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Agro Universities, Dairy

IIT Guwahati Researchers have developed a paper-based sensor that can make an assessment of the freshness of milk by a simple method and instantaneous.

 

 The quality and freshness of milk are decided by the invasion and presence of microbes in the milk. Bacteria and other microbes that can grow in milk can not only affect the taste and freshness but can also result in health issues. Pasteurization is commonly used to kill the microbes in milk and various tests are used to ensure the effectiveness of pasteurization.

Commonly used tests such as the methylene blue test, are time-consuming; it could take many hours for colour changes to indicate presence and absence of microbes. Commercial phenol-based tests require sophisticated spectrophotometers and involve multistep procedures, which necessitates dedicated testing centers and skilled personnel.

 

Visual detection technique

A research team led by Dr Pranjal Chandra, Assistant Professor, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, IIT Guwahati along with Kuldeep Mahato, research scholar developed a simple visual detection technique to detect the quality of milk, without the need for special equipment and instruments and their work has recently been published in the journal, Biosensors, and Bioelectronics.

“It would be useful if the quality of milk can be tested at the point of collection of milk or even in the home kitchen,” said Dr. Chandra, adding that such testing requires easy-to-operate and portable detection kits. 

Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)

Explaining the research, Dr Chandra added, “Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) is a metalloprotein found naturally in raw milk samples and is considered an important biomarker in quality control of milk”. It is found in raw milk and is destroyed during pasteurization. ALP is also found in higher amounts in the case of milk derived from animals with infection in the mammary glands. Detection of ALP in milk can thus point to inadequate pasteurization and perhaps contamination.

 “Despite ALP’s recognizable detection potential in native milk, the multistep nature, and requirement of sophisticated bulky analytical instruments and trained personnel, to detect ALP, limit their use as a sensor of milk quality in remote settings and in home kitchens,” added Dr Chandra, justifying the scope and need for developing better ALP detection kits.

 The researchers have used simple filter paper, chemically modified it, and loaded it with a recognition element anti-ALP, which captures the ALP present in the milk. Upon treatment of the colour forming compound BCIP to the captured complex of ALP forms a blue-green colored precipitate, that otherwise does not gives any colour in the absence of ALP. The intensity of the colour indicates the amount of ALP present. The team used a smartphone to capture the image of the colour and used the RGB (Red Green Blue) filter in the phone to profile the colour obtained, which could be co-related to the concentration of ALP present in the test sample.

Quick onsite Analysis 

“Our sensor takes merely 13 min to detect ALP, and hence it can be applied for quick onsite analysis” said Dr. Chandra. The researchers successfully tested milk obtained from villages and commercially available milk samples using their paper-based sensor kit, and found that they could detect down to 0.87 units of ALP per milliliter of milk to about 91–100% accuracy. This detection limit and accuracy make it possible to discriminate raw milk (often contains as high as 191 U/mL ALP) from pasteurized/boiled milk which contains ALP in ultra-trace amount.

 

Based on the detection principle, the team has also developed a miniaturized detection kit and demonstrated the instrument-free, in-kitchen applicability of the kit for milk monitoring. “We plan to extend the sensing platform/principle we have developed for ALP towards the detection of various molecules in different matrices. In fact, we have developed another sensor for ALP detection using a label-free bio-electronic chip. This new sensor has been developed by Kuldeep Mahato, Ashutosh Kumar, Buddhadev Purohit. The developed bio-electronic chip is an advanced version of the paper-based kit with improved accuracy”, said Dr Chandra. “We have plans to commercialize both the variants of milk pasteurization testing kits.” he also added on future plans.

 

IIT Guwahati Researchers have developed a paper-based

Agro chems – Pesticides, Agro Universities

ICAR has started measures to screen few crop varieties in the neighbouring countries to check their resistance to new pest attacks so that they can be directly promoted for farming.

Due to an increase in pest & insect attacks on crops, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has started measures to screen few crop varieties in the neighbouring countries to check their resistance to new pest attacks so that they can be directly promoted for farming.

ICAR, Director General, Trilochan Mohapatra said this on the side-lines of the 5-day 19th International Plant Protection Congress in Hyderabad. Their immediate focus was on the new pest & insect attacks in the adjoining countries that were not native to the region, the DG said.

He told that “We have sent some material to Bangladesh to test them against the wheat blast, a fungal disease, which could impact the yield up to 100 percent and find their resistance traits so that we can promote such varieties in advance to avoid such attacks having the potential of spreading to neighbouring regions”.

Wheat blast & millet blast were heard only in the US and Europe till now while rice blast was known in India & few neighbouring countries, Dr Mohapatra said adding that some old pests were taking new shapes by developing resistance to pesticides. He noted that searching new pest-resistant varieties & practising new integrated pest management techniques was the only way ahead.


He also mentioned that the quarantine practices in the country’s airports & ports were not fool-proof & needs to be strengthened as soon as possible. Other effective methods to prevent pest attacks include identifying insects on weeds, enhanced surveillance & practising crop holidays.

Dr Mohapatra also focused on the need for using bio-control agents instead of chemical pesticides & insecticides to decrease resistance among pests as they had the potential to affect crop yield by 30 to 100 percent.

Peter Carberry, Director General of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics said the efforts of farmers in India and administration were praiseworthy as they were able to control the Fall Armyworm attack in just twelve months after it was first noticed in the country.

He said, found first in Karnataka in the 2018-19 kharif season FAW spread to 18 States, mainly in maize & sorghum crops very soon but was controlled efficiently by following integrated pest management practices, including traditional methods.

ICAR has started measures to screen few

Agrotech, IT

Bosch and BASF present new intelligent applications for the targeted use of operating resources

Agriculture is facing major challenges worldwide: In some regions, demand for food and feed is growing rapidly, while in others conditions for production are not satisfactory. In Germany and other European countries, sustainability and transparency are in the public focus. In response to these challenges, xarvio™ Digital Farming Solutions by BASF is developing digital applications that make agriculture worldwide more efficient and sustainable. At Agritechnica 2019, the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural technology, in Hannover, Germany, xarvio presents its latest innovations.

Xarvio HEALTHY FIELDS offers farmers completely new possibilities in crop protection. “The recommended crop protection strategy of Xarvio FIELD MANAGER will be carried out by an experienced contractor who is working with us. The farmer is relieved of complex work and can follow every single step transparently. If the disease-related leaf damages on a field at the end of a season are greater than agreed in advance, the farmer will receive compensation,” explained Tobias Menne, Head of BASF Digital Farming. Farmers and contractors can monitor transparently the risk of infestation, recommendations, the current status of application implementation and the documentation of measures at any time. Another advantage: “Normally, contractors are very well technically equipped and with xarvio they can therefore automatically adapt the crop protection measures to each field zone,” added Menne.

SMART SPRAYING and xarvio FIELD MANAGER optimize the use of crop protection products

At the xarvio booth, visitors can also experience other intelligent digital farming applications – such as the SMART SPRAYING, which is being developed in cooperation with Bosch. “With the help of camera sensors, the SMART SPRAYING will be able to differentiate between crops and weeds while crossing the field,” explained Andree-Georg Girg, Global Head Commercial Operations Digital Farming at BASF. In daily practice in the field, the SMART SPRAYING is connected to the xarvio FIELD MANAGER, which determines based on different parameters whether and which crop protection product in which quantity is required by the respective crop and when. NEVONEX from Bosch ensures a smooth and fast connection between field manager  and  spraying.

Explore weed scanners, leaf damage analysis and more at  Scounting Mountain

At “Scouting Mountain”, visitors can also test the xarvio Scouting app in action: Thanks to state-of-the-art image recognition technology, xarvio Scouting enables the user to identify and quantify weeds, diseases and leaf damage of a plant, to determine the nitrogen status and to count and classify insects. Thanks to new functions, the xarvio Scouting can now scan and document multiple weeds and determine the average amount of plants per square meter post- emergence.

Visitors can also learn how Xarvio FIELD MANAGER works. Xarvio Field Manageris a digital product that makes it easier for farmers to make agronomic decisions in various areas. The goal of Xarvio Field Manager is  more efficient and sustainable cultivation to make the most of every field zone. Farmers can view their field status at any time, obtain field-specific cultivation recommendations and download a range of fieldzone-specific application maps. xarvio FIELD MANAGER works with image technologies, such as satellite imagery, and combines these with agricultural data, the farmer’s experience and know-how.

Xarvio also works intensively on solutions that can contribute to more sustainable production. These include the measurement and classification of externally induced plant stress, automated buffer zones and the recording of biodiversity on and off arable land.

Bosch and BASF present new intelligent applications

Finance, Schemes - NABARD

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has taken up 14 projects in the agriculture sector in the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands with a total refinance of over Rs 120 crore.

V Mashar Mashar, General Manager, NABARD told that the bank is also promoting integrated farming in the islands and has been focusing on skill development as another thrust sector. Considering the limited land for agriculture purpose in the islands developing agriculture sector has emerged as a big challenge, he said.


Promoting integrated farming in islands
Mashar said NABARD has taken up as many as 14 projects in the agriculture sector with a total refinance of over Rs 120 crore. The bank is also promoting integrated farming in the islands and has been focusing on skill development as another thrust sector. He said the NABARD regional office has a credit plan of about Rs 600 crore for the financial year 2019-2020 in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.


Financial empowerment of rural women
Mashar claimed that NABARD has been instrumental in credit linking of SHGs with the larger objective of financial empowerment of rural women. In the Islands, out of over 5000 Self Help Groups, over 3000 Self Help Groups were credit-linked with credit outstanding of over Rs 1000 crore, the NABARD official said. These SHGs has been doing remarkably well in different fields and has to its credit a slew of success stories, he said.
In the off-farm sector also, NABARD has taken up several initiatives. The bank has been conducting skill development training programmes in different trades in association with NGOs such as beauty and spa, hospitality sector, tailoring and computer software.


Training programmes
Trades like the hospitality sector has immense demand and NABARD has identified such sector and has been conducting training programme in such sectors. Besides, the bank has been conducting training programmes on tailoring, beautician trades in association with NGOs such as beauty and spa, hospitality sector, tailoring and computer software. Moreover, NABARD has identified 15 fishermen who will be provided two-wheelers so that they can sell their fish products door to door, he said.

Mashar also added that NABARD is also working with the Coir Board in the coir sector. Recently, the bank in association with Krishi Vigyan Kendra has set up a hatchery unit at Bakultala at a cost of Rs 3 lakh. He claimed that this hatchery unit has become popular among the poultry farmers and taking inspiration, some private farmers also installed a private hatchery unit. Considering the success of the hatchery unit, NABARD has also plan to install 10 more hatchery units in different places in the islands. In addition to this, NABARD will be organizing a workshop on Climate Change.

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural

Agrotech, E-commerce

The Oil Palm Plantation (OPP) Division of Godrej Agrovet Ltd. was honoured with the Bombay Civic award for Sustainable Environment Initiatives by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industries.


 The award was presented to the OPP division headed by Nasim Ali, CEO, Oil Palm Plantation Business, Godrej Agrovet.

This award was in recognition of continuous efforts by Oil Palm Division to promote environmental sustainability through their initiatives such as increasing use of renewable energy (99%), resource conservation, moving towards water use neutrality, reduction of Greenhouse gases etc.

Elated at receiving this award, Balram Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet said, “At Godrej, our initiatives are broadly classified under GOOD – Community CSR initiatives and GREEN – Environmental Sustainability Initiatives. It is driven by the desire to create a more inclusive and greener India. 2019 was a good fiscal year in terms of our environmental performance. The increased participation and involvement from the cross-functional team along with the awareness and motivation to reduce the environmental impacts of our operations has led us to achieve this prestigious feat.”

The OPP business was also recently honoured with “Silver Award” by Society of Energy Engineers and Managers (SEEM) to recognize efforts taken by various sectors for improving energy efficiency, thereby supporting India’s journey towards climate change mitigation and sustainable development. Unlike other awards, SEEM National Energy Management Awards does not focus on the percentage of energy-saving achieved during the assessment year, instead, systematic actions towards sustainable energy performance are considered for recognition. This approach ensures that the assessment does not get skewed based on production levels.
In addition, the business was also conferred with a verification certificate for compliance of the Indian Palm Oil Sustainability (IPOS) framework. IPOS framework is similar to RSPO (Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil)/MSPO (Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil)/ISPO (Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil). The IPOS code covers social, agronomic, occupational health & safety and environmental criteria.

Moreover, Godrej Agrovet Limited is a diversified, Research & Development focused agri-business Company, dedicated to improving the productivity of Indian farmers by innovating products and services that sustainably increase crop and livestock yields. Innovation is a key driver of its strategy. GAVL is constantly experimenting and looking for research-based solutions to improve farm productivity and thereby, the profitability of farmers.

GAVL has developed a four-fold approach for CSR programmes. They are Women, Water, Work and Wellbeing. Women, as change agents, are the main stakeholders of the program. Through this program, GAVL aims to introduce new technology, reduce input costs, increase savings, create new income streams, and provide access to better and more stable market channels.

 

The Oil Palm Plantation (OPP) Division of

Agrotech, IT, R&D

A team of engineers from the National University of Singapore has developed a highly sensitive system that uses a smartphone to rapidly detect the presence of toxin-producing algae in water within 15 minutes.

 This invention can generate test results on-site, and findings can be reported in real-time using the smartphone’s wireless communications capabilities.

This technological breakthrough could play a big role in preventing the spread of harmful microorganisms in aquatic environments, which could threaten global public health and cause environmental problems.

The NUS team, led by Assistant Professor Bae Sung Woo from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the NUS Faculty of Engineering, first published the results online in the scientific journal Harmful Algae on 25 July 2019.

Current challenges of water quality monitoring

A sudden surge in the volume of algae and their associated toxins in lakes, ponds, rivers, and coastal waters can adversely affect water quality, and in turn, may have unfavourable effects on human health, aquatic ecosystems, and water supply. For instance, in 2015, an algae bloom wiped out more than 500 tonnes of fish in Singapore and caused some fish farmers to lose millions of dollars.

Conventional methods of algae detection and analysis are time-consuming and require specialised and costly equipment, as well as skilled operators to conduct water sampling and testing. One approach is to test for the presence of chlorophyll using complex instruments that cost more than S$3,000 (US$2,200). Another common method is to carry out cytometric and image analysis to detect algal cells – this method involves equipment that cost more than S$100,000 (US$73,000).

“Currently, it can take a day or more to collect water samples from a site, bring them back to the laboratory for testing, and analyse the results. This long lead time is impractical for monitoring of algae blooms, as the management of contamination sources and affected waters could be slowed down,” explained Asst Prof Bae.

To address the current challenges in water quality monitoring, Asst Prof Bae and his team took a year to develop the novel device that monitors microbial water quality rapidly and with high reliability.

New ‘lab-on-a-chip’ technology: Cheaper, smaller and highly sensitive

The new NUS invention comprises three sections – a microfluidic chip, a smartphone, and a customisable 3D-printed platform that houses optical and electrical components such as a portable power source and an LED light.

The chip is first coated with titanium oxide phthalocyanine, a type of photoconductive polymer-based material. The photoconductive layer plays an important role in guiding water droplets to move along the chip during the analysis process.

The coated chip is then placed on top of the screen of a smartphone, which projects a pattern of light and dark regions onto the chip. When droplets of the water sample are deposited on the surface of the chip, a voltage drop difference, created by the light and dark areas illuminated on the photoconductive layer, modifies the surface tension of the water droplets. This causes the water droplets to move towards the dark illuminated areas. At the same time, this movement induces the water droplets to mix with a chemical that stains algae cells present in the water sample. The mixture is guided by the light patterns towards the camera of the smartphone.

Next, an LED light source and a green filter embedded in the 3D-printed platform, near the camera of the smartphone, create the conditions suitable for the camera to capture fluorescent images of the stained algae cells. The images can be sent to an app on the smartphone to count the number of algae cells present in the sample. The images can also be sent wirelessly to another location via the smartphone to quantify the number of algae cells. The entire analysis process can be completed within 15 minutes.

This portable and easy-to-use device costs less than S$300 (US$220) – excluding the smartphone – and weighs less than 600 grams. The test kit is also highly sensitive, hence only a small amount of water sample is needed to generate reliable results.

High detection accuracy of 90%

The NUS research team tested their system using water samples collected from the sea and reservoirs. The water samples were filtrated and spiked with specific amounts of four different types of toxin-producing algae – two types of freshwater algae C. reinhardtii and M. aeruginosa, and two types of marine water algae Amphiprora sp and C. closterium. Experiments using the new device and a hemocytometer, a standard cell-counting technique commonly used for water quality monitoring, were conducted to test for the presence of algae.

The new smartphone system was able to detect the four types of algae with an accuracy of 90 per cent, compared with the results generated by the hemocytometer.

Asst Prof Bae shared, “The combination of on-chip sample preparation, data capture and analysis makes our system unique. With this tool, water quality tests can be conducted anytime and anywhere. This new method is also very cost-efficient as the microfluidic chip can be washed and re-used. This device will be particularly useful for fish farmers who need to monitor the water quality of their fish ponds on a daily basis.” 

This project was supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore through its Marine Science Research and Development Programme and the Ministry of Education.

Commercialisation and further studies

The research team is currently in discussion with industry partners to commercialise their technology.

The NUS researchers are also developing a new microfluidic chip that can be integrated with a modified version of the current 3D-printed smartphone platform to detect the presence of foodborne pathogens such as salmonella and other infectious pathogens.

A team of engineers from the National

Acquaculture

The ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Cochin has organized a two day-long “National Seminar on AMR in Indian Fisheries: Measures of Mitigation” from 7th to 8th November, 2019.



The programme is jointly organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi; Society of Fisheries Technology, India, Cochin; ICAR-CIFT, Cochin and MPEDA, Cochin.

In inaugural address, K.S. Srinivas, I.A.S., Chairman, MPEDA, Cochin accentuated on the need for an increase in fish production to be doubled-up by the Year – 2024-25 as is stipulated by the Government of India. He highlighted the MPEDA’s initiative for taking-up the challenge. Srinivas stressed on the need for reducing the antibiotic residue to the zero tolerance level for enhancing the demand of Indian seafood products by the European Union, Japan and China, the vital export markets.

Earlier, in his Presidential address, Dr. Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries), ICAR urged for addressing the gaps of three generations, wherein; the problems being faced at production and productivity level as first generation, intensification and diversification as second generation problem whereas, AMR as third generation problem for achieving the food security. He emphasized on the misuse and overuse of antibiotics as the root causes of the menace of AMR. Dr. Jena opined for a proper public awareness of antibiotic resistance as the key to address the AMR issue.

The Guest of Honour, Dr. Habibar Rahman, Regional Representative, South Asia, Delhi, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) opined that a reliable data on the use of antibiotics help to take administrative action plan to contain the AMR problems. The Senior Officials of ICAR-CIFT along with other ICAR Institutes and ILRI participated in the seminar.

The ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT),

E-commerce, Logistics, Supply Chain, Warehousing

UAE entities are expected to invest up to USD 7 billion in India’s food sector in the next three years as part of the UAE-India food corridor project

 “UAE entities are expected to invest up to USD 7 billion in India’s food sector in the next three years as part of the UAE-India food corridor project that aims to secure the UAE’s food security” , said  Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in recent visit of UAE .

These entities, coordinated by Dubai-based Emaar Group, plan to invest up to US$5 billion in mega food parks and similar facilities in various Indian cities, and up to US$2 billion in contract farming, sourcing of agro commodities and related infrastructure.

Emaar Group mentioned in a statement that “Emaar Group is coordinating with the Government of India in respect of the investment relating to food security in the UAE. The investment will be made by other UAE entities, the details of which will be declared at a later stage.”

It was reported earlier that the idea of the joint food corridor for the UAE’s food security was inspired by India’s strategic petroleum reserve in Padur in south India, in partnership with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC. Likewise, the UAE could have a food reserve in India.

“They [UAE entities] have expressed their interest to invest up to USD 5 billion in mega food parks, logistics and warehouse hubs, fruits and vegetable hubs in various Indian cities, which would create 200,000 jobs across India,” said Piyush Goyal Commerce Minister.

The proposed projects are in various cities, such as mega food parks in Kutch in the western state of Gujarat and Aurangabad in western state of Maharashtra, Mr Goyal said.

A food park in Pawarkheda in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, logistics and warehouse hub in Itarsi in Madhya Pradesh, fruits and vegetable hub in Nashik and warehousing hub in Bhiwandi in Maharashtra are other projects, he explained.

The UAE entities plan to make an indicative investment up to USD2 billion in contract farming, sourcing of several agro commodities, setting up of food parks and other related infrastructure for food processing, the minister said.

They are considering western Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra for the proposed projects and the possibility of eight food parks is being currently evaluated, Mr Goyal added.

The food export possibilities to the UAE and wider region are explored, which will turn into a win-win situation for both India and UAE, he said.

Reports in 2018 said that India had suggested to the UAE leadership it could be a partner in the UAE’s food security.

 

UAE entities are expected to invest up

Agrotech, E-commerce

CropIn have co-sponsored the World Agritech Summit 2019, an international event connecting global agribusinesses, entrepreneurs and investors, in London on October 15 and 16th 2019.

 

The event attracted CIOs, CEOs, CXOs and professionals in Agtech industry to lead conversations around new innovations in agriculture technology, growing adoption of sustainable smart farming practices and advanced technologies like AI, ML, predictability and traceability. The event also witnessed expert talks and panel discussions led by thought leaders of the industry. 

Kunal Prasad, COO & Co-founder of CropIn addressed the participants at the Summit with his speech on “Digital Frontiers: Integrating Digital Tools for Smarter Field Systems”, which was followed by an engaging Networking Roundtable on “Traceability and Remote Sensing: Managing Risk in Agriculture Supply Chains”, hosted by Aakash Parekh, VP of Sales (Europe & Asia). 

As the event’s Networking Reception Partner, CropIn hosted industry leaders and professionals, providing them with an opportunity to network and share insights on recent innovations in AI for agriculture. Krishna Kumar, Founder & CEO of CropIn showcased CropIn’s new product offering Smart Risk — an AI & ML powered risk mitigation and forecasting intelligence solution for the agri-lending, agri-insurance, sourcing, procurement and commodity trading. 

The event was met with great success, and highlighted the rapid growth of technological innovations in the agricultural sector. CropIn is honoured to co-sponsor the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Week, to be held from November 20th to 22nd in Singapore. The summit is an international networking event which will explore the latest innovations and market opportunities in the agri-food supply chain across South-East Asia, India and China.

CropIn have co-sponsored the World Agritech Summit

AgroPolicy, Dairy

Dairy major Amul thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for opting out of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement.

 


Dairy major Amul thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “protecting 10 crore milk producer families” by opting out of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement.

“On behalf of 36 lakh milk producers of Gujarat, Amul has thanked the Prime Minister for his exemplary leadership in protecting 10 crore milk producer families of India. It has appreciated the vision and resolve of the Prime Minister for supporting the domestic milk producers against the flood of imports of dairy products from New Zealand and Australia under the proposed RCEP,” mentioned AMUL in a statement.

Amul, the umbrella brand under which 17 dairies of Gujarat market milk and other milk products are marketed, said it had held several meetings with Commerce Ministry officials to sensitise the government on the likely impact of offering zero duty imports of cheaper dairy commodities from Australia and New Zealand under the proposed agreement.

“It also highlighted the wrong case of need for imports built by the data fabricated by economists working in the Centre for Regional Trade and other lobbyists,” the country’s leading milk producer said.
It credited the chief ministers of Gujarat and other states, several milk-producing bodies and other stakeholders to raise the issue with the Ministry of Commerce.

“But finally, it was the determination and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he communicated the firmness in his resolve to not enter the RCEP by clearly stating that key concerns of our country were not addressed and that this decision would help farmers and the dairy sector,” the statement read.

The statement by Amul came after India decided not to join the RCEP agreement as its key concerns have not been addressed, with the Prime Minister standing firm on the demands. The decision not to join RCEP will help the country’s farmers, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and dairy sector, according to sources in the government.

 

Dairy major Amul thanked Prime Minister Narendra

Agro Universities, Water

Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra inaugurated “International Conference on Soil and Water Resources Management for Climate Smart Agriculture and Global Food and Livelihood Security”

 

Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) & Director General (ICAR) inaugurated the five day-long “International Conference on Soil and Water Resources Management for Climate Smart Agriculture and Global Food and Livelihood Security” being organized at the National Agricultural Science Centre Complex, New Delhi.

The conference organized jointly by the Soil Conservation Society of India in association with World Association of Soil and Water Conservation (WASWAC), China and International Soil Conservation Organization (ISCO), U.S.A. will be organized till 9th November, 2019.

Highlighting the recent trends in the climate change in the country and the world as a whole, the Director General expressed his concerns about the degradation of soil and water resources that is a threat to productive and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Mohapatra stated that the ever-rising climatic temperature is indeed a matter of great concern as it affects the human life drastically. He regarded the various human activities as the main contributors to the severe climate changes. He urged to adopt several means to minimize the impacts of the climate change.

The Director General accentuated on the food security that is a serious concern not only in the country, but round the globe too. Dr. Mohapatra also briefed about the Government of India’s initiatives for enhancing the food and agricultural production efficiencies in the country. He outlined the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of doubling the farmers’ income by the Year – 2022.

The Guest of Honour, Prof. Li Rui, President, WASWAC, China applauded the ICAR’s initiative or organizing the International Conference to discuss on such serious issues of soil and water conservation. Prof. Rui regarded the overexploitation of soil and water as one of the most serious concerns that need an immediate attention.

Prof. Dr. Suraj Bhan, President, Soil Conservation Society of India emphasized that the ever-increasing population has led to overexploitation of natural resources. He briefed about the Government of India’s initiatives to conserve the natural resources.

Dr. Bhan also highlighted the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India’s initiative to provide safe drinking water through the pipeline to every household. He stressed on the huge potential for water conservation through the rain water harvesting in the country. He urged for judicious use of the natural resources as these are the real treasures of the planet earth.

Dr. Sanjay Arora, Convener & Vice-President, Soil Conservation Society of India and Prof. Ildefonso Pla Sentis, President, ISCO along with Dr. Samir A. el-Swaify, Coordinator, ISCO, U.S.A. were also present during the occasion.

The occasion also marked the releasing of the “Special Issue of Indian Farming by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research” along with “7 Years of International Conference” and “Abstract Book of the Conference” by the dignitaries.

The dignitaries also conferred the “Soil Conservation Society of India (SCSI) Awards – 2019” to the various scientists and students for their contributions in the respective fields of researches. The main objective of the five-day long conference is to deliberate upon the various issues and challenges of soil and water conservation.

A total of 400 Delegates from 21 countries namely China, Japan, Spain and Egypt, etc., will be participating in the conference.

Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra inaugurated “International Conference on

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Inputs

IFFCO has launched its ‘Nano-technology’ based products for on-field trials in order to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers

 

IFFCO has launched its ‘Nano-technology’ based products such as Nano nitrogen, Nano zinc & Nano copper for on-field trials in order to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and increase farmers’ income.

IFFCO mentioned in the statement that these environment-friendly products have been introduced for the very first time in India & have potential to cut usage of conventional chemical fertilizers by 50% besides increasing crop output by 15 to 30 per cent.

Union Chemicals & Fertilisers Minister, Sadananda Gowda launched these Nano products at an event held at its unit in Kalol, Gujarat. Union Minister of State for Shipping (Independent Charge) and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Mansukh Mandaviya; Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Parshottam Rupala Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Nitin Patel were also present at the event.

Fertilizer major also invited progressive farmers (34 in total) from every state including Padma Shri awardee farmers for the event so as to tell them about the new Nano products & start simultaneous field trials of these products across the country.

The products have been researched & developed at the IFFCO Nano Biotechnology Research Centre (NBRC) at Kalol Unit. These Nano-structured formulations effectively provide nutrients to the plants.

While mentioning about the benefits, the company said that, “These Nano products not only reduces the need of conventional chemical fertilizer by 50 per cent but also raises crop output by 15-30%, enhances soil health & cuts emission of greenhouse gases.”

Gowda said, “This step will certainly complement to the vision of our PM Narendra Modi for doubling the farmer’s income by the year 2022”.
Managing Director of IFFCO, U S Awasthi said, “In the 1st phase of the launch, these products would be tested on farms under controlled conditions with support from ICAR or KVK.”
Nano-nitrogen that is developed as a substitute to urea, has the potential to reduce the requirement of urea by 50 per cent. Only 10 gm of Nano-zinc will be enough for a hectare of land & bring the requirement of NPK fertilizer down by 50 per cent.

IFFCO has launched its ‘Nano-technology’ based products

Agrotech, R&D

The discovery will enable SMART researchers in precision agriculture to develop new plant sensors for hormones and nanoparticle carriers for gene engineering

Researchers from SMART, MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, have made a ground-breaking discovery that allows scientists to ‘look’ at the surface density of dispersed nanoparticles. This revolutionary technology enables researchers to ‘characterise’ or understand the properties of nanoparticles without disturbing the nanoparticle, and also at a much lower cost and far quicker too. New method to explore the surface of nanoparticles will accelerate Nano-engineering of materials and can be used to ‘characterise’ nanoparticles with any geometric shape as a universal characterisation technique.

The new process is explained in a paper titled “Measuring the Accessible Surface Area within the Nanoparticle Corona using Molecular Probe Adsorption”, published this month in the prestigious academic journal, Nano Letters. It was led by Michael Strano, co-lead principal investigator of DiSTAP and Carbon P. Dubbs Professor at MIT, and Minkyung Park, Graduate Student at MIT. DiSTAP, the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision Interdisciplinary Research Group (IRG) is a part of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore. DiSTAP IRG develops new technologies to enable Singapore, a city-state which is dependent upon imported food and produce, to improve its agriculture yield to reduce external dependencies.

The Molecular Probe Adsorption (MPA) method is based on non-invasive adsorption of a fluorescent probe on the surface of colloidal nanoparticles in an aqueous phase. Researchers are able to calculate the surface coverage of dispersants on the nanoparticle surface – which are used to make it stable at room temperature – by the physical interaction between the probe and nanoparticle surface. The method is substantially faster and cheaper than existing chemical methods and does not damage the nanoparticle being studied. MPA will also aid researchers across all sectors to push nanoparticle research boundaries and current limits.

“We can now characterise the surface of the nanoparticle through its adsorption of the fluorescent probe. This allows us to understand the surface of the nanoparticle without damaging it, which is, unfortunately, the case with chemical processes widely used today,” said Park. “This new method also uses machines that are readily available in labs today, opening up a new easy method for the scientific community to develop nanoparticles that can help revolutionise different sectors and disciplines.”

The MPA method is also able to characterise a nanoparticle within minutes compared to several hours that the best chemical methods require today. Because it uses only fluorescent light, it is also substantially cheaper.

DiSTAP has started to use this method for nanoparticle sensors in plants and nanocarriers for delivery of molecular cargo into plants.

“We are already using the new MPA method within DiSTAP to aid us in creating sensors and nanocarriers for plants,” said Strano. “It has enabled us to discover and optimise more sensitive sensors, and understand the surface chemistry, which in turn allows for greater precision when monitoring plants. With higher quality data and insight into plant biochemistry, we can ultimately provide optimal nutrient levels or beneficial hormones for healthier plants and higher yields.”

 

The discovery will enable SMART researchers in

Agrotech, Start ups, Supply Chain

Rabobank, a leading global bank in food and agriculture and sustainability, recently shortlisted eight agri-start-ups from India which would go to the Pitch day of SustainableAg Asia Challenge.

Rabobank, a leading global bank in food and agriculture and sustainability, recently shortlisted 15 agri-tech startups and innovators. Out of 15 start-ups, eight agri-start-ups  from India would to go to the Pitch day of its SustainableAg Asia Challenge. The platform is aimed at creating a sustainable agri-food supply chain and promoting integrity and interconnectivity across the region’s vital agriculture and food supply chains.

With Asia’s population expected to increase from 4.6 billion to 5.3 billion in 2050 and with limited arable land and natural resources available for increased food production, Rabobank believes data and innovation are key to feeding this growing population sustainably.

Run in partnership with Padang & Co, the Challenge invited submissions from agri-tech companies with a market-ready solution that uses cutting-edge data-driven technology, analysis and interconnectivity to help meet Asia’s increasing demand for food. It aims to promote integrity and interconnectivity across the region’s vital agriculture and food supply chains.

 Alaïs Faucon, Sustainable Solutions Development Manager at Rabobank said: “We have been delighted by the calibre of submissions to our Sustainable Ag Asia Challenge. The 15 shortlisted companies all represent diverse, exciting and emerging agri-tech solutions that can drive effective changes for more efficient agri-food supply chains to ensure a more sustainable food production practice. Together with our partners and these innovative companies, we can contribute to feeding the world more sustainably.”

 

The Rabobank Sustainable Ag Asia Challenge is supported by Rabo Foundation, and in partnership with ADB Ventures, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Bayer, Bits & Bites, COFCO International, DSM, Future Group, Temasek and Olam International who are acting as judges.

Evaluated based on factors such as technology innovation, market readiness, scalability and extent of addressing integrity in the agri-food value chain in Asia, the shortlist of 15 entries cover wide-ranging solutions, from helping smallholders with their crops to financing options, and the creation of technology platforms across the agricultural supply chain that will boost productivity, efficiency and income for the farmers.

 

The shortlisted agritech start-ups pitched to a panel comprising senior management of the Rabobank Foundation, as well as senior representatives of the competition’s partners, ADB ventures, Archer Daniels Midland, Bayer, Bits & Bites, COFCO International, DSM, Future Group, Olam International, and Temasek.

 

Indian Agri-startups shortlisted by Rabobank

AgNext (India)- Builds data-driven value chains with the latest technologies that can transform the way we grow, procure, trade, store and consume food, benefiting all stakeholders of the agribusiness industry – www.agnext.com 

CropIn Technology Solutions (India) – Uses ground, weather and satellite data to help agribusinesses de-risk their supply chains through real-time monitoring and making data-driven decisions – www.cropin.com 

DeHaat (India). With a technology-enabled platform currently providing complete end-to-end services to more than 170,000 Indian farmers from “Seed to Market” with an aim to expand to a million by 2022 – www.agrevolution.in 

EM3 Agriservices (India) – Breaking the stereotypes for increasing agricultural productivity by bringing technology and mechanization for farming communities on a Pay-for-Use basis – www.em3agri.com 

FarMart (India) – Helps smallholder farmers get access to low cost digital credit by linking credit to purchase of farm inputs at merchant points – www.farmart.co 

FarmGuide (Lennon Agitech) (India) – Uses satellite imagery and mobile to digitize farms and farmers with agriculture insights and risk ratings on a single platform – Building an Agri data stack for the world – www.farmguide.in 

Jai Kisan (India)- Facilitates capital to under-banked and under-served rural emerging markets ensuring a low cost of capital and record low turnaround time with minimal documentation for the borrower – www.jai-kisan.com/main 

Stellapps Technologies (India)-  A full-stack IoT company that drives digitization of the dairy sector to significantly enhance income, profitability and yield per cow of farmers in emerging economies – www.stellapps.com

 

The winners of   Sustainable Ag Asia Challenge were announced recently. Stellapps Technologies, an Indian internet of thing (IoT) startup won first place  which specialises in  digitization of  the dairy sector to increase the income of producers.

Rabobank announced five top submissions in total. Besides Stellapps, the other four top submissions are DeHaat (2nd prize) also from India, Longcom IoT (3rd prize) from China, AgNext (merit prize) from India, and PT Crowde Membangun Bangsa (merit prize) from Indonesia.

 

Rabobank, a leading global bank in food