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. announced a partnership with Strella, a startup and developer of proprietary sensor technology, as part of its commitment to reducing food loss and promoting sustainable agriculture. The global exclusive distribution agreement will launch immediately for the northern hemisphere’s apple and pear seasons and leverage AgroFresh’s relationships with more than 3,700 customers worldwide. “We expand the reach for this innovative technology in association with Strella and provide our customers with the data and insights they need to reduce food waste and maintain the quality and freshness of apples and pears as they move through the supply chain,” said Clint Lewis, Chief Executive Officer for AgroFresh “Our partnership with Strella expands our comprehensive portfolio of post-harvest solutions and further supports our customers in their efforts to grow and distribute an abundant supply of sustainable fresh produce around the world.” added CEO, Clint Lewis. Strella’s proprietary sensors collect real-time perishability data on apples and pears while they are in storage, allowing customers to make data-driven inventory decisions to maintain freshness and protect the value of their produce in storage to yield a higher quality pack out with limited disruptions in supply to the market. This technology will complement AgroFresh’s FreshCloud™ platform. FreshCloud™ is an integrated digital platform that provides end-to-end data visibility and monitoring of product quality at all points along the value chain and moves the quality control (QC) inspection process into the digital age. Katherine Sizov, Chief Executive Officer for Strella. “Our focus is to use technology and data to enable smarter decisions across the supply chain. Addressing inefficiencies in fruit storage is a critical step in building a more resilient food supply chain." The new agreement allows AgroFresh to build on the company’s full portfolio of integrated post-harvest products, services and digital solutions designed to maintain fresh produce quality and extend shelf life. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/818/israeli-prime-minister-visits-steakholder-foods-to-experience-cutting-edge-3d-printing-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/818/israeli-prime-minister-visits-steakholder-foods-to-experience-cutting-edge-3d-printing-technology.html Fri, 21 Apr 2023 12:15:10 +0530 Became the first Prime Minister to ever taste 3D-printed cultivated fish Steakholder Foods Ltd, an international deep-tech food company at the forefront of the cultivated meat industry, announced that it was proud to host Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, who explored the latest advancements in cultivated meat and 3D bio-printing and tasted 3D-printed cultivated fish and meat products at the cutting edge of food tech. During his visit, the Prime Minister had the opportunity to tour the company's facilities, see firsthand how Steakholder Foods' industrial-scale 3D bio-printer works, and learn about its potential to print tons of cultivated meat per day. He said that there is a global revolution in how humanity is producing food, and emphasised that his government is working to help companies move forward in order to maintain a technological lead. He then tasted a 3D-printed cultivated fish fillet, printed with Steakholder Foods' customised bio-inks using Umami Meats' fish cells. The tasting also included Steakholder Foods' beef product grown with ethically harvested cells in the Company's facilities. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/815/mustgrow-launches-soil-amendment-and-biofertility-programs-for-sustainable-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/815/mustgrow-launches-soil-amendment-and-biofertility-programs-for-sustainable-agriculture.html Fri, 21 Apr 2023 08:45:00 +0530 Plant-based programs to focus on soil and microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields for Sustainable Agriculture MustGrow Biologics Corp., an global agriculture biotech company developing organic Biocontrol has extended its capabilities to capitalize on sustainable agriculture opportunities in the “Soil Amendment” and “Biofertility” marketplaces. MustGrow’s Soil Amendment and Biofertility development programs will focus on soil and soil microbiome health, nutrient and water use efficiencies, and plant yields. Throughout 2022, MustGrow engaged in extensive market research, formulation activities, and prospective partnership discussions, and has now added Soil Amendment and Biofertility programs to its growing list of global target applications, which now covers: preplant soil fumigation (under the brand name TerraMGTM), postharvest food preservation and bioherbicide (together “Biocontrol”), and now Soil Amendment and Biofertility applications. Currently under development with four global partners: Janssen PMP, Bayer, Sumitomo Corporation, and NexusBioAg, MustGrow believes the Soil Amendment and Biofertility initiative will complement its existing Biocontrol programs in soil fumigation, postharvest food preservation, and bioherbicide. A key goal of partnership programs in 2023 will be to expand their scope and investments globally. Commercial and strategic advancements will be pivotal in certain regions and crops. Plant-based technologies are being developed by MustGrow to improve soil health as well as the surrounding ecosystem. As a soil conditioner in mixable form, TerraSanteTM contain nutritious plant proteins and carbohydrates that feed soil microbes, improving beneficial microbial activity and ensuring long-term soil health. Increasing nutrient availability can increase plant vigor and yields, while reducing plant stress.  TerraSanteTM improves crop nutrient uptake and, therefore, crop performance.  No additives or preservatives are used during manufacturing. Initially, MustGrow will pursue TerraSanteTM registrations in North America for Soil Amendment applications, followed by formulations and brands for Biofertility applications.  Plant-based extracts from mustard and possibly other sources will be used in the Soil Amendment and Biofertility products. Weighing fertilizer reduction targets against the need to increase farm production, farm profitability, economic growth and global food security points to sustainable Soil Amendment and Biofertility innovation and development as a key agriculture solution. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/814/ayana-bio-unveils-first-ingredients-made-using-plant-cell-culture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/814/ayana-bio-unveils-first-ingredients-made-using-plant-cell-culture.html Fri, 21 Apr 2023 08:12:00 +0530 Non-GMO phytocomplex plant powders becomes first to commercialize cell technology output products in global health and wellness markets Boston headquartered Ayana Bio has launched its first-ever plant cell-cultivated lemon balm and echinacea health and wellness ingredients, starting with the U.S. market. The method is believed to provide organic botanicals, a non-GMO plant powders without conventional agriculture supply chain concerns. Ayana Bio is a pioneer in plant cell technology making sustainable bioactive composition of conventionally grown botanicals out of the agriculture methodologies. Plant cell cultivation avoids traditional production challenges while yielding the identical molecular composition and the same health and wellness benefits as agricultural counterparts – and can be tailored to even higher concentrations of bioactives. These plant cell-derived ingredients are DNA-fingerprint certified and clean label, with standardized phytocomplex, increased bioavailability, full traceability and a neutral taste and color. In the novel methodology plant cells are propagated from authenticated plants and are assessed to identify the ideal line for important characteristics like bioactive potency, composition and stability. Ayana Bio further optimizes the conditions and nutrients the plant cells need to grow and multiply. Unlike some plants that take years to grow and mature in the ground, plant cells are fully propagated and harvested as an ingredient in just a few weeks. Rather than using photosynthesis to convert sunlight into food, plant cell culture companies feed sugars, hormones, and other nutrients to plant cells. In addition to echinacea and lemon balm, Ayana Bio also works on saffron, cacao, and blueberries to produce bioactives similar to those found in conventionally grown lemon balm and echinacea, which support sleep, mood, and immunity. As a spin-off of synthetic biology specialist Ginkgo Bioworks, Ayana Bio has raised $30 million from Viking Global Investors and Cascade Investment Group to make high-value ingredients from plant cell lines in bioreactors in 2021. Frank Jaksch, chief executive officer of Ayana Bio said "Bringing plant cell-derived health and wellness ingredients to these markets will help CPGs access the full spectrum of bioactives characteristic of these plants without the supply chain challenges. Consumers are seeking out products for healthier lifestyles and a healthier planet." Effendi Leonard, chief technology officer of Ayana Bio. "Plant cell technology is creating a sustainable future of standardized botanical ingredients. We're proud to be the first to commercialize the products of this technology for health and wellness in these key markets." The availability of plant-derived health and wellness ingredients in these markets will enable CPGs (consumer packaged goods companies) to access the full spectrum of bioactive compounds inherent to these plants. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/809/new-zeeland-dairy-farmers-continue-to-embrace-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/809/new-zeeland-dairy-farmers-continue-to-embrace-innovation.html Thu, 20 Apr 2023 11:21:33 +0530 New Zealand farmers are focused on improving the production efficiency of their herds utilising digital data and statistical insights to support on-farm decisions DairyNZ has released its annual New Zealand Dairy Statistics report in association with Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) in mid April 2023, highlighting the industries achievements in FY 2021/22. This is the first New Zealand Dairy Statistics published since herd recording companies have been able to send data directly to the Dairy Industry Good Animal Database (DIGAD). The report states that, "In the 2021/22 season, 20.78 billion litres of milk containing 1.87 billion kilograms of milksolids was processed by dairy companies. After reaching a record milk production per herd and per cow in the previous 2020/21 season, production dropped back to 2019/20 levels as the impacts of Covid-19, climatic conditions on farm, inflationary pressures and supply chain issues presented a challenging year for the industry". The trend of declining cow and herd numbers continued and was accompanied by a 4.3% decrease in litres and 4.1% decrease in kilograms of milksolids processed, compared to the previous season. “Through tough times farmers continue to prove their resilience and stay focused on milking better and more efficient cows, by making the most of technology and information. Dairy farmers work hard to retain their unique pasture-based farm system, as they keep milk production flowing and therefore creating real value for New Zealanders” says DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle. The 2021/22 season saw an increased uptake of herd improvement services, with record herd testing levels this season of 3.79 million cows. Artificial insemination remained steady at 3.94 million cows. This continues the trend of New Zealand farmers remaining focused on improving the production efficiency of their herds, and utilising data and insights to support on-farm decisions. Key statistics from the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2021-22 report The dairy sector produced 20.78 billion litres of milk containing 1.87 billion kilograms of milksolids – a 4.3% (~929 million litres) decrease in litres and a 4.1% (~79 million kg) decrease in milksolids processed compared with the previous season Average milk production per cow was 386 kg of milksolids (made up of 216 kg milkfat and 169 kg protein), a 2.9% decrease from 397 kg last season and back to similar levels as 2019/20 season. Cow numbers have continued to decline, down to 4.84 million, a decrease of 1.26% from the previous season. A total of 3.79 million cows were herd tested (78.3% of cows) – a new record. 3.942 million cows were mated to artificial breeding. The average dairy co-operative payout of $9.52 per kg milksolids was the highest average payout on record, increasing from $7.76 in the previous season. "Record levels of herd testing uptake and strong investment in artificial breeding demonstrates a continued focus from farmers on herd improvement, to identify poor performing cows and to breed more efficient animals. The average dairy co-operative payout from Fonterra and Tatua was $9.52 per kg, which was a record average payout for farmers, while dairy exports reached a record $22 billion in 2021/22, once again showing the importance of the dairy industry to New Zealand’s economy and our rural communities in a difficult economic climate" says LIC chief executive David Chin. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/800/taiwans-delta-cooperates-to-breed-heat-tolerant-coral.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/800/taiwans-delta-cooperates-to-breed-heat-tolerant-coral.html Thu, 20 Apr 2023 08:56:00 +0530 Collaborates with National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium to adopt novel coral breeding technology for corals restoration Taiwan's Delta Electronics collaborated with country's National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium from to proactively protect biodiversity by restoring coral. During the coral breeding season, volunteers and researchers collected coral sperm and eggs and conducted artificial insemination and incubation in the laboratory to increase coral colonization success. Leveraging its expertise in industrial automation, Delta has developed a customized coral incubator and vertical coral breeding system based on the Delta Plant Factory. The breeding system adopts an LED light system with a special spectrum to accelerate coral growth with programmable logic controllers that regularly feed and change water. Delta is assisting the museum in breeding heat-tolerant coral to cope with increasingly frequent marine heatwaves, fulfilling its "Climate Change" and "Life Below Water" sustainable development goals. "In the past, it was difficult to break through the traditional environment bottlenecks. With the assistance of Delta's technology and equipment, we expect to complete the collection and incubation of 10 types of coral in southern Taiwan in the first stage. We will build on the research on coral symbiosis and the breeding of heat-tolerant coral to conduct research on culturing heat-tolerant phycobionts to reduce coral bleaching", said the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium Director Chii-Shiarng Chen. Wim Chang, CEO of the Delta Electronics Foundation, said, "Climate models project increases in the frequency of marine heatwaves by 2081-2100 by approximately 50 times relative to the period of 1850-1900. This may result in severe coral bleaching. Delta's volunteers have received two years of training from the museum's researchers. In addition to obtaining CoralNet certification and with the guidance of researchers, they have marked spawning coral and set up collection nets for the first time this year, to contribute to the research of heat-tolerant coral. Delta's technology, along with microcomputer tomography equipment, will further accelerate the progress of breeding heat-tolerant coral in the lab. The foundation will also continue to work with research institutions and restoration groups to expand the restoration endeavours and move toward international biodiversity goals." April is the coral breeding season in southern Taiwan. Besides attracting recreational divers, the spectacular mass coral spawning in the Kenting waters also offers a critical time of the year for coral research. The heat-tolerant coral currently selected by the museum for restoration is Pocillopora acuta. Delta's volunteers assist with the collection of sperm and eggs, participate in in-depth transplantation research, and regularly monitor the process in the sea.  The coral vertical breeding system developed by Delta has research parameters that can be adjusted to simulate warming environments for different types of coral to explore their heat tolerance. Delta's microcomputer tomography equipment was also adopted to analyze factors such as coral bone density, soft tissue, and the composition of phycobionts to identify the optimal coral breeding conditions. In addition, Delta is paying close attention to climate change, protect biodiversity, and assist domestic indicative research institutions in overcoming their existing laboratories' traditional breeding environment and technology challenges. These efforts are improving the institutions' research results and allowing them to catch up with their international counterparts, as they preserve coral species by making them resilient enough to withstand marine heatwaves and extreme climate change. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/796/ginkgos-cell-programming-capabilities-to-support-syngentas-ongoing-seeds-rd-pipeline-efforts.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/796/ginkgos-cell-programming-capabilities-to-support-syngentas-ongoing-seeds-rd-pipeline-efforts.html Tue, 18 Apr 2023 11:52:26 +0530 Ginkgo’s cell programming capabilities to support Syngenta’s ongoing seeds R&D pipeline efforts Syngenta Seeds (Syngenta), global agri-tech company and Ginkgo Bioworks have partnered to screen a targeted genetic library for novel trait discovery. The results of this research are intended to inform future seed trait development so that farmers can grow healthier and more resilient crops. Ginkgo Bioworks is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, Syngenta will leverage Ginkgo’s extensive protein engineering capabilities and proprietary ultra high-throughput screening technologies to complement and accelerate Syngenta’s efforts to design and develop innovative plant traits. Ginkgo will leverage proprietary ultra high-throughput single-cell encapsulation and screening platform to support Syngenta’s development efforts to bring the next generation of innovative products to farmers. The partnership aims to tackle pressing challenges at global agriculture ecosystem. Innovative research partnerships in agriculture understanding the value of cross-pollinating expertise and capabilities across diverse industries is crucial. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/794/crop-seeds-return-from-space-in-iaea-fao-project-to-develop-resilient-crops.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/794/crop-seeds-return-from-space-in-iaea-fao-project-to-develop-resilient-crops.html Tue, 18 Apr 2023 11:20:00 +0530 The experiment aims to develop resilient crops that can help provide sufficient food amid a climate crisis Seeds sent into space last year have returned to Earth in a new milestone for joint efforts by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to develop resilient crops that can help provide sufficient food as the planet heats up. Plants naturally evolve to thrive in their surroundings, but crops have been struggling to keep up with the current pace of climate change. The world is warmer and the global population is increasing, causing farmers around the world to struggle to meet food demand. To support these farmers and improve global food security, the IAEA and FAO, through their Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, sent seeds into space to explore the effects of cosmic radiation on speeding up natural, genetic adaptation of much-needed crops. Their return to Earth paves the way for scientists to start analysing the results. Launched from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, USA on 7 November 2022 and having spent around 5 months at the International Space Station (ISS), Arabidopsis and Sorghum seeds — chosen because there is already a large bank of scientific data available for comparison — were released from the ISS in the SpaceX CRS-27 cargo craft at 17:05 CEST on 15 April and made a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida, CA, USA at 22:58 CEST. They will now begin their journey back to the laboratories of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture in Seibersdorf, Austria, where they will be screened and analysed for desirable traits.  “The cosmic crops project is a very special one. This is a science that could have a real impact on people’s lives in the not-too-distant future, by helping us grow stronger crops and feed more people,” said Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General. “IAEA and FAO scientists may have already been mutating seeds for 60 years and creating thousands of stronger crops for the world to use, but this is the first time we have experimented with such an exciting field as astrobiology.” “Now that the seeds are back on Earth, we can see the effects of cosmic radiation, microgravity and extreme temperatures and compare them with those induced in our joint laboratories. This ground-breaking experiment can help develop crops that are able to adapt to climate change and boost global food security,” said QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General. The seeds will undergo a phytosanitary import process which is a standard requirement for the transport of plant material across country borders to minimise the risk of introducing new pests, before final arrival at the laboratories. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/788/irri-proposes-second-greener-revolution-to-solve-global-rice-crisis.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/788/irri-proposes-second-greener-revolution-to-solve-global-rice-crisis.html Tue, 18 Apr 2023 08:31:47 +0530 Recommends system-based approach for the global agrifood ecosystem A recent analysis by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) indicates that, by 2050, population growth is projected to drive a 30 percent increase in rice demand. Resources including land, water, and labor that rice production requires become scarcer, and with withered crops and destroyed paddy fields due to the climate change’s effects of extreme heat and frequent floods, the global rice output continues to decrease. No crop is as vulnerable to global warming as rice, say scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Solutions to address the compounding challenges faced by farmers in the rice sector inevitably need to include climate change adaptation. “If the first green revolution was about productivity, the next one should focus on systems rather than solutions at the plant or plot level,” says IRRI Director General Jean Balié This calls for better rice policies as well as varieties. Scientists at IRRI and its partners have developed rice varieties resistant to floods, drought, and heat. More nutritious strains are also being developed. IRRI Climate Scientist Bjoern Ole Sander also highlights the importance of not putting the burden of emissions mitigation on farmers. To save labor and inefficiencies, the Vietnam government-supported plan to cultivate “low-carbon” rice, highlighting the big role of policy and decision-makers in the rice-food system. These changes, combined with innovations in cultivation such as direct seeding—a planting method that requires less water and labor—can reduce environmental damage and increase yields.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/789/azelis-opens-agricultural-environmental-solutions-application-lab-in-india.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/789/azelis-opens-agricultural-environmental-solutions-application-lab-in-india.html Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:28:25 +0530 The laboratory focuses on formulation support for crop protection, seed treatment and micronutrient formulations that align with international methods and standards for formulations. Azelis, a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, has launched a novel laboratory for the Agricultural & Environmental Solutions (A&ES) industry in India. A team of highly skilled and experienced agricultural technical specialists staffs the new laboratory, which is equipped with the latest equipment. The laboratory focuses on formulation support for crop protection, seed treatment and micronutrient formulations that align with international methods and standards for formulations. With the opening of this A&ES laboratory in India, in addition to Azelis' Pharmaceutical & Healthcare, Personal Care, Food & Nutrition, and Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants & Elastomers (CASE) laboratories, Azelis India is able to provide high-quality technical solutions across a wide range of industries to its customers and principals. The advanced facility represents a key milestone in the group's commitment to innovation and formulation services. Aparna Khurana, Azelis India Managing Director said, "The newly opened laboratory expands our agrochemical capabilities to better serve our customers and principals. By offering support across all stages of the formulation development process, we demonstrate how Azelis provides value-adding services in addition to our extensive portfolio of products. Our commitment to innovation has always been at the core of our business. This new laboratory demonstrates our commitment to continuously invest in innovation capabilities.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/778/oxitec-achieves-biological-pest-control-in-brazilian-corn-farms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/778/oxitec-achieves-biological-pest-control-in-brazilian-corn-farms.html Fri, 14 Apr 2023 09:51:13 +0530 Successfully completes the third large-scale pilot season of the Friendly™ fall armyworm and launches fourth pilot on commercial corn Oxitec Ltd, the leading developer of insect-based biological solutions has successfully completed the third large-scale pilot season of the Friendly™ fall armyworm, and the launch of the fourth pilot on commercial corn in Brazil. Following full commercial biosafety approval from Brazilian regulators in 2021, season-long pilot deployments enable validation of product delivery and performance on large commercial corn farms in Brazil's most significant corn-growing regions. The Oxitec solutions prevent pests from transmitting diseases, destroying crops, and harming livestock. FriendlyTM fall armyworms were deployed on thousands of acres of commercial corn fields in So Paulo during the recent pilot season. As a result, deployment systems were optimized and validated. In partnership with Fundaço MT, a leading Brazilian agricultural research organization, new pilot trials are underway in Mato Grosso state during corn planting season. By combining these pilot seasons, Oxitec is validating FriendlyTM fall armyworm product form factors so that it can be distributed nationally and easily deployed in growers' fields. As Oxitec moves closer to commercializing this new biological solution for fall armyworms, product dosing, and placement are also being tested and optimized, along with a digital support system for growers. The fall armyworm includes a caterpillar life stage that destroys corn and other crops. A difficult pest to control, it rapidly develops resistance to biotech corn varieties designed to control crop-damaging pests, as well as traditional chemical pesticides. In recent years, fall armyworm has spread beyond the Americas, and now imposes an economic burden of billions of dollars across Africa, Asia and Oceania. Hence Oxitec is developing new effective, and environmentally safe solutions urgently needed for improved and more sustainable crop protection. Published scientific modelling demonstrates that releases of Oxitec's male Friendly™ fall armyworm will be a highly effective pest suppression tool and can also delay the spread of resistance to biotech corn varieties to protect their durability against this pest. Oxitec's pilot deployments continue to confirm the strong performance of Friendly™ fall armyworm on Brazilian farms and across a range of geographies and operational settings. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/781/innovasea-introduces-waterborne-feeding-solution.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/781/innovasea-introduces-waterborne-feeding-solution.html Fri, 14 Apr 2023 09:39:00 +0530 Innovative FlowFeeder technology improves feed conversion and lowers carbon footprint by implementing consistent feeding regimens at by lowering costs Innovasea, a global leader in technologically advanced aquatic solutions for aquaculture and fish tracking, has introduced FlowFeeder, a waterborne feeding solution that gently delivers feed to fish below the surface, minimizing pellet damage and loss that’s common with air-blown feeding systems. FlowFeeder is an end-to-end feeding solution that can deliver feed to multiple pens from a single, centralized point. It mixes feed pellets with water on the feed vessel and then gently carries the mixture into the pens. “FlowFeeder provides a better way to feed fish because it gets more pellets directly into the pen underwater,” said Langley Gace, senior vice president of Innovasea. “Rather than blowing feed pellets onto the surface above the fish pen where they can drift away, FlowFeeder delivers the feed at the depths where fish prefer to congregate. That means less waste and better feed conversion ratios – one of the keys to profitability at any fish farm.” The waterborne delivery system requires less power than air-blown systems and can reduce energy costs by up to 50 percent – with farms that use diesel generators to power their feeding operations shrinking their carbon footprint as a result. Waterborne delivery also reduces damage to feed pellets, which are often fractured when blown through pipes by an air compressor. “Air-blown systems are messy and leave behind a lot of dust and oily feed residue in the pipes,” said Gace. “That requires regular cleanings that drive up operational and maintenance costs and increase downtime on the feed vessel.” FlowFeeder features a proprietary feed dispenser that can be placed at the ideal feeding depth for the species – and it does a better job distributing the pellets throughout the pen for all fish. Because the feed pellets are delivered at depth, FlowFeeder enables farm operators to feed even when there are heavy waves, strong currents or surface threats such as harmful algal blooms or sea lice. Not only does that keep fish stocks safe, it also significantly reduces the number of lost feed days to help keep growth targets on track. FlowFeeder can be used with Innovasea’s submersible fish pens as well as traditional surface pens from other manufacturers. It can also be paired with BiomassPro and Innovasea’s feed optimization technology to further improve feeding processes and maximize growth rates. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/777/carbon-robotics-on-a-mission-to-scale-ai-powered-weed-control-platform.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/777/carbon-robotics-on-a-mission-to-scale-ai-powered-weed-control-platform.html Thu, 13 Apr 2023 13:23:36 +0530 Secures $30M in funding to develop cost-effective and efficient precision ag-tech tool LaserWeeder™ platform for a targeted weed elimination in farms Carbon Robotics, a leader in AI-powered robotics, has secured $30 million to develop LaserWeeder™ platform for effortless weed control in agricultural farms. The LaserWeeder™ identifies weeds and targets them for elimination. The platform implement’s 30 high-powered CO2 lasers using thermal energy to destroy the meristem of the weed with millimeter accuracy, without damaging nearby crops or disturbing the soil. The Series C financing from new lead investor Sozo Ventures is coupled with existing investors Anthos Capital, Fuse Venture Capital, Ignition Partners, Liquid2 and Voyager Capital. The funding will be used to expand sales regions in North America, optimize and scale manufacturing, develop new software and hardware products, and launch into international markets. This latest round of financing brings Carbon Robotics’ overall funding to $67 million. “Carbon Robotics' elegant use of AI, computer vision, robotics and lasers enables farmers to reduce their most expensive line item - weed control - without damaging plants or the soil. The breakthrough innovation boosts farmers’ profitability across conventional, organic and no-till practices” said Rob Freelen, managing director of Sozo Ventures. “Traditional weeding methods, including hand weeding and herbicides, are expensive, unreliable and damage soil health. The LaserWeeder uniquely addresses all of these challenges. This financing round further supports our mission to provide cost-effective and efficient precision ag-tech tools to growers,” said Paul Mikesell, CEO and founder of Carbon Robotics. To date, Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeders have successfully eliminated more than 500 million weeds across 40 different crops. The LaserWeeder™ has extended its reach to farms across 17 U.S. states and three provinces in Canada. Most recently, Carbon Robotics expanded the features of the LaserWeeder with the industry’s first LaserThinning capability, targeting areas where vegetable crops are purposefully overseeded and then thinned for optimal crop spacing, growth and yield. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/775/grdc-injects-3-5m-to-boost-soil-organic-matter-in-australia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/775/grdc-injects-3-5m-to-boost-soil-organic-matter-in-australia.html Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:38:12 +0530 A five-year research project into soil microbial ecosystems aims to improve nutrient management in agriculture by boosting soil organic matter Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is investing $3.5 million in an innovative farming system project to explore ways Australian grain growers to increase soil organic matter and return carbon to the soil. The five-year investment by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) in partnership with Australia’s national science agency CSIRO and industry partners Kalyx Australia and Delta Agribusiness, is expected to generate international interest with its focus on improving soil organic matter through effective nutrient management using a whole-system approach to increase soil microbes. This investment builds on GRDC’s commitment to support grain growers to understand and incorporate sustainable farming practices through research, development and extension (RD&E). A 2022 independent assessment of GRDC’s RD&E portfolio determined that more than a quarter of projects worth approximately $200M were supporting the grains industry to adopt improved practices or technologies with direct environment benefits. Looking forward, GRDC is finalising a new RDE Plan 2023-28 within which one of the four proposed pillars is ‘Thrive For Future Generations: Australia’s grains industry remains a global leader in sustainability, for people, the planet & our long-term ability to farm’. This CSIRO-led project will identify the most effective ways to increase soil organic matter from crop residues in a dryland cropping systems and detail the cost-benefit analysis of a range of nutrient and residue management strategies for grain growers. The project will also conduct a lifecycle assessment of inputs for carbon accounting purposes. Soil organic matter contributes to a range of biological, chemical and physical properties of soil and is essential for supplying nutrients to crops, preserving soil structure and maintaining water infiltration. Lower organic matter levels reduce soil resilience and function. Good soil organic matter levels support higher grain yield and quality, but Australian soil organic matter levels are declining under continuous cropping cycles. Although plant residues are very high in carbon, nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur are required to break it down to build healthy soils with high levels of humus. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/774/cafu-unveils-first-of-its-kind-technology-for-planting-ghaf-seeds.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/774/cafu-unveils-first-of-its-kind-technology-for-planting-ghaf-seeds.html Thu, 13 Apr 2023 12:02:25 +0530 The development of the new autonomous and unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) technology will accelerate CAFU’s goal to plant one million Ghaf tree seeds CAFU, the Dubai-based leader in technology and car services, has announced the latest development in furthering its commitment to planting one million trees as a part of its Ghaf Tree Project. The development of the new autonomous and unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) technology will accelerate CAFU’s goal to plant one million Ghaf tree seeds in the UAE. Equipped with custom speedball planting technology and tracks designed specifically to operate in desert conditions, this first-of-its-kind planting technology will help CAFU’s ambitions to address the global challenge of climate change and support the UAE’s goal to become net-zero by 2050. In 2021, CAFU launched the ‘Ghaf Tree Project’ – a bold initiative to re-green barren ecosystems across the Emirates by planting one million Ghaf seeds. Through an extensive R&D phase that focused on seed optimisation and viability and with a goal to find the best solution to plant trees more quickly in arid conditions, CAFU pivoted its initial ariel tech to robotic solutions to solve this issue. The improved technology has the ability to penetrate deeper into the ground and distribute seeds more effectively, leading to more successful trees being planted. The innovative technology not only speeds up the planting process but also guarantees the survival of the Ghaf trees. The collaboration with United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) which focused on R&D for seed optimisation and viability and CAFU’s new UGV technology, marks a significant milestone in the project's development. Launched at CAFU’s labs in Sharjah, as the first-of-its-kind in the MENA region, the technology is expected to quadruple the number of seeds planted, strengthening the company's commitment to a greener future and supporting the UAE's ecosystem.   “We believe that technology is a force for good, not just for services, but for the community and the world in which we live,” said Nabra Al Busaidi, Community and Sustainability Manager at CAFU. “This is why we're proud to introduce and use our cutting-edge technology to support the UAE's commitment to building a cleaner and greener future. Over the past year, we have significantly re-engineered our processes.” With the remarkable ability to survive and prosper in some of the harshest environmental conditions, the Ghaf tree stands tall as a symbol of hope, inspiring ground-breaking work to revolutionize farming methods across the Emirates and can survive on very little water while also sustaining other plants and animal life. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/770/aurora-and-medreleaf-australia-to-strengthen-medical-cannabis-supply-chain.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/770/aurora-and-medreleaf-australia-to-strengthen-medical-cannabis-supply-chain.html Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:27:50 +0530 Launches IndiMed Tempo 26 through MedReleaf's Concession Scheme, doctors and patients will have more freedom in choosing their cannabis medication Aurora Cannabis Inc., the Canadian cannabis company, and MedReleaf Australia have launched IndiMed Tempo 26, a range of premium high THC dried cannabis products for qualified patients under the MedReleaf Concession Scheme (MCS). Tempo 26 will add to the portfolio of products available, giving doctors the ability to prescribe from a wide range of options for medical cannabis patients. "We are proud to further expand the variety of high-quality medical cannabis products Australian patients can access through the MedReleaf Concession Scheme. With the addition of Tempo 26, doctors and patients now have more control and choice about their medical cannabis treatment than ever before. We are committed to our patient-first approach to cannabis and ensuring access to medical patients, in Australia, and around the world" says Miguel Martin, CEO of Aurora Cannabis. The MCS was developed by MedReleaf Australia and Aurora to provide high-quality products and enhance patient access to medical cannabis, which is not covered by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). Through the MCS, patients can access compassionate pricing, specifically for those with Pensioner Concession Cards, Commonwealth Seniors Health Cards, Health Care Cards, and Veterans Cards (DVA).     "These products are cultivated and manufactured in Aurora's GMP-accredited facilities and are made available for doctors to prescribe via the TGA's Special Access Scheme. Through the investment of Aurora and MedReleaf Australia, we have been able to provide heavily discounted products via our MedReleaf Concession Scheme, which widens the choice for prescriptions and significantly improves access for disadvantaged Australian patients struggling with debilitating health conditions," says Russell Harding, MedReleaf CEO. Aurora currently holds a 10% ownership stake in MedReleaf Australia, a fully licensed, private company. Together, they provide Australian patients with several innovative, Aurora-branded products, including dried flower, oils, soft gels, and resin cartridges. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/767/plant-based-dairy-alternatives-to-hit-the-us-market-using-ai-and-data-science.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/767/plant-based-dairy-alternatives-to-hit-the-us-market-using-ai-and-data-science.html Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:09:00 +0530 Climax Foods and Bel Group partners to leverage AI and data science to empower new generation of plant-derived cheese mimicking traditional dairy products Climax Foods Inc., a US-based biotech start-up with innovative plant-based dairy alternatives and Bel Group, a global leader in cheese production, have partnered to develop a new generation of plant-derived cheese with the goal to tackle key challenges of the food transition such as taste, nutrition and indistinguishable from dairy cheeses while reducing carbon footprint. The two companies will collaborate to create plant-based cheese versions under the brand names Laughing Cow®, Kiri®, Boursin®, Babybel®, and Nurishh® using data science and artificial intelligence (AI). Bel acquired an equity stake in Climax to support its disruptive solution development. The partnership between Bel and Climax Foods will utilize AI and data to help change the game and meet the challenge of scaling up quickly and effectively. Climax's team of food scientists have already succeeded in creating various prototypes with all the characteristics of specialty cheeses, including blue, brie, feta, and goat varieties. Bel aims to launch these new plant-based products in the U.S. and Europe by the end of 2024. This will contribute to achieving the Bel Group objective to balance its portfolio with 50 percent of dairy products and 50 percent of plant-based/fruits products. "Bel, have a strong determination to explore new territories and develop innovative solutions that will define the future of food, for all. The products we will develop can meet the three-fold challenge of being sustainable, nutritious, and accessible. This collaboration epitomizes our co-innovation strategy by combining their distinctive technological data science and AI platforms and expertise with Bel's pioneering and historical knowledge," said Cécile Béliot, CEO of the Bel Group. Dr. Oliver Zahn, CEO and founder of Climax Foods Inc., adds, "AI and data can be game changers in food in terms of delivering optimal taste and texture while making it affordable and sustainable. We must accelerate food evolution due to climate change and consumer preferences." Climax Foods' predictive analytics and AI enable a deep understanding of animal-derived foods at the molecular level. Climax leverages this knowledge to replicate animal-derived products with plant-based versions that match their texture, flavor, and nutrition density. Climax Foods' AI-powered product development significantly reduces the time required to create plant-based recipes that harness more from the vast plant kingdom. Bel brings together deep expertise and innovation capabilities, both in dairy cheese and non-dairy alternatives, to make new generation of cheese accessible. As part of Bel Group's pioneering strategy towards feeding 10 billion people by 2050, this new partnership combines the best of both plant and animal worlds. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/765/japans-nedo-commits-400m-as-a-green-innovation-fund-to-aid-chitose.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/765/japans-nedo-commits-400m-as-a-green-innovation-fund-to-aid-chitose.html Wed, 12 Apr 2023 14:02:14 +0530 CHITOSE Group obtains funding from Japanese Government-affiliated NEDO to promote Carbon Recycling from Biomanufacturing Technology at microalgae plants The CHITOSE Group's core company's Chitose Laboratory Corp., has won funding from the Japanese government for a project titled "Building a global industry originating in Japan that utilizes CO2 directly through photosynthesis" as part of the "Green Innovation Fund Project (GI Fund). The project aims to promote Carbon Recycling Using CO2 from Biomanufacturing Technology as a Direct Raw Material. The project uses microalgae, with sunlight as an energy source and CO2 as a direct feedstock, for commercial production of chemicals such as bioplastics and functional materials, fuels, foods and feeds, with the aim of realizing zero carbon emissions by 2050. The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has selected CHITOSE to implement this theme. The total project cost is approximately $400 million, and the implementation period is scheduled for FY2023 to FY2030. CHITOSE is collaborating with other companies/organizations in various positions and industries through the "MATSURI" (meaning "festival" in Japanese) project to build a new algae-based industry to replace the petroleum-based industry. CHITOSE is working on the development of bio-products, the construction of the world's largest 5-hectare microalgae production facility and the demonstration of long-term large-scale production in Malaysia. MATSURI aims to establish an advanced microalgae-based industry. The MATSURI project, in collaboration with Japanese progressive enterprises, is led by CHITOSE, an expert in large-scale microalgae production technologies. Under the GI Fund project theme, for which CHITOSE has been selected as a prospective implementing agency, it will develop algae production technology on a 100 ha production scale with a focus on both economic rationality and environmental sustainability. The use of microalgal biomass as a raw material in chemicals, toiletries, fuels, feeds, and foods will allow for the development of a range of applications, including chemicals, toiletries, fuels, feeds, and foods. CHITOSE will develop these business activities in order to establish a global algae-based industry originating from Japan, and help the Japanese government achieve zero carbon emissions by 2050. This project will involve 34 partner companies of the MATSURI project operated by CHITOSE, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), Hiroshima University, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagoya University, and Institute of Microalgal Technology, Japan (IMAT). As part of this project, CHITOSE will raise private funds through the GI Fund in order to accelerate its progress. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/763/new-zeelands-first-ever-solar-powered-stratospheric-aircraft-takes-a-plunge.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/763/new-zeelands-first-ever-solar-powered-stratospheric-aircraft-takes-a-plunge.html Wed, 12 Apr 2023 11:00:32 +0530 Kea Aerospace launches Solar-Powered Stratospheric Aircraft Using Audi EV to aid precision agriculture New Zealand's first solar-powered stratospheric aircraft will be a game-changer for collecting high-resolution aerial data for extreme weather events, environmental monitoring, and precision agriculture. The "Kea Atmos Mk 1" uncrewed aircraft has been designed to be used for stratospheric flight testing. It has a wingspan of 12.5 metres, weighs under 40 kilograms and will fly at altitudes higher than commercial airliners, up to 50,000 feet. The electric launch vehicle being used is an Audi e-tron Sportback. "It's an exhilarating year for the company as we undertake a range of challenging flight tests on our journey to the stratosphere.  It was an absolute thrill to show the Kea Atmos Mk1 aircraft to NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, NASA Deputy Administrator Pamela Melroy last month and we look forward to working with a wide range of international aerospace participants", CEO of Kea Aerospace, Mark Rocket says. Kea Aerospace has been building and flying a range of electric-powered aircraft and high-altitude balloons as part of its program to build a global fleet of solar-powered uncrewed aircraft that will fly in the stratosphere for months at a time. Their X10 aircraft flew in February 2022 for 36 hours non-stop and proved perpetual flight capability at low altitudes. Each aircraft will carry a suite of aerial imagery equipment offering game-changing advances for many industries, vastly improving the data available for activities including environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, disaster management and maritime awareness. "The Kea Atmos is the first solar-powered stratospheric aircraft designed and built in the Southern Hemisphere. It's an incredible challenge to make the aircraft as lightweight as possible to fly in less than 10% of the air density we have at sea level, but at the same time it has to be tough enough to handle flying through the fast jet streams", Mark Rocket says. Kea Aerospace is based in Christchurch, New Zealand. High altitude flights are planned this year to take-off from Tāwhaki, on the Kaitorete Spit, located around 50 kilometres south of Christchurch. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/761/canadas-cult-food-science-to-develop-worlds-first-animal-free-collagen-enhanced-pet-food.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/761/canadas-cult-food-science-to-develop-worlds-first-animal-free-collagen-enhanced-pet-food.html Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:36:19 +0530 CULT Food Science partners JellaTech commitmenting to sustainability and ethical production methods and paving the way for a more humane future for the pet food industry North American firm CULT Food Science Corp., a pioneer in the investment, development, and commercialization of cellular agriculture technologies and products has partnered with JellaTech to launch a line of collagen enhanced pet foods under the Indiana Pets brand created by CULT. The partnership between CULT and Jellatech is expected to have a significant impact on the pet food industry and the environment. With a commitment to sustainability and ethical production methods, CULT is paving the way for a more humane future for the pet food industry. JellaTech focuses on making animal-free functional, native collagen. Producing collagen in a lab also offers significant environmental benefits compared to traditional animal-based sources. Animal-based collagen production involves slaughtering animals and processing their skin and bones to extract collagen. This process results in significant environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and land use. With cell-cultured collagen, Indiana Pets can deliver wholesome, premium nutrition to dogs, with lower environmental impact. Collagen is a vital protein that plays a significant role in maintaining the structural integrity of our bodies. It is found in our bones, skin, tendons, and cartilage, among other tissues, and provides support, elasticity, and strength. Collagen production decreases with age, leading to the loss of skin elasticity, joint pain, and other age-related ailments. Collagen has been shown to benefit dogs with mobility issues, including osteoarthritis. This high purity, tier-1 collagen, is formulated specifically for active and senior dogs. As pets age, they may experience joint pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Supplementing their diet with collagen can help support joint health and improve mobility, allowing them to live a more comfortable and active lifestyle. In addition, collagen has been shown to promote gut health by strengthening the intestinal lining and reducing inflammation. Given its many benefits, collagen has become increasingly popular across a wide range of industries, including biomedical, health, personal care & beauty, materials, and food & beverage. Collagen produced through cellular agriculture allows for a more sustainable, smarter high quality collagen that breaks the cycle of relying on an inefficient and unethical supply chain of live animals. Jellatech recently announced multiple achievements, including the successful development of a full length, triple helical, bio-identical and functional human collagen made from their own proprietary cell line. Jellatech has also showcased cell-based bovine collagen. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/750/new-zeeland-to-develop-diagnostic-kits-to-manage-early-detection-of-facial-eczema-fe-on-farm.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/750/new-zeeland-to-develop-diagnostic-kits-to-manage-early-detection-of-facial-eczema-fe-on-farm.html Tue, 11 Apr 2023 11:08:13 +0530 Invests $35,000 in a project to develop a rapid antigen test (RAT) for the early detection of facial eczema (FE) disease in ruminants. New Zeeland's Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund is investing more than $35,000 in a project to develop a rapid antigen test (RAT) for the early detection of facial eczema (FE) disease in ruminants. Ministry has collaborated with local firm Tokaora Diagnostics to develop a prototype facial eczema RAT and undertake field testing. Management of Facial eczema (FE) disease in ruminants is costing the New Zealand economy more than $200 million each year. The test kit under clinical trials could be used to diagnose the disease among sheep, cattle, and deer but initial trials will focus on dairy cattle. Currently, farmers are detecting the disease through blood samples taken by vets but it is expensive and time consuming. With our solution, farmers will be able to do the testing themselves quickly and easily via nasal mucus or saliva. Financial losses from FE in New Zealand have been estimated as high as $274 million per year from lost production, and the cost of labour, treatment, and deceased animals. By detecting facial eczema accurately we’d expect to see significant cost savings on farms in affected areas. "FE is a disease of the liver and often doesn’t show physical symptoms until it’s too late to save the animal. Currently there’s no cheap, on-farm diagnostic on the market, so we’re supporting Tokaora Diagnostics to take their proof-of-concept test to the next stage" says Steve Penno, MPI’s director of investment programs. The local firm Tokaora Diagnostics is headed by chief researcher Frey Livingston and managing director Ms. Pam. The company conducted initial research and development through start-up grants from Callaghan Innovation. It also won the Venture Taranaki Power Up Awards in 2022 and received mentoring through the Sprout Agritech Accelerator programme. "The diagnostic kit will enable farmers to surveillance test, which will facilitate timely treatment. It will also allow more informed purchasing, breeding, and culling decisions. For vets, it will be a quick diagnostic tool when called to a poorly animal, and for researchers it will give a timely answer to the ‘who has it and how badly’ question FE is a long-standing issue for our agricultural sector, and with climate change it’s expected to get worse as the toxic spores that cause the disease are more likely to grow in warm and humid conditions. MPI has invested in a range of projects aimed at combating FE, including breeding spore-resistant grass, and working with vets, dairy farmers, and rural professionals to raise awareness about how to take preventative action. This project is another step towards better managing this disease. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/748/china-launches-big-data-platform-for-rice-industry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/748/china-launches-big-data-platform-for-rice-industry.html Mon, 10 Apr 2023 13:31:32 +0530 The China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) led the establishment of this platform that focuses on data generation, collection, storage, processing and analysis China has launched a big data platform for the entire rice industry chain, which is expected to promote the digitalisation and informatisation of the country's rice industry, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The China National Rice Research Institute (CNRRI) led the establishment of this platform that focuses on data generation, collection, storage, processing, analysis and services concerning the rice industry, and covers the whole industrial chain involving rice production, storage, market, trade, consumption and science and technology, according to the 2023 China Seed Congress and Nanfan Agricultural Silicon Valley Forum, currently underway in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province.  "The platform will regularly publish authoritative rice-related index reports to improve the overall industrial service level and capability. It can accurately link terminal users, and provide services such as intelligent identification of rice seed production, insect pests and diseases, remote guidance and data retrieval and analysis," said Xu Chunchun, deputy director of the Science and technology information centre of the CNRRI.  "In the future, the platform will be upgraded from a data platform to a service platform to create a digital ecosystem of the rice industry with full coverage of digital production and docking of service networks," Xu added.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/745/agco-and-bosch-basf-smart-farming-to-commercialize-smart-spraying-capabilities.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/745/agco-and-bosch-basf-smart-farming-to-commercialize-smart-spraying-capabilities.html Mon, 10 Apr 2023 10:57:43 +0530 Innovative smart spray solution aims at optimal herbicide savings without compromising weed control and will enable targeted spraying during the day and night. AGCO Corporation (HQ: Georgia), the American agricultural machinery manufacturer has collaborated with Bosch BASF Smart Farming, to commercialize Smart Spraying technology into Fendt Rogator sprayers and jointly develop additional new features. In May 2021, AGCO and Bosch BASF Smart Farming started the first trials of the innovative smart spray solution from Bosch BASF Smart Farming, which will offer optimal herbicide savings without compromising weed control and will enable targeted spraying during the day and night. In addition to selective spraying, the system will offer integrated digital tools to turn application data into actionable information and improve farmer performance and efficiency.  Herbicide savings are achieved through sophisticated detection, automated sensitivity thresholds, access to Bosch BASF Smart Farming's pest identification technology, and use of Fendt Rogator's robust application platform. AGCO will offer the system in the Americas and Europe from 2024. Farmers will also be able to benefit from personalized agronomic recommendations and reliable documentation within the same solution. The system will offer a comprehensive user experience through built-in and external controls from AGCO and the integrated digital platform of Bosch BASF Smart Farming from xarvio® Digital Farming Solutions, with information about the data collected during the application. Currently, the supported crops are corn, soybeans, cotton, rapeseed, sunflower and sugar beet, with other crops, such as small grains, being added over time. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/744/pepsico-launches-crop-intelligence-model-for-india.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/744/pepsico-launches-crop-intelligence-model-for-india.html Mon, 10 Apr 2023 10:44:01 +0530 In collaboration with Cropin, develops user-friendly mobile apps to provide farmers with insights on their crop health including a disease early warning system PepsiCo India, through its brand “Lay’s”, announced a crop & plot-level predictive intelligence model to help farmers maximize potato yields coupled with quality via functional dashboards on user-friendly mobile apps. Launched in collaboration with Cropin, a leading global agri-tech company known for creating the first industry cloud for agriculture, this initiative is a part of PepsiCo’s ‘Precision Agriculture’ model for India and is being implemented as a pilot project in demo farms at Indian states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. Most farmers in India own less than one hectare of farmland and face constant challenges due to lack of means to evaluate the optimum consumption of agri-inputs like water, fertilizers, and pesticides as well as actionable weather data. For example, potato yield losses caused through the blight crop disease can go up to 80% if not forecasted early. Significant yield loss caused due to ground frost is another serious issue for potato farmers especially in the northern parts of the country. The new initiative under the PepsiCo-owned brand “Lay’s” has the potential to address these challenges by using satellite imagery correlated with remote sensing data to provide insights. The system can generate a forecast up to 10 days in advance which can assist farmers in identifying different crop stages, and close monitoring of crop health, including a disease warning system that relies on weather forecasts and historical data. In India, PepsiCo works directly and indirectly with over 27,000 farmers across 14 states and 100% of the potatoes for its “Lay’s” brand are sourced from farmers within the country. In its pilot stage, the necessary training and handholding to the farmers is being provided through field agronomists who are helping them understand the dashboard and leverage the insights. Currently, the model covers 62 farms as a trial: 51 in Gujarat and 11 in Madhya Pradesh. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/730/dsm-launches-digital-salmofan-color-measurement-tool.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/730/dsm-launches-digital-salmofan-color-measurement-tool.html Thu, 06 Apr 2023 11:17:16 +0530 The new technology, Digital SalmoFan™ accurately measures fillet fish color throughout the entire value chain to optimally recognize the nutritional values using credible color gradient reference points Royal DSM, a global purpose-led science-based company, launches new technology, Digital SalmoFan™, to accurately measure fillet color throughout the entire value chain. The Digital SalmoFan™ is a portable and user-friendly device measuring the color of salmon fillet according to a numeric scoring system. This innovation builds upon the DSM SalmoFan™ and SalmoFan™ Lineal –used today throughout the global salmon industry to measure fillet color— and brings globally accepted standard color metrics into the digital era. The Digital SalmoFan™, which will be available to companies globally across the salmon industry value chain, from feed producers, farmers, to processors, and retailers, further highlights DSM commitment as the industry leader in color measurement tools. Innovative features of the Digital SalmoFan™ include: Portable, compact and easy to use. Fillet color can be measured consistently anywhere, without any light interference. Objective and accurate: measurements strongly correlated to, and expressed as, a SalmoFan™ score - the globally accepted standard color metric. Once connected with smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth, the Digital SalmoFan™ is simply placed on a sample fillet and ready to scan. A SalmoFan™ score appears on the screen. The Digital SalmoFan™ app is an efficient way to gather, store and share the data collected from color measurements. Data are captured in standard spreadsheets for easy export into larger databases. Fabio Cervellione Director Nutrition & Health Solutions Aqua Global at G.O. Johnsen, notes that: “By introducing Digital SalmoFan™, DSM enables the entire value chain to measure fillet color (at scale) accurately and objectively. Farmers, feed producers, processors and retailers can now move their pigmentation programs into the digital era, optimizing color management and being able to capture greater value from fillet color. One language of color, any-time, any-place”. Benedict Standen, Head of Global Aqua Marketing at DSM adds: “In DSM, we are committed to unleashing the power of aquaculture by delivering innovative science-backed solutions for optimum nutrition and health. The Digital SalmoFan™ enables the industry to maximize the value of color providing a credible, reliable and consistent reference point across the value chain”. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/728/taiwans-agri-university-collaborates-with-philippines-study-and-research-in-agriculture-searca.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/728/taiwans-agri-university-collaborates-with-philippines-study-and-research-in-agriculture-searca.html Thu, 06 Apr 2023 10:24:09 +0530 Extends mutual supports in solidifying interdisciplinary agriculture fields such as agricultural biotechnology, agricultural chemistry, and agricultural economics. Philippines headquartered "The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)" has collaborated with Taiwan's National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) on 30 March 2023. SEARCA aligns with other global, regional and national organizations toward contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that address global challenges to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The Center commits to contribute and allocate resources toward the achievement of five SDGs that directly align with its mandate and focus, with greater emphasis on creating partnerships (SDG17). . Led by vice president Prof. Yuan-Ron Ma the renowned university in Hualien, Taiwan NDHU benchmarked SEARCA’s programs and activities on science and technology. He presented the essential ingredients in solidifying interdisciplinary agriculture fields such as agricultural biotechnology, agricultural chemistry, and agricultural economics. Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA director. Dr. Gregorio emphasized the need to recognize such activities, to achieve SEARCA’s Eleventh Five-Year Plan of Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation (ATTAIN). In line with its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SEARCA expressed its interest in collaborating with NDHU. NDHU delegation witnessed the SEARCA Hub for Agricultural and Rural Innovation for the Next Generation (SHARING) AgriMuseum, which features interactive displays on Southeast Asian agriculture and Agriculture 4.0 tools for prototyping. Dr. Gregorio led the SEARCA contingent comprising Corinta Guerta, technical advisor to the director; Dr. Gerlie Tatlonghari, program head of Research and Thought Leadership Department (RTLD); Ma. Christina Corales, program specialist and officer-in-charge, Emerging Innovation for Growth Department (EIGD); Ms. Monalinda Cadiz, program specialist and officer-in-charge, Applied Knowledge and Resources Unit (AKRU); and other SEARCA staff. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/725/australias-golden-grove-nursery-embraces-data-driven-analytics-for-sustainable-water-management.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/725/australias-golden-grove-nursery-embraces-data-driven-analytics-for-sustainable-water-management.html Wed, 05 Apr 2023 16:45:33 +0530 Real-time monitoring and analytics capabilities ensure efficient irrigation and fertigation, reduce nutrient runoff while enabling higher quality citrus nursery trees Hitachi Vantara, the modern infrastructure, data management and digital solutions subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), and Golden Grove Nursery, the dominant supplier of citrus nursery trees to the Queensland citrus industry (Australia), have applied artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and sensor technology to inform data-driven irrigation water management practices for sustainable, environmentally friendly food production. Golden Grove has installed an innovative combination of weight scales, soil moisture sensors, and analytics developed for horticulture use by Hitachi Vantara, Greenlife Industry Australia, Applied Horticulture Research, and ICT International. This solution measures and assesses moisture content in the growing media of pots, as well as crop water use, to provide insights that inform practices such as irrigation and fertilization decisions. The implementation includes a free-standing weather station to monitor the microclimate and a range of pH, temperature, soil moisture, weight, and electrical conductivity sensors to monitor water quality and leachate. Golden Grove Nursery Director Wayne Parr said "With this project we are using the power of data to improve our irrigation management processes which will, in turn, reduce the overheads of water usage, improve environmental outcomes, and ensure we maintain compliance with regulatory requirements." As an alternative to the manual process Golden Grove can automatically test the water every 15 minutes. Real-time data is uploaded to the cloud and presented on one screen – the Hitachi Supply Chain Control Tower, modified to holistically measure production nursery productivity and environmental stewardship by integrating sensor data, weather forecasts, and biophysical models. Using Hitachi's Lumada Manufacturing Insights, nursery personnel can view predictive analytics like irrigation requirements. This digital smart farm project is part of a broader sustainable horticulture program supported by funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program as well as Hort Innovation, with co-investment from Applied Horticultural Research, Greenlife Industry Australia, AusVeg, Freshcare, Growcom, Australian Banana Growers Council, Hitachi Australia Pty Ltd and Hitachi Vantara LLC. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/723/china-builds-mega-renewable-energy-park-in-deserts.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/723/china-builds-mega-renewable-energy-park-in-deserts.html Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:30:00 +0530 The project is designed with an overall installed capacity of 16 million kilowatts China’s northern region is witnessing a remarkable surge in the construction of renewable energy parks along its desert belt and this development is transforming the barren and desolate land into a bustling hub for renewable energy. According to the Xinhua news agency, a mega solar and wind power base is under construction in China's seventh-largest desert Kubuqi in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region which will become the world's largest power generation base of its kind. The project is jointly undertaken by China Three Gorges Corporation and Inner Mongolia Energy Group. The project is designed with an overall installed capacity of 16 million kilowatts, equivalent to that of Baihetan, China's second-largest hydropower station. West of the Kubuqi Desert lies the Tengger Desert, the fourth largest in China, stretching toward the eastern part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The first phase of a photovoltaic power project, with an installed capacity of 1 million kilowatts, is about to complete and will soon be operational. The desert belt winds through several provincial-level regions including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Ningxia, Qinghai, Gansu and Shaanxi. Since 2021, China has launched construction on a series of large-scale wind power and photovoltaic base projects in the desert regions, with a combined capacity of nearly 100 million kilowatts. The country is now planning a second batch of large-scale projects, and some of these projects are under construction. With 2,600 to 3,400 annual sunshine hours, Inner Mongolia ranks second after Tibet Autonomous Region in the country in solar energy resources. Solar energy has emerged as a primary focus for driving the region's energy transformation in the latest round of the energy revolution. The region has attracted leading photovoltaic manufacturing enterprises such as GCL Technology Holdings Limited, Tongwei Co., Ltd., TCL Zhonghuan Renewable Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Risen Energy Co., Ltd. and LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. to shape up the whole industrial chain. Xu Ming, plant manager of Inner Mongolia Tiansheng New Technology Co., Ltd., said the company has built a fully automated production line, which can produce three photovoltaic modules per minute and more than 2,100 photovoltaic modules per day. Since the enterprise commenced operations in August last year, it has been running at maximum capacity to fulfil its orders. "The photovoltaic modules we produce are mainly used in desert areas," Xu added.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/719/bayer-ag-establishes-bioethics-council-for-guidance-on-current-bioethical-questions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/719/bayer-ag-establishes-bioethics-council-for-guidance-on-current-bioethical-questions.html Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:52:11 +0530  Bioethics Council aims to focus on the development of new biotechnological and artificial intelligence-based solutions. Bayer AG has established a Bioethics Council consisting of internationally renowned experts, to provide broad independent perspective and guidance on current bioethical questions, particularly with regard to the development of new biotechnological and artificial intelligence-based solutions. Bayer is committed to using emerging technologies in an ethically responsible way as part of its business and R&D activities across all its divisions. The Bioethics Council will maintain regular dialogue with Bayer leadership on the implementation and long-term development of Bayer’s Bioethics Policy. To this end, the Bioethics Council focuses, among others, on the further development and implementation of Bayer’s Bioethics Policy. This policy represents a company-wide ethical framework for decisions relevant to R&D innovations in the life sciences. It covers medical topics, bioengineering, and artificial intelligence. The Bioethics Policy specifically gives guidance on issues related to the discovery, development, production and application of treatments and therapies to promote human health, and in agricultural products and services. Dr Monika Lessl, Head of Corporate R&D and Social Innovation at Bayer AG. said, "We are aware of our responsibility as a research company and therefore want to actively participate in the further development of bioethical standards in dialogue with society. Exchange with external experts is essential for this," she emphasized. Dr. Axel Trautwein, Head of Regulatory Science at Bayer Crop Science, added: "Developing innovations in the life sciences, particularly in biotechnology, inevitably requires a thorough assessment of the ethical implications for people and the environment. Bayer wants to raise and uphold high bioethical standards throughout its operations – with the help of the Bioethics Council. Being transparent about our approach and our progress in this process is the cornerstone of all our efforts in building a solid ethical framework for our business." The Bioethics Council convenes twice a year. In addition, the experts offer support on specific questions, either individually or in small teams. The Council is designed in several ways to safeguard the independence of its members. The experts provide external independent advice and do not represent Bayer or its operations. The Council currently has ten members. Bayer will regularly report on its work.Members of the Bayer Bioethics Council are: Carolina Aguerre, Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences, Universidad Católica del Uruguay I. Glenn Cohen, Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics, Harvard Law School Gry Hasselbalch, PhD, Independent scholar Insoo Hyun, Director of the Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning, Boston Museum of Science Andreas Kurtz, Head of the Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry (hPSCreg, former European Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry) Sir Jonathan Montgomery, Professor of Health Care Law, University College London Jonathan D. Moreno, Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy and of the History & Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania Anne Muigai, Professor of Genetics and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Research at the National Defence University-Kenya Sonny Ramaswamy, President of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in Redmond, WA, USA Julian Savulescu, Chen Su Lan Professor in Medical Ethics at the National University of Singapore ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/718/vietnam-strengthens-cooperation-with-jica-in-training-high-quality-human-resources-for-the-agricultural-sector.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/718/vietnam-strengthens-cooperation-with-jica-in-training-high-quality-human-resources-for-the-agricultural-sector.html Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:21:22 +0530 Issued a Resolution on renovating the training of high-quality human resources aligning with Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development to 2030 On April 3, in Hanoi, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam had a meeting with Mr. Shishido Kenichi, Special Advisor to the President of JICA. The two sides discussed cooperation in training high-quality human resources for Vietnam's agricultural industry. At the meeting, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said "Over the years, JICA has supported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in human resource training. The Government of Vietnam has approved the Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development to 2030, with a vision to 2045, which clearly defines the role of human resource training for the agricultural and rural sector". "In addition to training highly qualified human resources at the university and college level, Vietnam also needs to train human resources directly involved in agricultural production and local agricultural extension forces. Currently, the number of students studying agriculture majors accounts for a low percentage. Vietnam's agricultural industry is in dire need of high-quality, skilled workers to develop the agricultural industry" he added. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued a Resolution on renovating the training of high-quality human resources, divided into three groups: Centralized undergraduate and postgraduate training (at schools and academies of the agricultural sector) Vocational training and vocational colleges. Training farmers and grassroots extension forces in the direction of starting to form professional farmers at the grassroots who have market knowledge and know how to organize production. Training methods are diverse and based on actual local conditions to have appropriate training methods. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam wished that JICA would accompany the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in training these groups of human resources in the coming time. According to Shishido Kenichi, Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has a completely right orientation on promoting human resource innovation. He expressed his wish that JICA could support Vietnam in this field.   "The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed institutes and schools under the Ministry to coordinate with corporations and businesses to have training orientations according to the needs of corporations and businesses. Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam said that in the near future, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will organize conferences on human resource training so that businesses and localities can have a closer connection in training, as well as for people. and localities better understand the field of human resource training in agriculture: added According to Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/717/australias-agricultural-rd-investment-on-the-rise.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/717/australias-agricultural-rd-investment-on-the-rise.html Tue, 04 Apr 2023 12:16:54 +0530 Latest estimates indicate that $1 of R&D investment generates a return of around $8 in agricultural gross value added The Australian agriculture sector has increased its investment in research and development (R&D) over the past ten years, contributing to growth in the productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of Australian farms. Dr Jared Greenville, Executive Director of ABARES said the rise in funding was a welcome sign for the agricultural sector. “R&D continues to be a good investment, with our latest estimates indicating that $1 of R&D investment generates a return of around $8 in agricultural gross value added,” Dr Greenville said. “Total agricultural R&D funding in 2020-21 was $2.20 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 4.35 per cent from 2011-12 to 2020-21,” Dr Greenville said. According to Dr Greenville, private-sector funding has been growing at a faster rate than public-sector funding. “Private sector funding has grown at an average annual rate of 5.63 per cent from 2005‑06 to 2021-22, exceeding the 2.02 per cent annual growth rate of public sector investment,” Dr Greenville said. “The private sector has increased its share of total agricultural R&D funding from 29 per cent in 2005-06 to 42 per cent in 2020-21. While this is welcome news, one note of caution is that a lot of private sector investment relies on underpinning, publicly funded R&D. R&D investment enables the delivery of new technology and knowledge into the Australian agricultural system and ABARES has confirmed the importance of R&D to the sector. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/714/netherland-pilots-worlds-first-large-scale-methane-reducing-feed-additive-for-cattle.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/714/netherland-pilots-worlds-first-large-scale-methane-reducing-feed-additive-for-cattle.html Tue, 04 Apr 2023 11:56:52 +0530 Dutch dairy industry moves towards sustainability with successful incorporation of Bovaer® into the regular farming activities of 158 dairy farms in the Netherlands  Dutch dairy company Royal FrieslandCampina, DSM, and feed supplier Agrifirm have successfully incorporated Bovaer® into the regular farming activities of 158 dairy farms in the Netherlands in the world’s first large-scale on-farm use of the methane-reducing feed additive for cattle. The six month program, which started in 2022, confirmed that Bovaer® can easily be introduced at scale without affecting animal health, milk production or milk composition. This work supports the quicker adoption of Bovaer® by the dairy sector, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping the Netherlands to reach its climate targets. In 2022, history was made by launching an extensive project to gain practical experience with Bovaer®, involving more than 20,000 cows and 158 farms. The successful collaboration between the member dairy farmers of FrieslandCampina, DSM and Agrifirm led to a decrease of 10,000 tons of CO2e in methane emissions (an average of 28% less enteric methane emissions). The project’s success also opens the door for Bovaer® to be more easily implemented across the entire Dutch dairy herd. This move towards sustainability in the Dutch dairy industry stands to benefit consumers and farmers alike. Starting this year, farmers that are using Bovaer® in their feed can be recognized for its use through the KringloopWijzer (Annual Nutrient Cycling Assessment), the carbon footprint tool of the Dutch Dairy Sector (ZuivelNL). The successful collaboration between Bovaer® and the member dairy farmers of FrieslandCampina has opened the door for Bovaer® to be implemented across the entire Dutch dairy herd. This move towards sustainability in the Dutch dairy industry will benefit farmers and consumers alike. Together with its member dairy farmers, FrieslandCampina aims to achieve a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on its member dairy farms by 2030 (vs. 2015). It is therefore working on various solutions to achieve this, such as using guaranteed deforestation-free soy in cattle feed, digestion of manure, generating sustainable energy on farms and reducing cow methane emissions using Bovaer®. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/712/rivulis-completes-acquisition-of-iib.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/712/rivulis-completes-acquisition-of-iib.html Tue, 04 Apr 2023 11:03:34 +0530 With this acquisition, Rivulis will lead the mass adoption of modern irrigation solutions and digital farming by growers and business partners to create an irrigation and climate leader globally Rivulis Pte. Ltd. (Rivulis) has announced that it has received full regulatory approval for the acquisition of multiple overseas subsidiaries which comprise the International Irrigation Business (IIB) of Jain Irrigation. With this acquisition, Rivulis will lead the mass adoption of modern irrigation solutions and digital farming by growers and business partners to create an irrigation and climate leader globally. The acquisition has been finalised after all government authorisations and the precedent conditions required by the Share Purchase Agreement have been obtained and completed. Rivulis will finance the acquisition with additional investment from Temasek as well as newly issued shares to Jain India; In addition, debt issuances of Jain USA and NaanDanJain will be refinanced immediately post-Closing through a syndicated facility signed with leading banks including HSBC, Rabobank, State Bank of India, ING, Bank Leumi and the First International Bank of Israel. Richard Klapholz, Rivulis CEO, said, "As mentioned during the deal announced last June, we are thrilled to have both companies join forces to build a long-lasting, purpose-led company, spearheading the transformation of agriculture through its focus on accessibility, innovation and sustainability. We will also benefit from the most comprehensive micro irrigation and digital farming offering and most importantly from a fully committed, diverse employee base. I, wholeheartedly, welcome the Jain USA, AVI, IDC and global NaanDanJain teams and am certain that, as one company, we will become a formidable force as we establish ourselves as a global irrigation and climate leader. Together with our two shareholders, Temasek and Jain Irrigation, Rivulis' next chapter will be an exciting one as we realise our GROW BEYOND mission to help growers achieve sustainable livelihoods and to become a global sustainability champion." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/711/china-laos-signs-pact-to-promote-agricultural-tech-cooperation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/711/china-laos-signs-pact-to-promote-agricultural-tech-cooperation.html Mon, 03 Apr 2023 15:06:17 +0530 The MoU aims to accelerate the application of research on the entire tropical agricultural industry chain A Chinese company Yangguang Jiarun Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. and South Subtropical Crops Research Institute under the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, and the Department of Agriculture of the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Lao government to promote agricultural cooperation in the Lao capital Vientiane. The MoU is about tropical agricultural science and technology and it will promote a new pattern of international agricultural cooperation between China and Laos, according to the Xinhua news agency. Xie Fei, the general manager of the Yangguang Jiarun, said, “Under the framework of the MoU, all involved parties will collaborate to deepen cooperation on agricultural science and technology, to accelerate the application of research on the entire tropical agricultural industry chain.  The MoU aims to build the Yangguang Jiarun (Laos) Eco-Agricultural Industry Project in southern Laos into a national agricultural demonstration base, a tropical crop germplasm resource library, a tropical agricultural scientific research and experimental project, and an agricultural training centre in Laos.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/708/tel-aviv-university-develops-super-seaweed.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/708/tel-aviv-university-develops-super-seaweed.html Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:01:11 +0530 The findings may serve the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, and nutritional supplement industries After developing an innovative technology that enables the growth of seaweed enriched with proteins and minerals such as zinc, iron, iodine, magnesium, and calcium for humans and animals, researchers from Tel Aviv University's School of Zoology at The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences and the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute (IOLR) have made a new advancement. Researchers succeeded in significantly increasing the ability of seaweed to produce healthy natural substances, focusing on enhancing the production of bio-active compounds that offer medical benefits to humans, such as antioxidants - the concentration of which was doubled in the seaweed; natural sunscreens - its concentration tripled; and unique protective pigments of great medical value, the concentration of which increased by ten-fold. The study was carried out with the innovative and sustainable approach of integrated aquaculture, which combines seaweed with fish cultivation, upgrading the seaweed while at the same time helping to purify the seawater and minimising negative environmental impacts. According to the researchers, these findings may serve the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, and nutritional supplement industries.   The new development was led by Doron Ashkenazi PhD student of Tel Aviv University and the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute, under the guidance of Prof. Avigdor Abelson of Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology and Prof. Alvaro Israel of the IOLR in Haifa, in collaboration with other leading researchers from Israel and around the world, including Guy Paz from IOLR; organic chemistry expert Dr Shoshana Ben-Valid; Dr Eitan Salomon from the National Centre for Mariculture in Eilat and Prof. Félix López Figueroa, Julia Vega, Nathalie Korbee, and Marta García-Sánchez from Malaga University in Spain. The article was published in the scientific journal Marine Drugs. Doron Ashkenazi explains that “seaweed, also known as macroalgae, are marine plants that form the basis of the coastal marine ecosystem. The seaweed absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the environment. They purify the water and provide food, habitat, and shelter for numerous species of fish and invertebrates. Not many know that seaweed also produce a wide variety of distinct bio-active compounds that are beneficial to humans. The seaweed living in the intertidal zone face extreme stress conditions, which include changes in salinity, temperature, desiccation [loss of moisture] conditions, changes in the availability of nutrients and high exposure to solar radiation, especially in the ultraviolet (UV) range." "Not many know that seaweed also produces a wide variety of distinct bio-active compounds that are beneficial to humans." Doron Ashkenazi To survive, seaweed has developed a unique set of chemical defence mechanisms – natural chemicals that help them cope with these harsh environments. They are highly efficient natural factories that produce valuable substances that may offer significant benefits to humans. In the current study, they sought to examine whether and how it is possible to increase and maximise the seaweed’ production of bio-active compounds, and secondary metabolites, that offer significant health benefits. These substances include antioxidants, protective pigments, and natural UV radiation filters. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/707/philippines-approves-bt-eggplant-for-commercial-cultivation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/707/philippines-approves-bt-eggplant-for-commercial-cultivation.html Mon, 03 Apr 2023 08:20:00 +0530 Philippines is the second country to allow commercial farming of genetically modified eggplants after Bangladesh. The Philippines has become the second country in the world to allow farmers allow commercial cultivation of BT eggplant varieties that are genetically modified to resist the devastating insect known as eggplant fruit and shoot borer (EFSB). Bangladesh had approved BT eggplant earlier in 2013 as the first country to do so. Bt eggplant, or talong, was the first biotechnology vegetable crop developed in the Philippines after 15 years of testing and safety trials. In the early 2000s, public sector scientists found that introducing a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) into talong successfully repelled the EFSB, offering protection from this devastating insect pest without chemical insecticides. Researchers at UPLB obtained access to the gene and used conventional breeding techniques to develop seven new Bt eggplant varieties and hybrids adapted to Philippine conditions. The natural protein produced by the Bt gene only affects the targeted insect. Bt crops are widely grown around the world, and extensive research has shown they are safe for human consumption and the environment. Farmers have been growing Bt corn in the Philippines since 2003. Bt is also used globally for insect control in organic agriculture. Studies conducted in the Philippines have repeatedly confirmed BT eggplant to be safe and effective at repelling EFSB. Research has shown Bt eggplant cultivation will incur lower production costs for farmers and ultimately provide three-fold higher net farm incomes due to the combined effect of reduced insecticide use and the increased marketable fruit yields. In 2021 the Philippines government approved Bt eggplant for direct use as food, feed and for processing. This final approval provides the biosafety permit for commercial cultivation. Earlier in Oct 2022, the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Plant Industry granted a biosafety permit to the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) for the commercial cultivation of Bt eggplant. Eggplant is a popular and profitable crop grown by hundreds of thousands of farmers in the Philippines. Maricelis Acevedo, research professor of global development at Cornell and director for the USAID-supported Feed the Future Insect-Resistant Eggplant Partnership (IREP) said “This decision is more than a decade in the making, and it paves the way for farmers to increase their income and crop productivity while reducing the use of highly toxic insecticides. This is what biotechnology and innovation can do for smallholder farmers and consumers.” Currently, South Asia farmers growing traditional eggplant varieties must spray insecticide multiple times per week to combat the EFSB. Farmers spray insecticides up to 80 to 100 times per season, often without the aid of protective equipment, posing serious health threats to farmers, their families and the environment. Even with regular applications of insecticide, the fruit and shoot borer can still cause up to 80% crop loss, making insecticides an expensive and inefficient option for farmers. In addition, exposure to pesticides causes health concerns for farmers and contributes to environmental problems. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/704/taiwan-pledges-to-practice-transition-to-net-zero-carbon-emissions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/704/taiwan-pledges-to-practice-transition-to-net-zero-carbon-emissions.html Mon, 03 Apr 2023 07:59:00 +0530 Leaders from Industry, Government and Academia Unite to Enter the Zero Carbon Era   The 3rd Taiwan International Summit has witnessed the pledging of Taiwan's leaders from Industry, Government and Academia Unite to to find solutions to put Taiwan on the zero carbon path. Taiwan is determined to accelerate the Transition to Net Zero Carbon Era, iterated President Tsai Ing-wen. According to Jason Huang, Stantec Consulting Services' country manager in Taiwan, urban water projects must be resilient and sustainable if they are to succeed. Among the initiatives he presented were the development of a circular system, water harvesting, coexistence with water, maintaining water security in food production, implementing smart technology solutions to water challenges, and facilitating everyone's access to water. Tao Zhu Yin Yuan (or Agora Garden) is Taiwan's most famous eco-friendly building. With a 246% vegetation cover, the project can absorb up to 130 tonnes of carbon per year and irrigate the surrounding trees with excess rainfall, making it a low-carbon building. The Taiwanese operator's chief financial officer, Vincent YS Chen, explained Chunghwa Telecom's goals: halving carbon emissions by 2030, switching to 100% renewable energy by 2040, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/697/israels-start-up-nation-embraces-innovative-agrifood-tech-initiatives-to-advance-commercialization.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/697/israels-start-up-nation-embraces-innovative-agrifood-tech-initiatives-to-advance-commercialization.html Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:17:00 +0530 Start-Up Nation Central and SVG would collaborate on long-term programs in Israel and the USA to build closer links among the two agrifood innovation ecosystems through co-marketing efforts, events, ecosystem access, and business opportunities. Leading AgriFood innovation and investment platform SVG Ventures|THRIVE will collaborate with Tel Aviv-based Start-Up Nation Central to create an Israel – North America bridge to support the mutual growth of both countries’ AgriFood Tech ecosystems and the connections between them.   SVG Ventures|THRIVE, a leading AgriFood Innovation and Investment platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, and Start-Up Nation Central, a nonprofit that promotes the Israeli innovation ecosystem around the world, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining a strategic collaboration to connect and support the AgriFood tech sectors in both countries.  The collaboration between Start-Up Nation Central and SVG would include long-term programs in Israel and the USA pursuing opportunities to build closer links between the two agrifood innovation ecosystems using co-marketing initiatives, events, ecosystem access, and business opportunities. Through the collaboration with SVG, Start-Up Nation Central aims to solidify relationships with the global AgriFood tech community, particularly in North America, to help Israeli startups scale faster in international markets and increase access to high-value Israeli innovation technology. Start-Up Nation Central provides a platform that connects Israeli innovation to the world, nurtures business growth, and generates partnerships to strengthen Israel’s economy and society. SVG Ventures|THRIVE is an established leader in the agrifood tech sector and has developed an expansive global ecosystem of startups, corporate partners and a multitude of industry associations, producer co-ops and investment and government partners. Through this collaboration both partners will leverage their platforms to drive innovation and create unparalleled access for entrepreneurs to scale globally to solve the biggest challenges facing the food and agriculture industries.  “Our platform delivers incredible opportunities for startups and we are excited to partner with Start-Up Nation Central to support and accelerate innovative Israeli companies focused on advancing a more sustainable future for the global food and agriculture industries” said John Hartnett, Founder and CEO SVG Ventures|THRIVE Director of Global Partnerships at Start-Up Nation Central, Emma Vardimon: “We are happy to team up with SVG, a leading partner in the AgriFood tech innovation ecosystem, to promote joint initiatives for this sector. This partnership will allow us to expand our global connections for the benefit of Israeli tech and propel deal flow opportunities to the SVG innovation platform. The mutual commitment to promoting the AgriFood ecosystem and finding opportunities will allow us to promote leading Israeli technological solutions to address a common global challenge”.   ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/701/siig-invests-70-million-in-biogas-protein-startup-unibio.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/701/siig-invests-70-million-in-biogas-protein-startup-unibio.html Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:14:30 +0530 The investment in Unibio will be paid in two tranches, the first tranche of approximately $25 million (GBP 21 million) is paid now with the second subject to applicable Foreign Direct Investment approvals Unibio International PLC, the leading sustainable protein company announced that the Saudi Industrial Investment Group (SIIG) has signed an agreement to invest approximately $70 million (GBP 59 million) in Unibio. The proceeds will be deployed to enable Unibio’s vision of feeding the world’s growing population sustainably. Unibio will use the funds to roll out new global production capacity, expand operating capabilities, and accelerate innovation and commercialisation. Through industrial protein production based on Unibio’s unique fermentation technology – the U-Loop technology – it is possible to improve food security and feed the world’s growing population sustainably without the use of arable land and with low water usage. The fermentation technology mimics a process that occurs in nature daily and uses methane (e.g. natural gas or biogas) as feedstock. The production of Uniprotein is efficient, stable, and independent of weather deviations that impact the production of traditional protein sources. Uniprotein is approved for feed in the European Union and global registrations are in progress. The protein provides nutrition on par with or better than other high-quality proteins, such as fishmeal, and has been tested successfully in various aqua and animal species. Uniprotein is free from pesticides, fully traceable, and non-GMO. It has been launched commercially and Uniprotein is attracting significant global interest from feed compound companies and animal and fish farmers. The production of Unibio’s protein for direct human consumption is under development. “We are delighted to welcome SIIG as a significant investor in Unibio. Their investment will enable us to play a pivotal role in meeting our customers’ need for sustainable protein. Unibio’s technology will improve food security and speed up the process of feeding the world sustainably. We are pleased that SIIG shares our ambition of providing food security for the world’s growing population and helping stop hunger (SDG2). We look forward to working together to make it happen,” David Henstrom, CEO of Unibio said. Abdulrahman S. Alismail, CEO of the Saudi Industrial Investment Group, added, “We are extremely pleased to invest in Unibio and see it as strongly aligned with SIIG’s new strategy to diversify its investments, enter new sectors focused on sustainability and new technologies, and develop partnerships with international companies. Unibio’s focus aligns with Saudi Arabia’s commitment to increasing domestic protein production and supporting food security through innovation and technology. We are investing in Unibio for the long-term and believe that by doing so we will contribute to a more diverse and sustainable economy.” The investment in Unibio will be paid in two tranches, the first tranche of approximately $25 million (GBP 21 million) is paid now with the second subject to applicable Foreign Direct Investment approvals.  BofA Securities acted as a placement agent to Unibio in connection with the transaction. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/700/sp-global-commodity-insights-launches-ewindow-for-asian-biofuels-and-feedstock.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/700/sp-global-commodity-insights-launches-ewindow-for-asian-biofuels-and-feedstock.html Fri, 31 Mar 2023 10:04:05 +0530 The Platts eWindow communication online data-entry and communications tool brings greater speed, transparency and efficiency to the Platts Market-on-Close (MOC) price assessment processes S&P Global Commodity Insights, the leading independent provider of information, analytics and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, launched the Platts Editorial Window (eWindow) communication tool for assessing the tradable value of physical Asian Biofuels and Feedstock FOB Straits and China. The Platts eWindow communication online data-entry and communications tool brings greater speed, transparency and efficiency to the Platts Market-on-Close (MOC) price assessment processes. Between 2020 and 2022, S&P Global Commodity Insights launched four assessments for ISSC-Certified UCO (Used Cooking Oil) and UCOME (Used Cooking Oil Methyl Ester) in China and the Straits, encompassing terminals beyond Singapore's borders. Against the backdrop of growing liquidity and maturity of the Asian Biofuels and Feedstock industry, S&P Global in collaboration with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) will now launch the Platts Editorial Window (eWindow) communication tool for assessing the tradable value of physical UCO and UCOME cargoes in Asia, allowing market participants to trade with increased confidence. Andrei Agapi, APAC associate pricing director for Agriculture, S&P Global Commodity Insights, said, "The expansion of Platts Editorial Window (eWindow) to support Platts MOC for Asian Biofuels and Feedstock marks a further milestone in the maturity and rapid commoditisation of the market. This latest addition to the Platts Asian biofuels price assessment offering will provide valuable insight into an important energy source and further enhance transparency for the physical cargo market. Market participants can now submit outright and time-spread bids and offer for publication directly through the eWindow communication tool." "With the continued drive towards reducing our carbon footprint in the transportation sector, the world is increasingly exploring the use of second-generation biofuels. This new generation of biofuels increasingly relies on the supply of oils-derived vegetable waste materials such as Used Cooking Oil (UCO) which has seen rapid growth in liquidity over the past three years. According to analytics data from S&P Global Commodity Insights, forecasted biofuels demand will exceed 3.25 million barrels per day by 2025, and much of the growth will be attributed to biodiesel, renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)." Asia is at the heart of the production and export of waste material used in the production of biofuels. The largest export volumes presently come from China, Malaysia and Indonesia and are thereafter imported into Singapore, Europe and the US where Renewable Diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel capacities are ramping up simultaneously. In addition, Singapore has seen rapid growth in biofuels blending into marine fuels to reduce carbon emissions from the maritime sector. The volume of biofuels such as UCOME supplied in Singapore to oceangoing vessels has reached approximately 70,000 metric tons according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/698/ever-ag-launches-fieldalytics-engage-app-to-simplify-grower-service-provider-communications.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/698/ever-ag-launches-fieldalytics-engage-app-to-simplify-grower-service-provider-communications.html Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:43:19 +0530 The innovative platform saves time for service providers and growers by improving the real-time sharing of critical information while reducing unnecessary touchpoints to manage risk Ever.Ag, a leading source of innovative AgTech solutions, said today it has launched FieldAlytics Engage, a powerful app designed to strengthen service providers' relationships with growers by housing essential information in a single source. FieldAlytics Engage enables growers to see upcoming activities on their fields, review and approve work orders, view field spatial data, assess the latest weather reports, and view current grain market information from a single dashboard. The innovative platform saves time for service providers and growers by improving the real-time sharing of critical information while reducing unnecessary touchpoints to manage risk. The new tool reflects the combination of industry knowledge and technology expertise that have made FieldAlytics a leader in the market. "FieldAlytics Engage represents the next step in advancing service providers' relationships with growers by providing a platform for growers to see and act on what is important," said Ernie Chappell, president of Ever.Ag Agribusiness, a division of Ever.Ag. "The unique combination of agronomic and economic information allows growers to monitor and act to ensure optimal outcomes for the season in partnership with their service providers. Additional functionality being delivered in the summer will further empower Service Providers and Growers to jointly solve for optimal agronomic, economic and environmental variables." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/702/taranis-field-timeline-functionality-enables-better-season-planning-and-enhanced-engagement-with-growers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/702/taranis-field-timeline-functionality-enables-better-season-planning-and-enhanced-engagement-with-growers.html Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:03:00 +0530 The new Taranis AcreForward™ functionality helps ag advisors build effective field management plans and accelerate in-season decisions. Taranis, the AI-powered crop intelligence leader, is pleased to announce the release of its new Field Timeline. Ag advisors now have access to an innovative tool that helps them better plan and manage their season with a complete timeline of insights and trends. Users can view this data in a single dashboard as the season unfolds, gaining insight into stand counts, weed pressure, disease detection, insect pressure, and field health. The Field Timeline is available directly from the Taranis Insight Dashboard. Users can filter insights to their specific needs and review insights alongside weather and field health scores. They can also toggle between the timeline and map view for easier navigation of the field, and drill down to leaf-level imagery. "The addition of Field Timeline to the powerful set of tools in our AcreForward solution enables advisors to improve planning and increase engagement with growers before, during, and after the season," said Ido Peled, Taranis Chief Product & Marketing Officer. "Since launching the tool, we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users, and it is quickly becoming our top-used AcreForward functionality." Pablo Bruzzoni, Taranis VP of Customer Success, added, "Field Timeline is a game-changer for advisors and growers, making post-season assessments and pre-season planning much more effective. In conversations with our customers, we see the great potential it has for helping advisors deliver personalized plans and recommendations that optimize yield and profitability." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/695/jiangxiaobai-applies-esg-philosophy-across-whole-industry-chain.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/695/jiangxiaobai-applies-esg-philosophy-across-whole-industry-chain.html Thu, 30 Mar 2023 13:58:23 +0530 The company reduced energy consumption through the deployment of energy-efficient equipment alongside water recycling and refined management Chongqing Jiangxiaobai Liquor Company, which incorporates sorghum cultivation, technology R&D, brewing, distillation, production and distribution, recently released its 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report outlining the company's sustainable business practices in the area of recycling and smart agriculture, its innovations in green manufacturing as well as several milestones the firm has achieved in promoting economic and social development.    Jiangxiaobai, as a modernisation across the business portfolio incorporating agriculture, industry and services, attaches great importance to the impact of company operations on the environment. The company reduced energy consumption through the deployment of energy-efficient equipment alongside water recycling and refined management, with its annual consumption of water, electricity and natural gas for 2022 dropping by 7.9 per cent, 5.8 per cent and 8.4 per cent, respectively. In particular, the firm implemented standardised manufacturing processes, adopted innovative technologies, continuously improved its product packaging, and applied eco-friendly standards across the supply chain. Jiangxiaobai also plans to create a national premium production area for fen-flavor Kaoliang liquor and enhance the added value of agricultural products by combining eco-friendly farming with rural tourism in addition to creating a green ecotourism model through the combination of farms and distilleries that receive visits from liquor specialists and travellers. In recent years, Jiangxiaobai Farm has vigorously developed circular agriculture with the cultivation and planting of sorghum as the leading factor applied and has become the local demonstration planting of raw materials for winemaking. With the establishment of a 40,468-hectare sorghum production facility in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province, Jiangxiaobai has further expanded its supply channels for quality sorghum and added to its competence in producing pure grain-based spirits. Jiangxiaobai has built several facilities establishing a presence across the whole of the industry chain, including the sorghum production facility at Jiangxiaobai Farm, the brewing centre at Jiangji Distillery and the Jiangxiaobai Central Industry Park. Earlier this year, Jiangji Distillery was recognised as a National Green Factory by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Jiangxiaobai's production facilities directly provided over 1,000 jobs to local inhabitants. The company has also launched an annual hometown employment program that has benefited over 2,000 local residents, with salaries 30 per cent -50 per cent higher than the local average. Based on a model that integrates its businesses and production facilities with the local farming community, the distiller has helped over 2,000 local growers increase revenue, contributing to the further implementation of China's rural revitalisation strategy. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/691/provectus-algae-expands-carbon-negative-biomanufacturing-ingredients-platform-in-australia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/691/provectus-algae-expands-carbon-negative-biomanufacturing-ingredients-platform-in-australia.html Thu, 30 Mar 2023 09:40:40 +0530 Provectus Algae is set to introduce a non-GMO, red and natural colorant for meat alternatives that changes color when cooked, as well as new ingredients for cosmetics market Sugar-eating organisms such as yeast and bacteria dominate industrial fermentation today. According to Australian food and cosmetic ingredients startup Provectus Algae, organisms that consume more sustainable feedstocks will be the 'predominant biomanufacturing platforms of tomorrow'. Nusqe Spanton, the CEO and founder of Nusqe, has developed a "carbon negative" growth platform that he claims can unlock the potential of algae as a source of high-value ingredients. The innovative start-up advocating decarbonizing supply chain has just secured a strategic investment from CJ Bio, part of Korean biomanufacturing giant CJ CheilJedang. Provectus Algae is set to introduce a non-GMO, red and natural colorant for meat alternatives that changes color when cooked, as well as new ingredients for cosmetics market from two demonstration plants in Australia. “Our production technology allows us to deliver a more stable red color at a price over the next two years that will be able to compete with beetroot powder. We’re expecting regulatory approvals this year in Australia, New Zealand, the US and potentially moving forward into Singapore next year. And then we’ll look at the European market” he adds. By contrast, yeast, fungi, and bacteria rely on sugar as a feedstock, an agricultural product with an environmental footprint that is also subject to pricing fluctuations that could make the economics of precision fermentation increasingly challenging. “A 200,000-liter precision fermentation facility using Pichia [yeast] making 50 tons of product generates about 250-300 tons of carbon dioxide. Whereas our facilities are carbon negative. We pump air into our reactors and the microbes capture the carbon dioxide, convert it into carbon and release oxygen and clean water. We need lighting, but if facilities run on renewable energy, you’re looking at an extremely low cost of operating and a carbon negative positioning, which we must move towards if we want to decarbonize the supply chain. But yeast cells are not well equipped to produce some of the more complex molecules found in nature, which is prompting renewed interest in algae and plant cells, which have different internal machinery” adds Spanton. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/689/japan-establishes-consortium-for-3d-bioprinting-cultured-meat-manufacturing.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/689/japan-establishes-consortium-for-3d-bioprinting-cultured-meat-manufacturing.html Thu, 30 Mar 2023 09:12:24 +0530 Osaka University, Shimadzu, Itoham Yonekyu, Toppan, and SIGMAXYZ collaborate to establish “the future creation consortium for cultured meat.”  On March 29, the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University (Osaka University), Shimadzu Corporation (Shimadzu), Itoham Yonekyu Holdings Inc. (Itoham Yonekyu), Toppan Inc. (Toppan), and SIGMAXYZ Inc. (SIGMAXYZ) established “the future creation consortium for cultured meat.” The consortium focuses on "concrete initiatives for practical implementation of the manufacturing technology of edible cultured meat using 3D bioprinting." Through cross-company collaboration, we will carry on "developing 3D bioprinting technology for application", "establishing an integrated value chain from production to logistics", and “contributing to legislation through collaboration with government offices and private companies." By exhibiting at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, Kansai, we will concentrate on "providing information that helps people understand cultured meat," aiming to realize the world's first use of cultured meat. The consortium consists of "operating partners," who develop technologies, negotiate with government offices and related organizations, and provide information to the public; "R&D partners," who engage in joint research in specific technology areas; and "practical implementation partners," who dispatch information to make cultured meat-related technologies and products popular. "Operating Partners" are Osaka University, Shimadzu, Itoham Yonekyu, Toppan, and SIGMAXYZ. For the positions of "R&D partners" and "practical implementation partners," consortium is inviting applications from various fields. The 3D bioprinting technology developed by Osaka University can freely produce muscle tissue structures and is expected to be used in the fields of food, regenerative medicine, and drug design. In August 2021, Osaka University and Toppan published a paper on a technology that produces different kinds of fibrous tissues, such as muscle, fat, and blood vessels using 3D printing and bundles up and integrates them. After the technology was established, Osaka University, Shimadzu, and SIGMAXYZ signed a partnership agreement for the practical implementation of 3D bioprinting technology in March 2022 and began working on its practical implementation. By receiving Itoham Yonekyu as a member, who has extended its knowledge about meat over the years, "the future creation consortium for cultured meat" will further develop collaborations and accelerate technological development. Prior to the establishment of the consortium, Osaka University, Shimadzu, Itoham Yonekyu, Toppan, and SIGMAXYZ signed an agreement for "the practical implementation of cultured meat technology by 3D printing" to build a system for the initiatives. With the establishment of the consortium, Osaka University, Itoham Yonekyu, and Toppan opened a "Joint Research Laboratory for Social Implementation of Cultured Meat" in Suita Campus, Osaka University. The joint research laboratory and "Osaka University Shimadzu Omics Innovation Research Laboratories," which is established in December 2019, will serve as the center for research promotion of the consortium.The five parties are planning co-sponsor the "Osaka Healthcare Pavilion Nest for Reborn" exhibited at the Osaka-Kansai Expo by Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City, and to display an automated cultured meat production system and provide cultured meat produced by 3D bioprinting technology to visitors who wish to eat at the 2025 World Exposition in Osaka, Kansai, using the event as a place to communicate the initiatives of the consortium to the world. Through the Osaka Expo, we will present the ideal form of cultured meat as one of the "future foods," which will lower the burden on the environment and solve the global protein shortage. This will help people have a better understanding of what cultured meat is about. Through the initiatives of the consortium, the five parties will contribute to solving environmental and food problems, improving people's health, and proposing future foods. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/692/green-climate-fund-approves-new-projects-worth-145-3-million-for-climate-action.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/692/green-climate-fund-approves-new-projects-worth-145-3-million-for-climate-action.html Thu, 30 Mar 2023 08:40:00 +0530 The initiatives in partnership with FAO are focused on fostering climate adaptation and resilience for smallholder farmers in Bolivia, Cambodia and The Philippines The Food and Agriculture Organization 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 $145.3 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 FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo. “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.” Over five years, $63.3 million co-financed by the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Federation of Municipalities, will be destined to improve the management of agroecological zones, agricultural land, and priority micro-watersheds to build resilience and increase food and water security. The project activities are expected to benefit more than one million people, or 53.7 per cent of the total population of Valles, including nearly 82,000 families, mostly from Indigenous Communities. The initiative, which is the first high-impact GCF project in Bolivia, also includes a well-defined gender action plan to reduce women’s vulnerability to climate change, given that at least 48 per cent of the national agricultural production systems are managed by women. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/687/basf-personal-care-launches-plant-based-alternative-to-animal-keratin-at-in-cosmetics-global.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/687/basf-personal-care-launches-plant-based-alternative-to-animal-keratin-at-in-cosmetics-global.html Wed, 29 Mar 2023 09:01:02 +0530 Upcycled plant extract from Silybum marianum seed cake, a by-product of Silybum marianum oil production At in-cosmetics Global in Barcelona, BASF Personal Care debuts Kerasylium™, a new hair care ingredient to help repair damaged hair and to protect it from daily aggressions. Kerasylium is a micro-complex, rich in peptides and containing nutrients. The peptides exhibit an amino acid composition similar to that of keratin, a protein naturally present in the hair, which ensures its resistance and elasticity. “Many cosmetic manufacturers rely on keratin for their hair care products because it helps to repair the hair from the inside out. However, the keratin-based ingredients that are usually used in hair treatments are of animal origin. We wanted to change that, so we developed Kerasylium, a plant-based alternative,” said Cécile Kalem, Launch Manager Europe, BASF Beauty Care Solutions France S.A.S. Upcycled plant extract with proven efficacy Kerasylium is the result of upcycling milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seed cake, a by-product of milk thistle oil production. It expands BASF’s growing portfolio of active ingredients produced via circular models to conserve resources. The milk thistle used is grown in France for oil production and is based on a traceable and sustainable supply chain. Thanks to its high peptide content (50-70% of the active matter), Kerasylium helps to prevent breakage, especially of weakened hair, through the stabilization and repair of hair keratin, making hair stronger, shinier, and softer. Moreover, comprehensive studies have shown that Kerasylium decreases keratin denaturation by protecting the structural proteins of the hair against oxidative stress, while helping to maintain its color for longer. Re_think hero ingredients Just like biotics, hyaluronic acid, retinol and the like, keratin ranks among the so called “hero ingredients” that have long-standing proven efficacy and a well-known mode of action. Challenging the status quo, scientists at BASF are “rethinking” these ingredients by constantly refining them through technological progress and performance improvement, unlocking untapped potential, and developing natural alternatives. At in-cosmetics, BASF will present some of these reinventions of popular ingredients, which, in addition to Kerasylium, include Probiolift™, one of the first live bacteria used as a cosmetic ingredient, and Postbiolift™, the company’s new biotic solutions for healthful skin aging. The innovations pay tribute to BASF’s overarching trade fair concept Re_think, which is designed to reform, reshape and reinvent personal care. Kerasylium will also be on display in the Innovation Zone of the trade show. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/686/hitachi-vantara-and-golden-grove-nursery-harness-data-driven-analytics-for-water-management.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/686/hitachi-vantara-and-golden-grove-nursery-harness-data-driven-analytics-for-water-management.html Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:57:53 +0530 Golden Grove has installed an innovative combination of weight scales, soil moisture sensors, and analytics developed for horticulture use by Hitachi Vantara Hitachi Vantara, the modern infrastructure, data management and digital solutions subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd and Golden Grove Nursery, the dominant supplier of citrus nursery trees to the Queensland citrus industry (Australia), have applied artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics and sensor technology to inform data-driven irrigation water management practices for sustainable, environmentally friendly food production. Golden Grove has installed an innovative combination of weight scales, soil moisture sensors, and analytics developed for horticulture use by Hitachi Vantara, Greenlife Industry Australia, Applied Horticulture Research, and ICT International. This solution measures and assesses moisture content in the growing media of pots, as well as crop water use, to provide insights that inform practices such as irrigation and fertilisation decisions. The implementation includes a free-standing weather station to monitor the microclimate and a range of pH, temperature, soil moisture, weight, and electrical conductivity sensors to monitor water quality and leachate. "The best production nurseries have the best water," said Wayne Parr, Golden Grove Nursery Director. "With this project, we are using the power of data to improve our irrigation management processes which will, in turn, reduce the overheads of water usage, improve environmental outcomes, and ensure we maintain compliance with regulatory requirements." With the new implementation, water is automatically sampled and tested every 15 minutes, as opposed to the manual process Golden Grove has been undertaking twice a week for more than 30 years. Sensors have replaced bottles dipped into the dam and fingers poked into a pot. Real-time data is uploaded to the cloud and presented on one screen – the Hitachi Supply Chain Control Tower, modified to holistically measure production nursery productivity and environmental stewardship by integrating sensor data, weather forecasts, and biophysical models. Nursery personnel can easily access depictions of predictive analytics such as irrigation requirements thanks to Hitachi's Lumada Manufacturing Insights. Generations of experience, instinct and know-how are now supplemented with real-time insights that can give Golden Grove Nursery a data-driven edge. Within months of implementation, the nursery improved its irrigation practices by 30 per cent. "It is a privilege to support both sustainability and operational efficiency objectives in tandem, in an industry like agriculture and horticulture that has such a direct impact on society," said Maggie Laird, Hitachi Vantara Senior Vice President of Business Transformation and Sustainability. "We are committed to developing the solutions and analytics that sector-leading innovators like Golden Grove Nursery need to make critical data-driven decisions that solve pressing challenges like modernising to remain competitive whilst protecting the land and surrounding waterways and fostering sustainability in food production practices." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/685/evonik-partners-with-amsilk-to-manufacture-sustainable-silk-proteins-1.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/685/evonik-partners-with-amsilk-to-manufacture-sustainable-silk-proteins-1.html Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:51:30 +0530 Smart-performance, fully biodegradable biopolymer sourced from renewable raw materials Evonik has entered into an agreement with the German biotech company AMSilk to produce industrial quantities of innovative, sustainable silk proteins. The silk can be used in a broad range of applications including high-quality fashion, smart materials in automotives, and medical devices. Materials produced with the silk proteins balance optimal performance with minimal environmental impact. Evonik is producing the silk at its contract development and manufacturing (CDMO) precision fermentation site in Slovakia. “Working with a partner who puts sustainability at the heart of their business is in perfect alignment with our goals at Evonik. We are delighted to partner with AMSilk to bring smart biotech silk materials to industries worldwide,” said Thomas Riermeier, head of the Health Care business line at Evonik. With more than three decades of experience as a reliable fermentation partner to companies working on advanced food ingredients, pharmaceuticals and other innovators, Evonik’s Health Care business plays a key role in the company’s life sciences division, Nutrition & Care. The division is guided by a vision driven by sustainability, providing solutions that achieve the highest functionality while closing carbon loops and preserving biodiversity. “With Evonik, we have one of the most competent and renowned players for producing silk protein at our side. As we continue to improve our process, Evonik is not only the perfect industrial partner, but also as a strategic partner with whom we can scale up industrial production even beyond Europe,” says Klaus Kjeldal, Chief Production Officer at AMSilk GmbH. AMSilk is the world's first industrial supplier of smart biotech materials by applying an outstanding technology platform based on silk proteins. AMSilk turns man-made proteins into silk formulations including fiber, hydrogels and silk powder for applications in the textile industry as well as for medical devices and consumer goods. All AMSilk materials are created with an end of life in mind, being completely vegan, biodegradable, and using renewable plant-based carbon, with no microplastics. Evonik draws on its expertise in fermentation, including strain development, process optimization and large-scale manufacturing, to help innovators industrialize their disruptive technologies in promising markets such as advanced foods or nature-identical materials. With a total fermentation capacity of over 4,000 m³ spanning a network of global sites in the U.S., Europe and Asia, Evonik is well-positioned to support a wide range of projects regardless of scale and complexity. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/680/singapores-turtletree-debuts-first-ever-animal-free-lactoferrin-protein.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/680/singapores-turtletree-debuts-first-ever-animal-free-lactoferrin-protein.html Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:06:00 +0530 LF is a high-value bioactive milk protein set to commercially launch in Q4 2023 TurtleTree (HQ: Singapore), a global leader in animal-free functional dairy proteins, has developed the world's first precision fermentation-produced lactoferrin —LF+—a high-value bioactive milk protein. TurtleTree projects to commercially launch LF+ in Q4 2023 Lactoferrin is one of the most powerful parts of cow's milk, with great functional benefits for immunity, iron regulation, and digestive health. The highly nutritious ingredient is designed into LF+-powered food and beverages that deliver delicious, unadulterated flavor coupled with health-boosting benefits. Lactoferrin, otherwise known as "pink gold" because of its high value and iron-rich pink hue, is naturally found in cow's milk but the low concentrations and current resource-intensive extraction processes limit access for many people. Its iron-regulating benefits can improve physical performance, aiding endurance, fatigue resistance, muscle strength, and energetic efficiency. To put the value of lactoferrin into context with other dairy proteins like whey, which costs approximately $1 per kilogram, lactoferrin retails at between $700 to $1,500 per kilogram. These prices reflect the significant resources necessary to extract the highly-prized protein, with up to 10,000 liters of milk—or nearly 50 cows producing a week's worth of milk—required to obtain just 1 kilogram of purified lactoferrin. Currently, lactoferrin is already used in supplements and infant formula. Yet, there remains a supply scarcity concerns unable to meet the demand for other fertile segments like sports nutrition. Accessing lactoferrin directly through off-the-shelf whole cow's milk can be a challenge, with pasteurization removing up to 50% of the naturally occurring protein. Furthermore, for conscious consumers who make the switch to plant-based milk, where lactoferrin is not inherently present, maintaining intake of this important nutrient can be a struggle. "The development and debut of this highly valuable animal-free dairy protein is yet another innovative breakthrough that creates more sustainable food choices and a more sustainable food system. With more private sector and public sector support, precision fermentation is one of the brilliant alternative protein technologies that can open up a world of possibilities on this front" says Good Food Institute Co-Founder and President Bruce Friedrich. Through the use of precision fermentation—harnessing microbes as tiny factories embedded with lactoferrin's unique recipe—TurtleTree is removing high methane-emitting cows from the lactoferrin supply chain and unlocking an abundant, sustainable, and affordable source of the highly-prized nutrient. TurtleTree is demonstrating how precision fermentation-derived proteins can help reduce the nutritional gap between conventional and plant-based products. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/679/australia-to-launch-world-first-satellite-water-monitoring-system-supporting-aquaculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/679/australia-to-launch-world-first-satellite-water-monitoring-system-supporting-aquaculture.html Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:44:00 +0530 CSIRO, with foundation partner SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre budget to invest AU$83 million to design and develop AquaWatch Australia's national science agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), has launched a mission to deliver a world first ground-to-space water quality monitoring system. CSIRO is Australia's pre-eminent national science organisation, accelerating innovation through global science.   Through AquaWatch Australia, CSIRO is working with partners internationally to help safeguard freshwater and coastal resources.  AquaWatch will provide near real-time updates and predictive forecasting – a weather service for water quality – once fully operational.  AquaWatch will support better water quality management and can be used to monitor water quality for drinking, sanitation, aquaculture, environmental assessment and a wide range of other applications to help meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.  CSIRO, with foundation partner SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre, is bringing together research, government and industry with an initial co-investment of AU$83 million to design and develop AquaWatch.   Data collected using an extensive network of Earth observation satellites and ground-based water sensors will be integrated at a central data hub where CSIRO's capability in data analysis and artificial intelligence can provide forecasts a few days ahead.  "The ingenuity behind AquaWatch is it integrates Earth observation with other science capabilities like in-situ sensing, ecosystem modelling, engineering, data science and artificial intelligence.  It is the latest example of CSIRO's Missions Program, which are large-scale scientific and collaborative research initiatives aimed at accelerating the pace and scale at which we can solve the greatest challenges" says CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Larry Marshall.   CSIRO and its international partners are already working together on pilot projects in:  California, USA in partnership with the University of California, Davis and University of California, Merced, focusing on turbidity in a major water storage  Sarawak, Malaysia in partnership with Swinburne University Sarawak, focusing on carbon losses from mangrove forests  Chile, focusing on salmon aquaculture and desalination  Colombia, focusing on coastal wetlands  Vietnam, in partnership with Vietnam's National Center for Water Resources and Investigation (NAWAPI) and Hanoi University of Mining and Geology (HUMG), focusing on drinking water supplies and hydroelectricity needs.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/673/portugals-sparos-launches-innovative-micro-diet-for-turbot-hatcheries.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/673/portugals-sparos-launches-innovative-micro-diet-for-turbot-hatcheries.html Mon, 27 Mar 2023 14:31:23 +0530 The micro diet incorporates a selection of top-quality ingredients that have been thoroughly tested Portugal-based SPAROS announced the launch of its latest product, WIN Max, within the HATCHERY FEEDS range. As a leader in aquaculture nutrition, SPAROS has developed this innovative micro diet to optimise the performance of turbot at marine hatcheries through customised nutrition. WIN Max has been designed in partnership with key customers and R&D institutions and is tailor-made to meet the evolving needs of hatchery managers. This premium weaning micro diet incorporates a selection of top-quality ingredients that have been thoroughly tested and produced by low-shear extrusion, incorporating microencapsulation of water-soluble nutrients. It has been formulated specifically for turbot, ensuring good growth and survival at the early development stages. Additionally, WINMax combines high palatability, digestibility and adjusted physical properties to ensure increased uptake by the fish while lowering the impact on water quality. “We are thrilled to introduce WINMax to our customers and the market at large,” said Luís Conceição co-founder and R&D director from SPAROS. “This product is the result of tireless research, development, and innovation. We are confident that it will outperform our customers’ expectations while offering unparalleled value at turbot hatcheries.” With the launch of WIN Max, SPAROS continues to build a portfolio of premium bespoke products that deliver exceptional results. This new product marks an exciting new chapter in SPAROS’ history. At SPAROS, we have a hands-on approach towards converting customer needs into new solutions. The close contact we have with our customers and R&D institutions allows us to establish strong partnerships that lead to the development of bespoke products. As João Henriques, Product Manager at SPAROS puts it, “Our customers’ success is our success, and we strive to create value for them through innovation and collaboration.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/671/bayer-presents-unprecedented-fungicide-new-business-models-and-seed-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/671/bayer-presents-unprecedented-fungicide-new-business-models-and-seed-innovation.html Mon, 27 Mar 2023 07:08:00 +0530 Invests more than €2.8 billion per year in Research and Development (R&D) for agriculture globaly The 20th edition of Tecnoshow Comigo, a multinational agricultural trade event, will take place between the 27th and 31st of March in the municipality of Rio Verde (GO), the U.S. Participating in the major event, Bayer is presenting its Innovations in seeds, an unprecedented fungicide for soy farming, state-of-the-art digital tools and new business models at the occasion. With global investments of more than €2.8 billion per year in Research and Development (R&D) for agriculture, the multinational will present the most advanced in biotechnologies, crop protection and digital tools for the field, demonstrating directly to farmers of the region how modern solutions can contribute to the growth of agricultural production in a sustainable way. Bayer is introducing Supra , a new systemic fungicide, ideal for use in controlling diseases in soybeans. The formulation demonstrates effectiveness in different stages of the infectious process of diseases such as Asian rust, target spot, brown spot, anthracnose, cercospora and powdery mildew. Similarly, for corn, Bayer is presenting two innovative products, the insecticide Curbix® , which has a highly efficient contact effect against both leafhoppers and bedbugs, helping in the integrated management of pests, and the Verango Prime nematicide , for the effective and long-term control of nematodes in maize, such as root-knot nematode ( Pratylenchus zeae ) and root-knot nematode ( Meloidogyne incognita ). To unlock new opportunities to transform agriculture, Bayer portfolio is leveraging digital field innovation solutions and many crop protection solutions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/665/ecorobotix-introduces-novel-smart-herbicide-biospray-device.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/665/ecorobotix-introduces-novel-smart-herbicide-biospray-device.html Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:09:00 +0530 UHP-spraying solution is efficient and more cost-effective solution which can be used for both selective and non-selective herbicides Ecorobotix has introduced a UHP-spraying solution for spot-spraying herbicide application, making it more efficient and more cost-effective solution which can be used for both selective and non-selective herbicides. The ARA Precision Sprayer is a revolutionary ultra-high precision sprayer with an ability to treat plant-by-plant with an unprecedented accuracy of 6x6 cm and a breakthrough in targeted herbicide delivery. ARA's technology can accurately detect, classify, and spray only individual weeds (avoiding surrounding soil and crops), thanks to its AI based plant recognition capability and ultra-high precision (UHP). Ecorobotix's UHP-spraying solution is radically different from conventional and spot-spraying herbicide application, making it more efficient and more cost-effective solution which can be used for both selective and non-selective herbicides. Under the Biospray project, ARA proved its potential for Sustainable and Non-Selective Herbicide & Pesticide Use in Agriculture. The EU-funded agROBOfood project has supported the Biospray industrial challenge project to adapt Ecorobotix's ultra-high precision technology to meet the needs of biocontrol applications and to conduct field trials for three types of applications.  The novel Biocontrol are derived from natural ingredients (such as vinegar and geranium) and offer effective crop treatment.  These simpler molecules are assumed to be highly effective herbicides and pesticides, to degrade totally (so don't remain in the soil/environment) and to require less energy to produce (reducing the CO2 footprint). "For example, 'natural' herbicides can be used to treat weeds but can also harm the crops if they were broadly sprayed so they are best delivered by an ultra-high precision sprayer which targets individual plants (spraying only weeds but not crops)", explains Steve Tanner, CTO Ecorobotix. The products can be used both in conventional farming and bio/organic farming.  However, formal homologation of these biocontrol products is still ongoing for use in organic/bio farming. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/664/nutrien-radicle-growth-launch-the-2023-radicle-inclusion-challenge.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/664/nutrien-radicle-growth-launch-the-2023-radicle-inclusion-challenge.html Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:45:00 +0530 The 2023 Radicle Inclusion Challenge to invest $1.5 million in early-stage ag-tech companies to advance a sustainable food value chain Nutrien, the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services, and Radicle Growth have partnered to launch the “2023 Radicle Inclusion Challenge Presented by Nutrien” inviting early stage ag-tech companies to win their share of venture capital fund. The opportunity is open to worldwide Ag-Tech start-up firms. The challenge aims to invest $1.5 million in early-stage ag-tech companies worldwide, led by or supporting underrepresented groups while advancing a sustainable food value chain. The Inclusion Challenge will focus on less than 3% of US venture capital invested in women, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color entrepreneurs. The challenge is expected to unpack insights and challenges historically underrepresented groups face. The Inclusion Challenge aims to assist diverse groups in agriculture by attaining venture capital and access to resources that could help bring their technologies to market. Following the success of the 2022 Inclusion Challenge, Nutrien, and Radicle Growth decided to partner again to create a more sustainable food value chain while advancing diversity and inclusion. Two winners will receive an investment of $750,000 each and will gain access to Radicle’s company-building platform that may be used to help accelerate their growth. The data from the 2022 Inclusion Challenge revealed that founders from underrepresented groups typically lack the resources, mentors, and capital needed to put their ideas into practice. The data highlight a need for the industry to continue to address diversity and inclusion in agriculture. Kirk Haney, Managing Partner at Radicle Growth, said, “As an industry, we need to bring new, diverse viewpoints. The Radicle Inclusion Challenge has proven to be a great way to find the best and brightest ag-tech entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world.” The Inclusion Challenge expects to measure impact and provide market intelligence in the area of inclusion and diversity in ag-tech in a way that provides valuable insights into how underrepresented groups get access to the resources they need to be successful. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/668/chinas-renewable-energy-capacity-up-by-8-5-in-jan-feb.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/668/chinas-renewable-energy-capacity-up-by-8-5-in-jan-feb.html Fri, 24 Mar 2023 13:40:11 +0530 In the first two months, the total investment of China's major power companies in solar energy nearly tripled from a year ago to 28.3 billion yuan China's installed renewable energy capacity saw robust growth in the first two months of the year, according to the National Energy Administration. By the end of February, the installed capacity of wind power rose 11 per cent year on year to approximately 370 million kilowatts, while that of solar power stood at about 410 million kilowatts, marking a robust yearly increase of 30.8 per cent. China's total installed power generation capacity came in at about 2.6 billion kilowatts by the end of February, rising 8.5 per cent year on year. The country has enhanced its renewable energy investment over the years to pursue green development. In the first two months, the total investment of China's major power companies in solar energy nearly tripled from a year ago to 28.3 billion yuan ($ 4.12 billion).  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/666/syngenta-launches-global-platform-to-address-complex-challenges-in-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/666/syngenta-launches-global-platform-to-address-complex-challenges-in-agriculture.html Fri, 24 Mar 2023 12:59:24 +0530 “Shoots by Syngenta™” will also include a startup accelerator, providing a supportive ecosystem for early-stage companies developing new agricultural technologies. Syngenta Group announced the launch of “Shoots by Syngenta™,” a global platform designed to help tackle agriculture’s most complex challenges, increase innovation, and advance more sustainable agriculture. Starting with science-based innovation challenges, the platform will connect scientific discovery and creativity, bringing together academics, research institutes, startups, and cross-industry sectors to collaborate with Syngenta’s global network of 5,000+ scientists. “Shoots by Syngenta™” will also include a startup accelerator, providing a supportive ecosystem for early-stage companies developing new agricultural technologies. Cohorts of startups will enter a program connecting them with mentors, resources, and funding to accelerate their growth and impact. “Helping growers sustainably feed a rapidly growing human population requires a strong collaboration focus, not just across agriculture but across industries,” said Gusui Wu, Global Head of Seeds Research. “Collaboration is at the heart of how our scientists approach innovation every day. It’s embedded in our scientific culture, and we are continually seeking out different technologies, solutions and partners to help us better serve farmers.” “Shoots by Syngenta™” will spotlight specific innovation needs from across the Syngenta Crop Protection and Seeds businesses. Science-based innovation challenges will be posted on the website, enabling anyone with a scientific interest to submit proposals in response to the challenges or other areas of focus. Proposals are quickly evaluated, and if there is a mutual fit, they are progressed to a collaboration partnership to take forward the research or technology that might eventually be licensed. “We know that science holds the answer to the challenges we face, so we’re open to sharing and helping others benefit from our world-leading findings and experiences,” says Camilla Corsi, Global Head of Research for Syngenta Crop Protection. “Shoots by Syngenta™ gives us gives access to real, proven data and insight, which can inform and accelerate future science-led breakthroughs.” Additionally, the startup accelerator will provide early-stage companies the opportunity to pilot their technology at Syngenta’s Farm of the Future and select grower farms globally, mentorship and access to industry experts, and an opportunity to present and test ideas with relevant business leaders and investors. Participants will get one-on-one mentoring by Syngenta business leaders that is customized based on each team’s specific requirements. "Our vision is to create an ecosystem that drives innovation and collaboration in the agricultural industry, creating a more sustainable and efficient future for farmers, consumers, and the planet," said Feroz Sheikh, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Syngenta Group. "We believe that the most promising solutions to global food security, sustainability, and productivity will come from bringing together innovative and technology-driven start-ups with growers and industry experts.” Leaders from Syngenta Group will be present at this week’s World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit and the IUPAC International Congress of Crop Protection Chemistry to engage with fellow innovators and share more on “Shoots by Syngenta™.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/660/cell-agritech-to-build-malaysias-first-cultivated-meat-facility.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/660/cell-agritech-to-build-malaysias-first-cultivated-meat-facility.html Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:16:56 +0530 Invests RM20 million to bring cost-effective portfolio of cultivated meat, starting with tuna and eel Malaysian firm Cell AgriTech Sdn Bhd is setting up the country’s first cultivated meat production facility in Penang worth some RM20 million. The new facility will span three to four acres in size, with a 1,000-liter production volume. Cultivated meat is made by growing the stem cells of meat from animals in a device called a bioreactor. Cultivated meat as being safer than meat from slaughtered animals – supposedly being free of antibiotics and zoonotic diseases Cell Agritech’s plant will start by focusing on cultivating fish meat, especially premium meats, such as certain species of tuna and eel — and attempt to sell it at a matching price with the same type of meat sourced from slaughtered animals. The goal is to achieve price parity with conventional seafood. Cell AgriTech plans to be in full production by mid of 2025 while regulatory approval is under progress for cultivated meat. The company made the factory announcement during the first Malaysia Cultivated Meat Conference held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in March 2023. The US Food and Drug Administration and its Department of Agriculture are still evaluating the product. Cell AgriTech founder and vice-president of manufacturing Jason Ng Chin Aik said that cultivated meat can cut down on food wastage, as many inedible parts of slaughtered animals are usually thrown away. Explaining the food production process, Mihir Pershad, founder of Singapore-based Umami Meats — which is sharing its technology and expertise with Cell AgriTech — said that the stem cells in the bioreactor are fed a “Gatorade-like solution”. The plant in question will be using “immortalised cell lines” that allows the company to perpetually cultivate meat for “decades” after sourcing cells from a single slaughtered animal source. Representatives from several national universities, the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia, the Health Ministry, the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, and also the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation attended. The global cultivated meat market is expected to grow from $176.48 million (RM791.87 million) in 2022, to $321.71 million (RM1.44 billion) by 2027. Singapore was the first country to approve cultivated meat products for sale, back in 2020. Cell Agritech is currently working on qualifying suppliers that may potentially be more environmentally friendly ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/651/pepsico-to-invest-216m-supporting-regenerative-agriculture-transformation-in-the-us.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/651/pepsico-to-invest-216m-supporting-regenerative-agriculture-transformation-in-the-us.html Wed, 22 Mar 2023 08:08:00 +0530 Practical Farmers of Iowa region, Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, and the Illinois Corn Growers Association partner with PepsiCo to drive adoption of regenerative agriculture practices and reduce carbon emissions PepsiCo has announced a $216 million multi-year investment in long-term, strategic partnership agreements with three of the most well-respected farmer-facing organizations – Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), Soil and Water Outcomes Fund (SWOF), and the IL Corn Growers Association (ICGA) – to drive adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across the United States. The combined impact of these three strategic partnerships is expected to support the accelerated uptake of regenerative practices on more than three million acres and deliver approximately three million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and removals by 2030. PepsiCo will work alongside these trusted organizations to establish and scale financial, agronomic, and social programs that enable the transition to regenerative agriculture practices through education, upfront investment in outcomes, peer coaching and networking, and cost-sharing. PepsiCo's strategic, end-to-end business transformation, PepsiCo's strategic investment in PFI, SWOF and ICGA is essential to supporting the U.S. farming community as it makes changes that aim to secure production volumes and mitigate the impacts of climate change, while still cultivating quality, bountiful crops to feed the world's growing population. Through these partnerships, by 2030, PepsiCo will work with PFI to reach approximately 1.5 million acres; SWOF to reach nearly 1 million acres; and the ICGA to reach approximately 600,000 acres. Based on progress to date, these collaborative efforts are expected to deliver more than 500,000 regenerative acres by the end of 2023. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/648/basf-advances-innovation-pipeline-to-accelerate-agricultures-transformation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/648/basf-advances-innovation-pipeline-to-accelerate-agricultures-transformation.html Wed, 22 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0530 Expanding options for weed management, leveraging chemistry, biotech and data insights with integrated solutions BASF has unraveled the latest advancements in its agricultural innovation pipeline of crop protection, seeds and traits, and digital solutions. Their focus is to provide much-needed solutions for farmers to overcome local and crop system specific pest pressures, climate challenges, changing regulatory requirements and rising consumer expectations. Executing on its strategy in agriculture announced in 2019, the company is directing its innovations to improve outcomes for major regional crops, such as soy in the Americas, fruits and vegetables in Europe and rice in Asia Pacific. The value of the innovation pipeline remains strong, with an estimated peak sales potential of more than €7.5 billion fueled by products launched within the next ten years. “Our goal is to become an ever more integrated provider of agricultural solutions and to expand the options we can offer to farmers. This is why we continue to invest substantially across our broad pipeline of agricultural technologies, with €944 million spent on Research & Development in 2022,” said Dr. Livio Tedeschi, President of BASF Agricultural Solutions. “Farmers can continue to rely on us to innovate and deliver new active ingredients, innovative formulations, and traits to get more value from their production, both economically and environmentally.” “Our pipeline demonstrates that we are not only leveraging our deep expertise in chemistry and environmental sciences, but also matching it with leading biotechnology and digitalization approaches for next generation solutions,” added Dr. Peter Eckes, President R&D and Regulatory of BASF Agricultural Solutions. “BASF’s industry-leading weed-control pipeline is a premier example of how our multidisciplinary approach yields solutions that balance the needs of farmers, society and the environment.” Broad portfolio of solutions to improve outcomes in rice in Asia Pacific Farmers growing rice – the major crop for the main continent of Asia – face growing pressure from resistant weeds, diseases, and pest insects. BASF actively supports farmers to overcome these challenges through a broad portfolio of technologies. Multiple new chemistries and formulations are expected before mid-decade aimed at improving outcomes in rice: A new insecticide mode of action for rice hopper control is under development by BASF in collaboration with industry partners. BASF has accelerated the development of the insecticide to reach farmers in Asia Pacific by mid-decade. BASF’s new Luximo® herbicide belongs to a chemistry class that was the first new mode of action classification update introduced in the last four decades. Luximo will be launched in Indonesia in 2024, with other countries in the Asian market to follow by mid-decade. Kixor® CS is a new herbicide formulation of Kixor® Active that can be applied beyond pre-emergence to early-post, providing growers the flexibility to apply further into the season. The innovative encapsulation of the herbicide provides a physical barrier that increases crop safety while enabling long-lasting residual control of broadleaf weeds. Revysol®-based products will be launched within the next two years to control major diseases in rice such as sheath blight, and dirty panicles. These new formulations will be available to rice farmers in the region under the product names Cevya®, Mibelya®, and Revyrize®. Seltima® Plus is a disease management solution for rice with built in resistance management that will be introduced in the region in the next years. The combination of two fungicides provides yield and seed quality increases over market standards. In 2022, registration was granted in Indonesia with India, China and other countries to follow. The Provisia® rice system and Clearfield® production system for direct seeded rice enable growers to continuously make better use of the limited arable land and are an alternative to wet paddy cultivation. These yield-preserving technologies will debut in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines in the second half of the decade. Additionally, Provisia will enter the Chinese rice market by 2025. As an introductory step, BASF announced a long-term partnership with Seedworks Philippines to introduce BASF’s non-GM trait for Provisia herbicide-tolerance into the Philippines’ hybrid rice market. This collaboration is one of ten different seed partnerships across five countries in Asia that will launch Clearfield and Provisia herbicide tolerant traits in rice. The decision-making quality of xarvio® FIELD MANAGER is continuously improving to optimize sustainable rice production in Japan. To support more efficient use of pesticides, BASF is updating the platform with new insect pest models expected to be available by 2025. Disease models will also be enhanced to support more precise fungicide timing, dosing, and product selection recommendations. Owing to the accurate, and continuously improving model-based insights, xarvio has evolved into the de facto standard tool for crop protection. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/645/vietnam-inks-novels-program-to-implement-agriculture-development-in-rural-areas.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/645/vietnam-inks-novels-program-to-implement-agriculture-development-in-rural-areas.html Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:22:02 +0530 Aims to strengthen Government and organization's coordination in rural agricultural development by implementing effective policies and guidelines designed earlier for the 2021-2025 period. The Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Fatherland Front (CPV) of Vietnam in collaboration with the Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) held the signing ceremony of the cooperation program to carry out the task of building and developing agriculture and rural areas. The coordination program aims to strengthen the relationship between the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, between the Fatherland Front at all levels and local state management agencies in the field of agriculture and rural areas in effective implementation. directives, resolutions and guidelines of the Party, policies and laws of the State on promoting the strength of great solidarity to build agriculture, farmers and rural areas; The focus is on directing and coordinating the implementation of assigned tasks in the National Target Program on building new rural areas for the 2021-2025 period. The program also aims to improve the quality and efficiency of implementation of new rural contents and criteria, the Movement "The whole country joins hands to build a new countryside" in association with the Campaign "All people unite to build rural areas". new, civilized city". From there, contributing to raising awareness for cadres, party members and people in the implementation of the Party's guidelines, the State's policies and laws on agriculture, farmers and rural areas with a focus on promoting the role of the Party. people's subjects in new rural construction. According to Chairman Do Van Chien, the two agencies need to have assessments and orientations on market demand to support people in production and business, create quality products and create motivation to help farmers. people improve their material and spiritual life. Especially for farmers living in the same socio-economic difficulties, ethnic minority areas and mountainous areas, areas with a large number of ethnic minorities living. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/644/australia-approves-drought-resilience-grants-for-six-projects-to-rejuvenate-livestock-profitability.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/644/australia-approves-drought-resilience-grants-for-six-projects-to-rejuvenate-livestock-profitability.html Tue, 21 Mar 2023 11:52:34 +0530 Grants for six innovative projects to rejuvenate the Rangelands agriculture landscape and improve livestock profitability Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt has announced drought resilience grants for six innovative projects to rejuvenate the rangelands landscape and improve livestock profitability. The $2 million grants program is backed equally by the Agriculture Climate Resilience Fund and the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund – Resilient Soils and Landscape program. In Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Pilot, various projects were collectively launched to develop pathways to revive rangeland condition, increase livestock profitability and build business resilience. Grant support for pastoralists to enhance landscape condition, capture carbon opportunities and improve their businesses by embracing new technology and management strategies to boost livestock production. Grants can be uses for various upgrading tasks such as installing virtual fencing, trap yards and biodiversity monitors to improve groundcover and biodiversity through regenerative grazing and many more. The grant will also be invested in earthworks and a native seed nursery to improve perennial vegetation and rehabilitate degraded areas. Grant beneficiaries are deploying the funds also in decentralising watering points and to establish a grass nursery, erect exclusion fencing for revegetation, install trap yards and remote water monitoring to reduce grazing pressure and explore the use of lick feeders to aid feed management. A cutting-edge project using ag-tech and data to rehabilitate the landscape and strengthen a Mount Magnet pastoral business is among six recipients to receive inaugural Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Drought Resilience Grants. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/634/cambodias-royal-group-signs-agreement-on-renewable-energy-export-to-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/634/cambodias-royal-group-signs-agreement-on-renewable-energy-export-to-singapore.html Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:45:48 +0530 Keppel first to receive Energy Market Authority’s conditional approval for large-scale renewable and low-carbon energy import to Singapore Cambodia’s Royal Group Power Company Ltd. (RGP) and Singapore’s Keppel Energy Pte Ltd. (KE) have reached an energy purchase agreement on exporting renewable energy to Singapore via submarine high-voltage transmission. On March 15, Keppel Energy has also signed a long-term Power Purchase and Export Agreement (PPEA) with Cambodia's Royal Group Power Company Ltd (RGP), through which RGP will supply and export electricity to Keppel, and Keppel will import electricity into Singapore at utility-scale. The signing of the PPEA was witnessed by Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry, Singapore; H.E. Suy Sem, Minister for Mines and Energy, Cambodia; H.E. Keo Rottanak, Minister attached to the Prime Minister and Managing Director of Electricite du Cambodge as well as Mr Ngiam Shih Chun, Chief Executive of EMA.  Keppel Energy’s large-scale electricity import is expected to aggregate low carbon electricity generated from various renewable energy sources in Cambodia, with the ability to scale and hybridise with the vast renewable energy sources in Lao PDR, which will provide greater flexibility and energy resilience. Subject to requisite regulatory and other approvals, the large-scale low carbon electricity import from Cambodia is expected to commence post-2030. Keppel will leverage its experience in the first multilateral cross-border electricity trade involving four ASEAN countries and the first renewable energy import into Singapore as part of the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS-PIP) to facilitate the successful implementation of the large-scale import of renewables and low-carbon energy.  Minister  Sem said the deal is supported strongly by the governments of the two countries. “The deal contributes to cross-border energy trade and power integration among ASEAN Member States including Cambodia and Singapore,” he stressed. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/632/lnc-receives-approval-and-citification-for-organic-farming-in-uae.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/632/lnc-receives-approval-and-citification-for-organic-farming-in-uae.html Fri, 17 Mar 2023 14:39:30 +0530 The organic certification validates the effectiveness and safety of LNC as a solution for organic farming Desert Control's Liquid Natural Clay (LNC) receives official approval and certification for organic farming from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technologies (MoIAT), in consultation with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This recognition marks a significant milestone for the innovative solution that enables resilient and climate-smart agriculture and desert farming in a drying world. The organic certification validates the effectiveness and safety of LNC as a solution for organic farming. The certification ensures that LNC meets strict standards for the manufacturing process and raw materials, including the absence of synthetic chemicals and harmful substances. "We are honoured and proud to receive official recognition and certification from the UAE Ministry," said Ole Kristian Sivertsen, President and Group CEO of Desert Control. "This certification confirms that LNC also is a safe and effective solution to help farmers grow certified organic crops sustainably and to regenerate green ecosystems for the organic farming sector. Healthy soil leads to a healthy planet growing healthy food that fosters healthy and happy people." The certification of LNC for organic farming is a significant achievement for Desert Control, as it opens up new markets and opportunities for the company. With this certification, Desert Control and its strategic partner Mawarid Desert Control (MDC), can expand its reach to a wider range of farmers seeking sustainable and organic solutions for their farms and agribusinesses. LNC is a nature-based solution of natural minerals and clay that transforms desert sand into fertile soil. It coats each grain of sand with an electrical charge that holds onto water like a magnetic force, creating a soil structure that retains water and nutrients like a sponge. As a result, LNC enables plants to thrive in deserts and arid environments, reduces water consumption, and promotes soil health and biodiversity. LNC enables sustainable desert farming and saves up to 50 per cent on water and energy use while improving nutrient efficiency, crop yields, and food quality. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/628/corteva-agriscience-and-bunge-collaborate-to-develop-amino-acid-enhanced-soybeans.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/628/corteva-agriscience-and-bunge-collaborate-to-develop-amino-acid-enhanced-soybeans.html Fri, 17 Mar 2023 09:34:18 +0530 Ongoing collaboration to improve the nutritional profile of soybean meal and deliver value to farmers and feed and animal protein producers showing promising results Corteva Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), and Bunge (NYSE: BG) announced today significant advancements in the development of more nutritious soybean meal for the animal feed industry, specifically suited for poultry, swine and aqua feed. The companies have a multi-year collaboration to develop and commercialize soybean varieties that can create a potential new value stream opportunity for soybean farmers while giving feed compounders a new option to reduce their use of synthetic additives, lower costs, and shrink their carbon footprint. Through this collaboration, Corteva is leveraging its expertise in germplasm, gene editing, and traits discovery to develop soybean varieties with greater protein content, optimized amino acid profiles, and lower levels of anti-nutritional factors. Early field trial research has confirmed Corteva’s approach to boosting protein levels and significantly increasing the proportion of the key amino acids methionine and lysine in the soybean while maintaining high field and oil yields. “The future of food production hinges on developing new tools and technology to help farmers sustainably meet their production goals,” said Dr. Tom Greene, VP, Biotechnology, Corteva Agriscience. “Our collaboration with Bunge aligns with our commitment to sustainable innovation while supporting improved animal performance and greater value opportunities for livestock and row crop farmers. Our next step is to bring the higher-protein, enhanced-amino acid profile into a commercial soybean variety that offers the best value for soybean farmers.” Bunge will be the exclusive processor of the oilseed as well as exclusive merchandiser of the high-value meal and oil, leveraging its deep farmer relationships and existing facilities to source the oilseed and deliver incremental value to farmers, feed compounders and animal protein producers. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/626/transform-recognises-eight-organisations-for-adopting-antimicrobial-use-stewardship-principles.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/626/transform-recognises-eight-organisations-for-adopting-antimicrobial-use-stewardship-principles.html Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:58:01 +0530 These international leaders, representing over 15 per cent of global broiler production, include Asian organisations Cargill, as the TRANSFORM lead, and the International Poultry Council announce eight private-sector organisations have recognised the importance of responsible antimicrobial use and are endorsing the council’s antimicrobial use stewardship principles. Advanced within Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM), a USAID-funded activity, the principles guide poultry farmer actions to avoid the need for use of antimicrobials, yet when needed, ensure they are used according to stewardship principles.   These international leaders, representing over 15 per cent of the global broiler production, include six associations and two companies, and together they represent a collective effort in reducing reliance on antimicrobials globally. These organisations are recognised as leaders in adopting antimicrobial use stewardship principles and serve as an example for others that want to make a tangible impact on global health security.   Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) Federación Nacional de Avicultores de Colombia (FENAVI) Poultry Federation of India (PFI) Unione Nazionale Filiere Agroalimentari Carni e Uova (UNAITALIA) Thai Broiler Processing Exporters Association (TBA) Vietnam Poultry Association (VIPA) DABACO Group, a Vietnam-based company Kenchic Limited, a Kenya-based company “Critical actions for addressing antimicrobial use start at the farm,” said Robin Horel, IPC president. “We commend these organisations for acknowledging the importance of intentional antimicrobial use not only for the benefit of animals but for the impact on human health by reducing the risk of resistant pathogens spreading around the world.” By adopting the principles, the organisations are committed to encouraging or taking action that centres around four key points. First, take a risk-based approach to understand the specific use of antimicrobials. Second, adopting management practices to reduce the need for antimicrobials. Third, using antimicrobials only in compliance with national authorisations and finally, antimicrobials critically important for human medicine should be used for therapeutic purposes only and under a supervising veterinarian’s diagnosis and oversight. This is the latest initiative from TRANSFORM, a project created to advance market-driven animal health solutions that increase global health security and increase access to safe and affordable animal-sourced nutrition. Led by a private-sector consortium that includes Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International and IPC, TRANSFORM aims to drive lasting, systemic change through animal health data applications, antimicrobial use stewardship and on-farm practices that support animal health and economic sustainability. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/624/uaes-al-ajban-poultry-wins-sheikh-mansour-bin-zayed-agricultural-excellence-award.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/624/uaes-al-ajban-poultry-wins-sheikh-mansour-bin-zayed-agricultural-excellence-award.html Thu, 16 Mar 2023 12:35:53 +0530 The company is working on its strategies to develop a sustainable, efficient, and integrated food system by adopting innovations and investment techniques, promoting good practices UAE-based Al Ajban Poultry won first place for the ‘Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Agricultural Excellence Award’ at the Sheikh Zayed Festival, in the category of Commercial Animal Production Farms for adopting the highest standards in the poultry production chain. Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment Award for Agricultural Excellence, presented the award to Dr Mohammed Ezzat El Agamy, General Manager of Al Ajban Poultry, during a ceremony held at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba. Dr El Agamy, General Manager of Al Ajban Poultry Company, expressed the company's pride in winning the prestigious Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Award for Agricultural Excellence, the company is working on its strategies to develop a sustainable, efficient, and integrated food system by adopting innovations and investment techniques, promoting good practices, and enhancing the competitiveness of local products, which contribute to enhancing biosecurity, in addition to achieving the nation’s food security objectives. Al Ajban Poultry plays a significant role in supporting the security of the food supply chain, which supports the National Food Security Strategy 2051 of the United Arab Emirates, in addition to the training and development of the company’s human resources, including its veterinarians, engineers, and technical and administrative employees that contribute to the successes of the organisation. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/620/israels-cropx-connects-to-talgil-precision-irrigation-controllers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/620/israels-cropx-connects-to-talgil-precision-irrigation-controllers.html Wed, 15 Mar 2023 11:59:41 +0530 This digital connection will allow CropX users to access their Talgil controllers from within the CropX system for remote irrigation applications Israel-based CropX, a global leader in digital solutions for agronomic farm management, announced that it has completed an API integration with Talgil, a global producer of irrigation control systems with customers in over 80 countries. Connecting the CropX agronomic farm management system to Talgil controllers allows users to streamline their irrigation management process without having to handle several different user interfaces. Talgil irrigation controllers can be used on many types of irrigation systems. CropX connects data from the soil to the sky to provide advanced artificial intelligence (AI) agronomic insights and advice on irrigation, disease control, nutrition, leaching, and more through a mobile and desktop app. This digital connection will allow CropX users to access their Talgil controllers from within the CropX system for remote irrigation applications. From one digital platform, the CropX system advises when, where, and how much to irrigate, and Talgil users can schedule that irrigation. As-applied irrigation data can then be imported into the CropX system for record keeping. "Knowledge is power, and CropX makes that power even more potent when it can connect immediately with the irrigation system to put that knowledge into action. This is the latest connection in a broad strategy to connect machine data and activate it for the benefit of the grower," said Matan Rahav, Vice President of Business Development at CropX. "Integrating CropX's decision support system with Talgil Computing & Control irrigation control systems leads to precise and efficient use of water resources, cost savings, and improved sustainability. It empowers farmers with real-time data and predictive analytics to make informed decisions about when and how much to irrigate, optimising crop yields and mitigating environmental impact," said Yosee Ochman, Deputy General Manager at Talgil. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/614/adb-signs-loan-for-first-cross-border-wind-power-project-in-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/614/adb-signs-loan-for-first-cross-border-wind-power-project-in-asia.html Tue, 14 Mar 2023 11:37:10 +0530 The first plant in Lao PDR and the largest in Southeast Asia The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Monsoon Wind Power Company Limited (Monsoon) signed a $ 692.55 million nonrecourse project financing package to build a 600-megawatt wind power plant in Sekong and Attapeu provinces in the southern region of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to export and sell power to neighbouring Viet Nam. Comprising 133 wind turbines, the project will be the largest wind power plant in Southeast Asia and the first in the Lao PDR. As a sole mandated lead arranger and book-runner, ADB has arranged, structured, and syndicated the entire financing package—the largest syndicated renewable project financing transaction among ASEAN countries to date. The package comprises a $100 million A loan from ADB’s ordinary capital resources, a $150 million syndicated B loan, $50 million in concessional financing, $382.55 million in parallel loans, and a $10 million grant. Cutting-edge use of concessional blended finance was critical in overcoming the project’s bankability hurdles to crowd in the commercial capital. “Developing economies in Asia and the Pacific face shortfalls in climate investments that are needed to clear a pathway to green growth. The syndication of development and commercial financing for this project bridges this gap by mobilizing private capital to develop wind resources which are translated into clean power generation that can spur economic and social advancement in the region,” said Suzanne Gaboury, ADB Private Sector Operations Department Director General.“ The financing from ADB and its partners will help unlock the Lao PDR’s untapped wind resources, providing a basis for a transition to clean energy and green growth that will have lasting benefits for the economy.” Cross-border power supply has been a pillar of the Lao PDR’s economic growth. Harnessing the country’s untapped wind resources can provide energy diversification as the seasonality of the wind resource is countercyclical to the rainy season, which supports the country’s hydropower generation. The project will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by at least 748,867 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. The B loan comprises $100 million from Siam Commercial Bank and $50 million from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation while the concessional financing administered by ADB comprises $20 million from Leading Asia’s Private Infrastructure Fund (LEAP) and $30 million from the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in Asia (CFPS, CFPS II). Parallel loans include $120 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, $100 million from Kasikorn Bank, $72.55 million from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, $60 million from the Export-Import Bank of Thailand, and $30 million from the Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation Limited. A $10 million grant from ADB’s Asian Development Fund (ADF) – Private Sector Window (ADB-PSW) will help mitigate key project risks, including potential curtailment risk, which is a key bankability issue for lenders. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/612/singapore-develop-the-worlds-first-microneedle-based-drug-delivery-technique-for-plants.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/612/singapore-develop-the-worlds-first-microneedle-based-drug-delivery-technique-for-plants.html Tue, 14 Mar 2023 10:26:10 +0530 Polymeric silk microneedles are used to deliver agrochemicals to a wide variety of plants to implement in plant science research and precision agriculture Singapore researches have developed the first-ever polymeric Silk microneedles by designing a system deliver agrochemicals to a wide variety of plants as an efficient drug delivery system which can be implemented in plant science research and precision agriculture. Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, and their collaborators from Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have developed microneedle-based drug delivery technique for plants which can precisely deliver controlled amounts of agrochemicals to specific plant tissues for research purposes. When applied in the field, it could be used in precision agriculture to improve crop quality and disease management.  Increasing environmental conditions caused by climate change, an ever-growing human population, scarcity of arable land, and limited resources are pressuring the agriculture industry to adopt more sustainable and precise practices that foster more efficient use of resources  (e.g. water, fertilisers, and pesticides) and mitigation of environmental impacts. Developing delivery systems that efficiently deploy agrochemicals such as micronutrients, pesticides, and antibiotics in crops will help ensure high productivity and high produce quality while minimising the waste of resources is crucial.  However, current and standard practices for agrochemical application in plants, such as foliar spray, are inefficient due to off-target application, quick run-off in the rain, and actives’ rapid degradation. These practices also cause significant detrimental environmental side effects, such as water and soil contamination, biodiversity loss and degraded ecosystems; and public health concerns, such as respiratory problems, chemical exposure and food contamination. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/610/corteva-agriscience-unveils-plant-breeding-innovation-to-combat-corn-disease.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/610/corteva-agriscience-unveils-plant-breeding-innovation-to-combat-corn-disease.html Tue, 14 Mar 2023 09:48:43 +0530 Novel New Technique Uses CRISPR to Increase Multi-Disease Resistance Using Native Genes Corteva Agriscience has invented a breakthrough gene editing technology that will bring added protection to elite corn hybrids is advancing through the company’s R&D pipeline. The early-stage concept uses proprietary technology to package multiple disease-resistant native traits into a single location in the gene to better address the most devastating North American corn diseases facing farmers. In 2021, Northern leaf blight, Southern rust, gray leaf spot and anthracnose stalk rot combined to cost North America corn growers more than 318 million bushels in production. By using gene editing to combine and reposition disease resistant traits that already exist within the corn genome, Corteva is able to bolster disease tolerance and minimize production stress. Additionally, the technology could result in healthier plants and increase yield potential even further. “This transformational technology represents the next generation of plant breeding innovation. The gene mapping capabilities have allowed us to identify and optimally position the best native resistant genes in our already high-performing hybrids, so that we can deliver a premium product to farmers” said Sam Eathington, Chief Technology and Chief Digital Officer, Corteva Agriscience. As plant disease continues to be a growing concern for farmers, the multi-disease resistance concept is intended to simplify disease management and improve sustainability by reducing the need for additional crop protection product applications. This advancement will also meet Corteva’s sustainable innovation criteria for new products, which are based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The company anticipates this concept to advance to commercialization by the end of the decade. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/609/pusan-university-researchers-use-calcium-materials-to-reduce-arsenic-availability-in-soil.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/609/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/81/608/hikvision-protects-endangered-rare-grape-species-with-video-technologies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/608/hikvision-protects-endangered-rare-grape-species-with-video-technologies.html Mon, 13 Mar 2023 15:11:59 +0530 A Hikvision solar-powered camera automatically takes a snapshot at regular intervals, aside from video recording Hikvision helped scientists at a National Nature Reserve to better understand the growth of a rare grape variety, assisting in the study of this species, and facilitating their protection and cultivation work. In 1984, the first wild Baihuashan grapevine was found in the west of Beijing, China. This remained the only individual grapevine of its species found in the wild until 2016. Up to now, only these two specimens have been found in the wild, making this kind of grape more endangered than the giant panda. In 2020, Vitis baihuashanensis was added to the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants in China, under first-level protection. The list was announced in 2021 with Vitis baihuashanensis included. To breed the population of this grape variety, Beijing Songshan National Nature Reserve collaborated with Beijing Forestry University on seed breeding in 2019 in order to artificially cultivate ‘second-generation seedlings’. The seedling project has proven to be a success and now those grapevines are growing in good health. Hikvision joined the protection project concerning the Baihuashan grape in 2021, and since then it has leveraged its video expertise to help monitor the growth of the ‘second-generation seedlings’. A Hikvision solar-powered camera automatically takes a snapshot at regular intervals, aside from video recording. It is important for caretakers to know the status of the seedlings in the different stages of their lives. These images and video footage help staff at the reserve better understand the growth of the grapes, assisting in the study of this species, and facilitating their protection and cultivation work. In addition to the Baihuashan grape, Hikvision has also applied its technology to help monitor Lonicera oblata 24/7 in Songshan National Nature Reserve. Lonicera oblata is a kind of deciduous shrub and have been in danger mostly due to its weak population regeneration ability under natural conditions. In response to the increasing awareness of protecting biodiversity, engineers in Hikvision have developed a number of technologies and solutions excelling at plant monitoring, specific plant phenological identification, and life cycle observation with time-lapse video. These technologies play an effective role in supporting the study, protection, and artificial cultivation of rare plants. In addition to that, researchers are able to see and compare the changes between different growth stages of rare plants effectively, follow their phenological changes, and raise a flag when the change is material. Hikvision is committed to a harmonious and sustainable ecological environment with advanced technologies and innovative solutions. Joining hands with professional organisations and experts globally, it will continue to make a concerted effort to safeguard the biodiversity of the planet. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/604/genomic-breeding-strategies-to-cultivate-high-yielding-varieties-for-global-farmers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/604/genomic-breeding-strategies-to-cultivate-high-yielding-varieties-for-global-farmers.html Mon, 13 Mar 2023 05:36:00 +0530 Texas Crop Science (TCS) and GDM have established a strategic collaboration to combine TCS High-Yielding Technology and GDM Proprietary Elite Soybean Germplasm to produce high yielding crop varieties  Texas Crop Science (TCS), a developer of cutting-edge and sustainable crop yield traits, and GDM, a leading company in plant genetics with U.S. headquarters in Champaign, Illinois, has entered a strategic collaboration to develop higher-yielding soybean varieties for global farmers. By incorporating TCS high-yielding technology into GDM’s world-leading soybean genetics using gene-editing and advanced plant breeding techniques, the collaboration aims to develop new soybean varieties that deliver higher yield under a wide range of growing conditions, varying from ideal to stress-impacted.  Soybeans are one of the main sources of plant protein for both human and animal nutrition.  In addition to the ongoing need for higher yields, soybean growers also face increasing challenges associated with the impacts of climate change. Forty percent of worldwide soybean production is made using GDM genetics, stemming from innovative technologies that combine data science, biotechnology, and agricultural management for the continual genetic improvement of soybean crops. High-yielding technology from TCS has been under development for more than a decade and proven to increase soybean yields by up to 34 percent through more than 70 intensive field trials carried out over seven years and nine growing seasons at locations in North and South America. Simon Hiebert, CEO of TCS said  “The novel yield trait technology and plant genetic innovation can create a stream of soybean products that will benefit farmers with increased and climate-stable yields, while also benefitting consumers through increased global food security and reduced environmental impact”. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/598/agmatix-partners-with-nasa-harvest-to-aid-sustainability-at-global-agricultural.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/598/agmatix-partners-with-nasa-harvest-to-aid-sustainability-at-global-agricultural.html Fri, 10 Mar 2023 07:46:30 +0530 Promotes Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture practices by deploying agricultural remote sensing tools to assist onsite farm decisions; Initiates with smallholder farms in India and commercial farms in Brazil, aiming to expand globally Agmatix, a start-up AgTech business specializing in turning agronomic big data into powerful models and insights, has  partnered with NASA Harvest - NASA's global Food Security and Agriculture Consortium. The initiative aims to support sustainable practices for crop production at the field level and mitigate the impact of climate change globally. The collaboration is expected to help even food manufacturers meet consumer expectations for more sustainably sourced products. A combination of ground sampling and remote sensing data will be used to support farmers in their transition toward sustainable agriculture. Through this partnership, farmer efforts will be tracked and guided to assist them in improving sustainability levels along with conservation management. "According to the World Economic Forum, sustainable agriculture practices must triple in order to prevent climate change. Currently, adoption is hindered by a lack of consistent and acceptable measurements at scale. Our collaboration will promote resilient agriculture beginning with smallholder farms in India and commercial farms in Brazil, and lead to further expansion worldwide," comments Ron Baruchi, CEO of Agmatix. "NASA Harvest is excited to partner with Agmatix to advance the use of satellite-based information to help inform on-farm decisions which can ultimately result in increased resilience while reducing waste," comments Inbal Becker-Reshef, NASA Harvest Director. NASA Harvest will provide its expertise on agricultural remote sensing and leverage tools developed by the consortium, which will then be combined with field data from Agmatix and processed using a proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm. These data-driven insights can help farmers make field-level decisions that impact sustainability most effectively, such as cover crop selection and fertilizer application. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/592/searca-ties-up-with-agriportal-for-accord-to-promote-sustainable-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/592/searca-ties-up-with-agriportal-for-accord-to-promote-sustainable-agriculture.html Thu, 09 Mar 2023 09:39:36 +0530 Under the five-year accord, SEARCA and AgriPortal collaborate in a number of areas of common interest such as education, training, and research. AgriPortal Advocates Philippines, Inc. (AgriPortal) and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote sustainable agriculture in the region. Under the five-year accord, SEARCA and AgriPortal have complementary objectives and a mutual desire to collaborate in a number of areas of common interest such as education, training, and research. Signatories are Dr. Glenn Gregorio, SEARCA Director, and Dr. Junifen Gauuan, Chairman of the AgriPortal Board of Trustees. The signing ceremony was held at SEARCA and witnessed by key officials and staff members of SEARCA and AgriPortal. AgriPortal is a nongovernmental organization functioning as a one-stop agricultural solution in absolute fulfillment toward a transformed “HEARTS” of the nation. It is dedicated to revive and renew the agriculture industry in the Philippines by bringing together various faith-based communities into agri-enterprise and agribusiness. Under the agreement, SEARCA and AgriPortal will collaborate in promoting and disseminating planting and gardening of "Bahay Kubo '' seeds to K-12 learners in the country with the help of the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd). The Bahay Kubo Project is SEARCA and AgriPortal’s combined initiative that aims to educate the Filipino youth the essence of agriculture and how they can contribute through small yet impactful actions in home and in school. SEARCA will provide the kickstarter manual for the production of vegetable seeds while AgriPortal provides vegetable seeds to schools and other stakeholders. The collaboration will also include webinar series on sustainable agriculture and agricultural enterprises mainly catering overseas workers. The webinar series is SEARCA's bid to promote sustainable agriculture across Southeast Asia. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/595/bayer-develops-a-organ-on-chip-platform-to-reduce-animal-testing-in-healthcare.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/595/bayer-develops-a-organ-on-chip-platform-to-reduce-animal-testing-in-healthcare.html Thu, 09 Mar 2023 09:03:00 +0530 The platform can help reduce animal testing as a alternative model while improving development outcomes, reducing costs, and improve patient safety in consumer health industry Bayer, the global health care and nutrition expert is developing a platform to reduce or replace animal testing with a alternative model of “organ-on-chip” (OoC) technology and interactive computational software. The pilot project, supported by esqLABS, Dynamic42, Placenta Lab of Jena University Hospital, and Bayer’s Consumer Health Division aims to generate clinically relevant data, a key step in evaluating new drug candidates in preclinical research. The effort is first-of-its-kind collaboration in the consumer health industry. The one-year pilot will focus on evaluating whether small molecules can cross the blood-placenta-barrier in pregnant women, an understudied population due to challenges in conducting clinical research. The platform will consist of a microphysiological system (MPS, so called “organ-on-chip”) representing the main human tissues involved in drug disposition (liver, intestine, placenta) as well as a pumping system to circulate cell culture media among the tissues. The platform will be digitalized to simulate the distribution of compounds and translate the data to human situations. While animal tests are often required by regulation in the preclinical phase of new drug development, there can be challenges in translating outcomes from animals to humans in some cases. If successful, the platform could help reduce animal testing while improving development outcomes, reducing costs, and last but not least improving patient safety. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will bring together esqLABS’ unique expertise in computational modelling of biomedical systems, Dynamic42’s expertise in in-depth tissue and hardware engineering as well as Bayer’s leading expertise in human pharmacokinetic predictions to create the integrated biological and computational platform. The Placenta Lab provides unique experience in developing and building a placenta-on-chip, which is the key element in this study. esqLABS will develop the computational software tool, and Dynamic42 will develop a multi-organ-on-chip platform including the placental barrier. Bayer will provide industry guidance for real-world usage, as well as drug and data sets to help validate the platform’s predictions. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/588/agrology-launches-climate-smart-farming-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/588/agrology-launches-climate-smart-farming-technology.html Wed, 08 Mar 2023 11:46:01 +0530 Arbiter Carbon Monitoring System is designed to continuously monitor and quantify Soil Carbon Flux Agrology, a global leading Predictive Agriculture company, has launched the Arbiter Carbon Monitoring System, the only available system that continuously monitors and quantifies soil carbon flux for farmers. The Agrology Arbiter System helps growers track and quantify soil carbon, delivering carbon flux data and soil health data to growers on their mobile and desktop devices. With Arbiter, growers receive critical alerts for anomalies and complex challenges like soil carbon flux and soil microbiome health, the pinnacles of regenerative farming. Agrology's Predictive Agriculture Platforms makes it easy to be more regenerative, quantify soil carbon, and stay ahead of threats like drought, pest and disease outbreaks, smoke taint, extreme temperatures, and more. Growers receive critical alerts for anomalies and complex challenges like soil carbon flux and soil microbiome health, the pinnacles of regenerative farming. The Agrology Arbiter Carbon Monitoring System is able to perform the below tasks: Monitors soil carbon flux, soil carbon changes, soil carbon respiration, soil carbon sequestration, and soil conditions. Continuously tracks soil carbon sequestration by evaluating soil carbon flux and then delivers that data to growers in real time. Gathers the highest quality carbon data from an entire project geography, enabling growers to know what is happening ecosystem-wide. Characterizes soil composition changes including soil carbon flux, soil moisture release curves, and soil fertility/salinity. This helps growers understand soil health and carbon content. (As soil carbon increases, soil water and soil nutrient availability improve). Alerts growers of significant soil or atmospheric events that impact carbon levels so they can adjust regenerative practices accordingly. Agrology Arbiter devices gather comprehensive data below and above the ground, and track soil conditions and atmospheric gasses. Once data is gathered, Agrology’s machine learning models synthesize data to monitor complex challenges like soil carbon flux and soil microbiome health. Growers own their data and can pull it anytime from their individually encrypted storage using Agrology’s grower portal and data APIs. With Arbiter, growers can monitor ecosystem-wide activity continuously. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/585/thailand-develops-a-test-kit-to-detect-pesticide-contamination-in-water.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/585/thailand-develops-a-test-kit-to-detect-pesticide-contamination-in-water.html Tue, 07 Mar 2023 11:59:03 +0530 Supports Safe and Sustainable Agriculture by detecting agrochemicals like paraquat and atrazine in water by using color grading adsorbent materials  Thailand's Chulalongkorn University is leading a research project developing a water test kit to detect pesticide residues in water. The prototype is ready for testing in practical conditions to support sustainable and safe agricultural practices in the country. The test kit measures pesticide contaminants in water by using absorbent materials synthesized by porous nano carbon materials to detect agrochemicals such as paraquat and atrazine even in micro quantities. A light-weight porous carbon material with nanometer-sized pores is created by burning organic chemistry materials in inert air and is used in the detection process. The highly sensitive color grading analysis techniques helps in achieving accuracy. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanyalak Chaisuwan, The Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn Universit explains that ”Thailand has over 150 million rai of farmland, with revenue from agriculture accounting for 10% of the country's GDP. In 2021, Thailand ranked 7 in the world for the number of pesticides and chemicals used in agriculture, amounting to 0.65 kg of such substances per rai (a unit of measurement of land in Thailand equal to 1600 square meters in metric measurement). The government's push to reduce the income gap and low income per capita, as well as their support of Smart Farming, requires technology. The development of a test kit for pesticide contaminants in water will be truly beneficial for sustainable and safe agriculture”.  Farmers in Thailand still largely use chemical herbicides, especially paraquat and atrazine, to control weeds on their farms.  According to research by the Office of Agricultural Economics, in 2019, Thailand imported almost 10 million kilograms of paraquat and close to 3.5 million kilograms of atrazine. The residues of these herbicides cause harm to the environment, living creatures, and human/animal health.  Research have demonstrated that chemicals like paraquat and atrazine can lead to Parkinson's disease and cancer if accumulated in the body. The research has yielded satisfactory results. In the future, the research will be furthered by applying the materials to detect other substances. **1 acre is approx 2.5 Rai ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/583/chinas-assure-tech-to-launch-a-pet-health-tech-solution-platform.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/583/chinas-assure-tech-to-launch-a-pet-health-tech-solution-platform.html Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:04:23 +0530 Presents Five Comprehensive Health-tech Solution platforms (colloidal gold, fluorescence immunoassay, POCT, microfluidics, and nucleic acid POC) for overall well being of pets China headquartered, Assure Tech to launch a comprehensive pet health solution empowering pet wellbeing with technology. Assure Tech has created five technological platforms to promote pets' healthy growth in all aspects.  The full range of comprehensive high-quality platform solutions  offers care and well-being of pets for owners and veterinarians. Health-tech Solution platforms comprises five technological platforms: colloidal gold, fluorescence immunoassay, POCT, microfluidics, and nucleic acid POC. The solution  includes nearly 100 items that are convenient, rapid, and accurate for pet owners and veterinarians. Among these, the colloidal gold platform offers a new option for quick pet diagnosis. Assure Tech's fast testing systems can reliably detect and diagnose common diseases in pets. Veterinarians can diagnose many different common pet diseases quickly and conveniently with its fast and convenient performance, improving pet cure rates and reducing treatment time. Similarly, the fluorescence immunoassay platform builds a new engine for antigen, antibody, and inflammatory diagnostics. With Assure Tech's fluorescence immunoassay platform, users can instantly determine whether a pet carries a specific disease by measuring antigens, antibodies, inflammation, and other crucial indicators. This helps in monitoring pets' health status in real time. The POCT platform offers a novel technique for diagnosing blood ketone and glucose levels in pets.  If human glucose and blood ketone monitoring systems are used on pets, glucose and blood ketone levels could be lower or higher. In order to ensure the accuracy of pet diagnosis, Assure Tech has created a glucose and blood ketone monitoring device that is based on the differences between humans and animals. Testing allows pet owners to make informed therapy decisions based on reliable test results. Since the test strips are user-friendly and have a tiny sample size, they are convenient for veterinarians and pet owners to use at home. The microfluidic platform develops a new approach to biochemical diagnostics. Biochemical diagnostic project, based on the microfluidic platform, uses a fully automated biochemical analyzer to evaluate whole blood, serum, and plasma samples, in order to diagnose various pet diseases, which provides owners with details on electrolytes, liver function, kidney function, and other key diagnostic data. The LAMP platform opens a new frontier for the nucleic acid detection of pet diseases. The pet nucleic acid diagnostic test by Assure Tech is based on its proprietary LAMP platform for the nucleic acid detection of pathogens in pets (cats and dogs) and human-pet co-morbidities. It can precisely identify infected pathogens within 30 minutes, thereby providing a sound scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of pet diseases. The pet economy has grown to a $100 billion global industry owing to the strong demand for pet-related products and services. Currently, pet healthcare services play a crucial role in this sector as a result of high market demand and high consumption expenditures. The pet healthcare market is the second-largest segment of the pet market after pet food. It provides routine medical care as well as pet diagnosis and treatment, including surgical procedures, internal illnesses, skin diseases, infectious diseases, and vaccinations. Acute onset and rapid transmission of infectious diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, pose the greatest threat to pets. Having improved medical standards, the pet healthcare industry has developed a variety of detection platforms suitable for different scenarios, based on a trustworthy diagnosis of animal diseases. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/582/novel-biostimulant-seed-treatment-to-boost-wheat-yields-with-reduced-fertilizer-use.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/582/novel-biostimulant-seed-treatment-to-boost-wheat-yields-with-reduced-fertilizer-use.html Mon, 06 Mar 2023 09:24:00 +0530 Syngenta Crop Protection partners with Aphea.Bio to bring novel agricultural technology to markets across Europe to reduce fertilizer use A new collaboration between Syngenta Crop Protection and Aphea.Bio will benefit wheat farmers by increasing yields while reducing fertilizer inputs. Aphea.Bio and Syngenta will join forces to build a more sustainable and profitable future for European farmers. The collaboration aims to accelerate the introduction of a novel biological seed treatment solution across multiple countries in Europe over the next five years, pending regulatory approval. A much-needed technology is now available to farmers seeking to improve the sustainability of their farming operations, and to address challenges arising from an increasingly constrained toolbox of available agricultural technologies as well as evolving consumer demands. ACTIV by Aphea.Bio® is a biostimulant applied as a seed treatment on wheat that is based on beneficial microorganisms. By improving the crop´s nutrient use efficiency, it enables as much as five percent higher yields even with reduced fertilizer use. “The collaboration is our extended commitment to bringing novel, nutrient use efficiency solutions to growers, helping safeguard yields if nitrogen inputs are reduced. Combined with our leading conventional seed treatment portfolio, ACTIV by Aphea.Bio® will offer a unique value proposition in a fast-changing EU landscape” explains Jonathan Brown, Head of Global Seedcare at Syngenta Crop Protection.   The ACTIV by Aphea.Bio® product represents an additional building block in the strategy to build healthy soils by supporting crops with beneficial microorganisms. In addition, it can contribute to the European Union's Green Deal goal of reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/574/three-trends-that-will-shape-asias-dairy-industry-in-2023-a-dksh-analysis.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/574/three-trends-that-will-shape-asias-dairy-industry-in-2023-a-dksh-analysis.html Thu, 02 Mar 2023 13:11:18 +0530 Asia will likely continue its path to being the fastest-growing market for the dairy category in Asia, with projected growth in the mid-single digit range over the next five years, reports DKSH statistics. DKSH, (DiethelmKellerSiberHegner) the Swiss holding company specializing in market expansion services, having its exclusive presence and deep rooted connectivity in Asia-Pacific recently presented its analysis report around the trends in APAC dairy industry for the CY 2023. DKSK expert research analysis indicates that China, with more than 40 percent contribution will continue to be the largest dairy market in Asia, followed by India and Japan. These three markets alone constitute over 75 percent of Asia’s total dairy market. The other markets projected to see healthy growth are Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.  Protein-Rich Consumers A key factor driving this increasing demand is the conscious increase in consumer preference toward a protein-rich diet, including milk and milk-based products. The demand is driven by the nutritional and functional properties of milk, along with the growing preference for probiotic drinks such as sour milk drinks, drinkable yogurt, and flavored and fermented milk The COVID-19 pandemic has positively accelerated the demand for food and beverages that help boost our immune system and overall health. There are also more government-sponsored nutrition drives across Asian markets that are geared towards boosting awareness and uptake of milk and milk-based products. One example is the school milk programs introduced in China for the population to consume at least 300 ml of milk or equivalent amounts of other dairy products daily. The accelerated growth of middle-income consumers in China, South Asia, and Southeast Asia will be a major contributor to driving demand for dairy and dairy derivatives. Coupled with this, rapid urbanization of the population will also contribute positively with a projected 40 percent urban population in India and China significantly boosting the demand for dairy products. Better Market Access The existing and emerging preferential and free trade agreements between Asian markets will continue to help improve market access for businesses across the region. “Glocalization” or the adaptation of globally marketed products and services into local markets is another big trend in the dairy category in Asia. Furthermore, the dairy product growth in China is projected to propel the growth of imports from Europe to China. Product Innovation In the coming years, we expect consumers to be more inclined toward more innovation for dairy food products, from added nutritional value to functional benefits and bolstering flavors. Among the trends that will drive innovations include non-local taste-based and novelty products like drinking yogurts in China, cheese wafers in Indonesia, yogurt ice cream in South Korea, and even cheese tea in some Asian markets. Innovation and product novelty will be the key drivers of dairy products in Asian markets over the next few years ahead. As the market demand for dairy-based food and ingredients continues to grow in Asia, DKSH is well-placed to continue helping food manufacturers and dairy brands to create or expand into markets across Asia. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/567/indonesia-launches-national-strategy-for-digitizing-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/567/indonesia-launches-national-strategy-for-digitizing-agriculture.html Wed, 01 Mar 2023 11:10:50 +0530 Launched the “e-Agriculture National Strategy" aiming to harness data and information resources in agriculture for the benefit of smallholders The Center of Agricultural Data and System Information (CADIS) of the Agriculture Ministry, in collaboration with the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has launched an agriculture digitalization strategy called the “e-Agriculture National Strategy.” Aims to harness data and information resources in agriculture for the benefit of smallholders. According to the FAO, Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world and a major producer of agricultural products. With 45 percent of the population living in rural areas, more than 90 percent of people working in the agriculture sector are smallholder farmers. Agricultural farms take up 32 percent of the total land area of the country and farm production accounts for 14 percent of the national gross domestic product (GDP). Yet agricultural production faces several major challenges. The cost of agricultural production is quite high, while agriculture remains a highly labor-intensive sector. Smallholder farmers always work the hardest, but acquire the least benefit in the food systems activities. To address those challenges and take advantage of emerging digital opportunities, the MoA, in cooperation with the FAO, has launched the “e-Agriculture National Strategy.” "It is very important to note that the Ministry of Agriculture’s (MoA’s) cooperation with FAO has accelerated agricultural development in the country. The ‘e-Agriculture National Strategy’ can provide instrument facilitation that is urgently needed by the MoA to accelerate our agriculture development in the upstream, on farm, post-harvest, for the farmers to strengthen their position agricultural industry," said secretary general of the ministry, Kasdi Soebagyono, Data on land area under cultivation, productivity, marketing channels, commodity prices, diversification of consumption, and food safety are some examples of data related to agriculture production that are needed by policy makers, he informed. Early Warning System (EWS) data that can reduce the impact of specific disasters is also urgently needed. Among other things, the “e-Agriculture National Strategy” states that by 2027, Indonesia will have an integrated database on farmlands and farmers, provide digital early warning for disasters that threaten agriculture production, and run systems for agriculture data collection, extraction, and analysis. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/562/china-africa-intensifies-cooperation-in-tropical-agricultural-rd-and-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/562/china-africa-intensifies-cooperation-in-tropical-agricultural-rd-and-technology.html Tue, 28 Feb 2023 11:45:55 +0530 China-Africa signed MoU to enhance cooperation in tropical agricultural Science and technology, to safeguard food security in Africa, and to build a shared future for China and Africa. The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreeing to extend mutual cooperation surrounding Agri-tech during the visit of AAS President Dr. Felix Dapare Dakora to the CATAS at Haikou, Hainan Province in Feb 2023.   MoU aims to intensify cooperation between China and Africa in tropical agricultural science and technology and food security, through new strategic partnerships. A number of areas for cooperation are identified by the both countries, including the selection, breeding, and extension of plant varieties, environmental protection, pest, disease, and weed control, establishment and promotion of a sustainable agriculture system, livestock, agricultural products processing technologies, agricultural machinery research and development, agriculture economy, and human resources. Through personnel exchanges, dispatching experts, training, cooperative research, technology cooperation, and field demonstrations, the two sides agreed to increase tropical agricultural productivity. In During his meeting with AAS President Dakora, CATAS Vice President Liu Guodao explained that the CATAS has been involved in China-Africa agricultural science and technology cooperation for many years, establishing the China-aided Agricultural Technology Demonstration Center in the Congo and launching the China-Africa Tropical Agriculture S&T Innovation Alliance. The CATAS is one of the first groups with accredited qualifications for demonstration and training in modern agricultural technology under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and has trained nearly 3,000 agricultural technicians for Africa. CATAS is into its efforts to unveil a large number of new technologies, new products, and new equipment in Africa.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/550/chinese-and-vietnamese-enterprises-collaborates-on-nineteen-projects-worth-490-million.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/550/chinese-and-vietnamese-enterprises-collaborates-on-nineteen-projects-worth-490-million.html Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:03:24 +0530 Thirty-five Chinese and Vietnamese enterprises signed 19 cooperation agreements related to agricultural commodities and infrastructure building committing over 3.4 billion yuan ($490 million) at Hainan's Free Trade Port (FTP) On 21, February, at a promotional event for south China's Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) held in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, thirty-five Chinese and Vietnamese enterprises signed agreements for a total of 19 cooperation projects worth more than 3.4 billion yuan ($490 million). The projects include the purchase of coffee beans, coconuts, coconut cream, dried fruits and vegetables, metal, automobiles, rubber, and steel products; two-way tourism exchanges; and investment for the building of factories. In an effort to further tap into the bilateral cooperation, the Department of Commerce of Hainan Province and Hainan International Business Council jointly hosted the promotional event with the support of the HCMC People's Committee, Chinese Consulate General in HCMC, and relevant business associations in the HCMC. The event was aimed at helping the industrial and commercial circles in Vietnam gain a better understanding of the Hainan FTP and boosting closer pragmatic cooperation between Hainan and Vietnam.  During the event, officials from Hainan introduced to participants investment opportunities in the Hainan FTP, Hainan's characteristic tropical high-efficiency agriculture, and the development of tourism and culture sectors in Hainan. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/546/swarmfarm-robotics-to-empower-australia-through-integrated-autonomous-agri-tech-platforms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/546/swarmfarm-robotics-to-empower-australia-through-integrated-autonomous-agri-tech-platforms.html Tue, 21 Feb 2023 13:14:43 +0530 Raises AU$12M Series A to forge a farm-centric path by developing specialty robotics solutions to unlock full potentials of the farm-autonomy Queensland based SwarmFarm Robotics is building an Integrated Autonomy technology ecosystem to address the local agricultural issues through a farm-centric approach. The non-disruptive approach leaves the lowest possible footprint on the fields. With a series of specialty robotics solutions SwarmFarm is unlocking the true potentials of the farm-autonomy. SwarmFarm Robotics has now raised AU$12 million Series A ($8.3 million) to develop and grow the Integrated Autonomy niche for agriculture industry. With the versatile SwarmBot platform and an operating system network called SwarmConnect, Australian farmers can now develop their own innovative autonomous platform for farm applications. The company's Series A funding round was majorly led by Emmertech, an AgTech fund from Conexus Venture Capital based in Canada and Tribe Global Ventures and Access Capital.  SwarmFarm Robotics pioneers the use and development of intelligent robotics in Australian agriculture. SwarmFarm facilitates collaboration between farmers and technologists to create specialized tools that can be attached to swarms of small, nimble, autonomous robot platforms to create new farming methods. Further, Integrated Autonomy of SwarmConnect optimizes profitability and sustainability by designing a technology ecosystem prioritizing farmer needs to save time and resources. "Integrating robots and its application into development framework, enables farmers to customize their equipment for their needs. SwarmFarm is unlocking the potential of Integrated Autonomy in agriculture. We believe in revolutionizing a new generation of farmer-technologists" said SwarmFarm CEO Andrew Bate.  Through ‘Integrated Autonomy approach, SwarmFarm equipment have successfully served an area of 1.3 million commercial acres coupled with 64,000 hours of operation on fields. Using autonomous robots, this novel agricultural method reduces pesticide input by an estimated 780 tons per year. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/543/elicit-plant-develops-tech-platform-to-improve-crops-endurance-to-drought-resistance.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/543/elicit-plant-develops-tech-platform-to-improve-crops-endurance-to-drought-resistance.html Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:38:24 +0530 Formulated with phytosterols, the novel platform BEST-a Maize promotes reduced water consumption in field crops France based agri-biotech company, Elicit Plant, has successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of its technological platform BEST-a Maize by proving its ability to withstand water stress in field crops.  The endurance solution is based on phytosterols and is dedicated to the ecological transition of agriculture. Phytosterols, a molecule of plant origin, enable plants to better resist water stress by stimulating metabolic responses specific to each species. A 150 field trials carried out in 2022 on an international scale (Europe, North America, South America) by independent operators have highlighted a regular and high performance of the platform solution to reduce the impact of the lack of water on corn crops: 12% productivity gains (+6 quintals per hectare on average). "Trials were conducted in three continents, with different pedoclimatic characteristics. These results confirm Elicit Plant its ability to favor agroecological transition and to plan for the international market " says Jean-François Déchant, President and co-founder of Elicit Plant. Since 2019, Elicit Plant has carried out a total of 500 field trials, with a success rate close to 90%. Over the years, the company has been able to accurately determine the most favorable pedoclimatic, seasonality and formulation parameters for crop profitability. During the next six months, Elicit Plant is expected to receive an additional 10 million euros through R&D programs, supported by the "France 2030" recovery plan. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/536/japans-green-science-alliance-invents-fluorescent-fertilizer-using-qdnf-technology.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/536/japans-green-science-alliance-invents-fluorescent-fertilizer-using-qdnf-technology.html Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:46:40 +0530 Fluorescent quantum dot nano fertilizer (QDNF) are designed to be pesticide, herbicide, or as an antibacterial residue sensor to absorb nutrients from both the soil and leaves Japan headquartered Green Science Alliance has developed a fluorescent fertilizer using super tiny materials (0.5–9 nm) called fluorescent quantum dot nano fertilizer (QDNF).  QDNF are prepared in any forms such as pesticide, herbicide, or as an antibacterial residue sensor. QDNF can also be a carrier of essential metal ( Zn, Cu, and Fe) into plants. A fluorescent plant (Japanese Musterd Greens) has been grown from seeds using QDNF.  Dr. Ryohei Mori, CEO of Green Science Alliance has synthesized graphene quantum dots with chemical composition comprising the three key fertilizer elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When such plants exhibit fluorescence under ultraviolet-light and blue light irradiation, it indicates that QDNF is absorbed in plant system supporting their growth. Currently used commercial fertilizers have higher particle size, resulting in prolonged decomposition and absorption. Studies have reported that at least half of the fertilizers applied on the soil are wasted due to draining out by rain or evaporation. In contrast,  "nano fertilizer" which has particle size in the range of nanometers runs through the path between the cells of plants. Hence, the fertilizers can be absorbed in plants without the assistance of bacterial decomposition. As a result, nano fertilizers result in higher yields than commercial solid or liquid fertilizers. Since nano fertilizers can absorb nutrients from both the soil and leaves, it can also be sprayed using drones. Along with fertilizer components, nano fertilizers contain components of the pesticides, herbicides, and metals required for plant growth. Furthermore, researchers are working towards introducing recombinant genes into plants using nano fertilizers as the gene carrier. In addition, some quantum dots can act as stress sensors because their fluorescent light disappears when they react with stress-induced substances such as H 2 O 2, Ca 2+, and NO. Quantum dots on plant leaves can convert solar light into the light with a wavelength more favorable for plant growth. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/534/australias-wagga-wagga-agricultural-institute-launched-new-rd-facility-in-nsw.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/534/australias-wagga-wagga-agricultural-institute-launched-new-rd-facility-in-nsw.html Thu, 16 Feb 2023 11:36:56 +0530 GRDC injects $1 million into the Wagga Wagga Agricultural Research Facility (WWARF) to support capacity-building for the Australian grains research sector On Feb 14, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, located in New South Wales opened a new facility ‘The Wagga Wagga Agricultural Research Facility (WWARF)’ strengthening the partnership among Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) under Grains Agronomy and Pathology Partnership (GAPP). GRDC has invested $1 million into the WWARF to support capacity-building for the Australian grains research sector. The facility specializes in R&D associated with plant breeding, soil science, and crop nutrition. The state-of-the-art technology faculty to improve accuracy and reliability of data and the faster delivery of research results. The new facility features innovative light and temperature-controlled growth rooms, a biosecurity chamber, advanced cold-storage solutions, pulse and cereal preparation stations, technical facilities, and laboratories. The facility was inaugurated by NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) director general Scott Hansen and Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) managing director Nigel Hart. "Investment in the WWARF was critical to ensure researchers had the essential infrastructure and technology to deliver high-quality research to support Australian grain growers. This facility in Wagga Wagga will improve protection of valuable germplasm and increase ability to process a greater number of samples." added GRDC managing director Nigel Hart. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/532/philippines-fosters-smart-agriculture-by-launching-first-fully-automated-greenhouse.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/532/philippines-fosters-smart-agriculture-by-launching-first-fully-automated-greenhouse.html Wed, 15 Feb 2023 12:52:09 +0530 The Philippine's Department of Science and Technology (DOST 4-A) in Calabarzon collaborates with Bukidamara Agri Farm to automate nutrient solution dosing, climate sensing, and drip irrigation The Philippine's Department of Science and Technology (DOST 4-A) in Calabarzon has launched a fully automated greenhouse technology with PHP3 million funding support by the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) of DOST CALABARZON through PSTO-Quezon. The automated greenhouse system provides automatic dosing of nutrient solution and automatic climate sensing for the detection of temperature and lighting, ensuring appropriate and timely irrigation and fertigation management, thereby maintaining a consistent growing environment for the optimum crop growth and quality. Speaking about the impact of DOST SETUP project, Emelita P. Bagsit, Regional Director of DOST CALABARZON, highlighted that the “Adoption of Automated Greenhouse System for the Production of Japanese Musk Melon and Other High-Value Melon Varieties of Bukidamara Agri Farm amounting to PHP3 million will facilitate product quality improvement through automatic dosing of nutrient solution and automatic climate sensing, 169% increase in production capacity per production cycle, 15-20% savings of nutrition solutions run off, and 20% savings from production and labor cost". The greenhouse system adopts a recirculating system for its nutrient solution delivery to the crops. Automated drip irrigation system delivers nutrient solution slowly and directly to the plant root. This will save approx 15 to 20 percent of nutrient solution run-off which will return to the reservoir to be fed to the crops again. The quantity of irrigation, the nutrient concentration, and the proportion of fertigation are adjusted depending on the crop growth stage, the season, and the evapotranspiration rate of the crop to yield high-value melon varieties. Bukidamara Agri Farm is conducting seminars and training to encourage other farmers in Calabarzon to adopt smart agriculture. The new automated greenhouse will also conduct programs to improve the micro, small and medium enterprises' productivity, and competitiveness by providing them a loan payable in three years. In particular, the agency is supporting smart agriculture to boost production of high-end melon varieties such as the Japanese musk melon, Yellow Canary, Persian, Piel de Sapo (Spanish), Israeli, and Galia varieties. Automated greenhouse system will be dedicated mostly for Japanese melon while existing rain shelters and greenhouse systems will be dedicated for other melon varieties ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/528/australia-to-invest-9-3-million-in-soil-technology-to-boost-agricultural-drought-resistance.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/528/australia-to-invest-9-3-million-in-soil-technology-to-boost-agricultural-drought-resistance.html Tue, 14 Feb 2023 13:46:30 +0530 Regional firm Loam Bio receives $5.8 million to develop Carbonbuilder microbial technology that aids plants in storing carbon naturally, thereby enhancing soil's ability to retain moisture Australia is investing $9.3 million in soil technology that could help Australian farmers increase soil carbon in cropping systems, improve soil health and resilience, and diversify farm income. Regional company Loam Bio is developing technology to store carbon in agricultural soils.The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) is funding the innovation. The CEFC has already invested $5.8 million in Loam, taking its total investment to $15.1 million. Increased soil carbon helps soil to retain more water and improves plants’ ability to take up nutrients, resulting in better agricultural productivity and resilience. One of the major challenges for soil carbon storage is that carbon naturally reacts with oxygen and water, releasing it back into the atmosphere. Loam’s Carbonbuilder microbial technology works with the root system of crops, enhancing a plant’s natural ability to store carbon in the soil. The technology helps lower emissions and improve soil carbon storage, enabling farmers to participate in valuable carbon markets. Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen said, “Australia is equipping farmers with the tools to combat the climate crisis under extreme and intense weather events. By boosting water retention in soils, the Loam technology has the potential to help Australian farms to become more drought resistant and more sustainable.” Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt said, “Government finance will support the development of this crucial soil technology that will support regional jobs and development while benefiting Australian farmers.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/526/vietnam-to-implement-sustainable-trade-initiative-idh-to-promote-sustainable-agricultural-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/526/vietnam-to-implement-sustainable-trade-initiative-idh-to-promote-sustainable-agricultural-production.html Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:29:49 +0530 Agriculture Ministry identifies strategies and orientations in cooperation with Sustainable Trade Initiatives (IDH) to streamline agricultural production and trade policies in the Central Highlands region On February 13, the Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) met with the Global Director of Sustainable Trade Initiatives (IDH) to Identify strategies and orientations for partnership to support sustainable agricultural production in the Central Highlands regions aligning with market demands while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. MARD Minister Le Minh Hoan explained, “Vietnam understands the need to develop agriculture based on the new consumer trends, which is further elaborated in the Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050”. “Agriculture has become less about production and more about value chain and economics. Vietnam has recognized economic development associated with global initiatives on agriculture. We approach agricultural production from the perspective of sustainable development, ecology, and environment, while creating agricultural commodities” affirmed Minister Hoan. Minister further explains that, Vietnam has long practiced small and fragmented production. Therefore, sustainable development still faces bottlenecks. To solve the fragmented and small characteristics in the commodity chain, Vietnam has community agricultural extension programs, cooperatives, and industry associations. The subject of the commodity chain from farmers to businesses needs cohesion and knowledge of farmers for it to be sustainable. Our goal is to help this approach catch on with farmers, thereby serving as a foundation for bringing in new values. MARD and IDH aim to recognize the problems in agricultural production in the Central Highlands, to design effective cooperation initiatives on communication, agricultural extension, and advanced training among farmers. IDH will be supporting factors for Vietnam in the Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development. Global Director of Sustainable Trade Initiatives (IDH), Daan Wensing said, “In cooperation with the MARD, IDH will focus on commodities such as coffee, pepper and landscape access in sustainable agricultural development. Further, we need to understand the needs and trends of the world market such as reducing carbon emissions as well as EU market regulations on imported goods'. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/524/bayer-and-kimitec-collaborate-to-create-the-next-gene-biologicals-for-agro-industry.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/524/bayer-and-kimitec-collaborate-to-create-the-next-gene-biologicals-for-agro-industry.html Mon, 13 Feb 2023 15:09:34 +0530 Strategic partnership to accelerate the development and commercialization of biological crop protection solutions and biostimulants Bayer and Kimitec inks a global strategic partnership to discover, develop and commercialize next-generation biologicals. Plant protection and biostimulant products will be formulated and manufactured using novel biomolecules derived from natural sources. Kimitec will leverage unique biological discovery capabilities with Bayer’s global field-testing resources, market expertise and comprehensive crop protection portfolio.  To accelerate the discovery of natural molecules, Kimitec will implement LINNA®, a MAAVi Innovation Center AI platform. The integrated crop management solutions are expected to address pests, diseases and weeds, as well as to promote plant growth. Kimitec's MAAVi Innovation Center is Europe's largest biotechnological innovation hub, with expertise in developing natural molecules and compounds for farmers and growers. Thus, Kimitec now acts as a key partner for Bayer's pipeline of biologicals. The biologicals market is expected to grow to nearly €25 billion by 2028, as consumers’ demand for low- and no-residue food products, and retailer food sourcing standards drive growers to look for new innovations in crop protection.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/753/chinese-researchers-use-gene-editing-to-remove-small-bones-from-carp.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/753/chinese-researchers-use-gene-editing-to-remove-small-bones-from-carp.html Sat, 11 Feb 2023 11:17:00 +0530 Scientists from the China Institute of Fisheries Science and the Heilongjiang Fisheries Research Institute have breakthrough in breeding theory and technique after creating the world's first carp fish There is no intermuscular bone (scapula). The fish was created by gene editing and, according to the institute and a report from China Daily, settles a 50-year-old debate over whether intermuscular bones can be regenerated. The researchers focused on the carp, a bony freshwater fish farmed throughout Eastern Europe and Asia. Although this species is a popular aquaculture product, the bones between its small muscles make it difficult to eat and process on a large scale. Leveraging gene editing to remove bone between muscles could make fish more competitive and offer more commercial opportunities, according to an analysis in  China Daily . A team at the Heilongjiang Fisheries Research Institute embarked on the project in 2009 and identified a key gene that regulates the development of the backbone between the muscles of the carp - bmp6. The biologists were able to successfully knock out this gene without seeing a negative impact on fish reproduction and growth levels. "In 2020, we have successfully raised the first generation of carp without intercalated carp with a success rate of 12.96%. The second generation in 2021 has a success rate of 19%." Kuang Youyi, a researcher in the group said. "In early 2022, we stocked about 20,000 third-generation fish at our test facility in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province, and started large-scale breeding. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/519/rovensa-group-launches-global-biosolutions-business-unit-to-promote-sustainable-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/519/rovensa-group-launches-global-biosolutions-business-unit-to-promote-sustainable-agriculture.html Fri, 10 Feb 2023 11:36:32 +0530 Rovensa Next, the business unit will house comprehensive portfolio of agricultural inputs and technologies to shape a sustainable future for agriculture and drive its bio-transformation Berlin based Rovensa Group, the global innovative agriculture solution provider has launched a new business unit, Rovensa Next to drive bio-transformation by shaping a sustainable future for global agriculture field. The flagship project ‘Rovensa Next’ aggregates ten Rovensa Group companies, creating a holistic platform of innovative biosolutions. Ten Rovensa Group companies comprising of "Agrichembio, Agrotecnología, Idai Nature, Microquimica, MIP Agro, OGT, Oro Agri, Rodel, SDP, and Tradecorp" will now form the new global business unit. With the new business unit, Rovensa Group anticipates a turnover of more than EUR 1 billion by 2025. The global transition and local implementation of Rovensa Next will begin from July 2023. The new business unit is expected to combine innate technical knowledge, innovation by  working alongside farmers and distributors to solve sustainability challenges, with the global expertise and leadership of Rovensa Group. Eric van Innis, Rovensa Group CEO, stated: "Farmers and distributors need specialised advisors to help them create a potent strategy that considers their local environment and challenges. Rovensa Next assists in sustainable crop management for better quality and increased yield.” Rovensa Next unites a global network of 30 R&D laboratories, excellence centres, fields, and greenhouses; 14 production plants; more than 84 partnerships with research centres and universities. Equipped with 100 R&D and innovation specialists comprising more than 850 field experts, Ravensa Next aims to lead cutting-edge research to create effective biosolutions. Image Caption: José Alfredo García, Co-COO Rovensa Next, Javier Calleja, incoming CEO Rovensa Group, Eric van Innis, CEO Rovensa Group and Carlos Ledó, Co-COO Rovensa Next ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/508/philippines-to-launch-corn-devp-program-to-improve-yield.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/508/philippines-to-launch-corn-devp-program-to-improve-yield.html Tue, 07 Feb 2023 11:55:26 +0530 The corn development initiative, to be undertaken through the Regional Field Office Cagayan Valley The Philippines government is gearing up to implement a production development plan for the Philippine corn industry that will benefit the livestock, poultry, and dairy sectors and ensure sustainable and sufficient food grains, which forms part of the food security commitment of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the Filipino people. The Department of Agriculture (DA), under the leadership of the President, is set to launch its sustainable corn breeding program this year to develop yellow corn varieties to support farmers’ demand for location-specific and affordable types of animal feeds. The program will strengthen the development of yellow corn varieties with improved yield potential of 5-6 tons per hectare, and improved drought and disease tolerance. These varieties will also have enriched protein content. The program also aims to ensure the supply of quality breeder seeds for certified seed production by seed growers. The corn development initiative, to be undertaken through the Regional Field Office Cagayan Valley, in coordination with the National Corn Program, Bureau of Agricultural Research, and the Agricultural Training Institute, will also develop open-pollinated white corn varieties for food staples and food processing. As of 2020, the Cagayan Valley Research Centre has developed 18 open-pollinated varieties (OPV) of corn varieties approved and accredited by the National Seed Industry Council. Through the implementation of this sustainable corn breeding program, at least two types are expected to be commercialised in two years. The Cagayan Valley region is a key growing area of yellow corn production in the country, contributing 31 per cent of the total national output in 2021. Analysis of the cost structure of yellow corn reveals high production costs, forcing the local industry to rely on imported genetically-modified corn hybrid seeds, which guarantee high yield. The DA’s comprehensive corn breeding program will not only support the local corn industry by utilising locally developed varieties and lowering production costs, but also boost the country’s livestock, poultry, and dairy sectors.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/491/pif-announces-vertical-farming-jv-with-us-based-aerofarms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/491/pif-announces-vertical-farming-jv-with-us-based-aerofarms.html Thu, 02 Feb 2023 13:03:07 +0530 The first farm, based in Saudi Arabia, will have a capacity for up to 1.1 million kilograms of crops per year. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has signed an agreement with US-based Aero Farms to form a joint venture which will build and operate vertical farms across the MENA region. The first farm, based in Saudi Arabia, will have a capacity for up to 1.1 million kilograms of crops per year. The venture is the second Saudi-focused AgTech announcement this week, following the news that UAE-based Pure Harvest, which is also a vertical farming enterprise, is to enter into a partnership with the county’s National Agricultural Development Company (NADEC). Majed Al Assaf, head of consumer goods and retail, MENA investments division, PIF, said the venture will help increase regional reliance on locally produced crops.  “PIF is enabling the growth of the food and agriculture sector and localising technology that can benefit private sector industry participants,” he said. AeroFarms AgX, a wholly owned UAE-based subsidiary of Aero Farms, announced the construction of a 54,000 sq. ft indoor farm in Abu Dhabi in 2021. According to the United States Department of Agriculture report published last year, Saudi Arabia is reliant on imports for up to 75 per cent of its food consumption. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/489/kuwaits-green-life-company-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/489/kuwaits-green-life-company-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-agriculture.html Wed, 01 Feb 2023 18:13:30 +0530 This initiative aims to bolster food security by using state-of-the-art technology ‘Aeroponic’ Green Life Company officially launched its innovative smart agriculture project utilising Aeroponic technology for air farming in Kuwait. This initiative aims to bolster food security by producing healthy, high-quality agricultural products with minimal water, using state-of-the-art technology ‘Aeroponic’. This revolutionary approach to agriculture will help to ensure a sustainable food source for the country. The official launch and operation of the project were unveiled during a VIP event, under the patronage of the Swiss ambassador Dr Tiziano Balmelli. The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, experts, and individuals invested in agricultural and food security matters, as well as members of the media. The ceremony featured a comprehensive explanation of the unique cultivation method and concluded with an invitation to tour the farm located in Abdali. Adel Al Shamali, Chairman of Green Life Company, stated, "The launch of this project is a testament to Green Life Company's commitment to investing in the future. As local investors, we are always looking for opportunities to drive progress within our society." He emphasises the significance of agriculture in achieving two of the government's key strategic goals outlined in the ‘Kuwait 2035’ vision, which are ensuring food security for the country and diversifying income sources for the future. The project's goal is to not only provide ample amounts of healthy and high-quality agricultural products, but also to do so with minimal water usage and labour, and utilising the most advanced technological methods available. Aeroponic technology, a form of aerobic cultivation developed by CleanGreens Solutions SA in partnership with the Green Life Company, has been specifically adapted to suit the harsh conditions of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/488/nadec-and-pure-harvest-smart-farms-announce-strategic-partnership.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/488/nadec-and-pure-harvest-smart-farms-announce-strategic-partnership.html Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:57:20 +0530 Partners aim to deliver over 27 hectares of production, serving KSA consumers a wide variety of locally and sustainably grown, high-quality, fresh produce year-round Saudi Arabia’s National Agricultural Development Company (Nadec) announced a strategic partnership with Pure Harvest Smart Farms (Pure Harvest), the MEASA region’s leading technology-enabled agribusiness, to deliver a large-scale national food security project in the Kingdom, which aims to deliver over 27 hectares of production near-term – with prospects for significant future expansions on Nadec’s lands – serving KSA consumers a wide variety of locally and sustainably grown, high-quality, fresh produce year-round. Pure Harvest will design, construct and operate high-tech, climate-controlled hybrid food production systems that allow year-round production of high-quality, safe and sustainably-grown fresh fruits and vegetables, free of pesticides, offering Saudi consumers a constant availability of high-quality fresh produce that was never before possible due to the Kingdom’s challenging arid climate.  Nadec will utilise its existing infrastructure, far-reaching distribution network, and trusted consumer brands to deliver its partner’s fresh produce to the market.  This strategic alliance is closely aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision for a more self-sufficient and sustainable food system. This innovative project is the first of many that the partners expect to develop together integrating the full value chain of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) production.  Pure Harvest seeks to deploy substantial production capacity over the next five years in KSA, farming a wide range of crops, and Nadec will market these products to its expansive consumer base, hotels, restaurants, and catering partners. The partners share a vision to assist in the transition towards greater food security, water conservation, economic diversification, and sustainability in the Kingdom, as well as the broader GCC region.  By originating large-scale, renewable energy-integrated food production infrastructure in KSA, Nadec and Pure Harvest are together making possible local-for-local high-quality, pesticide-residue free, clean, and healthy fresh fruits and vegetables production that, thanks to Pure Harvest’s pioneering production technology, are always in season – proudly serving the Kingdom’s citizens. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/486/simpliigood-haifa-group-co-pioneer-spirulina-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/486/simpliigood-haifa-group-co-pioneer-spirulina-production.html Wed, 01 Feb 2023 17:02:55 +0530 The companies have signed a multi-faceted long-term collaboration agreement destined to transform the entire spirulina market. Israel’s International plant nutrition leader, Haifa Group and food-tech innovator, SimpliiGood by AlgaeCore Technologies have joined forces to optimise the SimpliiGood spirulina supply chain while promoting their net zero goals. This partnership delivers benefits to both companies' products and bottom lines in the short term. It also positions them to create a sustainable circular carbon economy within the next several years. SimpliiGood grows and markets, fresh and frozen spirulina, cultivating this nutrient-rich microalga under ideal controlled conditions. This start-up is culturing concentrated functional ingredients and producing a range of nutritious foods that are breaking new ground in the plant-based protein sector.  Under development is the first smoked salmon alternative made nearly entirely from a single ingredient: whole fresh spirulina. The companies have signed a multi-faceted long-term collaboration agreement destined to transform the entire spirulina market. The alliance will enhance sustainability and reduce the environmental footprint of both partners. A cornerstone objective of this partnership is to optimise upstream spirulina operations – perfecting production input for enriched output. "This important milestone demonstrates the maturity and potential of the entire sector, not just of our company," says Baruch Dach, SimpliiGood founder and CTO. "It will boost our supply chain efficiency, reliability and scalability, making our spirulina an even more affordable, resilient and trustworthy food source for the future of food. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/485/vinamilk-becomes-asias-first-purity-award-2022-winner.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/485/vinamilk-becomes-asias-first-purity-award-2022-winner.html Wed, 01 Feb 2023 16:34:51 +0530 Vinamilk Green Farm and 100% Organic are also the first fresh milk products in the world to achieve the Clean Label Project certification Vinamilk, Vietnam's leading dairy brand, announces that Vinamilk Optimum Gold - manufactured in Vietnam, is the first dairy formula milk product in Asia that was awarded the Clean Label Project Purity Award 2022. This is a testament to Vinamilk's pioneering efforts to keep pace with the world's highest standards and demonstrates its persistence with the uncompromising philosophy of quality for Vietnamese children's products. Vinamilk's representative also added that the company is currently submitting evaluation documents for other Vinamilk products to raise the quality standards of its entire children’s products portfolio.  "Prestigious awards, such as the Purity Award, require our production not only to adhere to strict ingredient end-to-end safety standards from raw materials to the final products but also to ensure full packaging information transparency. This achievement is a great encouragement to Vinamilk in striving towards its commitment to bringing nutritional products of international standards to Vietnamese people, especially children," shared Nguyen Quoc Khanh, Executive Director of R&D at Vinamilk. Jaclyn Bowen, Executive Director of Clean Label Project, further explained, "The awards are given by CLP to brands whose products emphasise the purity of ingredients. We greatly appreciate the efforts of businesses like Vinamilk in setting higher standards for milk products for children." In addition, two other fresh milk products, Vinamilk Green Farm and 100 per cent Organic are also the first fresh milk products in the world to achieve the Clean Label Project certification for brands that not only have increased transparency but are also forthright in product labelling. With these, Vinamilk is now the first brand in Asia that owns both fresh milk and baby formula with certifications and awards from the CLP. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/480/australias-grilld-rolls-out-sustainable-beef-burger.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/480/australias-grilld-rolls-out-sustainable-beef-burger.html Tue, 31 Jan 2023 09:23:57 +0530 Grill'd partners with Sea Forest and the University of New England in a world-first eco-friendly grass & seaweed-fed beef burger Australia’s burger restaurant chain Grill'd is rolling out a world-first sustainable, grass-fed beef Gamechanger; made from Black Angus cattle that produce up to two-thirds less methane emissions than regular cattle. In partnership with Sea Forest and validated by the University of New England NSW, Grill'd have developed an innovative way to feed its grass-fed cows Asparagopsis - a native and natural Tasmanian seaweed - to reduce their methane emissions by up to 67 per cent, with ongoing live trials on the Grill'd farm targeting a 90 per cent reduction. This world-first trial will revolutionise the grass fed-beef industry, leading the way for others and helping smash national targets signed by the Federal government to reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030. "Asparagopsis is a seaweed native to Tasmania. It's very special as it has a unique set of properties that carry across to cattle, and when consumed, it reduces methane in those animals. It's great to see a direct-to-consumer product that Sea Forest is contributing to where consumers can make a real difference themselves - enjoying low-carbon products that are better for the planet," says Rocky De Nys, Chief Scientific Officer of Sea Forest. "We're really excited to see Gamechanger beef come to life. This is the future of beef - and we won't stop at 61 restaurants. But for now, and for only an extra buck, guests can help the planet by choosing a low methane product, simply by upgrading their favourite beef burger," says Simon Crowe Grill'd Founder. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/474/israel-launches-tool-for-flood-management.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/474/israel-launches-tool-for-flood-management.html Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:56:48 +0530 The Ministry has allocated a sum of NIS 30 million spread over 3 years Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is launching an innovative digital tool which for the first time will help the drainage and streams authorities as well as decision-makers in the planning field, to form basin plans and manage risk floods, using a ‘step-by-step’ approach. For the formation process of these plans, the Ministry has allocated a sum of NIS 30 million spread over 3 years. Through the website, from now on, each citizen or authority, interested in the information, can now understand where flooding might happen, what is the scope of the expected damage, in which location development should take place and to which risk-free areas it should be moved. Basin plans for managing flood risks serve as a strategic means for preparing towards climate change, and their purpose is to form a data-based action plan, in order to tackle basin flooding risks and to develop viable solutions, such as nature-based ones, to strengthen Israel’s climate resilience. In light of their importance, the Ministry of Agriculture is encouraging the drainage and streams authorities to approach these plans from a fresh angle, including amongst others, budget subsidies and digital accessibility. The digital tool is the result of cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with the Agma Centre for River and Streams Runoff Basins, which was established by inter-ministerial collaboration and philanthropic support, aiming to make accessible the information and knowledge of floods, streams and surface water runoff. The new website standardises all the relevant information and know-how relating to flood risks and transforms complex hydrological language into one that is user-friendly and intelligible, by utilising unique visual and graphic tools. The digital tool accompanies the planning authorities and professionals in designing ‘step-by-step’ plans for managing flood risks, starting from the initial charting and ending with offering a feasible response, in line with the new national methodology. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/473/iref-wraps-up-successful-sixth-edition.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/473/iref-wraps-up-successful-sixth-edition.html Fri, 27 Jan 2023 15:25:22 +0530 The event draws the participation of 500 scientists, researchers and specialists in weather modification and rain enhancement science The International Rain Enhancement Forum (IREF), which ran under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, wrapped up a highly successful sixth edition at Conrad Abu Dhabi at Etihad. Organised by the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM), through the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP), the first-of-its-kind event to tackle pressing water and sustainability issues worldwide discussed the key scientific and technological breakthroughs in rain enhancement research and their applications. Over its three-day run, the Forum drew the participation of more than 500 scientists, researchers and specialists in weather modification and rain enhancement science, validating its status as a platform for eminent international and national experts, researchers and decision-makers in the fields of water security and water sustainability. Dr Abdulla Al Mandous, Director General of and President of the Regional Association II (Asia) of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said, “IREF’s latest edition coincided with the UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s declaration of 2023 as the Year of Sustainability and the country’s preparations for the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 28). In addition to offering an excellent opportunity to strengthen regional and international collaboration in rain enhancement research, the Forum allowed us to explore new approaches and technologies in cloud seeding operations where scientific research through UAEREP’s awarded projects is key to their success. Such efforts enable us to find innovative solutions and adopt sustainable practices to ensure global water security.” During the Forum, UAEREP announced the call for submissions for its 5th Cycle that offers winning research proposals a grant of up to $1.5 million. In its latest cycle, the program welcomes innovative research proposals with a focus on two high-priority areas: enhancing cloud formation and rain enhancement. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/472/israels-betterseeds-develops-first-cowpea-suitable-plant-for-mechanised-harvesting.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/472/israels-betterseeds-develops-first-cowpea-suitable-plant-for-mechanised-harvesting.html Fri, 27 Jan 2023 14:57:49 +0530 The gene edited Cowpea is set to be field tested in the USA in spring 2023. The first Cowpea plant made suitable for mechanised harvesting is being developed by Israel-based BetterSeeds, an Agri-Tech company that genetically enhances agricultural crops by using its proprietary genome editing technology. BetterSeeds is set to plant its enhanced Cowpea seeds in the United States in the spring of 2023, in order to test its potential for mass-scale cultivation. Cowpea, also called Lubia or black-eyed peas, is the most ancient crop known to have been farmed by man. Due to its high protein content, heat tolerance and highly efficient water and fertilizer consumption, Cowpea is an exceedingly sustainable legume with enormous nutritional and agronomic value. Soybean, the most abundantly grown legume, requires large quantities of water and fertilizers and grows well only in a temperate climate, and as such its yield is forecasted to decline by 30 per cent in the upcoming decade due to global warming. Thus, Cowpea, as a sustainable food and plant-based protein source, is a leading legume candidate to fill the gap in Soybean yield due to climate change. Before BetterSeed’s successful gene editing achievement, Cowpea's plant architecture and fruit appearance were not fit for mechanised harvesting and therefore could not be grown at scale. The Cowpea, an indeterminant plant that sprawls on the ground with the gradual appearance of pods, could only be harvested by hand and is grown in developing regions where labour is less expensive. BetterSeeds redesigned Cowpea by targeting the gene which alters the plant's architecture into a determinant and erect plant with simultaneous pod appearance, thus fitting Cowpea for mechanised harvesting by a combine – just like Soybean! With this redesigned Cowpea farmers can both increase their versatility of legume cultivation, utilise their land all year round and also ensure the market of sustainable supply of plant-based protein. Ido Margalit, BetterSeeds CEO said, "If I had to choose one crop to focus on, it’s Cowpea, since we are facing a huge shortfall in the supply of plant-based proteins, namely Soybean, due to climate change. Cowpea has the capability to fill in this gap pending its redesign to make it fit for mass-scale cultivation which is exactly what BetterSeeds is doing. Cowpea will help to feed the world!" ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/465/waters-corp-introduces-glyphosate-v-the-worlds-first-lateral-flow-strip-test.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/465/waters-corp-introduces-glyphosate-v-the-worlds-first-lateral-flow-strip-test.html Wed, 25 Jan 2023 13:32:57 +0530 The new product enables accurate, on-site testing of one of the world’s most used pesticides Waters Corp introduces Glyphosate-V, the world’s first lateral flow strip test for fully quantitative detection of Glyphosate in grains and water samples, at The International Production and Processing Expo. With the new product, Waters Corp enables food and agricultural operations to quickly identify and manage raw materials to ensure product value, safety, and compliance. By using the Vertu TOUCH strip test reader, which was previously launched in 2021, Glyphosate-V provides high-sensitivity data as the first quantitative lateral flow strip test for glyphosate. Glyphosate-V brings high-sensitivity, quantitative and rapid testing out of the traditional laboratory and delivers quantitative results for decision-makers at the quality management level in less than 15 minutes, a process that traditionally takes up to two weeks.  The Food Safety Modernisation Act (FSMA), enacted in 2011, requires domestic food and feed manufacturers to develop supplier verification programs to verify business claims, capacity to deliver products, etc. This, however, places a burden on manufacturers as offsite testing is time-consuming and costly. With this problem in mind, Glyphosate-V allows on-site screening to be performed in less than 15 minutes giving food and feed processors immediate results to make quality management decisions on the spot, instead of potentially contaminating grain bins by holding products for weeks at a time. With these upstream results, manufacturers can better manage and control their process quality, ensuring higher consistency and more predictable outcomes to help meet internal quality requirements, regulatory compliance, and consumer safety.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/457/texas-am-research-project-aims-to-enhance-tomato-yield-in-qatar.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/457/texas-am-research-project-aims-to-enhance-tomato-yield-in-qatar.html Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:40:38 +0530 The project, ‘Environment and hydroponic strategies to enhance tomato stress tolerance, productivity and quality in Qatar’ A Texas A&M research project is underway to significantly enhance tomato yield in Qatar. The project is jointly undertaken by Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Texas A&M University at Qatar, a Qatar Foundation partner university, and Agrico, sponsored by Qatar National Research Fund. The project, ‘Environment and hydroponic strategies to enhance tomato stress tolerance, productivity and quality in Qatar’, is being conducted at the Agrico farms, located near Al Khor. The researchers are assessing various genotypes of tomatoes from around the world to see which ones would thrive in the harsh environmental conditions of Qatar. They are also investigating the impact of grafting, plant density, pest control, and bumblebee-assisted pollination. The project team includes lead principal investigator Dr Daniel Leskovar, professor at the department of horticultural sciences and Centre Director at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centre at Uvalde, the co-principal investigator Dr Bing Guo, mechanical engineering associate professor at Texas A&M University Qatar and Dr Prosanta Dash, a postdoctoral research associate at Texas A&M at Qatar. Leskovar said, “Our hydroponic tomato project is a true academic-stakeholder partnership where we combine plant science knowledge with grower experience, and new crop management strategies within the excellent facilities and constant support provided by Agrico. The synergy of complementary research conducted at Texas A&M AgriLife Research in the area of tomato grafting physiology provides additional results to test in this project in Qatar. Together, we are committed to developing efficient, safe, and resilient food systems that will contribute to enhancing food security.   “As Texas A&M University at Qatar researchers, we strive to provide solutions to real challenges faced by the country,” said Guo. “In recent years there has been a pressing need to make farming more efficient in Qatar. Our preliminary experimental results show a significant increase in tomato yield as compared to the current practice. This is a strong indication that we will reach our goal of improving production efficiency by 25 per cent.” Nasser Al Khalaf, Managing Director at Agrico said, “Agrico is committed to supporting Qatar to attain its food security goals, and through this partnership with Texas A&M University and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, we are exploring innovative approaches to improve the product yield at our farms. Research and development in agriculture play a key role in enhancing agricultural practices globally, and we look forward to working with Texas A&M researchers, to produce the best output for our country.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/456/malaysia-and-iran-to-cooperate-in-the-field-of-agri-research.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/456/malaysia-and-iran-to-cooperate-in-the-field-of-agri-research.html Mon, 23 Jan 2023 15:55:58 +0530 A cooperation agreement is expected to be signed between the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organisation (AREEO). Iran and Malaysia to share their experience and expertise in the field of agricultural research and development as well as the latest technology in crop irrigation and water management systems. Mohamad Sabu Minister of Agriculture and Food Security and Ali Asghar Mohammadi Iranian Ambassador to Malaysia discuss the cooperation during a meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS). According to the local media, the meeting was held to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture, especially in the field of research and development. A cooperation agreement is expected to be signed between the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and the Tehran-based Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organisation (AREEO) soon. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/452/china-approves-import-of-8-gm-crops.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/452/china-approves-import-of-8-gm-crops.html Mon, 23 Jan 2023 13:17:22 +0530 Bayer CropScience's herbicide-tolerant genetically modified alfalfa received its first approval after waiting as long as ten years.  The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China has approved imports of eight genetically modified (GM) crops, which includes GM alfalfa for the first time. After a decade-long wait, the Chinese agriculture ministry gave approval for five years. At the same time, Beijing pledged to speed up the approval process of genetically modified products and promote the commercialisation of genetically modified products in the market under the first phase of the trade agreement reached with the United States in 2020. This approval not only opens the door for foreign countries to supply and export markets but also paves the way for more genetically modified crops to be planted in China. China is one of the world's largest agricultural markets, but China has so far only allowed the import of genetically modified crops for animal feed and has not approved the cultivation of any major genetically modified food crops. For example, sugarcane, canola, and alfalfa for animal feed and cotton for textiles were approved. The approval process has been slow amid official wariness about GM crops. Therefore, this approval is a positive step in addressing the long-standing challenges faced by biotech developers in obtaining import approvals in China. Among them, Bayer CropScience's herbicide-tolerant genetically modified alfalfa received its first approval after waiting as long as ten years. For alfalfa growers in all continents of the United States, China's approval of the import of genetically modified alfalfa undoubtedly provides them with an opportunity to expand their planting scale and also accelerates the commercialisation process of genetically modified alfalfa in the Chinese market.   China has also approved three domestically produced genetically modified products, including 2 GM corn projects and 1 GM soybean project. The corn project is the insect-resistant and herbicide-resistant corn BFL4-2 with cry1Ab, cry1F and cp4epsps genes jointly developed by Longping High-Tech and the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the herbicide-resistant corn CC-2 with the mark ACC gene jointly developed by China Forest Seed Group and Agricultural University. The soybean project is the insect-resistant soybean CAL16 with cry1Ab/vip3Da gene transgenic developed by Hangzhou Ruifeng.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/446/good-meat-partners-with-hubers-worlds-first-butchery-to-sell-cultivated-meat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/446/good-meat-partners-with-hubers-worlds-first-butchery-to-sell-cultivated-meat.html Fri, 20 Jan 2023 12:25:24 +0530 GOOD Meat’s partnership with Huber’s is the latest in a series of exciting announcements for the company. GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, announced that Huber’s Butchery, one of Singapore’s premier producers and suppliers of high-quality meat products, will become the first butchery in the world to sell and serve cultivated meat. With the introduction of the latest version of GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken, the family-owned and operated business is thrilled to add a new, locally produced offering to its display case and bistro menu. “Offering this new approach to making meat at a butchery is another historic moment in the long road to making our food system more delicious and sustainable. I’m very proud to partner with the Huber’s team to give people a whole new way to experience our cultivated chicken," said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just. “When we founded our butcher shop, we made it our mission to provide top quality and exceptional tasting meat products with the highest food safety standards at an affordable price. Partnering with GOOD Meat is in keeping with that vision and the realities of our ever-changing food system,” said Ryan Huber, Huber’s Butchery Managing Director. “Cultivated meat could be one of the solutions to over-farming due to increased population size and density and an increase in animal protein consumption in many parts of the world,” added Andre Huber Executive Director. GOOD Meat’s partnership with Huber’s is the latest in a series of exciting announcements for the company. GOOD Meat won regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in November 2020 and December 2021. It remains the only cultivated meat producer in the world with the ability to sell to consumers. Since its launch, the company’s chicken has been featured on menus at local fine dining establishments, roadside hawker stalls and via food panda, Asia's leading food and grocery delivery platform. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/445/casterra-announces-agreement-with-energy-company-for-biofuel-production.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/445/casterra-announces-agreement-with-energy-company-for-biofuel-production.html Thu, 19 Jan 2023 18:14:48 +0530 The new agreement has significant potential for future growth and strengthens our position in the castor biofuel market. Israel-based Casterra Ag, the integrated castor cultivation solution company and a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd, announced that it has entered into an agreement with one of the world's leading energy companies, whereby Casterra will provide its unique castor varieties and its broad know-how in the cultivation of castor at a commercial scale for biofuel production. Under the framework of the agreement, the initial focus is the purchase agreement of castor seed varieties from Casterra for growing castor in specific African territories and the provision of technical support. The agreement also allows for the potential for long-term cooperation in castor cultivation between this customer and Casterra, with the potential for expansion into additional territories on the African continent.  Biofuels have significant advantages over conventional petrochemical fuels, primarily being a renewable source and biodegradable, with significantly less negative environmental impact than other alternative fuel sources. Under the carbon life cycle, castor is considered a carbon–neutral fuel, since the emissions linked with its combustion are comparatively similar to the carbon dioxide emissions absorbed during the growth of the source plants. Technically, castor has other important advantages such as inherent lubricity, low toxicity, superior flash point, negligible sulphur content and cleaner exhaust emissions. Oil derived from the castor bean has further advantages as a source of biofuel and other vegetable oils, due to its higher proportion of energy-rich, fatty hydroxy-acids. Additional advantages making it industrially useful include a low melting point and low solidification point, and the castor has the most stable viscosity of any vegetable-derived oils. Furthermore, castor as a crop, poses minimal competition for land with conventional food crops or edible oils, due to its hardiness and tolerance to stresses, and can be cultivated on marginal land areas which otherwise would not be used.  Eyal Ronen, CEO of Casterra, commented, "We are very proud to be supporting a major multinational energy company, one of the world's seven supermajor oil companies, by providing our advanced castor seed varieties and guiding their activities in the castor cultivation arena. We strongly support biofuel production based on castor oil, which has been proven to be a highly clean and effective source of renewable energy. This new agreement has significant potential for future growth and strengthens our position in the castor biofuel market." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/443/good-meat-receives-approval-in-singapore-to-use-serum-free-media-for-cultivated-meat.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/443/good-meat-receives-approval-in-singapore-to-use-serum-free-media-for-cultivated-meat.html Thu, 19 Jan 2023 14:16:43 +0530 This technical and regulatory milestone will lead to greater scalability, lower manufacturing costs and a more sustainable product. GOOD Meat, the cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, announced that it has been given a new, first-in-the-world regulatory approval by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for the use of serum-free media for the production of cultivated meat. This technical and regulatory milestone will lead to greater scalability, lower manufacturing costs and a more sustainable product. It also paves the way for the production of larger quantities of real, high-quality chicken made from cells instead of slaughtered animals. GOOD Meat obtained approval from SFA for its first chicken product in November 2020 and subsequent approval for new formats of its pioneering poultry in November 2021. With the latest regulatory approval for serum-free cultivation media, the U.S.-based food tech firm will soon transition to a more efficient and favourable production process. “Not too long ago, observers thought removing serum was a major limiting step to scaling cultivated meat. I could not be prouder of our team for doing just that and receiving approval to commercialise it this week. It's yet another step forward for our company, the cultivated meat industry and the health of our planet,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just. Regulatory news comes as bioreactors are being installed as part of the construction process of GOOD Meat’s Singapore production centre that will have the capacity to make tens of thousands of pounds of meat. The facility will house the single-largest bioreactor in the cultivated meat industry to date: a 6,000-liter vessel built in partnership with bioreactor technology leader ABEC, Inc. The demonstration plant is slated to open in 2023 and will be running the serum-free production process. “Removing serum from cultivated meat production can drive down costs and set the stage for expanded commercialisation of sustainable protein. Given Singapore’s reputation as a global launchpad for scalable food security solutions, we’re hopeful that other nations will also soon embrace this smarter way of making meat,” said Mirte Gosker, Managing Director of the Good Food Institute APAC. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/442/israel-joined-the-united-nations-treaty-for-the-conservation-of-genetic-diversity.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/442/israel-joined-the-united-nations-treaty-for-the-conservation-of-genetic-diversity.html Thu, 19 Jan 2023 13:24:14 +0530 The Treaty focuses on steps and actions for the preservation and cultivation of 64 specific plant crops defined as having a special benefit to human health and food security. The State of Israel, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and in collaboration with the Volcani Institute, joined the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). This Treaty is aimed at serving as a platform for global cooperation, in order to preserve genetic sources for plant food crops of special nutritional importance and to encourage the cultivation of a variety of species resistant to extreme climate conditions. This, in order to ensure the continuation of production, improvement and maximisation thereof, is a tool to establish a regular supply of fresh plant-based food even under the reality of an extreme and changing climate. The Treaty focuses on steps and actions for the preservation and cultivation of 64 specific plant crops defined as having a special benefit to human health and food security, such as Wheat, carrots, chickpeas, lentils, oats, etc. As part of the Treaty, the participating countries undertake to act to preserve biodiversity, which helps in cultivating food sources, at two key levels: Preservation within the genetic bank as plants growing in the fields, and preservation outside the site. In this manner, access is provided to those genetic sources for research and cultivation purposes, which allows work to be done towards reducing the continuous erosion of these sources, in conjunction with the expansion of the genetic pool of the crops through gene banks from all over the world, and the promotion of cultivation processes that will minimise the sensitivities of certain crops and genetic dilution (erosion), as a result of climate change. The Ministry of Agriculture explains that the State of Israel's joining this Treaty will first and foremost allow researchers, developers and farmers to gain access to central genetic resources for the development of varieties adapted to climate change, through collaborations between the Israeli Gene Bank and various genetic repositories from all over the world, in parallel to fostering the State of Israel's position as a key actor in globally gearing up for climate change. Yakov Poleg, Senior Deputy Director General of the Centre for Foreign Trade and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said "The signing of the Treaty is another important milestone in the gearing up on the part of the State of Israel for the climate crisis and it expresses our commitment in the matter of the preservation of the genetic diversity found in the sovereign domains of the State of Israel." Dr Einav Maizlish-Gati, Director of the Israeli Gene Bank at the Volcani Institute, stated, "The signing of the Treaty will allow us, at the national level, access to additional genetic sources in order to increase the range of attributes available to us when we come to deal with climate change and to ensure food security for the residents of the State of Israel. Our joining the Treaty is of additional importance in making the unique biological diversity, that exists in Israel, accessible to our partners in the world in a manner that will allow us to maintain sovereignty over the local genetic sources." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/437/china-to-focus-on-agricultural-sci-tech-innovations-in-2023.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/437/china-to-focus-on-agricultural-sci-tech-innovations-in-2023.html Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:56:30 +0530 CAAS will focus on six fields including seed research and development, arable land conservation, agricultural machinery and equipment, agricultural bio-security and green agriculture. The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) will continue to promote scientific and technological innovation to support the construction of a strong agricultural sector in China, according to Xinhua news agency. According to the CAAS, innovation efforts in 2023 will focus on six fields. These fields are -- seed research and development, arable land conservation, agricultural machinery and equipment, agricultural bio-security, green agriculture, and rural development. Wu Kongming, president of the CAAS, highlighted the role of sci-tech innovation in agricultural development at the CAAS 2023 Working Conference. Wu pointed out that at present, China ranks top in the world in terms of both the number of highly cited papers and the number of invention patent applications in the agricultural field. The contribution rate of agricultural sci-tech progress in China had increased from 54.5 per cent in 2012 to 61.5 per cent in 2021, while the comprehensive mechanisation level of crop cultivation, planting and harvesting, had grown from 57 per cent in 2012 to over 72 per cent in 2021. "This year, we will accelerate the integration of science and education, science and industry, and enhance our overall ability to support the stable and safe supply of food and important agricultural products, and promote rural revitalisation," Wu said. He also said that in 2023, the institute will continue to expand international exchanges and cooperation in agricultural science and technology. CAAS will continue to promote the building of global alliances in agricultural sci-tech innovation. Joint research and technology demonstrations will be carried out in cooperation with neighbouring countries, as well as key countries related to the Belt and Road Initiative, he added. According to Wu, CAAS signed letters of intent for cooperation with 19 international partners in 2022 -- featuring 121 new international cooperation projects -- 1.5 times the number recorded in 2021. The academy is preparing the construction of a China-Africa agricultural science and technology innovation alliance. The construction of joint laboratories in Kazakhstan, Romania and Uruguay is also progressing smoothly. During the annual conference, the academy also unveiled ten major agricultural science advances achieved during the past year, including studies in high-yield genes in rice, genetic diversity in potatoes and genetic variation in tomatoes. One of the major discoveries of Chinese agricultural scientists is a gene in crops which can improve the efficiency of photosynthesis and nitrogen utilisation -- and significantly boost grain yield. Another study by Chinese scientists is the first to reveal the complete process of chitin biosynthesis, providing a new direction for the original innovation of green pesticides. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/436/global-foodtech-challenge-announces-winners-of-2-mn-prize.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/436/global-foodtech-challenge-announces-winners-of-2-mn-prize.html Wed, 18 Jan 2023 12:19:08 +0530 Aquagrain, Orbisk, Revoltech, and Sustainable Planet will receive a combined prize of up to US $2 million to scale up their business models in the UAE. The second edition of the global FoodTech Challenge, which seeks to find the next wave of technology innovations on the cusp of transforming traditional agriculture practices, efficiently and sustainably, announced the competition's four winners at an awards ceremony at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2023. The winners, Aquagrain, Orbisk, Revoltech, and Sustainable Planet, were selected from a pool of 12 finalists chosen from an initial 667 submissions from 79 countries. The finalists, who showcased their high-tech concepts at ADSW, represented a diverse demographic – with 33 per cent led by young CXOs between the ages of 22-35 years old, highlighting the role of the next generation in developing sustainable solutions to food security.  With a pooled prized of up to $2 million, the four winners will be invited to scale up their business models within the UAE and will be supported with a cash award plus R&D, start-up acceleration, commercial incentives, and mentorship from an extensive range of partners, including ASPIRE, Silal, ADQ, Emirates Foundation, Hub71, Ma'an, The Catalyst, ADGM, ADRO, the Competitive Office of Abu Dhabi, and Khalifa Fund. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/423/new-zealands-wool-project-aims-to-put-money-back-in-farmers-pockets.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/423/new-zealands-wool-project-aims-to-put-money-back-in-farmers-pockets.html Fri, 13 Jan 2023 13:19:35 +0530 The project will predominantly focus on working out the right components and blends to create a range of woollen knops for different products. New Zealand’s strong wool could bring a sustainable bounce back into soft upholstery – and woolgrowers’ bank accounts – through a new project seeking an alternative to synthetic fillers. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI's) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund is committing $790,000 over three years to a project led by Wisewool aimed at increasing the market potential of woollen knops – the small, light fluffy balls used as a filler ingredient. "This project has the potential to improve returns to our strong wool producers and provide an environmentally friendly alternative to existing products made from synthetic materials," says Steve Penno, MPI’s director of investment programmes. "Wisewool will also conduct research and development of needle punched wool blanketing, which can be used in residential and commercial furniture upholstery, insulation for the apparel industry, bedding, and futon markets." Henry Hansen CEO Wisewool says the project will predominantly focus on working out the right components and blends to create a range of woollen knops for different products. "We’ve discovered that when used in large quantities as a filler ingredient, woollen knops increase the bounce-back and compression resilience of the fibre. "We’ll continue researching and comparing the compression resilience of both wool and synthetic fibres, and will adjust our carding machines to produce various wool knop blends. "We’ll also conduct an environmental impact analysis and in-market testing." Steve Penno says one of the main drivers for funding this project was its potential to provide an alternative, high-value use for New Zealand’s strong wool.  "The project also aligns with the goals of the sector and government Fit for a Better World roadmap, which aims to boost sustainability, productivity, and jobs over 10 years. "Through SFF Futures we’ve invested more than $14.69 million in 15 strong wool projects to date, from strong wool acoustic wall panels to strong wool-based adhesive bandages. "By working together with industry leaders and innovators, and thinking outside the box, we have the opportunity to turn our homegrown wool industry around." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/421/robot-boosts-animal-disease-testing-in-new-zealand.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/421/robot-boosts-animal-disease-testing-in-new-zealand.html Fri, 13 Jan 2023 11:09:07 +0530 The $580,000 new high throughput diagnostic robot is the first in New Zealand. Testing for animal disease is faster and improved with the arrival of a new antibody testing robot now in action at the Biosecurity New Zealand Animal Health Laboratory. The $580,000 new high throughput diagnostic robot is the first in New Zealand and will increase testing accuracy and consistency during future biosecurity responses. "The Mycoplasma Bovis outbreak gave us useful insights into how our laboratory could increase its capacity during a response. In particular, it highlighted the need for automation," says Joseph O’Keefe animal health laboratory manager. "If an exotic disease such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) arrived here, our people could need to test some 3,000 up to 7,000 samples a day. "Automating this process will speed our delivery of results, making the whole process faster for farmers, better for the wellbeing of our people and for the animals involved too." The Explorer G3 workstation was manufactured in Germany and is designed to test up to 7,000 samples per day for antibodies to FMD and other exotic diseases. Dr O’Keefe says the robot doesn’t need frequent attention or intervention, freeing animal health laboratory staff for other testing and providing stability throughout intense response periods. The robot can even run tests overnight without staff present. "Testing delays can affect our economy as antibody testing is essential for maintaining the access and security of product exports to New Zealand’s international markets. If there is an exotic disease outbreak in New Zealand’s animals, automation will allow us to recover faster." The 750kg robot took a week to set up, bringing each part safely into the biosecure containment area. Once it was assembled, the team ran it through stringent testing and calibration to ensure the tests were as accurate as the current manual process. Now that this has been confirmed, the robot has begun day-to-day diagnostic testing. The machine achieves its efficiency through moving test plates around. Each plate can contain approximately 90 samples and the robot manages up to 40 plates at once. Simultaneously it adds samples and different reagents, washes and incubates the test plates. Outside of responses, the robot is used to perform antibody tests for surveillance programmes, and for testing groups of animals for import or export purposes. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/420/ottopia-announces-14-5m-series-funding-round.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/420/ottopia-announces-14-5m-series-funding-round.html Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:51:09 +0530 Ottopia's mission is to enable autonomy in multiple industries such as agriculture, mobility, logistics, freight, and last-mile delivery. Israel-based Ottopia announced that it has raised $14.5 million in its Series a funding round. It includes participation from ComfortDelGro, one of the world's largest public transport companies, AI Alliance Fund, and existing investors such as MizMaa Ventures, IN Venture and Next Gear Ventures. This marks the largest Series A in the history of teleoperation companies. Ottopia's mission is to enable autonomy in multiple industries such as mobility, logistics, freight, last-mile delivery, agriculture, and construction. Its teleoperation software enables autonomous vehicles and machines to do things they otherwise cannot while allowing their developers to dramatically cut R&D costs, commercialise faster and comply with regulatory requirements for deployment. With Ottopia's product, humans in a remote centre can safely monitor, guide and even directly control vehicles' fleets in a safe and cyber-secure manner. Ottopia's patented technology is built upon numerous innovations in the domains of networking, video, user experience, cybersecurity, and integration with the autonomous ‘brain’. Their software has been tested and deployed in a variety of environments, making it an essential tool for enabling the widespread adoption of autonomous technology. "We've always believed in the potential of Ottopia. The team's unwavering dedication and drive have consistently impressed us, and we've been honoured to support them every step of the way," said Aaron Applbaum, Partner at MizMaa Ventures. "Ottopia's successful Series A is a triumph that showcases their hard work and vision. They are solving for a key missing link in the future of connected, autonomous everything." Cheng Siak Kian, Group CEO of ComfortDelGro said: "This investment in Ottopia is an important cornerstone of our future-proofing plans. Having teleoperation capabilities which will enable us to intervene and operate an AV remotely whenever needed, is critical in our future operational plans." With this new funding, Ottopia plans to accelerate the roll-out of its teleoperation software to fulfil its mission of enabling autonomy in all industries. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/412/uae-launches-innovative-digital-system-for-environmental-inspection.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/412/uae-launches-innovative-digital-system-for-environmental-inspection.html Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:31:30 +0530 The launch of ‘Eltezam’ is part of EAD’s ongoing efforts to execute its regulatory role by preserving environmental standards. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), has recently launched ‘Eltezam’ – a new digital system for environmental inspection and compliance evaluation which gives EAD’s inspectors the flexibility to evaluate facilities and projects based on actual on-site activities and operations. The new system allows inspectors to comprehensively review any aspect of an organisation’s activities regarding any potential environmental harm rather than being limited to activities listed on their environmental license. The launch of ‘Eltezam’ is part of EAD’s ongoing efforts to execute its regulatory role by preserving environmental standards in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. By establishing regulatory frameworks in the emirate, the Agency can reduce environmental harm and continuously update environmental conditions and standards in line with the pace of development witnessed by the industrial sector or construction and infrastructure sector, and the emirate’s economic growth. Faisal Al Hammadi, Acting Executive Director of the Environmental Quality Sector at EAD, said, “The Agency has developed modern technological tools and programmes that ensure compliance by industrial facilities and development projects with environmental laws and requirements. We evaluate and license development projects, infrastructure, industrial facilities, and commercial businesses in Abu Dhabi with the aim of reducing construction-related environmental impact. This is to ensure compliance with local laws and legislation aligned with best global environmental practices and the environmental, economic and social progress in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.’’ Al Hammadi added, “The environmental inspection team at EAD conducts periodic field visits to ensure that industrial facilities, development projects, infrastructure works, and all related activities and operations consider the applicable environmental laws and regulations, comply with the conditions of environmental licenses, and apply best global practices related to environmental protection.’’ Ahmed Al Waheebi, Unit Head, of Compliance and Enforcement, at EAD, said, ‘” We are very conscious of the nature of rapid economic growth, so we adopt the latest electronic and information systems to help keep pace with this acceleration and achieve sustainable growth. We do this while taking care to reduce the environmental impact of each stage of development – from planning to implementation. The next step is a focus on systems that will rely more on proactive evaluation of projects and facilities, and on self-monitoring, not only to facilitate but to achieve better environmental results’’. Al Waheebi said that by launching this new digital system, EAD seeks to build a strong and effective inspection system that covers all industrial sectors, infrastructure projects, and commercial activities under its authority, noting that the inspection system was built on algorithms that link industrial sectors with production processes and conditions. ‘Eltezam’ will also complement activity regarding environmental violations and administrative fines, and their legal basis. The Agency has held a series of training workshops for the Agency’s inspectors to familiarise them with the characteristics of the new system. It is noteworthy that the objectives of the on-site inspections are to assess the extent to which facilities and development projects comply with environmental conditions. The inspectors investigate reports of environmental accidents and complaints, identify operational violations that may lead to environmental issues and ensure that facilities and projects subject to licensing are aware of these violations and ways of correcting them. They also collect relevant field data for specific sectors, activities, areas, and facilities, enforce environmental compliance, apply administrative fines, and initiate legal enforcement actions. The elements of the environmental inspection and compliance system include 93 sectors licensed by EAD. It also assesses the environmental impacts of 38 operational processes by monitoring 277 potential environmental violations, with the aim of preventing harm from all environmental pollutants across each activity under the Agency’s jurisdiction. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/406/australias-grower-group-to-develop-water-planning-tools-for-farmers.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/406/australias-grower-group-to-develop-water-planning-tools-for-farmers.html Tue, 10 Jan 2023 15:47:19 +0530 The Grower Group Alliance, WaterSmart Dams received $3 million over 3 years in funding from the Future Drought Funds. A significant portion of Australia’s grain harvest is produced in Western Australia's southwest Wheatbelt, despite a drop of more than 20 per cent in annual rainfall since the 1970s. The region’s farmers are among the world's most productive but are working to better understand how their dams can function in dry years. That's where the WaterSmart Dams: Making Dams Work Again project comes in. Led by the Grower Group Alliance, WaterSmart Dams received $3 million over 3 years in funding from the Future Drought Fund’s (FDF) Innovation Grant program and $1 million from the Western Australian state government. Through the FDF South-West Western Australian Adoption and Innovation Hub, and in partnership with regional grower groups, the project is researching ways to make dams function better in drought. This includes co-designing new farm water planning tools to help farm businesses and regional communities become more water-efficient, resilient and profitable, in even the driest years. ‘The South-West Australian Hub is all about collaboration and getting important projects off the ground,’ Mark Holland hub Director told the 2022 FDF Science to Practice Forum. ‘Our core goals and project focus are exemplified by this project and its sister program WaterSmart Farms, which address farmers’ critical water security needs.’ Project partners include Compass Agricultural Alliance, Southern Dirt, Merredin and Districts Farm Improvement Group and the Fitzgerald Biosphere Group. Researchers are from The University of Western Australia and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/405/praj-and-esiic-partner-to-accelerate-bioeconomy-in-egypt.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/405/praj-and-esiic-partner-to-accelerate-bioeconomy-in-egypt.html Tue, 10 Jan 2023 15:28:19 +0530 Praj and Egypt’s largest sugar sector company ESIIC have come together to set up 1st and 2nd Generation ethanol projects in Egypt. Praj Industries Limited (Praj) has announced that they have entered into an MoU with the Egyptian Sugar and Integrated Industries Company (ESIIC) of Egypt. As a part of this MoU, both parties will drive sustainable climate actions to combat the evils of climate change. India’s most accomplished industrial biotech company Praj and Egypt’s largest sugar sector company ESIIC have come together to set up 1st and 2nd Generation ethanol projects in Egypt. Praj and ESIIC will develop infrastructure, help formulate policy framework, and create awareness etc. to mainstream Bioeconomy. Sugarcane bagasse and rice straw are envisaged to be feedstock for conceiving Egypt’s first 2 nd Generation ethanol project. Low-carbon ethanol produced from these 2G ethanol plants will be supplied as feedstock for the production of speciality chemicals. This sustainable biochemical will reduce dependency on the chemicals derived from fossil routes. Bioethanol supplied as a chemical intermediate is based on the circular bioeconomy principle that will reduce GHG emissions by recycling carbon. Welcoming this collaboration, General Essam El- Din EI-Bedewy, Chairman & Managing Director of ESIIC said, "We are very happy to join hands with Praj, a global leader in industrial biotech. We believe this partnership will help Egypt scale greater heights in the bioeconomy. We endeavour to adopt renewable alternatives to achieve carbon neutrality. Praj’s expertise in 2G ethanol space will definitely benefit Egypt.” Speaking on the occasion, Dr Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman, Praj Industries, said, “We are delighted to partner with ESIIC who are exploring the use of ethanol beyond transportation application. To combat the evils of climate change, harnessing cleaner greener technologies is imperative as sustainable climate action. I am confident that, this partnership for furthering bioeconomy will accelerate energy transition as well as give a boost to the journey towards carbon neutrality.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/393/steakholder-foods-receives-grant-of-1mn-to-develop-3d-printed-structured-eel.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/393/steakholder-foods-receives-grant-of-1mn-to-develop-3d-printed-structured-eel.html Fri, 06 Jan 2023 11:35:53 +0530 The initiative is being funded by a grant from the Singapore Israel Industrial R&D Foundation. Steakholder Foods an international deep-tech food company at the forefront of the cultivated meat industry has received its first grant to develop 3D-printed structured eel and grouper products with Singaporean cultivated fish and seafood company Umami Meats. The initiative is being funded by a grant from the Singapore Israel Industrial R&D Foundation (SIIRD), a cooperation between - Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). Steakholder Foods' partnership with Umami Meats offers a unique opportunity for market entry in the only country in the world where cultivated meat has regulatory approval. The collaboration aims to develop a scalable process for producing structured cultivated fish products. Steakholder Foods will use its newly developed technology for mimicking the flaky texture of cooked fish that was recently submitted for a provisional patent application. The project's first prototype, a structured hybrid grouper product, is expected to be completed by Q1 2023. The product will be printed using Steakholder Foods' proprietary 3D bio-printing technology and bio-inks that will be customized for Umami Meats' cells. Yair Ayalon, VP of Business Development, Steakholder Foods said, "Industry collaborations are a critical aspect of our long-term business strategy. Our partnership with Umami Meats is especially meaningful following our recent patent application for fish texture and because it is being supported by a joint Israeli/Singaporean government initiative of which we are very proud to be a part." Mihir Pershad, CEO and Founder at Umami Meats said, "We are thrilled to be combining our deep knowledge and experience in cultivated seafood with Steakholder Foods' innovative 3D bio-printing technology. We believe this partnership will help us advance our vision of a new, more sustainable food system for preserving our marine ecosystems while delivering exceptional, high quality seafood to meet growing consumer demand." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/392/fresh-corn-grains-from-liaocheng-china-enter-space.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/392/fresh-corn-grains-from-liaocheng-china-enter-space.html Fri, 06 Jan 2023 10:09:15 +0530 The primary purpose of this space experiment is to break the old chain and achieve new recombination by mutagenesis caused by cosmic rays, and microgravity. The Shenzhou XV spacecraft, China's 10th manned spaceflight, entered its designated orbit on Nov 29. Among the passengers aboard the Shenzhou XV were 400 fresh corn grains bred by the Liaocheng, which will be used to carry out science experiments in space. "The 400 fresh corn grains are of the same breed and weigh about 60 grams, and have a rich genetic background and gene types after breeding in the south and the northern areas of the country," said Zhang Guige, director of Modern Breeding Technology Innovation Centre of Liaocheng Academy of Agricultural Sciences. The primary purpose of this space experiment is to break the old chain and achieve new recombination by mutagenesis caused by cosmic rays, microgravity and high vacuum in space. It is the first time in the 60-year breeding history of the Liaocheng to carry experiments out in space and implement space breeding with a Shenzhou spacecraft. It is also an example of the Liaocheng development of modern biological breeding research and its transformation from the breeding 2.0 era to the breeding 4.0 era. It is reported that the Liaocheng Academy of Agricultural Sciences was established in 1959, and breeding research has always been its strength. The maize variety ‘Liaoyu 18’ created by it has been popularized throughout the country, generating social and economic benefits of 4.94 billion yuan ($707.32 million). Since 2019, the Institute has bred 290 excellent maize inbred lines and 32 new excellent wheat lines through modern biotechnology such as hybridisation, radiation mutagenesis and haploid. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/390/adnoc-allocates-15bn-to-low-carbon-solutions-new-energies.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/390/adnoc-allocates-15bn-to-low-carbon-solutions-new-energies.html Fri, 06 Jan 2023 09:53:36 +0530 $15 billion earmarked for landmark decarbonisation projects by 2030 including carbon capture, electrification, and new CO2 absorption technology. ADNOC, a reliable and responsible provider of lower-carbon intensity energy, announced a bold new strategy to progress the world-scale decarbonisation of its operations. ADNOC has allocated $15 billion (AED55 billion) to advance an array of projects across its diversified value chain by 2030. These projects will include investments in clean power, carbon capture and storage (CCS), further electrification of its operations, energy efficiency and new measures to build on ADNOC's long-standing policy of zero routine gas flaring. ADNOC will apply a rigorous commercial and sustainability assessment to ensure that each project delivers lasting tangible impact. Throughout 2023, a suite of new projects and initiatives will be announced, including a first-of-its-kind CCS project, innovative carbon removal technologies, investment in new, cleaner energy solutions and strengthening of international partnerships. Together with the recent formation of the ADNOC’s new Low Carbon Solutions and International Growth Directorate, these represent tangible and concrete action as the company reduces its carbon intensity by 25 per cent by 2030 and moves towards its Net Zero by 2050 ambition. Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, said: “Under the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership and the ADNOC Board of Directors, ADNOC continues to take significant steps to make today’s energy cleaner while investing in the clean energies and new technologies of tomorrow. Now, more than ever, the world needs a practical and responsible approach to the energy transition that is both pro-growth and pro-climate, and ADNOC is delivering tangible actions in support of both these goals.  Building on ADNOC’s Al Reyadah facility, which has the capacity to capture up to 800,000 tons of CO2 per year, the company will announce plans to deploy technologies to capture, store and absorb CO2 by leveraging the UAE’s geological properties while preparing for its next major investment to capture emissions from its Habshan gas processing facility. Combined with ADNOC’s planned expansion of its carbon capture capacity to 5 million tons per annum (mtpa) by 2030, the UAE will be firmly established as a worldwide hub for carbon capture expertise and innovation. ADNOC’s expansion of CCS is planned to support the significant scale-up of hydrogen and lower-carbon ammonia production capabilities in Abu Dhabi as ADNOC advances a world-scale 1 million tons per annum (mtpa) blue ammonia production facility at TA’ZIZ, the industrial services and logistics ecosystem that is enabling the expansion of the Al Ruways Industrial City, as well as Abu Dhabi’s wider chemicals, manufacturing and industrial sectors. To date, ADNOC has already delivered test cargoes of low-carbon ammonia to Europe and Asia. ADNOC’s expansion of its new energy portfolio will largely be delivered through its stake in Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse with over 20 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy today and plans to increase its capacity to 100 GW by 2030. Masdar is also spearheading the UAE’s drive to develop a leading position in green hydrogen.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/389/xylem-opens-water-service-centre-in-dubai.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/389/xylem-opens-water-service-centre-in-dubai.html Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:25:25 +0530 This centre will enable Xylem to respond to customer needs quickly and provide tailor-made solutions Xylem, the leading water technology company committed to solving the most challenging water problems around the world, announced the opening of its new $1.2 million service centre, state-of-the-art analytics lab and rental hub in the UAE—strengthening its position in the Middle East to better address the region's water-related challenges. Located in Jebel Ali Free Zone, the new facility will span over 10,000 square meters and will feature a wash bay, lifting and handling cranes and tooling, trimming and balancing machines, original spare parts, testing benches, a painting booth, programming and calibrating equipment and devices.  This move will enable Xylem to respond to any customer needs faster and provide tailor-made solutions such as real-time interventions by experts —24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The service hub currently employs more than 16 staff, including engineers and technicians and is set to create 300 employment opportunities. Speaking on the latest innovations from Xylem, Naji Skaf, Managing Director of Xylem Middle East and Turkey, said: “With this expansion, we seek to solidify our position in the Middle East region and provide a slew of benefits including quicker turnaround, greater convenience and access to our customers. Our new centre of excellence is poised to bring about a gamut of opportunities for us that will support and accelerate our growth.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/388/dubai-chamber-of-commerce-launches-solar-renewable-energy-business-group.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/388/dubai-chamber-of-commerce-launches-solar-renewable-energy-business-group.html Thu, 05 Jan 2023 14:28:47 +0530 The new Solar & Renewable Energy Business Group is a significant step in supporting the UAE as it prepares to host the COP28 Conference in 2023 Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has launched the Solar & Renewable Energy Business Group. Gearing up for COP28, the business group will drive the uptake of renewable energy amongst businesses and the private sector in Dubai.  “As the world shifts to renewable energy and a decarbonised economy, the establishment of the Solar & Renewable Energy Business Group is timely and relevant. It comes at the heels of UAE’s COP28 presidency, highlighting the importance of the country’s Energy Strategy 2050 and Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy. The business group will foster a better understanding of these clean energy targets amongst local businesses while providing them insights to drive the shift to renewable energy. This will boost their efforts to support and accelerate Dubai’s energy transition and the ambition of making the emirate a hub for the green economy,” said Maha AlGargawi, Executive Director of Business Advocacy at Dubai Chambers. Over the last couple of decades, the share of oil in the UAE’s gross domestic product (GDP) has considerably decreased. From approximately 43 per cent in 2001, this share dropped a third of GDP to 33 per cent in 2011 and much lower to 27 per cent in 2021. The UAE is well on its way to achieving its clean energy targets as outlined in the UAE Energy Strategy 2050. Announced in 2017, the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 aims to reduce the carbon footprint on power generation by 70 per cent, improve energy efficiency by 40 per cent, increase the contribution of clean energy from 25 per cent to 50 per cent and save a total of AED700 billion. The UAE has since launched notable initiatives and taken significant steps towards realising these goals by 2050. The UAE Government will invest AED600 billion in renewable energy by 2050 to meet the country's growing energy demand from clean and sustainable resources.  Dubai launched its own Clean Energy Strategy in 2015, with the objective of producing 75 per cent of its energy demand from clean sources by 2050, making Dubai a hub for the green economy. One landmark project in solar energy is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai which is expected to have a production capacity of 5,000 MWh by 2030.  L K Verma, Managing Director at Power n sun and founding member of the business group said, “Creating organizations such as this is important for our sector. It will drive the discussions that are necessary to enhance the competitiveness of our business and enable the dialogue amongst peers and other stakeholders on speeding up the solarisation in the region.” Fellow founding member, Simon Brennan, General Manager at Al Shirawi Solar added, “It underlines the importance of environmental sustainability and I am certain with the establishment of this business group, our members will play a bigger role in supporting the UAE’s clean energy ambitions.” With renewable energy at the forefront of the government agenda, the chamber’s establishment of the new Solar & Renewable Energy Business Group is a significant step in supporting the UAE as it prepares to host the COP28 Conference in 2023. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/387/new-zealand-and-ireland-to-cooperate-to-reduce-agricultural-emissions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/387/new-zealand-and-ireland-to-cooperate-to-reduce-agricultural-emissions.html Thu, 05 Jan 2023 13:53:40 +0530 The 2022 Ireland – New Zealand Joint Research initiative will be benefited four Irish climate and agriculture projects. New Zealand and Ireland government are jointly conducting research projects worth €7 million to reduce agricultural emissions. Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Martin Heydon Minister of State announced made the announcement, according to the local media. The 2022 Ireland – New Zealand Joint Research initiative will be benefited four Irish climate and agriculture projects. The key areas of the projects are a complex ecosystem composed of anaerobic bacteria, protozoa, fungi, methanogenic archaea and phages, microbiology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, monitoring and emission reduction technologies, animal breeding for reduced emissions and inventory improvement. In Ireland, greenhouse gas pollution accounted for 37.5 per cent of the country’s emissions in 2021. According to the Environmental Protection Agency greenhouse gases from Irish agriculture rose by 3 per cent in 2021 following an increase of 1.3 per cent in 2020. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/384/uae-university-cooperates-with-university-of-malaya-in-agri-research-projects.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/384/uae-university-cooperates-with-university-of-malaya-in-agri-research-projects.html Wed, 04 Jan 2023 16:09:47 +0530 The UAE University exerts efforts to support 11 joint research projects including 3 in the field of food and agriculture. The United Arab Emirates University builds bridges of positive and constructive cooperation to enhance the international reputation of the university. The UAE University has recently made several partnerships with educational institutions in Malaysia, especially with the University of Malaya, in areas of national priority. Prof. Ahmed Murad - Associate Provost for Research - said that this cooperation reinforces the quality of scientific research through distinguished contributions. He also added that the UAE University exerts efforts to support joint research projects between the two universities, and there are 11 research projects between the two universities in several fields, including 3 research projects in the field of food and agriculture, for example: a research entitled "Postharvest technologies to improve the nutritional quality and  Storage life of fig fruit (Ficus carica L.) produced under greenhouse and open field condition in UAE”, and another research entitled “Characterization, Antioxidant, Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Activities of Exopolysaccharides (EPS) Produced by New Probiotic Bacteria and Its Rheological Impact in Camel Milk Products (Fermented Milk and Cheese)”. In addition to 5 research projects in the field of water and energy, examples of which are research entitled "A Generalized Soft Computing Model for Groundwater Levels and Quality in Arid and Tropical Zones" and another research entitled "Development of a Saltwater Based Powered Generator System". In addition to 3 research projects in the field of information technology and engineering, entitled " Intelligent Clustered Body Language Analysis of Healthcare Patients ", and entitled " Two-Handed Static and Dynamic Arabic Sign Language Translation System Integration Using Spatiotemporal and Machine Translation Models ", and entitled " Investigation of Monostatic Radar Cross Section (RCS) for Military Communication System using a Composite Meta surface integrated with Antenna ". He also said that we have accomplished 4 research projects entitled " Cognitive Mirroring by Continual Lifelong Learning: Robot-Avatar Therapy to Access Autism Spectrum Disorder " in the field of information technology, and three research projects entitled " Mitigation of deposition on heat exchanger surfaces by nanoparticle additives and conductive polymeric coatings”, and entitled “Development and Testing of Novel Nonlinear Stochastic Wave Excitation Force Estimators – Simulation and Experimental Study” and entitled “Hierarchical Control Strategy for Coordinating the Operation of Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter Farm Equipped with Hybrid Energy Storage System: A Simulation and Experimental Studies " in the field of water and energy. He also added that during the period between 2017 and 2022, faculty members and researchers at the United Arab Emirates University published 105 research papers in cooperation with researchers from the University of Malaya, mainly in computer sciences, environmental sciences, medicine and engineering. Moreover, 5 new projects have been recently funded in cooperation with the University of Malaya in the fields of water, energy and mobility research, which will start in February 2023. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/379/sw-and-trigall-genetics-announce-jv-for-wheat-breeding-in-australia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/379/sw-and-trigall-genetics-announce-jv-for-wheat-breeding-in-australia.html Wed, 04 Jan 2023 11:29:13 +0530 Trigall Australia will develop and market high performing wheat varieties for the Australian market. Trigall Genetics, the world leader in wheat biotechnology co-owned by Bioceres Crop Solutions and Florimond Desprez, and S&W Seed Company, a leading middle-market agricultural company, have entered into a joint venture to advance wheat breeding activities in Australia. Trigall Australia will develop and market high performing wheat varieties for the Australian market, leveraging S&W's existing commercial footprint and Florimond Desprez's and Bioceres Crop Solutions' breeding expertise. The program will encompass both conventional and transgenic varieties, including Bioceres Crop Solutions' drought-tolerance HB4® technology and EcoWheat® technologies, that can contribute to improving yields in a region whose productivity has been increasingly affected by drought and soil salinization. The new breeding program is expected to benefit from the introduction of top tier genetics from Florimond Desprez and Trigall Genetics worldwide breeding programs, combined with state-of-the-art facilities to accelerate genetic gain for the region. For Trigall Genetics the joint venture is part of its international expansion strategy into major wheat producing regions, as it will gain access to S&W's Australia-adapted genetic materials, adding to its existing germplasm library from Europe and MENA through Florimond Desprez and South America from Bioceres Crop Solutions. François Desprez, president of Trigall Genetics and Florimond Desprez said, "Through this JV, Florimond Desprez continues with the internationalization of its wheat breeding activities. We believe the company's accumulated knowledge and skills in terms of breeding techniques will boost the existing platform developed by S&W Seed in Australia to serve the needs of local growers and the grain industry." Mark Wong, CEO of S&W Seed added, "We are excited to enter this JV to combine our commercial footprint with the unique technologies and expertise of our partners." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1677/middle-easts-ministry-of-agriculture-and-food-industries-mafi-unveils-massive-300m-agri-food-industrial-complex.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/1677/middle-easts-ministry-of-agriculture-and-food-industries-mafi-unveils-massive-300m-agri-food-industrial-complex.html Mon, 02 Jan 2023 11:18:53 +0530 Comprising five state-of-the-art plants with an annual production capacity of over 100,000 tons of agricultural food products in Phase I the complex is estimated for a turnover of $200M Middle East's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) unveils a groundbreaking agri-food industrial complex, set to become the largest in the Middle East. With a significant investment of up to $300 million, the project is being undertaken in collaboration with a foreign investor. At the Council of Ministers headquarters, an signing ceremony unfolded, in the presence of key dignitaries including Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister, Ahmed Samir, the Minister of Industry, Hossam Hibah, the CEO of the General Authority for Investment, and Ahmed Abou Hashima, Founder and Chairman of MAFI Company for Agricultural Produce Industries. Additionally, representatives from leading global companies specializing in cutting-edge agri-food technologies were also in attendance, emphasizing the collaborative spirit of the auspicious occasion. Comprising five state-of-the-art plants, the complex is set to become a beacon of innovation and productivity. MAFI for Agricultural Produce Industries, under the leadership of Ahmed Abou Hashima, has unveiled plans for a sprawling agri-food complex. Spanning an expansive area of 154,000 square meters in Industria Sadat City, this visionary project is set to redefine the industry landscape. Among its notable features are two of Egypt's largest plants dedicated to the production of orange and tomato concentrates, as well as various fruit products and citrus oils. Notably, it also houses the first-of-its-kind cloudy product plant in the Middle East, showcasing a commitment to pioneering advancements. Furthermore, the complex boasts one of the world's largest freeze-drying facilities for fruits and vegetables, along with a cutting-edge factory for freezing these perishable commodities. The complex has an impressive annual production capacity of over 100,000 tons of agricultural food products in Phase I, with an estimated turnover of $200M. In Phase II, the production capacity will expand to reach 200,000 tons, equivalent to a turnover of $400M. The project aims to contribute to the growth of the Egyptian economy while striving to achieve a balance between imports and exports. In line with its ambitious vision, the complex is geared towards exporting over 80% of its production. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/361/himax-unites-with-seeed-studio-to-bring-sensecap-lorawan-vision-ai-sensor-to-smart-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/361/himax-unites-with-seeed-studio-to-bring-sensecap-lorawan-vision-ai-sensor-to-smart-agriculture.html Thu, 29 Dec 2022 17:57:23 +0530 Himax and Seeed Studio will showcase the SenseCAP A1101 sensor which has already been applied to real smart agriculture cases. Himax Technologies, Inc. a leading supplier and fabless manufacturer of display drivers and other semiconductor products, and Seeed Studio, the IoT hardware partner providing services that empower developers to implement their projects and products for digital transformation, announced the joint showcase of the SenseCAP A1101 LoRaWAN Vision AI Sensor, embedded with Himax WiseEye™ smart image sensing solution (WiseEye), at the upcoming CES 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Seeed Studio, with its tinyML Edge AI platform enabling expertise, has created a plug-and-play and easy-to-integrate SenseCAP A1101 vision sensor that runs machine learning in support of a variety of AI models, such as image recognition, people counting, target detection, meter recognition and many others. This industry-leading battery-powered sensor solution incorporates Himax HM0360 CMOS image sensor, supporting up to 60 FPS VGA solution, and WiseEye WE1 AI processor, running at 400MHz local inferencing that facilitates powerful machine learning at extremely low power consumption, as well as a LoRaWAN module, featuring low-power, wide-area (LPWA) networking protocol for long-range networks. At CES, Himax and Seeed Studio will showcase the SenseCAP A1101 sensor which has already been applied to real smart agriculture cases. Powered by Himax’s ultralow power WiseEye technology, the SenseCAP A1101 vision AI sensor can operate for over 9 months while continuously collecting field images and uploading the final data results from local inferencing every minute. The vision AI sensor hardware is designed to adopt high industrial protection grade that supports an operating temperature range of -40 to 85 degrees Celsius and IP66 waterproof rating, making it a good fit for IoT applications placed either in outdoor or indoor argo-ecosystems. The sensor solution also supports rapid configuration of the Bluetooth APP, and fast connection to gateways and cloud servers, with only few clicks setup. “We’re really happy and honored to work with Himax to embed their WiseEye solution to this Vision AI device. To be the most reliable IoT Hardware Partner for global developers, we at Seeed are always looking to integrate advanced technologies into ready-to-deploy hardware solutions for digital transformation in vertical industries,” said Joey Jiang, GM of Industry and Application Group of Seeed Studio. “Working with Himax is yet another step forward in Seeed’s Vision to empower every developer to achieve their digital transformation goals with Vision AI technology. With SenseCAP A1101 LoRaWAN Vision AI Sensor, the developers can combine vision and LPWAN to their IoT solutions to serve various scenarios of smart farming, smart metering and more.” “Seeed Studio is one of the leading AI platforms in the world and our collaboration in the smart agriculture application is a further validation of the suitability of our WiseEye technology to a wide range of markets,” said Jordan Wu, CEO of Himax. “The demand for battery-powered smart devices with AI-enabled smart sensing is rapidly growing providing an opportunity for us to further expand by joining forces with other AI platform partners by offering value-added features for our customers in terms of privacy, security, and superior battery life for diversified endpoint AI devices.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/359/chinas-ecological-environment-improved-greatly-over-past-decade.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/359/chinas-ecological-environment-improved-greatly-over-past-decade.html Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:19:50 +0530 Water conservation in the arid areas of northwest China has seen remarkable results, with increasing efficiency of water use and the expansion of areas using water-saving irrigation. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) released a series of reports revealing that China has made great achievements in its ecological environment over the past decade. The reports show that the total amount of freshwater resources available in China's lakes and reservoirs has increased significantly. The transparency of most lakes has steadily improved, as has the biodiversity in some important lakes. The reports also point out that the overall area of China's wetlands is on a trend of continual recovery, while wetland biodiversity protection has been fruitful. As for mountains, the prevention and control of soil erosion have been highly effective, and an efficient mountain disaster prevention and control system has been built. According to the reports, water conservation in the arid areas of northwest China has seen remarkable results, with increasing efficiency of water use and the expansion of areas using water-saving irrigation. The reports also state that the ecological environment in the three urban clusters of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has steadily improved. The quality of the atmospheric and water environment has improved significantly. The efficiency of resource and energy use has increased, and pollutant emissions have dropped. Zhang Tao, vice president of CAS, said that in the past 10 years, China's ecological environmental protection has undergone historical changes. CAS released a series of reports with the aim of helping to promote ecological environmental governance and protection in China through the scientific and systematic understanding of research objects, Zhang added. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/358/luokung-launches-carbon-peaking-and-carbon-neutrality-data-service.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/358/luokung-launches-carbon-peaking-and-carbon-neutrality-data-service.html Thu, 29 Dec 2022 13:40:35 +0530 The project is that over 10 million tons of carbon assets will be traded on the market in the next five years, with revenue of more than $70 million. Luokung Technology Corp., a leading spatial-temporal intelligent big data services company and provider of interactive location-based services (LBS) in China, announced that its operating affiliate, Luokung Remote Sensing Technology Co., Ltd. (Luokung Remote Sensing) has signed agreements with the government of PingYuan county, MeiZhou city in Guangdong province to provide carbon sink project development and carbon emission and carbon neutrality data services covering the entire county, including but not limited to the fields of forestry, agriculture, grasslands, wetlands, clean energy and industry. Luokung's carbon peaking and carbon neutrality (dual carbon) data service model, which includes the PingYuan project, has been replicated in several counties across the country. Forecasting based on existing contracts, we project that over 10 million tons of carbon assets will be traded on the market in the next five years, with revenue of more than $70 million for the company. Facilitated by the multi-source heterogeneous spatial-temporal big data processing capabilities, intelligent real-time remote sensing service technology and advanced self-developed algorithms integrating with dynamic remote sensing data, Luokung has formed its ‘dual carbon’ data service platform with coverage of multi-fields, multi-timelines and multi-space lines, enabling local governments to establish cost-efficient, accurate and effective systems for carbon sink accounting, carbon emission monitoring and natural resources investigation and monitoring, enabling the Company to participate in the carbon assets trading market under the VCS/CCER protocols. The Company expects its new product to meet the needs of local governments to achieve positive outcomes for natural resource conservation and economic development. Xuesong Song, Luokung's Chairman and CEO, stated: "We are pleased to announce that one of Luokung's business sectors, carbon neutrality and natural resources management, has made significant progress. With the active expansion in this area in the last six months, the Company has served many counties across the country as a ‘dual carbon’ data service provider, which we believe is a testament of the market's trust and recognition of Luokung's capabilities in carbon neutrality and natural resource management data services. There are nearly 3,000 counties in China, which represents a tremendous market potential for further expansion. Luokung is prepared to build upon the positive momentum and plans to continue to take an active role in net zero emissions and sustainable development. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/357/korean-fortified-food-development-for-un-organisations.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/357/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/81/353/agroforestry-group-introduces-new-oud-oil-inoculation-technique.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/353/agroforestry-group-introduces-new-oud-oil-inoculation-technique.html Wed, 28 Dec 2022 13:54:08 +0530 It is a large improvement to the old fashioned traditional techniques being used with results immediately visible when compared side to side. Agroforestry Group announced it has successfully completed the review of its new R&D-driven oud oil inoculation technique and will be introducing it across its Aquilaria plantations.  This groundbreaking new technique aims to generate additional profitability through the production of increased agarwood volume as well as higher quality oud oil and woodchips. Agroforestry Group reviewed the yield volume and distribution of oud oil found within trialled inoculated trees, before deciding to implement the new pipe-based technique on a larger scale. The successful results saw an increase in quality and yield of oud per gram within trees. Paul Martin, Agroforestry Group's MD said "We are excited to have begun officially inoculating our trees with this new technique. It is a large improvement to the old fashioned traditional techniques being used with results immediately visible when compared side to side." He added that research & development is crucial to Agroforestry Group and it is a key competitive advantage the company has compared to other growers. Agroforestry Group is always reviewing ways to improve its operations and the introduction of this technique aims to deliver additional profitability for itself and its clients. To the unfamiliar, inoculation is a process that produces highly valuable resinous agarwood within commercial Aquilaria plantations. What takes hundreds of years naturally can be done in just years on commercial plantations using inoculation. Standard techniques used by growers, produce agarwood by drilling holes in a tree's trunk to wound the tree and pouring simulative agents into them. Although standard inoculation techniques have been successful they produce uneven and poorly distributed agarwood within Aquilaria trees. After Agroforestry Group reviewed these practices it decided to find new and improved means of inoculation. The introduction of its new pipe-based inoculation technique produces more agarwood by increasing its volume and distribution throughout the tree. The pipes system it uses wraps around the tree covering more volume and disseminates the simulative agents more efficiently. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/347/right-farm-taps-the-waste-lab-to-drive-uae-sustainability-forward.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/347/right-farm-taps-the-waste-lab-to-drive-uae-sustainability-forward.html Mon, 26 Dec 2022 17:47:23 +0530 The partnership will effectively contribute towards realizing key UAE initiatives like the National Food Security Strategy 2051, UAE Net Zero 2050 and Ne’ma Pledge. Right Farm, a disruptive UAE-based Business-to-Business (B2B) digital platform for the food service sector, announced its partnership with The Waste Lab, an impact-driven startup that helps divert food and organic waste from landfills and uses them to create healthy compost and other byproducts that benefit the UAE’s soil, farms, food, and creates jobs. At a total cost of AED 13 billion, 3.27 million tons of food go to UAE landfills each year; it is estimated that each resident contributes, on average, a resounding 197kg of waste. Right Farm and The Waste Lab will collaboratively work towards minimizing and repurposing food wastage while simultaneously enhancing the UAE’s circular economy so that it can tackle pressing challenges like food security, climate change, biodiversity loss, and waste. The partnership will effectively contribute towards realizing key UAE initiatives like the National Food Security Strategy 2051, UAE Net Zero 2050 and Ne’ma Pledge. Furthermore, it will also align with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) to help achieve zero hunger, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land. Right Farm aims to continuously optimize its efficient management of generated food scraps from fruits, vegetables, and trimmings in a sustainable and regenerative manner that gives back to the soil and creates local resources. The Waste Lab will accordingly deploy an allocated treatment of compostables whilst advising on segregation guidelines and streamlined collection procedures and processes that are carried out through composting and various repurposing channels. The partnership also aims to build awareness around the importance of repurposing food waste and composting, and the impact of diverting these resources from landfills can have on reducing GHG Emissions and giving back to the soil. With UAE food trade exceeding AED 100 billion every year, companies and people are increasingly seeking out solutions to combat any negative impacts that are associated with a growing population and rising demand for natural resources. Right Farm has been consistently looking to leverage partnerships in its pursuit of a brighter future for our region’s food systems and the planet’s environment.  Elie Skaf, Co-Founder & CEO of Right Farm, said, “Reducing food waste, which accounts for 8 per cent of global GHGs, can improve air quality, save lives, and gets us one step closer to fully realizing a seamless circular economy. This is just one of the many reasons that working towards a zero-waste future is essential. The global food tech market is projected to reach $342 billion by 2027 because it is becoming a proven method of enhancing food security and sustainability. We look forward to contributing to this growth, through a prosperous partnership with The Waste Lab, to achieve a more sustainable food system that is spurred forward through innovation and technology.” Lara Hussein, Co-Founder & CEO of The Waste Lab, added, “Consumption of food in the country is anticipated to surpass 52.4 million tonnes by 2025, and with this increase, there are more chances for wastage. That is why we are working with communities and businesses to bring awareness and to build practices around proper segregation at the source, repurposing and nature-based composting, building soil and reducing GHG emissions.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/344/dana-global-announces-partnership-with-ahc-to-establish-an-innovation-hub.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/344/dana-global-announces-partnership-with-ahc-to-establish-an-innovation-hub.html Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:43:51 +0530 The new hub’s strategic goal is to boost agrifood and smart water solutions R&D, addressing the technological needs of Agadir’s farmers to improve food security, food quality, and sustainability. DANA Global, the Abu Dhabi-based desert tech venture builder and investment platform, announces its partnership with Agadir Horticultural Complex (CHA) to jointly establish an innovation hub for resilient and eco-efficient agriculture in the Agadir region. The new project’s official opening and partnership signing ceremony in Agadir, Morocco was attended by over 700 participants. Prominent attendees included Mohamed Sadiki, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Piet Adema, Dutch Minister of Agriculture, and Dr Farid Lekjaa, Director of the Agadir Horticultural Complex. DANA was accompanied by a delegation of investors, academics, consultants, and startup founders from the UAE and Israel. The Agadir region forms the heart of Morocco’s agricultural industry and provides 9 per cent of the national GDP while processing 90 per cent of the country’s fresh produce market - and is perfectly suited to scale up DANA’s solutions. The region is also crucial to the government of Morocco’s ‘Génération Green’ strategy to increase the country’s food output. Shirley Shahar, Co-Founder of DANA Global, said, “Our partnership with the Agadir Horticultural Centre aims to bring a new innovation hub and centre of excellence to Morocco, and is a huge step for DANA. Two years ago, we decided to establish our base in Abu Dhabi - which has led the way in progressive food security and sustainability policy and acted as a hub for scaling solutions to the entire MENA region. Complementing our recent partnership with Silal, ADQ’s agrifood arm, we want to contribute to a new R&D hub for agrifood solutions hosted by our partners from CHA and the Institute Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II. Morocco and the UAE share a long heritage of trust and shared values, which provide a solid foundation to cooperate on the pressing issue of food security. The UAE has invested more than $20 billion in Moroccan growth sectors over the past four decades. The new hub’s strategic goal is to boost agrifood and smart water solutions R&D, addressing the technological needs of Agadir’s farmers to improve food security, food quality, and sustainability. Although Morocco is situated between two large bodies of water, the country’s water production infrastructure only produces 20 per cent of its water, missing out on huge potential. To meet growing domestic demand, this capacity will have to increase fast. From an economic perspective, DANA and CHA will contribute directly to a resilient and eco-efficient agrifood infrastructure in MENA, establishing Agadir as a major export market to supply Gulf states with import needs - like the UAE.  DANA will operate an incubation and acceleration program, bringing technological know-how from the region’s leading agritech ecosystems. The venture builder partners with Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, a university based in Agadir specialising in agricultural research. The project’s solutions will benefit the residents of Agadir and help build a desert tech ecosystem in Morocco, bringing high skilled employment opportunities to the rapidly developing economy, led by the values of sustainability, women's empowerment, and regional collaboration. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/334/uae-university-establishes-research-collaboration-with-university-of-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/334/uae-university-establishes-research-collaboration-with-university-of-singapore.html Wed, 21 Dec 2022 13:56:13 +0530 This is in line with the university's vision of becoming a research-intensive university that contributes to achieving sustainability in all fields and provides creative and innovative solutions that would be reflected positively on the UAE’s development and prosperity. The United Arab Emirates University has established a research collaboration with the National University of Singapore in the field of agriculture, veterinary medicine, information technology, engineering, business, economics and other subjects. According to the press release, UAE University has established many research partnerships with various international educational institutions to boost its research productivity and quality. This is in line with the university's vision of becoming a research-intensive university that contributes to achieving sustainability in all fields and provides creative and innovative solutions that would be reflected positively on the UAE’s development and prosperity. Dr Ahmed Ali Murad, Associate Provost for Research at UAE University, said that the university is working to strengthen its international partnership with the Republic of Singapore. It gives priority to establishing a strategic partnership with the National University of Singapore in a number of key vital sectors, in order to support the university's research strategy and enhance its research reputation. Dr Ahmed Murad said that the UAE University is adopting many initiatives aiming at consolidating strategic cooperation frameworks and supporting research projects between the two countries. He pointed out that the number of research projects funded by the UAE University and in cooperation with the National University of Singapore during the period between 2018 and 2022 is seventeen research projects in different fields related to medicine, health sciences, science, agriculture, veterinary medicine, information technology, engineering, business and economics. Agriculture and veterinary medicine research projects included “Toward health risk assessment of Campylobacter in chicken meat at retail in the United Arab Emirates: Baseline surveillance and genomic insight into resistance to critically important antimicrobials” and “Gluten free plant-based meat analogues formulated using anisotropic hydrogenation and extrusion." In the area of medicine and health sciences, nine research projects were supported including "Elucidating the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Mendelian and Cardiovascular Disease in UAE ", and "Deciphering the Genetic Causes of Familial Cardiovascular Diseases ". Under Engineering, research entitled "Development of Renewable Thermal Insulation Material Based on Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) and Date Palm Wood " was funded. Also, in science, a research project titled " Unveiling hidden potential of hypersaline soil (sabkha): halophilic microbiome, their functionality and extremozyme potential (SalMicro)” and another project titled "Detection and determination of Endocrine disruptors, Mycotoxins and related metabolites in camel milk products of UAE” were funded. Dr Ahmed Murad also added that during the period between 2017 and 2022, faculty members and researchers at the UAE University published 154 research papers in collaboration with researchers from various universities and institutions in the Republic of Singapore. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/333/australia-uses-hts-technology-to-identify-viruses-on-exotic-plant.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/333/australia-uses-hts-technology-to-identify-viruses-on-exotic-plant.html Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:41:36 +0530 HTS is a novel molecular sequencing tool that can detect and identify all plant viruses and viroids from a single sample with unprecedented efficiency. Australia’s Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is rolling out sophisticated new technology to detect and identify exotic plant viruses and viroids at its Post Entry Quarantine Facility (PEQ) at Mickleham, Victoria. Dr Gabrielle Vivian-Smith Australia’s Chief Plant Protection Officer said that the department was using High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) to improve the efficiency of PEQ testing in imported plants. “HTS is a novel molecular sequencing tool that can detect and identify all plant viruses and viroids from a single sample with unprecedented efficiency,” Dr Vivian-Smith said. “As of December 2022, HTS replaces conventional testing methods like a polymerase chain reaction and biological indexing as the primary screening tools to detect these plant pests in strawberries, stonefruit, almonds, raspberries and blackberries imported into Australia. Just in time for Christmas puddings and cakes! “The department has worked closely with government, universities, and industry stakeholders since 2013 to develop, optimise, validate and implement this technology in a PEQ setting. “Over 200 high-risk plants across more than 46 species were used to validate HTS against existing diagnostic tools.” The rollout of HTS is just one of many diagnostic innovations being championed by the department. “Instead of requiring a lot of costly plant virus tests to screen for biosecurity threats during quarantine, we can now use a single, highly sensitive test to quickly identify viruses and viroids that could threaten our valuable fruit production industries. “We are always looking for ways to strengthen and future-proof our biosecurity capability. As part of our 2030 vision, the $22.27 million Modern Technologies and Diagnostic Tools (MTDT) program will further revolutionise our diagnostic system to be future-ready in response to new biosecurity threats.” DAFF is now considering ways to expand applications of HTS to other imported plant material in PEQ and to support critical national plant health surveillance activities. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/330/israeli-cows-to-get-biometric-id-cards.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/330/israeli-cows-to-get-biometric-id-cards.html Tue, 20 Dec 2022 17:09:42 +0530 Real-time monitoring of the cows in the barn will be created out of the need to monitor and document the feeding times and location of each individual cow. A new facial recognition and the biometric system will be introduced in various dairy farms in Israel. It will be used to identify complications of the animal. These data, new studies and a lot of information about the industry will be presented at the annual cattle and sheep science conference which is taking place soon. The conference is organised by the Department of Cattle and the Department of Sheep in the Training and Professional Service (SHAM) with the Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation and the Directorate of Agricultural.  Real-time monitoring of the cows in the barn will be created out of the need to monitor and document the feeding times and location of each individual cow. In the precision livestock farming lab at the Volcani Institute Precision Livestock Farming Lab (PLF), Prof. Noam Bergman together with Prof. Yitzhak Itzhaki from Ben Gurion University, and Prof. Ilan Halhami are developing an innovative biometric identification system, Which can use as a unique and fast AI algorithm for facial recognition of cows. Cameras will be installed in barns. Each camera is able to monitor up to eight cows eating at the same time. In this way, the system can break down each video file into individual frames and within each frame identify with great precision the face of each individual cow by itself. In addition, the system is able to identify each cow using biometric characteristics based on its face alone. The system’s unique characteristics offer high precision at maximum speed.Real-time monitoring of the cows in the barn was created out of the need to monitor and document the feeding times and location of each individual cow.  These data can contain insights into the well-being of cows, prediction of distress situations, different eating behaviours, estimates of food consumption and more. Another advantage of the state-of-the-art system is that all the execution of its operations takes place remotely - that is, without any physical means on the cow itself, and in fact without her knowledge at all. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/323/veolia-extends-water-reuse-process-for-qatari-dairy-producer-baladna.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/323/veolia-extends-water-reuse-process-for-qatari-dairy-producer-baladna.html Mon, 19 Dec 2022 16:26:07 +0530 The treatment capacity of reusable water on a larger scale reduces freshwater consumption by more than 50 per cent. Qatar’s leading dairy producer Baladna renewed its trust in Veolia Water Technologies to extend the wastewater treatment capacity at its farm in Al Khor, north of Doha. Baladna is home to over 24,000 cows that is spread over 2.6 million square meters, and will now recycle 22,000 m3/day of wastewater. Committed to ecological transformation, Veolia Water Technologies is working with Baladna Food Industries to support its sustainability plan and recycle its wastewater. The partnership started in 2020 with the design and construction of a 6,000 m3/d wastewater treatment plant, allowing for the treated water to be reused for irrigation within the farm and, following further treatment by reverse osmosis, to spray and cool the cows during hot summer months. Based on this successful project, Baladna decided to go further in 2021 by tripling the treatment capacity to 22,000 m3/d. The system includes an initial separation step with a capacity of 22,000 m3/day. 12,000 m3/day will be recirculated for flushing barns, with the remaining 10,000 m3/day further treated in an MBR system followed by a polishing reverse osmosis step to produce water to replace the potable water currently used in the soaking and misting systems of the farm. Piet Hilarides CEO Baladna said, “After a first successful project with Veolia, we strengthened this partnership in line with Baladna’s commitment to sustainable water management. The holistic approach to reusing treated wastewater and the limited environmental impact of open lagoons are key developments. We are enthusiastic to expand the treatment capacity of reusable water on a larger scale, reducing our freshwater consumption by more than 50 per cent. This project marks a major milestone on the sustainability journey of Baladna and will significatively contribute to improving the environment for the surrounding  Al-Khor area.” Thierry Froment, CEO Veolia Water Technologies Middle East said, “This project will reduce the strain on freshwater resources while eliminating the need for huge water treatment lagoons and the visual and odour pollution caused. This collaboration also highlights a significant achievement in the sustainability plan of Baladna and, in line with Veolia’s purpose of ecological transformation, showcases a holistic way to reuse treated wastewater. We are extremely proud of the relationship between Baladna and Veolia in Qatar.”  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/316/australis-centuria-agriculture-fund-acquires-tomato-grower-sundrop-farms.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/316/australis-centuria-agriculture-fund-acquires-tomato-grower-sundrop-farms.html Mon, 19 Dec 2022 11:17:31 +0530 Sundrop Farms is an award-winning, sustainable horticulture operator, capable of producing 17,000 tonne of truss and baby plum tomatoes from four glasshouses, each covering five hectares. Australi’s Sundrop Farms has been acquired by Centuria Agriculture Fund (CAF). The property assets have been acquired for $70 million from the Morrison & Co Growth Infrastructure Fund. Sundrop Farms is an award-winning, sustainable horticulture operator, capable of producing 17,000 tonne of truss and baby plum tomatoes from four glasshouses, each covering five hectares. It has adopted innovative technologies that integrate solar power, freshwater production, electricity generation and hydroponics to deliver a meaningful reduction in water and fossil fuel use. David McKinnon, Investment Director at Morrison & Co, said, “We acquired the business in 2019 recognising its potential to deliver a step-change in the way food is produced.” The business will be sold on behalf of the Morrison & Co Growth Infrastructure Fund (MGIF), which targets gross returns of 13-15 per cent per annum through investing in 'ideas that matter' backed by long-term secular trends such as water scarcity and decarbonisation. The investment has delivered excellent returns that comfortably exceeded these targets. Andrew Tout, Centuria’s Head of Agriculture, said, “This high-quality glasshouse facility was constructed in 2016, incorporating modern renewable energy, heating and irrigation sources, which creates highly sustainable, premium fresh produce. These are strong fundamentals that underpin a well performing agriculture real estate investment.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/313/chinas-harbin-to-become-a-city-of-modern-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/313/chinas-harbin-to-become-a-city-of-modern-agriculture.html Thu, 15 Dec 2022 14:41:52 +0530 In Wuchang, 25,000 farmers have installed the Smart Agriculture APP on their mobile phones, so they can communicate with agricultural experts anytime. China’s Northeast city Harbin contributes one-fifth to Heilongjiang's total rice production. The black soil in the region is suitable for rice planting. In recent years, Harbin has applied advanced digital technologies in agricultural production. Focusing on rice production as the leading industry, Wuchang in Harbin has built a high-quality national modern agricultural park and launched a number of smart agriculture projects. Wuchang has been world-renowned for its agricultural products including ‘Wuchang Rice’. The application of agricultural helicopters and UAVs has greatly improved work efficiency. All data about the paddies such as water level, oxygen content and water temperature have been monitored all weather in the AI monitor room in the Agricultural IoT Service Centre of Wuchang.   In Wuchang 25,000 farmers have installed the Smart Agriculture; APP on their mobile phones, so that they can communicate with agricultural experts anytime. The centre also has a rice traceability system, social service system, agricultural product electronic information system and government resource system, which are linked with another two platforms of Big Data and Expert Cloud, so as to ensure that consumers can buy authentic Wuchang rice. The Big Data 4.0 Platform developed by the centre also provides farmers with precise data on the price trends and marketing of various crops. In recent years, Harbin has significantly improved its agricultural production automation, precision and intelligence, and realised more efficient management. While labours are reduced, the utilisation rate of water resources, fertilizers and pesticides has significantly increased. With the accelerated transformation of agricultural development mode, a number of replicable and promotable integrated application models of digital agricultural technology have emerged to boost agricultural modernisation. Harbin has seen a bumper harvest of grain for 19 consecutive years. The comprehensive mechanisation rate of planting and harvesting major crops has reached 98.3 per cent, with a stable grain output of more than 12 billion kg. In addition, agricultural product processing is also developing at a faster pace. The per capita disposable income of rural residents achieved a two-fold increase. The sustainable and high-quality development of modern agriculture has laid the solid foundation for Harbin to build a ‘City of Modern Agriculture’. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/307/icba-launches-ai-powered-mobile-app-for-crop-disorders-detection.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/307/icba-launches-ai-powered-mobile-app-for-crop-disorders-detection.html Thu, 15 Dec 2022 12:11:32 +0530 The application is designed to aid smallholder farmers and extension specialists in spotting crop disorders at early stages. A new AI-powered mobile application for crop disorders detection was launched by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE. The application is a result of collaboration between the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the University of Barcelona, Spain, under a project titled ‘Developing a user-friendly mobile application for smallholder farmers to detect plant disorders’. The application has been created with the support of local partners in Egypt, Tunisia, and the UAE, the application is designed to aid smallholder farmers and extension specialists in spotting crop disorders at early stages and thus minimizing yield losses and improving incomes. It can identify 18 different common disorders affecting tomatoes, capsicum, and cucumber. These cash crops are considered important for smallholder farmers who practice protected agriculture. Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE, said, “This app is a prime example of how we can harness the power of technology to address pressing concerns. In the face of ever-rising challenges, with climate change at the forefront, we believe that technological interventions will optimize agricultural practices, enhance harvest quality and quantity, and notably improve the lives of farmers. We are confident the app will prove to be a game changer for smallholder farmers, providing them with early diagnosis at the click of a button and helping them save their crops.” Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA, said: “Smallholder farmers are on the frontlines of food security. They are the backbone of many agricultural economies, yet they often lack access to information about pests and diseases. We have developed this mobile application to help bridge this gap and put knowledge in their hands.” As part of the project, ICBA collected raw data from the three countries for training the AI model which was developed by the University of Barcelona. The application was field-tested, and 414 smallholder farmers and extension specialists were trained and provided their feedback on the beta version from 2020 to 2022. Currently, the application is customized for Egypt, Tunisia, and the UAE. But there are plans to upgrade and roll out the application in other countries in the future. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/297/mowreq-and-yeshealth-to-build-largest-indoor-vertical-farm-in-riyadh.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/297/mowreq-and-yeshealth-to-build-largest-indoor-vertical-farm-in-riyadh.html Tue, 13 Dec 2022 16:18:00 +0530 Total investment in the Mowreq and YesHealth Group JV, Vertical Farms Company, is valued at more than 100 million Saudi Arabian Riyals, or approximately $28 million. Agtech companies, Mowreq (Mowreq Specialized Agriculture Co.) and YesHealth Group (YesHealth Agri-Biotechnology Co., Ltd.) have initiated a joint venture to develop a network of indoor vertical farms throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The JV, Vertical Farms Company, will begin by building the Kingdom's largest indoor vertical farm in Riyadh. This first farm is slated to be fully operational by Q4 2023, providing jobs and healthy, sustainable produce to the local community. Mowreq already supplies vertically farmed produce to consumers in Jeddah, under the brand name Janafarm. It employs 15 people, producing healthy and fresh leafy vegetables around the year. In order to deliver on this next step in the Kingdom's agricultural development, Mowreq aims to leverage its experience and know-how in the Saudi Market, combined with the technology and know-how of YesHealth Group. YesHealth Group currently operates a profitable, large-scale indoor vertical farm in Taiwan, and cooperates across several indoor vertical farms in Europe. Its combined operations employ more than 150 people worldwide and produce over 2,500 tons of leafy vegetables, annually. The Riyadh farm will be operated jointly by Mowreq and YesHealth Group during a 3-year technology transfer phase, training local talent to take over the long-term operations. Total investment in the Mowreq and YesHealth Group JV, Vertical Farms Company, is valued at more than 100 million Saudi Arabian Riyals, or approximately $28 million at the current exchange rate. The project is backed by Saudi venture capital and funds. In line with the Saudi 2030 Vision, the partners will create 50 full-time jobs at the Riyadh farm, and they aim to create more jobs over the next five to ten years, leading the development of the controlled environment agriculture industry. Education will be provided to advance talent, giving the youth the skills they need for jobs of the future. Continued development of the industry's infrastructure will further diversify the economy, helping to ensure food security, and promote healthy lifestyles. "We built the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's first indoor vertical farm and now we're building the Kingdom's largest indoor vertical farm," says Modar Hisham Nazer, Co-Founder of Mowreq and Chairman of Vertical Farms Company. "This massive, new farm that we're building in Riyadh, will enable more of our compatriots to benefit from locally-produced Janafarm products, which are always clean, fresh, and free of pesticides." "YesHealth Group has overcome the operational challenges of indoor vertical farming in Subtropical Asia," says Jesper Hansen, CCO of YesHealth Group. "The Middle East is our next challenge. We will guide the Riyadh farm through its initial phase of operation, with the aim of maximizing output and efficiency at the high level we achieve in our Taiwan farm." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/288/syngenta-and-plantix-launch-ai-farming-tools-for-farmers-in-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/288/syngenta-and-plantix-launch-ai-farming-tools-for-farmers-in-asia.html Mon, 12 Dec 2022 13:25:27 +0530 The Cropwise Grower app is now available in India in nine languages and will be progressively rolled out in Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Syngenta and image recognition specialist, Plantix, have launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital farming tools. Which is set to provide access to at least half a million smallholder farmers across the Asia Pacific. The partnership gives Asia’s smallholder farmers access to a global database of over 50 crops and 500 diseases, which will be available through Syngenta’s Cropwise Grower app for farmers. The app uses the power of data to protect crop yields with on-demand advice on agricultural best-practices crop protection solutions. With a rollout covering five countries and 750,000 hectares of farmland, the farming app will widen access to smart farming features for half a million farmers producing staple cash crops such as cotton, rice, corn, wheat and more. Using AI, Cropwise Grower will allow farmers to take a photo of their crop problem, and in real-time, diagnose crop pests and diseases with 93 per cent accuracy. The Plantix algorithms analyse the image to identify the issue and provide a recommendation. The uploaded images are also geo-tagged so that the app is able to alert farmers with early warnings when pest and disease pressures are identified in their surrounding area. Targeting farmers in Asia’s top agriculture economies, the Cropwise Grower app is now available in India in nine languages and will be progressively rolled out in Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, and Bangladesh. “The emergence of challenges, such as new pests and diseases with climate change, coupled with extreme weather events, have made farming incrementally challenging. By bringing smart solutions closer to farmers, AI and data can help them overcome traditional constraints and information gaps. Our aim is to make digital tools as commonly used by smallholder farmers as the traditional rake here in the Asia Pacific. This partnership taps into our extensive regional networks to make this technology accessible at a large scale,” said Alexander Berkovskiy, APAC Regional Director at Syngenta. Features of the Cropwise Grower app have been designed and tested with rural farmers in mind and include critical elements which are available offline for users in areas with intermittent internet connection. It is tailored to regional crops and diseases and will be available in local languages, including nine local languages across India. Historical diagnoses and recommended solutions can be stored for on-demand offline access by farmers. “As part of our commitment to the communities in which we operate, we are investing heavily in digital and believe that it has the power to help farmers make better decisions, reduce crop losses and increase yields,” explained Chris Chen, APAC Head of Digital Transformation at Syngenta. “Cropwise Grower is the vehicle that allows us a direct connection, at scale, with millions of growers across the Asia Pacific. By ensuring the end-to-end user flow is 100 per cent automated, the partnership with Plantix allows an accurate diagnosis and recommendation to be provided in less than five seconds. This real-time feedback will be critical in driving behavioural change for our smallholder farmers across the region,” he adds. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/286/taiwan-us-conducts-research-on-pacific-bluefin-tuna.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/286/taiwan-us-conducts-research-on-pacific-bluefin-tuna.html Fri, 09 Dec 2022 16:08:33 +0530 For the research, three adult Bluefin tunas weighing 180kg to 300kg were equipped with trackers. Taiwanese and US researchers have conducted the study to track the spawning and migration patterns of Pacific Bluefin tuna. This is the first-ever study conducted by researchers of the Fisheries Research Institute Taiwan and Stanford University, According to the local media, Taiwan is one of the countries that harvest the Pacific Bluefin tuna and one of three species of Bluefin — that can live for up to 40 years, grow more than 4 meters long and weigh up to 700kg. For the research, three adult Bluefin weighing 180kg to 300kg were equipped with trackers, so researchers could monitor the fish during their 3,000km transit from eastern Taiwan seawater to northern Japan’s Hokkaido Island. The tracker accumulated a recording time of around 127 days. The data from the trackers showed that the movement and diving patterns of the Pacific Bluefin differ between day and night. During the day, the fish swam in depths of 300 meters to 500 meters but would rise to 200 meters-deep water in the ocean’s thermocline layer during the hours of darkness. Pacific Bluefin are known for their physical strength and ability to elude fishers by struggling in and snapping fishing lines. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/284/new-zealand-to-grow-hi-tech-strawberries.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/284/new-zealand-to-grow-hi-tech-strawberries.html Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:32:40 +0530 26 Seasons is currently using this method to produce microgreens, and while controlled environment growing systems are already being used around the world, this is the first of its kind in New Zealand. In New Zealand Spray free strawberries will be grown in 26 Seasons’ proprietary growing through a hi-tech system with the aim of extending the availability of the fruit in the country. “We’re focussed on innovations that lift the sustainability and productivity of our food and fibre sector and this project moves us along that path,” said Damien O’Connor, New Zealand agriculture minister. “We’re partnering with 26 Seasons through Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures to identify the most cost-effective method to grow high-yielding, seaout-of-seasonies using a controlled environment growing system. “We’re committing more than NZ$920,000 over two years to this project through the Ministry for Primary Industries administered fund. It will enable research to help in scaling up production using 26 Seasons’ proprietary growing system, which the company has tested successfully in a preliminary trial.” 26 Seasons’ indoor hydroponic system recycles water and uses mobile vertical racks and pulsing light, so it doesn’t require the pesticides or herbicides that are usually an essential part of large-scale strawberry production. “26 Seasons is currently using this method to produce microgreens, and while controlled environment growing systems are already being used around the world, this is the first of its kind in New Zealand. We also believe it’s one of the first examples globally of growing strawberries this way,” said O’Connor. O’Connor said 26 Seasons had already successfully conducted a pre-pilot small-scale trial of 1,000 strawberry plants in inner city Wellington, with the help of funding from Callaghan Innovation. “The time is ripe to scale up, and this new pilot project has just undergone a trial of growing up to 8,000 plants in a larger building in Foxton,” O’Connor said. “This will be a stepping-stone to 26 Seasons’ aim of full commercialisation, which would require between 60,000 and 200,000 plants per site.” The project will aim to produce fruit with an equivalent taste, look, and size to peak-season strawberries grown locally and conventionally. “The business is aiming to grow plants that will produce fruit for at least eight months of the year at a commercially viable yield per plant,” O’Connor said. “This project has the potential to benefit the horticulture industry in New Zealand, both environmentally and economically. “The controlled environment farming technology uses 90 per cent less water and 90 per cent less land than traditional horticulture – plus the strawberries can be grown fairly consistently without spraying them with pesticides or herbicides, so the environmental benefits are enormous. “If successful, 26 Seasons will share its technology with growers of other high-value crops by licensing the intellectual property.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/279/chinese-scientists-complete-rice-arabidopsis-life-cycle-experiments-in-space.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/279/chinese-scientists-complete-rice-arabidopsis-life-cycle-experiments-in-space.html Thu, 08 Dec 2022 13:53:32 +0530 The Chinese research team has completed the full life-cycle growth experiment of rice for the first time in the world. Chinese scientists have completed the life-cycle growth experiments of rice and Arabidopsis in the Chinese space station and successfully obtained their seeds, said the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). With the safe landing of the Shenzhou-14 spaceship's return capsule at the Dongfeng landing site, the seeds of rice and Arabidopsis, which have undergone a 120-day life cycle, were delivered to China's manned space program's space application system along with other samples. According to the CAS website, previously, scientists worldwide have only managed to obtain the seeds of a few crops like Arabidopsis, rape, wheat, and peas in space, except for the major food crop -- rice. The Chinese research team has completed the full life-cycle growth experiment of rice for the first time in the world. It has also systematically studied the effects of microgravity on flowering in space using the model plant Arabidopsis, the CAS said. The experiments, undertaken by the Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences under the CAS, were conducted from July 29 to Nov. 25. During this period, the astronauts collected the rice samples at the germination stage on Sept. 21, the Arabidopsis samples at the flowering stage on Oct. 12, and both samples at their seed maturity stage on Nov. 25. The samples were then stored in the cryogenic storage device. According to the CAS, the samples will be transferred to the laboratory in Shanghai for further scientific testing and analysis. Through analyzing images acquired from space, scientists have discovered the effects of space microgravity on a variety of agronomic traits of rice, including plant height, growth rate, water regulation, response to light, etc.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/274/fao-publishes-first-global-report-on-black-soils.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/274/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/81/272/chinas-pinduoduo-wins-2022-fao-innovation-award.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/272/chinas-pinduoduo-wins-2022-fao-innovation-award.html Wed, 07 Dec 2022 13:56:50 +0530 Pinduoduo agriculture platform is used by more than 16 million farmers to sell their produce to 880 million consumers who shop on the platform. Pinduoduo China’s largest agricultural e-commerce marketplace has won the 2022 FAO Innovation Award for developing a unique platform to connect smallholders with the market while improving the lives and livelihoods of millions of farmers. The award ceremony took place at FAO Headquarters in Rome on the sidelines of the 171st Session of the FAO Council. Having started as an online fruit seller, Pinduoduo soon became the leading direct-to-consumer agriculture platform in the country and is used now by more than 16 million farmers to sell their produce to 880 million consumers who shop on the platform. In this way, smallholder farmers are able to increase their incomes and invest in their farms to make them more productive and environmentally sustainable. The consumers benefit because they are able to access a wider selection of agricultural products directly from the people who grow them and get better value for their money. “Innovation has always been a key component of the new FAO’s vision,” said QU Dongyu FAO Director-General in his opening remarks at the ceremony. “We need science and innovation to deliver on our common goals of transforming our agrifood systems to nourish people, nurture the planet, advance equitable livelihoods and build resilient ecosystems.” Qu highlighted that Pinduoduo’s technological innovations in the management of farming systems and emissions reduction were making significant contributions to sustainable agricultural development worldwide, and to global food security. “This Innovation Award is an affirmation of technology as a force multiplier that can break barriers, connect people, and unleash the creative energies of a sector that is as old as civilization itself,” said Xin Yi Lim, Executive Director for Sustainability and Agricultural Impact at Pinduoduo while accepting the prize.  This year FAO launched the newly structured FAO Awards to recognize progress in the transformation of agrifood systems and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/270/bangladesh-farmers-revive-floating-farms-technique.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/270/bangladesh-farmers-revive-floating-farms-technique.html Wed, 07 Dec 2022 13:01:41 +0530 Around 600 farmers have adopted the method which played a critical role in maintaining agricultural production.   Farmers from Bangladesh have revived a 200-year-old agriculture practice using rafts as a secure platform for farming. Due to the threat of prolonged waterlogging threat farmers have started using the ancient method of farming. According to the local media around 600 farmers have adopted the method which played a critical role in maintaining agricultural production.   Due to the low-lying area, Bangladesh is considered the most climate-vulnerable country, with the impact of rising water levels by storms, floods and erosion. According to the Global Climate, Risk Index 2021 Bangladesh was ranked seventh in the list of countries suffering from climate change between 2000 and 2019. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, rising sea levels and coastal erosion could cause Bangladesh to lose 17 per cent of its land surface and 30 per cent of food production by 2050. Cyclones from the Bay of Bengal frequently hit Bangladesh and global warming has changed the rainfall pattern, due to which farming has become vulnerable in the country.     ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/265/azelis-acquires-chemiplas-agencies-ltd-in-australia-and-new-zealand.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/265/azelis-acquires-chemiplas-agencies-ltd-in-australia-and-new-zealand.html Tue, 06 Dec 2022 11:15:39 +0530 The acquisition significantly expands Azelis’ footprint and accelerates its growth in Asia Pacific. Azelis, a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent of the shares of Chemiplas Agencies Ltd (“Chemiplas”), one of the leading distributors of specialty chemicals, plastic raw materials and ingredients in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands. The acquisition significantly expands Azelis’ footprint and accelerates its growth in Asia Pacific. The addition of Chemiplas’ attractive portfolio of products from key principals strategically complements the group’s lateral value chain, strengthening market coverage and formulation expertise. This allows the group to provide even more innovative solutions to customers, thereby reinforcing its position in Australia and New Zealand. Dr.Hans Joachim Müller, Azelis Chief Executive Officer, said, “This acquisition is another illustration of our strong commitment to continued growth in the Asia Pacific region and is an important milestone in our strategic vision of becoming a market leader in Australia and New Zealand. The acquisition of Chemiplas provides Azelis with a broader, more comprehensive lateral value chain, an experienced team with a shared vision, and a stronger regional presence across key market segments.” Duncan Leigh, Chemiplas Executive Director, said, “With a shared philosophy of creating solutions through innovation, together our combined businesses will yield numerous opportunities for growth and even better support for our staff, principals, and other stakeholders with additional innovative solutions. Partnering with a global leader will provide an enhanced portfolio offering for our customers, and opportunities to further develop the technical capabilities and opportunities for our Chemiplas team. Our common goal of providing solutions and an unrelenting customer focus with best-in-class services will ensure the success of our partnership, with an exciting future ahead.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/264/eurofins-agro-announces-launch-of-soil-carbon-check-test.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/264/eurofins-agro-announces-launch-of-soil-carbon-check-test.html Mon, 05 Dec 2022 15:34:58 +0530 The test will provide insights into the levels of carbon storage in fields, which supports the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere To mark World Soil Day (December 5), Eurofins Agro Testing has announced the launch of Soil Carbon Check as part of Soil Health Solutions, a new suite of testing solutions that will support the agricultural sector to transition to more sustainable farming practices. The Soil Carbon Check test will provide insights into the levels of carbon storage in fields, which supports the reduction of CO2 in the atmosphere. Through targeted soil management, farmers and growers can sequester increased levels of carbon and contribute to climate protection. Data garnered through the Soil Carbon Check test reports can be used to support sustainability claims and carbon credits, as proof of sustainable farming and as credentials for other partners in the agri-food chain. The '4 per 1,000' initiative launched at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015 (COP21) aims to boost carbon storage in agricultural soils by 0.4% each year to help mitigate climate change and increase food security. The amount of carbon that is stored in soil is as much as three times the amount of carbon sequestered by above-ground biomass (trees or other plants and crops). Increasing the amount of carbon stored in the soil will contribute to the reduction of global warming; the more CO2 stored in the soil as organic carbon, the less CO2 that is released into the atmosphere. Soil Carbon Check provides customers with information on how much carbon is sequestered in their soil, how stable their soil carbon is and how it can be improved, and tracks how the carbon content of soil changes over time. In addition to Soil Carbon Check, the suite of tests offered by Soil Health Solutions provide insights into physical soil health (supporting the efficient use of water), potential contaminants in soil, biological soil health (to determine the biodiversity status of soil and effective actions to regenerate it) and chemical soil health (to prevent yield gaps and improve food quality).  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/260/china-arab-states-cooperation-on-water-conservation-in-agriculture.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/260/china-arab-states-cooperation-on-water-conservation-in-agriculture.html Mon, 05 Dec 2022 12:59:12 +0530 China has offered many new solutions for Arab states to alleviate the shortage of irrigation water. China and Arab states have constantly deepened cooperation under the frameworks of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Arab States Expo, implementing a series of water-conserving projects. China has offered many new solutions for Arab states to alleviate the shortage of irrigation water. The Egyptian government recently piloted a digital precision irrigation system among hundreds of farmers. The system samples data with its sensors buried in the soil and tells farmers when they should water the crops and how much water is needed. Farmers can obtain information about their crops, including the soil moisture content through a mobile application. They can start the irrigation remotely with just a few clicks on the screen of their mobile phones. The system cuts farmers' water consumption in irrigation by around 20 per cent. Apart from Egypt, Saudi Arabia is trying to grow crops with seawater, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is building greenhouses and water-conserving farms in the desert. The Middle East and North Africa region is home to five per cent of the global population, but it owns only one per cent of the world's renewable water resources. China's Ningxia University and Egypt's Ain Shams University have jointly established an intelligent water-conserving irrigation laboratory in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, as well as two bases for irrigation experiments that cover a total area of 21.3 hectares. It is learned that the irrigation system can send water to the roots of crops, which is greener and more efficient than traditional irrigation methods. It can be controlled remotely by farmers with their mobile phones. So far, the system has been used on over 2000 hectares of land. With the soil improvement technologies offered by a Chinese biotech company, date palms are growing exuberantly on a China-Africa saltwater agriculture demonstration farm in the Sahara Desert in southeast Morocco. Each year, the water consumption per date palm has been reduced from 600 to 200 litres. In the UAE, a research team from China's Chongqing Jiaotong University launched cooperation with local enterprises to carry out experiments to "turn sand into the soil" on a piece of barren land stretching 10 square kilometres in Abu Dhabi. "China has made surprising achievements in agriculture and water resource management, which are worth learning for countries in the Middle East and North Africa region," said Sinan Bacha, director of the Regional Centre for Remote Sensing of North African States (CRTEAN), Tunisia. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/255/singapore-peru-to-collaborate-on-carbon-markets.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/255/singapore-peru-to-collaborate-on-carbon-markets.html Fri, 02 Dec 2022 14:26:51 +0530 The MOU will facilitate collaboration on carbon credit projects that aim to advance the generation and sharing of carbon credits to support Singapore and Peru’s climate ambitions. Singapore and Peru signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on carbon credits, aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The MOU was signed by Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Wilbert Rozas Minister of Environment Peru. The MOU will facilitate collaboration on carbon credit projects that aim to advance the generation and sharing of carbon credits to support Singapore and Peru’s climate ambitions. Singapore is committed to ensuring the integrity, quality and transparency of carbon markets. This includes robust and independent accounting, and the avoidance of double counting, including requiring corresponding adjustments. The collaboration will also prioritise sustainable development and co-benefits to the local communities and economy. Minister Fu said, “The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding highlights Singapore’s and Peru’s commitment to collaborate on carbon markets aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Initiatives such as the Climate Action Data (CAD) Trust allow us to scale up carbon markets while upholding environmental integrity and transparency. Such cooperation is critical for countries to advance climate ambition, and to accelerate action to achieve our sustainability goals”. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment will establish an interagency working group with Peru’s Ministry of Environment to implement this MOU. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/254/chinas-institute-of-urban-agriculture-unveils-plant-factory-technology-at-qatar.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/254/chinas-institute-of-urban-agriculture-unveils-plant-factory-technology-at-qatar.html Fri, 02 Dec 2022 13:14:16 +0530 The team made the best use of abandoned containers of ocean-going freighters at the deep-water port of Doha as the structure for the plant factories. Chinese plant factory technology was unveiled on the global stage, with the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off at Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. Plant factory technology is one of the Chinese elements marching massively in the feast of football competition. The technology, developed by the Institute of Urban Agriculture (IUA) of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, ensures the vegetable supply for the players.   Doha, the capital of Qatar, is located on the Qatar Peninsula in the southwestern Persian Gulf. With a tropical desert climate, the country severely lacks fresh water and arable land. Thus, it relies mainly on imports of vegetables, fruit, and even fresh water. To ensure the vegetable supply for participating teams during the World Cup, Al Fardan Farm, with the support of IUA, set up plant factories with LED lighting for vegetable production.    In 2019, IUA built a team dedicated to the development of a vegetable factory together with relevant research institutes and enterprises, at the request of Qatar. Innovatively, the team made the best use of abandoned containers of ocean-going freighters at the deep-water port of Doha as the structure for the plant factories. Its vegetable cultivation features LED lighting, substrate cultivation, temperature and humidity control, and hydroponics using a nutrient solution containing strontium and selenium. In particular, the team developed a unique “dual cultivation technology” by combining hydroponics and substrate cultivation technology, thus enabling high-quality vegetable production all year round in the deserts of the Middle East.  ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/247/impacfat-to-showcase-its-cultivated-fish-fat-in-singapore.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/247/impacfat-to-showcase-its-cultivated-fish-fat-in-singapore.html Thu, 01 Dec 2022 16:04:47 +0530 The world’s first cultivated fish fat presents a tasty and nutritious way to add a rich mouthfeel to alternative proteins, globally ImpacFat will be introducing their cultivated fish fat at the Big Idea Ventures Demo Day showcase. The world’s first cultivated fish fat presents a tasty and nutritious way to add a rich mouthfeel to alternative proteins, globally. ImpacFat will hold a tasting session at the event for selected participants, which was granted by the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). The tasting session will be held at Big Idea Ventures’ 6th Demo Day taking place at Singapore’s National Gallery. Demo Day happens at the culmination of Big Idea Ventures’ 5-month accelerator programs held in Singapore, Paris, and New York and is an exclusive event where investors and corporates within the alternative protein space get a chance to meet the innovative companies within the Big Idea Ventures portfolio. Although the market for meat and seafood alternatives is growing, there still seems to be a gap when it comes to the taste and texture of alternative vs traditional meats. The reason for this is due to a lack of focus on the production of fats, a crucial ingredient that imparts texture, aroma, and flavour to meats. This gap is one of the major factors deterring consumers from converting to alternative meat products. Fat cells are an important part of animal meat that enhance good mouthfeel. Examples of such fat include the marbling of beef and toro of sashimi. It is becoming more and more evident that working on fat solutions that produce delicious products is essential for the alternative meats industry. ImpacFat makes use of the well-known nutritious characteristics of fish fat, to naturally enhance the texture and juiciness of alternative protein products. “As a consumer, we may think that fat is bad and want to reduce our fat intake. However, ImpacFat wants the world to know that fat can be good too! Since fat is essential in our diet, why not take the healthiest one? ImpacFat aims to give that healthiest fat that you will want to gain, while at the same time protecting the animals and environment. We can’t wait to let everyone taste our healthy and tasty fish fat!” — Says Mandy Hon, Managing Director, ImpacFat Pte. Ltd. ImpacFat’s cell-based fish fat is expected to have an impact on two main areas. Firstly, it provides health benefits to consumers. Being enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, the cell-based fish fat is expected to be more resistant to oxidation and other chemical and physical changes. Secondly, it assists in sustainable food production. The products are produced in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner that does not lead to overfishing, or intensive land or water use, and help to reduce greenhouse emissions. In addition, it does not contain any environmental pollutants often found in seafood, such as mercury, microplastics, and pathogens. "Consumers want alternative proteins that exceed the taste and nutrition profiles of the conventional meat and seafood they know and love—a standard most believe the sector has not yet achieved. The addition of cultivated fish fat, developed by expert-led startups like ImpacFat, could be exactly what's needed to take such products to the next level." — Says Mirte Gosker, Managing Director, The Good Food Institute APAC—Asia's leading alternative protein think tank. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/241/syngenta-pakistan-provides-drone-spray-services-on-5000-acres-of-farmland.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/241/syngenta-pakistan-provides-drone-spray-services-on-5000-acres-of-farmland.html Wed, 30 Nov 2022 17:49:39 +0530 This is a first-of-its-kind initiative whereby such precision Drone Spray Services have been provided by a crop protection company in Pakistan. Syngenta Pakistan Limited, a leading agriculture innovation and technology company has successfully piloted drone spraying services on approximately 5000 acres of local farmland. This is a first-of-its-kind initiative whereby such precision Drone Spray Services have been provided by a crop protection company in Pakistan.Drone Spraying Services are being used globally for the application of crop protection products as this technology offers precision, uniformity in spray, effective pest and disease control and speed in farm operations. Extending this service to farmers is in line with Syngenta Pakistan’s farmer-centric vision: ″One Team, One Dream, Farmer Future″ to transform the agricultural practices in the country and to catalyze the progress on making Pakistan’s agriculture sector more robust and technology-enabled.The General Manager of Syngenta Pakistan, Zeeshan Haseeb Baig stated that ″Labour availability and correct technique for spraying are contributors to our low yield in Pakistan. Drone Spray technology helps enable farmers to achieve effective pest control and farm-level efficiency. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/239/new-zealand-launches-new-climate-action-centre-for-agricultural-emissions.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/239/new-zealand-launches-new-climate-action-centre-for-agricultural-emissions.html Wed, 30 Nov 2022 15:23:41 +0530 The Centre focuses on reducing agriculture emissions through research and development, including a substantial public-private partnership. New Zealand Government launched New Climate Action Centre to support farmers reduce agricultural emissions for Climate Action on Agricultural Emissions alongside the primary sector partners at Mystery Creek Fieldays. Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand and Damien O’Connor, Minister for Agriculture, launched the Centre. The Centre was announced as part of Budget 2022 and focuses on reducing agriculture emissions through research and development, including a substantial public-private partnership 50:50 joint venture. “Our focus is supporting farmers to grow their exports, reduce emissions, and maintain our international competitive edge into, the future,” Jacinda Ardern said. “As part of the centre’s work to help farmers we’re partnering with the sector to invest $27 million into three new projects to decrease emissions and promote sustainable economic growth. “Since 2017 we’ve worked hard to support our primary industry’s export growth, seeing a 39 per cent increase, which now contributes over $53 billion to the economy. “Growing our exports provide greater economic security for all New Zealanders, and lifts the quality of living through higher wages, new jobs, and greater stability during economic downturns.” Jacinda Ardern said. The Government also announced the Centre’s first three investments to help farmers bring down emissions and future-proof the export growth of the sector to provide greater economic security for all New Zealanders, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said. “An investment of $7.8 million will go alongside Ruminant Biotech’s $9.5 million contribution to developing a methane inhibiting capsule, or bolus, which delivers at least a 70 per cent reduction in methane whilst active,” Damien O’Connor said.  “We are also supporting our sheep farmers to reduce emissions by investing over $2.2 million alongside a $2 million contribution from Beef + Lamb New Zealand and other industry partners, to increase our supply of low methane rams through genetic selection, introducing more low methane traits into the national sheep flock. “The third project will invest around $6 million in urgently needed greenhouse gas measurement equipment and infrastructure. Product developers need greater access to testing equipment to prove the efficacy of new products and get tools in the hands of farmers sooner.” Damien O’Connor said as part of the joint venture the Government is partnering with ANZCO Foods, Fonterra, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms, and Synlait. Rabobank has also signed on to join the partnership. “Partners in the new joint venture have made an indicative funding commitment that will rise to around $35 million a year by 2025, matched by Government. This will see around $170 million invested over the first four years and we expect that to grow over time.” Damien O’Connor said. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/227/gm-crops-benefit-southeast-asia.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/227/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/81/224/koat-to-set-up-korea-pavilion-growtech-eurasia-2022.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/224/koat-to-set-up-korea-pavilion-growtech-eurasia-2022.html Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:20:06 +0530 The Korea Pavilion will be attended by a total of eight leading agricultural equipment companies in Korea, including 5 agricultural materials companies, and 2 smart farms companies. The Korea Agricultural Technology Promotion Agency (KOAT) will organize and operate the Korea Pavilion at the Agricultural Exhibition (Growtech Eurasia 2022) in Antalya, Turkiye. Growtech Eurasia 2022 is an international agricultural exhibition that connects Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, where 510 companies from 25 countries participate and 125 countries and 50,000 visitors visit.KOAT emphasized that it will promote Korean agricultural technology on the Eurasian stage and serve as a driving force for participating companies to emerge in the global market. With the support of KOAT, the Korea Pavilion will be attended by a total of eight leading agricultural equipment companies in Korea, including 5 agricultural materials companies, 2 smart farms companies, and 1 seed company. It is expected that this participation in the Korean Pavilion and marketing activities will serve as priming water for entering the global market in the agricultural sector.It is the 4th time since 2015 that KOAT has participated in Growtech Eurasia and has achieved more than $5 million worth of consultation amount. "The trade circumstances of domestic exporters are difficult due to rising international oil prices, interest rates, and exchange rates, and the opportunity to meet with overseas buyers is very limited," said Ahn Ho-Geun, president of KOAT. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/223/aim-for-climate-smart-agricultural-food-solutions-through-30-innovation-sprints.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/223/aim-for-climate-smart-agricultural-food-solutions-through-30-innovation-sprints.html Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:32:25 +0530 Initiative records investment commitments exceeding US$8 billion. The Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate), a global initiative led by the UAE and the US with the support of over 275 government and non-government partners, announced commitments to channelling increased investments in climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation from 42 countries and over 235 non-governmental partners with a total value exceeding US$8 billion. The announcement was made at a high-level event titled ‘From Sharm El Sheikh to the UAE and Beyond: Transforming Food Systems through Climate-smart Agriculture, organised by the UAE at its pavilion during the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. In addition, the global initiative will see 22 new innovation sprints, bringing their total number to 30. Innovation sprints provide an opportunity for non-government partners to invest in specific, impactful, expedited efforts to drive the goals of AIM for Climate. Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said, “AIM for Climate is helping countries make that shift and has managed to exceed its target of securing investment commitments in climate-smart agricultural innovation worth $8 billion. In addition, we are pleased to see our partner base more than triple – from 79 partners at COP26 to 275 at COP27.” She noted that food systems innovation is a key priority of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051. In this context, the country focuses on advancing R&D in saline agriculture and controlled-environment agriculture (CEA). Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Agriculture, said, “AIM for Climate continues to be committed to spurring innovation in climate-smart agriculture and food systems to sustainably increase agricultural productivity and incomes, promote regenerative and sustainable practices, enable ways in which methane can be reduced and for fertilisers to be used more efficiently, and encourage us to learn, adapt, and support best practices to empower smallholder farmers around the world, especially from marginalized communities.” Officially launched at COP26, AIM for Climate galvanises support and investments for climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovation to enable solutions at the intersection of global hunger and the climate crisis. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/222/france-to-learn-efficient-use-of-water-in-agriculture-from-israel.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/222/france-to-learn-efficient-use-of-water-in-agriculture-from-israel.html Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:40:26 +0530 The purpose of the visit is to learn from Israel how to maintain and establish extensive agriculture in extreme weather conditions. French agricultural experts are on an official visit to Israel to study the efficient use of water in agriculture, in light of the imposition of severe restrictions on the use of water in Corsica Island due to the drought. A delegation of representatives from the field of agriculture, from the island of Corsica, arrived in Israel. The delegation is headed by senior officials from the local ministries of agriculture and water, as well as representatives from the various branches of agriculture in the country, including wine, milk and citrus fruits. The purpose of the visit is to learn from Israel how to maintain and establish extensive agriculture in extreme weather conditions, how to make intelligent and efficient use of water and how to apply methods for precision agriculture. The visit is part of the initiative of the Israel-France Foundation, the FFI, and the Embassy of Israel in Paris in collaboration with the Ministry's Center for International Trade and Cooperation and the Agricultural Research Administration. During the visit, educational tours will be conducted, the purpose of which is to transfer the extensive professional knowledge that exists in Israel in everything related to agriculture, in the shadow of the effects of the climate crisis. In addition, the Corsicans will meet with leading Israeli agro-tech companies in this field. In this way, the visit constitutes an invitation to create international collaborations, both at the commercial and research levels.    This visit is especially essential at this time, when an extreme heat wave has been smiting the Island of Corsica for the past three months, which led to an unexpected water shortage and across-the-board restrictions on water use as a result. The Corsican Chamber of Agriculture called on farmers to join the professional tour, and in doing so they hope to implement a lateral policy of precision agriculture and the correct use of water, which will help solve the current crisis. Yakov Poleg, Senior Deputy Director General for Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, stated that "This visit is aimed at strengthening the relationship with Corsica and with France, and we hope that it will lead to further collaborations. Despite all this, the purpose of the visit should not be ignored, which stems from the devastating effects the climate crisis has on our world. The Israeli Ministry of Agriculture will continue to assist as much as possible at the global level, with regards to proper growing of food in arduous climatic conditions and adaptation to this challenging reality." ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/215/us-to-help-philippines-in-food-security.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/215/us-to-help-philippines-in-food-security.html Mon, 21 Nov 2022 12:31:29 +0530 The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will issue a $20 million loan to enable Agri Exim Global Philippines. The United States will support the Philippines to achieve food security and a digital economy. Vice President Kamala Harris launches initiatives toward this end, according to the U.S. Embassy. According to the U.S. Embassy, ​​the U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to establish a dialogue on food security with its counterparts in the Philippines, with the participation of USAID and the U.S. Department of State. This dialogue will allow the two countries to work together to build resilient food systems and discuss best practices for agricultural innovation and sustainability, the embassy said. The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) will issue a $20 million loan to enable Agri Exim Global Philippines, Inc., a local processor of organic coconuts into derivative products, to grow its processing facilities in the Philippines, helping thousands of local farmers get organic certification and connect to global supply chains and customers. Harris visited Manila recently after attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Bangkok, Thailand. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/209/farmx-acquires-mobile-robotics-navigation-software-company-automodality.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/209/farmx-acquires-mobile-robotics-navigation-software-company-automodality.html Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:57:09 +0530 FarmX to offer a lineup of services for autonomous navigation platform created by AutoModality FarmX, Inc. has announced the acquisition of AutoModality, Inc, a mobile robotics navigation software company, based in San Rafael, CA and Syracuse, NY. AutoModality has created a patented, autonomous navigation platform for mobile robotics systems, including drones and ground vehicles. "AutoModality's mobile robotics systems will enable FarmX to offer a lineup of services unmatched by any single AgTech company in the world today. This acquisition enables growers to have a top to bottom view of their field, their crop: the vigor, water, and energy of its canopy, growth and stress within the plant's structure, and the roots' access to water." said Tushar Dave, Chief Executive Officer of FarmX, Inc. AutoModality's robotics solution gives growers a detailed view of their fields, accurate insights and reduces time and labor required to capture difficult to obtain agricultural data. "AutoModality has created a state-of-the-art GPS-denied autonomous navigation platform, Perceptive Navigation®, for unmanned aerial and ground vehicles that will be a perfect complement to FarmX's comprehensive crop-management platform," said Aaron Singer, Chief Executive Officer of AutoModality, Inc. FarmX increases the grower's profits. Using highest resolution imagery and the industry's most innovative sensor suite, we collect the most granular and accurate data of a field, its canopy, soil and stress conditions. FarmX's integrated platform combines image collection using precision navigation, advanced AI/ML, and in-ground sensing to provide an unparalleled solution for growers and is in use on thousands of acres of permanent nut crops, citrus, and grapes throughout the West Coast. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/211/veggitech-commenced-the-saffron-farm.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/211/veggitech-commenced-the-saffron-farm.html Fri, 18 Nov 2022 15:06:39 +0530 Veggitech commenced the Saffron farm project in the summer this year with harvest expected to peak at the end of November. Agritech Company Veggitech inaugurated the first-ever Saffron farm in Sharjah. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and the largest in the Mena region, spread over 165sqm but equivalent to 3.5 hectares of land. Veggitech began the Saffron farm project in the summer this year with harvest expected to peak at the end of November. Saffron is often referred to as ‘red gold’ due to its prestigious value and reputation for being the most expensive spice in the world, mainly because such a small part of the flower is ultimately used and the laborious extraction process. It is expected in the first harvest each bulb will produce 3-4 strands of saffron and next year would expect 12-15 strands.  This will continue to grow over the period. The first saffron vertical farm currently houses approximately 5 tonnes of saffron bulbs, from which would expect 1000kg of the saffron crocus. The Veggitech ‘Red gold’ farm boasts fully smart built-in systems to manage the entire farming process; from temperature control to irrigation systems. Sharjah-based Veggitech Company Working in line with the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy for 2051. It is bringing agriculture to new heights through an efficient supply chain and advanced technology with the key aim of boosting the agriculture sector. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/204/israel-announced-a-plan-to-optimise-agricultural.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/204/israel-announced-a-plan-to-optimise-agricultural.html Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:13:45 +0530 The cost of the project is 17 million shekels (about $5 million), including more than 130 pilot programmes. Israel announced a plan to optimise agricultural land use by integrating clean solar electricity generation. The cost of the project is 17 million shekels (about $5 million), including more than 130 pilot programmes, which will be spread over a total area of about 2 square km, Israel’s Energy and Agriculture Ministry announced.   The programmes will include facility deployment for solar power generation in agricultural land throughout Israel, using different technologies and crops. The project includes research and development, for examining the effects of solar power generation on agricultural production. The government has decided to increase the target for electricity production from renewable energies in Israel to 30 per cent by 2030 while maintaining the continued output of profitable agricultural produce and optimising the use of agricultural land. The transition to clean electricity generation is to deal with the climate crisis, promote sustainable agriculture, and enable an additional source of income for Israeli farmers. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/199/china-develops-smart-farming-technology-for-soil-protection.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/199/china-develops-smart-farming-technology-for-soil-protection.html Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:39:12 +0530 Intelligent farming assisted with smart agricultural machinery and equipment linked with satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ground sensors Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed intelligent farming technology for soil testing. A smart tractor or a robot can collect data on the soil and crops during the farming process, including planting and harvesting. Pilot testing with smart equipment is in progress in the Dahewan Demonstration Zone in Hulun Buir, China. The intelligent farming assisted with smart agricultural machinery and equipment linked with satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles, and ground sensors are piloted in the Dahewan Demonstration Zone in Hulun Buir. The tractor and several soil testing robots patrol the field, examining the soil substances and sending data to operators. According to Chen Haihua, a senior engineer at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, "Compared with traditional agricultural machinery, the intelligent farming tools are more like a combination of computers, mobile phones, and smart agricultural machinery, adding that the command centre of the intelligent farming system can automatically conduct analysis and modelling based on the collected data, and establish electronic files for the black soil.” The pilot zone of 11,200 hectares mainly cultivates soybeans. It is one of the important black soil areas in China. The black soil, or chernozem soil, found in China's northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning and in some parts of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, produces about a quarter of the country's total grain output, making it crucial to China's food supply. According to the ecological monitoring, the black soil in Dahewan is on the verge of wind and water erosion, with decreasing organic matter imperilling the fertility of the fields. Zhang Yucheng, a senior engineer at the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the institute launched the "Black Soil Granary" program in July 2021 for black soil conservation and modern agricultural development. "We are developing technology that can protect the soil without reducing the crop yield," he said. According to the program's objectives, in the next five years, the soil quality in 2,000 hectares of the core area in Dahewan will be improved while the comprehensive economic benefit of the field increases by more than 10 per cent. Human labour will be reduced by more than 50 per cent in a 333-hectare area in the demonstration zone. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/196/acoustic-wool-panels-the-latest-innovation-for-new-zealand-strong-wool.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/196/acoustic-wool-panels-the-latest-innovation-for-new-zealand-strong-wool.html Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:45:21 +0530 The new product, Floc Panels, was launched in Wellington.  A New Zealand company with backing from the Government, has successfully developed a world-first fire-resistant, acoustic wall panel for commercial interiors made entirely from New Zealand strong wool, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced.  “T&R Interior Systems Limited (T&R) has spent the past two years refining its wool panels to ensure they meet New Zealand’s strict building and fire compliance standards,” Damien O’Connor said.   “They’ve nailed it and are now taking their product to market.”  The new product, Floc Panels, was launched in Wellington.  “Floc wall panels use strong wool to eliminate common acoustic issues such as echoes and reverberation, which are vital in open-plan offices and classrooms,” Damien O’Connor said.  “What’s more, the panels provide a sustainable and more environmentally friendly alternative to existing products, which are predominantly made from synthetic materials. These selling points will resonate in our export markets.  “We’re excited for our sheep farmers to have a new high-value, innovative product on the market made from strong wool. Innovations like these will help them maximise their earning potential.”   T&R was awarded $303,200 from the Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund to accelerate the pre-commercial development of the wool panels.   “Most existing acoustic products are imported from overseas, so it’s great that a smart Kiwi company has invested to create this homegrown product,” Damien O’Connor said.  “The acoustic panel market is growing globally, and the domestic market alone is currently worth NZD$35-50 million annually. Allied Market research has forecast the global market to increase by 6.3 per cent to $13.8 billion by 2031.   “We expect the amount of wool used will increase substantially as we access new export markets with this product.  “This project with T&R is just one of 15 projects funded through SFF Futures to date that are aimed at re-energising our strong wool sector, with a total Government investment of $14.69 million. It complements our establishment of Wool Impact, which is charged with driving innovation and demand for our strong wool. “It also aligns with the Government’s and food and fibre sector roadmap Fit for a Better World, in particular its goal of lifting the performance of our wool sector as we aim to boost sustainability, productivity and jobs over 10 years,” he said. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/193/hi-tech-traps-on-trial-in-fruit-fly-surveillance-programme.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/193/hi-tech-traps-on-trial-in-fruit-fly-surveillance-programme.html Wed, 16 Nov 2022 13:41:07 +0530 Biosecurity New Zealand will monitor traps at 86 high-risk sites during the BMSB season, which runs from November to April. Biosecurity New Zealand’s National Fruit Fly Surveillance programme is trialling 60 state-of-the-art traps, with the aim to bolster the detection of an exotic fruit fly. "We have a world-class biosecurity system, but the growth in global trade and travel increases the opportunity for fruit flies to enter the country,” says Biosecurity New Zealand director of diagnostic & surveillance services Veronica Herrera. "Exotic fruit fly incursions could significantly impact New Zealand’s horticulture industry, so early detection is critical." The fruit fly surveillance programme runs from September to July each year to coincide with the heightened risk of fruit flies entering New Zealand. More than 7,800 traps are currently stationed across the country. Biosecurity New Zealand has found the Queensland fruit fly half a dozen times in surveillance traps and has successfully eradicated it each time. This season, 60 additional RapidAIM traps have been deployed across 11 Auckland suburbs to target the Queensland fruit fly (QFF). The hi-tech traps are on trial by the Australian company RapidAIM. Sensors in the traps evaluate the behaviour of insects entering the unit. An algorithm then predicts whether it is a QFF. If detected, an alert identifies the trap location, enabling a field officer to collect the sample within 48 hours. "The chief benefit of the RapidAIM system is the possibility of an immediate notification of a suspect QFF,” Herrera says. "Biosecurity New Zealand began working with RapidAIM in 2020 to see if the traps were compatible with the New Zealand environment and cellular network. The wider introduction of the traps will be dependent on the success of trials and is some years off. In the meantime, work is ongoing to develop sensors that could detect all economically important exotic fruit flies.   The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) surveillance programme also got underway this month. Like exotic fruit flies, BMSB also poses a threat to the New Zealand horticulture industry.   Biosecurity New Zealand will monitor traps at 86 high-risk sites during the BMSB season, which runs from November to April. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/189/china-launches-yaogan-34-remote-sensing-satellite.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/189/china-launches-yaogan-34-remote-sensing-satellite.html Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:39:47 +0530 The remote sensing satellite will be used for land resources survey, urban planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and mitigation. China successfully launched a new remote-sensing satellite of the Yaogan-34 series into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.The Yaogan-34 03 satellite, carried by a Long March-4C rocket, successfully entered its planned orbit. This remote sensing satellite will be used in areas such as land resources survey, urban planning, crop yield estimation, and disaster prevention and mitigation. It was the 450th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/184/world-agricultural-centre-opens-in-harbin-china.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/184/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/81/179/belize-ministry-of-agriculture-and-taiwan-icdf-inaugurates-new-sheep-barn.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/179/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/81/178/orbias-precision-agriculture-business-netafim-reveals-first-carbon-credits-initiative-for-global-rice-growers-at-cop27.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/178/orbias-precision-agriculture-business-netafim-reveals-first-carbon-credits-initiative-for-global-rice-growers-at-cop27.html Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:39:22 +0530 The first project for this program is located at the LaFagiana Farm in Venice, Italy. Netafim an Orbia business and a global leader in precision agriculture solutions announced the first-ever carbon credit program for drip-irrigated rice. The aim of this inaugural program is to dramatically reduce methane emissions from rice cultivation to almost zero while providing additional long-term income to growers. Rice is the most prolific source of sustenance worldwide, approximately accounting for 21per cent of global per capita caloric intake, and 27 per cent per capita caloric intake in developing countries. A staple for more than half of the world's population, rice cultivation uses 30-40 per cent of the world's annual consumption of freshwater while contributing to over 10 per cent of the world's methane emissions.     With a history dating back to the 1960s, Israel is the pioneer of drip irrigation, Netafim has developed the end-to-end irrigation technology to revolutionize rice farming. For over 15 years, Netafim has been conducting research trials to create a sustainable approach to the crop's cultivation and a viable and resource-efficient alternative to traditional growing methods. As compared to conventional rice paddy farming, Netafim's drip irrigation technology out-produces paddy cultivation while using 70 per cent less water, 30 per cent less fertilizer, and 36 per cent less energy while reducing methane emissions to nearly zero and arsenic uptake by up to 90 per cent. With Netafim's innovation, carbon credits serve an important role in financially assisting farmers in adopting sustainable or regenerative agricultural practices that reduce or sequester emissions, with each credit representing one ton of CO2 equivalent emissions. "Netafim's carbon credit program is a pioneering example of our company's commitment to solving for global food security and economic enablement while contributing to a healthy planet. Through this program, we are challenging 5,000-year-old assumptions about rice farming and demonstrating better, cleaner and more productive ways to sustain and advance lives around the world, by the billions." Said Sameer Bharadwaj, CEO of Orbia, "If just 10 per cent of paddy rice farmers switch to drip, the drop in emissions will be equivalent to taking 40 million cars off the road," said Gaby Miodownik, Orbia's Executive Vice President & President, Precision Agriculture (Netafim). "This program marks the first time a carbon credit is being generated based on the application of irrigation technology. The first project for this program is located at the LaFagiana Farm in Venice, Italy and will be registered with Verra. The carbon credits program will be available to farmers around the world interested in regenerative agriculture practices beginning in 2023. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/177/baac-collaborates-with-chia-tai-to-enhance-agricultural-sector-with-technology-and-innovation.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/177/baac-collaborates-with-chia-tai-to-enhance-agricultural-sector-with-technology-and-innovation.html Fri, 11 Nov 2022 16:15:48 +0530 The memorandum of Understanding is in effect for three years from the date of signing until 31 March 2025. Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) joins hands with Chia Tai Company Limited to advance Thailand's agricultural sector towards sustainability under the BCG Model by supporting knowledge in production planning to meet professional cultivation demands through the introduction of leading-edge agricultural technology, innovation, and machinery to drive production towards high-value agriculture. The effort is being made to boost agricultural productivity, develop product quality to meet global standards, connect marketing activities from upstream to midstream and downstream, as well as providing financial capital to farmers through BAAC’s agricultural credit to promote innovation at an annual interest rate of 4 per cent and a total loan amount of 60 billion baht.Tanaratt Ngamvalairatt, President of the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), and Manas Chiaravanond, Chief Executive Officer of Chia Tai Company Limited, signed the Memorandum of Understanding for "High-Value Agricultural Promotion and Development Project″ to support the adoption of technology and innovation in the agricultural sector, to enhance knowledge in production planning for profit generation, as well as to provide farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs with low-interest loans. This unique initiative aims to boost the value of Thai produce and improve Thai agriculture's competitiveness in the global market. Tanaratt Ngamvalairatt, President of BAAC, said that this exclusive partnership between BAAC and Chia Tai aims to offer remarkable opportunities for both farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs by advancing their cultivation knowledge to address agricultural issues with a minimum loss, while also ensuring that they make profits from investments. Additionally, the collaboration aims to make sure that farmers and agricultural professionals optimize the application of technology, innovation, and agricultural machinery to precisely resolve issues with agricultural production, improve the processing of agricultural products, and connect marketing activities from upstream to midstream and downstream, all of which are basically essential to strengthening their career and financial stability.Manas Chiaravanond, Chief Executive Officer of Chia Tai Company Limited, disclosed that, with more than a century of agricultural experience and resourcefulness, Chia Tai is ready to fully contribute to the growth of the agricultural industry and support Thai farmers in every situation. As a result, Chia Tai and BAAC have teamed up to launch cooperative projects to improve Thai farmers' capability to cultivate their land, enabling them to become professional farmers with reliable income and great pride in their career. As a solution provider, Chia Tai will provide farmers with well-rounded agricultural solutions, including cultivation knowledge sharing, building an understanding of investments in production planning and post-harvest management, as well as offering essential advice on the costs and expenses of cultivation. Chia Tai will also introduce various opportunities for farmers to increase their income by growing high-value crops like melons, which are well-liked and in high demand in the market.The collaboration of the two organizations in the Thai agricultural industry is deemed another crucial step to expand the advancement of Thailand's agricultural sector. This Memorandum of Understanding is in effect for three years from the date of signing until 31 March 2025. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/176/yunnan-university-cabi-to-establish-lab-for-food-security-in-southwest-china.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/176/yunnan-university-cabi-to-establish-lab-for-food-security-in-southwest-china.html Fri, 11 Nov 2022 14:47:24 +0530 The new facility will make enhanced contributions to biosecurity and ecological development in the region. Yunnan Agricultural University  (YAU) and CABI have agreed to establish the Yunnan-CABI Joint Laboratory for Integrated Prevention and Control of Transboundary Pests to help ensure greater food security in Southwest China. The new facility, which will also make enhanced contributions to biosecurity and ecological development in the region, has been created under the framework of the China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA)-CABI Joint Laboratory for Bio-safety hosted by the Institute of Plant Protection (IPP), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). It will strengthen scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation between CABI and YAU in the field of plant protection and biosafety. It will also promote the existing talents, platforms and technological advantages of both parties for mutual benefit and common development. Yunnan Province is not only the main producing area of paddy rice, tea and tropical fruit in the world but also the major pathway for many transboundary pests and diseases such as Crofton weed, fall armyworm, yellow-spined bamboo locust, fruit flies, rice planthopper, southern black-streaked dwarf disease of rice and wheat blast to enter mainland China. Prof Yonghe Li, President of YAU, said, “The purpose of the Yunnan Laboratory is to strengthen international cooperation and establish a transboundary pest management laboratory in Yunnan Province. This will radiate to Southeast Asia, South Asia and other regions, so as to ensure food security, biosecurity and ecological security.” A plaque to mark the opening of the Yunnan Laboratory was unveiled by Prof Youyong Zhu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, YAU, and Dr Feng Zhang, CABI’s Regional Director, East & South-East Asia, during the International Symposium on Joint Management of Cross-border Crop Pests in China and Southeast Asian Countries. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/173/singapore-and-pure-harvest-signed-mou-for-greenhouse-tomato-farming.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/173/singapore-and-pure-harvest-signed-mou-for-greenhouse-tomato-farming.html Fri, 11 Nov 2022 12:33:58 +0530 The MOU demonstrates the SFA’s and Pure Harvest’s shared commitment to R&D collaboration and knowledge exchange in the cultivation of tomatoes and other fruited veg. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Pure Harvest Smart Farms, United Arab Emirates (Pure Harvest) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop Singapore’s first high-tech hybrid greenhouse tomato farm in Singapore, and to enhance collaboration in protected agriculture such as Research and Development (R&D) exploration, knowledge exchange and capacity building. According to the statement, the project will leverage on technical, operational, and sustainable farming expertise of Pure Harvest to offer R&D opportunities for local partners, as well as contribute to Singapore’s “30 by 30” food security goal, which is to build the agri-food industry’s capability and capacity to produce 30 per cent of Singapore’s nutritional needs locally and sustainably by 2030. The MOU was signed by Lim Kok Thai, Chief Executive Officer of SFA, and Sky Kurtz, Chief Executive Officer of Pure Harvest.  The MOU demonstrates the SFA’s and Pure Harvest’s shared commitment to R&D collaboration and knowledge exchange in the cultivation of tomatoes and other fruited veg fruiting sustainably in Singapore. The project involves the use of advanced controlled environment production systems, leveraging technology and innovation to enable year-round production, even in tropical equatorial climates.  Lim said, “Collaboration with Pure Harvest allows Singapore to raise the local capabilities and capacity to further our “30 by 30” goal. In addition, the partnership in key areas of R&D creates exciting potential career opportunities. This will support us in our push towards strengthening Singapore’s overall food security in a productive, climate-resilient, and sustainable manner”. Kurtz said, “The planned hybrid greenhouse project is a privilege to take the expertise we have acquired while operating in the harshest climates on earth to Singapore’s market. While the arid deserts of the Arab Gulf and the lush greenery of Southeast Asia may seem a world apart, this region has no less a need for a sustainable means to provide consistent, high-quality, sustainably-farmed fresh produce all year round. With the added value of R&D and education partnerships, we hope that this project pushes the boundaries of the agri-tech industry, so that we may provide the Singaporean people with the benefits that innovative controlled-environment agriculture solutions can bring.” ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/161/central-coastal-agricultural-research-institute-launches-a-coastal-agricultural-information-system.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/161/central-coastal-agricultural-research-institute-launches-a-coastal-agricultural-information-system.html Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:00:52 +0530 The function was attended by eight foreign and six national participants from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives and Vietnam The ICAR-Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (CCARI) has launched a Coastal Agricultural Information System (CAIS) developed by ICAR-CCARI. CAIS launched for the benefit of farmers, scientists and policymakers during the ongoing 5-day international training program on "Diversification of Coastal Agroecosystems for Climate Resilience and Livelihood Security”. The program was organised by ICAR-CCARI in collaboration with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF). The inaugural function was attended by eight foreign and six national participants from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Maldives and Vietnam. ICAR Director General (natural resource management) Suresh Kumar Chaudhari stressed on the importance of diversification, climate resilience and livelihood in coastal regions as different components of the training program. He also said CAIS will act as a knowledge platform and a way forward for sustainable coastal agriculture benefiting farmers, scientists and policymakers. CIFOR-ICRAF Country Director, Chandrashekhar Biradar stressed that "climate change is a fact and rising sea level, and land degradation, especially in coastal regions which are adversely impacting agriculture." Highlighting the importance of the training programme, CIFOR-ICRAF Asia Director Javed Rizvi urged the participating countries to identify opportunities for mutual collaboration. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/154/new-version-of-cultivated-chicken-launches-at-u-n-climate-summit.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/154/new-version-of-cultivated-chicken-launches-at-u-n-climate-summit.html Wed, 09 Nov 2022 11:20:05 +0530 According to a 2022 UNIPCC report, cultivated meat has the potential to deliver substantial reductions in direct emissions from food production. Good Meat the cultivated meat division of food Technology Company Eat Just, Inc., announced that it will launch a new version of its pioneering cultivated chicken at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP27. A series of historic dining experiences organized in partnership with the Singapore Pavilion will showcase GOOD Meat’s real, high-quality meat made from animal cells for the first time outside of the Southeast Asian city-state where it debuted nearly two years ago. In a first for the fast-growing global cultivated meat industry and for the U.N.’s annual climate summit, food system transformation and sustainable diets will be on the menu – literally and figuratively – in the host city of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC) heralded cultivated meat as a “transformative” approach to mitigating emissions and cited conventional animal agriculture as one of the top causes of greenhouse gas emissions. According to a 2022 UNIPCC report, cultivated meat has the potential to deliver substantial reductions in direct emissions from food production. “These technologies have lower land, water and nutrient footprints, and address concerns over animal welfare,” the report stated. Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Eat Just said, “Singapore was the first country to allow the sale of meat made without tearing down a single forest or displacing an animal’s habitat, and we look forward to other countries following in their footsteps.” GOOD Meat won regulatory approval for its chicken in Singapore in November 2020 and remains the only cultivated Meat Company in the world with the ability to sell to consumers. Since its launch, the company’s chicken has been featured on menus at local fine dining establishments, roadside hawker stalls and via food panda, Asia's leading food and grocery delivery platform. The latest version of GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken will become available in Singapore following its debut at COP27. ]]> https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/95/12th-agrovision-to-host-conference-on-inland-fisheries-on-dec-26.html https://www.agrospectrumasia.com/news/81/95/12th-agrovision-to-host-conference-on-inland-fisheries-on-dec-26.html Fri, 09 Sep 2022 14:31:10 +0530 Discussions will be held on sustainability, employment generation and issues faced by the fisheries sector The 12th AGROVISION, India’s Premier Agri Summit, to be held in Reshimbagh Ground, Nagpur, will host a conference on inland fisheries in Vidarbha and its adjoining areas on December 26, 2021. The conference will focus on the constraints being faced by the industry and how adopting the right policies can help the sector reach newer heights. Experts will deliberate on how to increase the production of fish in small reservoirs to much larger levels and enhance employment generation also in the process. Discussions will be held on to enhance the capacity of the hatcheries. This year farmers from in and around Vidarbha and adjoining states will be participating in the event. Apart from this, there will be free interactive workshops for farmers. Conferences on current issues in agriculture and allied agri sectors will be held. Around 400 exhibitors are likely to participate in the event. The exclusive media partner is Agro Spectrum India along with BioSpectrum India and Nufoods Spectrum India. MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications is the organiser of the event. ]]>