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Agro Universities, R&D

 It showed the efficiency of the new nanoparticles against several types of pathogenic fungi that damage cultivated plants. 

A team of researchers from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University in Russia has obtained magnetic nanoparticles using a sweet flag (Acorus calamus). Both the roots and the leaves of this plant have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticide properties. The extract of the sweet flag was used as a non-toxic reagent for the manufacture of coated particles. The authors of the work also showed the efficiency of the new nanoparticles against several types of pathogenic fungi that damage cultivated plants. A technology developed by the team provides for the manufacture of nanoparticles from a cheap plant-based raw material and reduces the harmful effect of reagents on the environment. The results of the study were published in the Nano-Structures & Nano-Objects journal.

“There are several methods of manufacturing coated nanoparticles with given characteristics, but all of them include toxic reagents. We have developed an environmentally friendly technology for the production of barium ferrite with the use of sweet flag extract. The surface of these particles has additional biological properties and the particles themselves possess all necessary magnetic and geometrical characteristics,” said Prof. Larissa Panina, a Ph.D. in Physics and Mathematics from BFU.

The team mixed an extract made from dried sweet flag roots with barium and iron salts and water. Then, the mixture was heated to evaporate the liquid and obtain powder. After that, the powder was sintered at temperatures up to 900°C, and nanoparticles were formed. To study their morphology, the team used scanning electron microscopy.

 It showed the efficiency of the new

Agro Universities, AgroPolicy, R&D

There is a need to look for sustainable agriculture and this can be achieved through integration of ecological, economic, environmental and social aspects.

 ‘Agricultural Scientists’ Meet’ is a significant event of the India International Science Festival 2020. It provides a common platform for agricultural scientists, innovative farmers, teachers and students to actively participate and discuss on various emergent topics such as Synergism and trade-offs in sustainable agriculture, NRM— challenges and policy framework, Precision farming technologies & agricultural production systems, Data-driven technologies in agriculture and their management, and Innovation and agriculture. The event aims at catering the need to reduce the impact of weather vagaries on agriculture and make agriculture a reliable income earning pursuit for marginal stakeholders.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, Kailash Choudhary inaugurated the two-day Agricultural Scientists’ Meet as part of India International Science Festival 2020. Other dignitaries on the occasion were Prof. Ramesh Chand, Member, NITI Aayog; Dr T Mohapatra, Secretary (DARE) and DG, ICAR. Around 200 participants including scientists, students and farmers attended the programme.

The Chairman of the session, Dr R B Singh, Ex-Chancellor, CAU, Imphal, cautioned that the resources are not inherited from our parents but we borrow them from our children. He emphasized the need of big data analysis, artificial intelligence for decision support system. He pointed out that agriculture greatly impacts all pillars of our structure– environmental, economic and social sustainability. He focused on sustainable agriculture for zero hunger and poverty free nation.

Prof Kamal Vatta stated that there is a need to look for sustainable agriculture and this can be achieved through integration of ecological, economic, environmental and social aspects. Synergies are achievable at lower scale but when scale increases it becomes difficult to maintain the synergy in the system, so scale is very important. He expressed that despite research support and evidence of no productivity loss, farmers are reluctant to adopt sustainable agricultural practices only because of lack of economic incentive. He expressed his desire that economic incentives must be given to the farmers for adoption of sustainable technologies.

 

 

There is a need to look for

AgroPolicy

Budget of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has gone up more than 6 times in the past 6 years 

Union Minister Hardeep Puri has stated that the budget of the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has gone up more than six times in the past six years. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has implemented the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee to increase MSP to 1.5 times the cost of production. He highlighted that the amount spent on procurement at MSP went up by 85 per cent in 2014-19 compared to 2009-14. MSP has risen in the range of 40-70 per cent for all major crops in 2020-21 in comparison to 2013-14. 

 He informed that over Rs 1, 10,000 crore has been transferred directly to the accounts of farmers through the PM Kisan Yojana and Rs 87,000 crore paid as crop insurance to farmers against a premium of merely Rs 17,450 crore till date.

Union Minister further informed that in 1950, the Indian agriculture sector contributed around 52 per cent to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), while employing nearly 70 per cent of our entire population. He added that as of 2019, the sector still employed nearly 42 per cent of our total population but contributed only 16 per cent to the GDP, while experiencing a year-on-year growth rate of just 2 per cent.

Budget of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has

AgroPolicy, India, Schemes - Govt

9 crore farmers benefitted, Rs 18000 crore deposited via DBT

The Prime Minister,  Narendra Modi  has released the 7th instalment of financial benefit under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi through video conference on December 28, 2020. The PM also interacted with farmers from Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. Farmers narrated their experiences about how they have benefitted since the introduction of the Farm Acts. 

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said,“Rs 18000 crore have been deposited directly in the bank account of 9 crore farmer families in the country at the click of a button. He added that ever since this scheme started, more than 1 lakh 10 thousand crore rupees have reached the account of farmers.” 

The Prime Minister expressed regret that more than 70 lakh farmers of West Bengal have not been able to get this benefit. He said over 23 lakh farmers of Bengal have applied online to take advantage of this scheme. But the state government has stopped the verification process. He said the parties which do not speak in the interest of farmers in West Bengal, come to Delhi and talk about the farmer. He said these parties are missing APMC-mandis nowadays, but these parties repeatedly forget that there are no APMC-mandis in Kerala and these people never agitate in Kerala.

 

9 crore farmers benefitted, Rs 18000 crore

Warehousing

It will enhance water-borne cargo volumes, reduce logistics cost

Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) intends to create Product Specific Warehouses/Silos at various Ports (including both Major and Non-Major Ports), Multi-Modal Logistics Parks located near Port area and alongside the National Waterways. The purpose of the development of this infrastructure is to reduce storage losses, minimize logistic costs and facilitate the distribution of cargo in the hinterland.

MoPSW is targeting to develop the product-specific Warehouses/Silos at ports for products such as Cement Silos, Liquid Tanks, Chemicals Tanks, Cold/RefrigeratedStorage, Electronics Product Storage, Pharmaceutical Storage, Auto Spares Parts & Components Storage or any other suggested products.

The development of these world-class warehousing spaces will give a big push, especially to such small logistics players for their ‘Ease of Doing Business’ with better planning and inventory management. The smaller players would have the option of paying nominal fees to make use of this world-class infrastructure. This option will immensely benefit them, as presently their loaded trucks keep waiting, to find appropriate storage near ports quite often. In turn, it will reduce the losses as compared to the traditional warehousing and provide a more robust and cost-effective supply chain.    

For the implementation of these envisaged projects, Ministry is ascertaining the interest of the various Indian companies/developers engaged in the business of Logistics Operations/FTWZ Operation/Manufacturers/Freight Forwarders/ ICD/CFS operations/ Inland Waterways Terminal Operations/Port Operations and Infrastructure Developers including Start-ups and comprehending the support required by them for the viability of the projects under PPP model.

 

It will enhance water-borne cargo volumes, reduce

Acquaculture, Agro Universities, E-commerce

It aims at spreading awareness about health benefits from seaweed among the consumers. 

The ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Kochi, Kerala has launched three Seaweed Based Products developed by the institute and commercialized by M/s Bodina Naturals Private Limited (BNPL).

In his address, Dr Ravishankar C N, Director, ICAR-CIFT, Kochi, Kerala accentuated the anti-viral, nutritional and immune modulatory effects of the three products namely – ZAFORA Seaweed Hand Sanitizer, ZAFORA-360 Enriched Fucoidan Capsules and ZAFORA Gargle.

 Boby Kizhakethara, Managing Director,  Bodina Naturals Private Limited (BNPL), a Kochi, Kerala emphasized on the importance of Seaweed for human health. He accentuated that the Company is now entering into the manufacturing and trade of Seaweed derivatives as one of its main activities in future so that the health benefits from seaweed can be reaped by millions of people for better health and nutrition.

The ZAFORA Seaweed Hand Sanitizer containing the major ingredients like Isopropyl alcohol, Seaweed extracts Carrageenan and Aloe vera extract can be a suitable alternative in the market as an immediate hygienic control to contain the spread of COVID-19 infection.

The ZAFORA-360 Enriched Fucoidan Capsules enriched with Fucoidan, a high value sulphated polysaccharide having wide health benefits including anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer properties can be used as immune booster.

The Zafora Gargle, a homogenous blend of spices extracts, Ayurvedic herbal extractives and Fucoidan from Seaweeds, flavoured with mint also proves to be very effective against the COVID-19 as it possesses anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

It aims at spreading awareness about health

Acquaculture, Acts & Schemes – Centre

Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) has the potential to benefit over 4 million marine and inland fishers especially women, SHGs, weaker sections. 

The Union Government in its Budget 2018 has set aside Rs 7,550 crore for setting up of a dedicated Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF). The fund has the potential to benefit over 4 million marine and inland fishers especially women, SHGs, weaker sections, due to availability of modern infrastructure and added value of produce. FIDF will provide concessional finance to the State Governments/Union Territories, State entities, cooperatives, individual entrepreneurs, etc. for development of fisheries infrastructure facilities both in marine and inland fisheries sector.

The infrastructure facilities to be funded under the FIDF will broadly cover development of fishing harbours/ fish landing centres, fish seed farms, fish feed mills/plants, cage culture in reservoirs, mariculture activities, introduction of deep sea fishing vessels, setting up of disease diagnostic and aquatic quarantine facilities, creation of cold chain infrastructure facilities such as ice plants, cold storage, fish transport facilities, fish processing units, fish markets etc.

The fund would (i) fill the large infrastructure gaps in fisheries sector, (ii) create employment opportunity to the rural population in fishing and allied activities, (iii) contributes towards enhancement of fish production and productivity, (iv) offers manifold benefits and (v) fulfill the requirements of tapping the full fisheries potential and achieving the vision given by the Hon’ble Prime Minister for doubling farmers’ income.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)

Agro chems – Fertilizers, E-commerce, Middle East countries

This is a strategic move that strengthens Haifa Group’s position as a world leader in the production and supply of nutrients to plants in the world of precision agriculture

 Haifa Group and Saipem have signed a contract worth over 200 million USD for the building of a long-awaited ammonia plant at Mishor Rotem site. The contract was signed during an online ceremony in the presence of Haifa Group CEO, Motti Levin, Haifa Group board member and project leader, Dr Eli Abramov, and Saipem’s CEO, Stefano Cao, and Saipem’s COO Onshore E&C Division, Maurizio Coratella.

The facility is expected to be built with an investment exceeding 200 million USD to produce around 100,000 tons of ammonia per year, and its construction will take around three years. The plant will provide a steady, safe and continuous supply of ammonia, which is used as a vital material for the production of potassium nitrate fertilizer, Haifa Group’s flagship product. The company expects to use most of the facility’s production capacity, when the rest will be offered to customers in Israel for the wide range of uses for ammonia.

Motti Levin, Haifa Group CEO, said, “This is a strategic move that strengthens Haifa Group’s position as a world leader in the production and supply of nutrients to plants in the world of precision agriculture. It will contribute to the increase of agricultural yields while maintaining the ecological balance. Self-production of ammonia will enable a continuous, stable, and independent supply of the main raw material used by the Haifa Group in the process of manufacturing the company’s high-quality flagship products”.

 

This is a strategic move that strengthens

AgroPolicy

As both countries face similar challenges and conditions, the solutions are also common to both countries

In a recent Inaugural Session of the India Bangladesh Digital Conference on Agriculture Sector, Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce & Industry and Railways, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India stated about the huge scope of collaboration between India and Bangladesh in the Agriculture sector.

According to the minister, there is a need to improve agricultural productivity in both countries from the current level of 4.5 tonnes per hectare to 10 tonnes per hectare. As both countries face similar challenges and conditions, the solutions are also common to both countries.

The minister stressed on the need to work together in areas such as farm mechanization, food processing, and fisheries. He was of the view that cooperation in the agriculture sector can help overcome the economic difficulties that both countries were facing. He stated that India was committed to ensuring barrier-free trade between India and Bangladesh. According to the minister, India had already removed import duties on agricultural imports from Bangladesh. On the issue of export restrictions on certain agricultural items such as onions, the minister stated that India was looking at ways of building up a buffer stock of these commodities before lifting the restrictions to ensure a regular supply to Bangladesh.

In his address, Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Agriculture Minister, Government of Bangladesh stated that India could not only help with farm mechanization, it could also help with training farmers on these machines. It could also consider manufacturing these machines locally in Bangladesh.

 

As both countries face similar challenges and

Agrotech, World

Power SI will continue to be sold through Canopy Crop Management to all hydroponic retail stores

GrowthGeneration Corp. nation’s largest chain of specialty hydroponic and organic garden centers has announced that it has acquired Southern California-based Canopy Crop Management and its complete portfolio of products, including the Power SI brand of silicic acid-enriched fertilizers. Power SI will continue to be sold through Canopy Crop Management to all hydroponic retail stores including Grow Generation’s 39 locations.  

“Private label expansion has become a strategic priority for GrowGen, and a key component of our long-term revenue generation plan,” said Michael Salaman, GrowGen’s President and Co-Founder. “We are proud to bring Canopy Crop Management and its founder Rex Gill under our umbrella. Rex brings his unique technologies and proprietary products to GrowGen and will be instrumental in leading private label product development within the nutrient and additive space.”

The Power SI acquisition is the Company’s second acquisition in Southern California this month and the third acquisition in the state since November. Last week, the Company announced its acquisition of Grassroots Hydroponics, a three-store chain of hydroponic garden centers in Anza, Lake Elsinore and Murrieta; and in November, the Company announced it had acquired The GrowBiz, the nation’s third-largest chain of hydroponic garden centers, with stores in Northern California and Oregon.

 

Power SI will continue to be sold

World

Premium 5 will receive initial consideration of CDN$21.0 million of common shares of Heritage

Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. (Heritage), has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of Premium 5 Ltd., a Canada-based recreational and medical cannabis company that creates high-quality full-spectrum concentrates under the brand Premium 5.

Premium 5 is a leader in developing and launching products, proven by successfully introducing one of the first hydrocarbon products in the Canadian recreational and medical markets as well as becoming the first to launch live resin vapes. It currently offers two sought-after brands in eight provinces across Canada, as well as Shelter Market and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Premium 5 offers a wide range of high-quality products that encompass premium, core, and value-priced brands in both the recreational and medical markets, creating a leading portfolio of products in the Cannabis 2.0 space focused on derivative concentrates. It is best known for its namesake brand – Premium 5 which is first in the premium hydrocarbon and solventless concentrates category, as well as the newly launched RAD value brand which is first in the value hydrocarbon concentrate, flower and distillate vape categories.

Under the terms of the Agreement, Premium 5 will receive initial consideration of CDN$21.0 million of common shares of Heritage, plus additional Heritage common shares to compensate the shareholders of Premium 5 for the Net Working Capital of Premium 5 as of the closing date. The Agreement additionally includes a series of revenue growth and gross margin milestones over the next 24 months to earn potential consideration of up to an additional CDN$20.0 million payable in common shares of Heritage.

 

Premium 5 will receive initial consideration of

E-commerce, SAARC

Bayer opens Better Life Farming Centers in Bangladesh and Indonesia. 

The Better Life Farming Alliance (BLFA), Bayer’s global, multi-stakeholder partnership model that provides holistic and innovative solutions for smallholder farmers in developing economies, has launched in Bangladesh and Indonesia.

The BLFA advances many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ending hunger and achieving food security by connecting smallholder farmers to a holistic agricultural production management ecosystem. This enables the alliance to support rural development by increasing economic opportunities for smallholders and connecting them to markets to support food security in low-and-middle income countries.

“The Better Life Farming model has helped smallholder farmers enhance crop yields and farm profitability and progress from subsistence farming to commercial farming. In addition, it has empowered rural farming communities to earn additional incomes and enhance their livelihood,” said D Narain, Senior Bayer Representative in South Asia and Global Sponsor of the Smallholder initiative. “With the Better Life Farming centers, our aim is to create a more inclusive agri-ecosystem where all smallholder farming needs ranging from agri-inputs, agri-advisory, knowledge and capacity building, market linkages and financial solutions are taken care of under one roof. Going forward, we plan to scale the Better Life Farming Alliance across Asia and beyond.”

Each Better Life Farming Center is run by a rural agri-entrepreneur, offering products and services, from the partners’ portfolio directly to farmer customers. Joining Bayer as global partners in Bangladesh and Indonesia are the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group. In Bangladesh, the local partner is ACI. Indonesia’s local partners are Mercy Corps Indonesia, and the retailers CV Rahmawati and CV Gunung Subu.

In Bangladesh and Indonesia, BLFA’s global partners will provide a unique range of products and services such as seeds, crop protection inputs, market linkages and financial solutions. The overall objective is to ensure smallholder farmers can increase crop yields and their farm incomes through sustainable agriculture.

Bayer opens Better Life Farming Centers in

E-commerce, Inputs, Start ups

Farmer Development Centre (FDC) is a store that is set up at the FPO premises under the franchise business model as a one-stop solution for all farmers’ needs 

Agritech start up Samunnati, in partnership with eFresh Agribusiness Solutions Pvt Ltd has inaugurated 14  Farmer Development Centre (FDCs) in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. A SMART and Sustainable farming platform, FDC is listed as one of the four innovations by Green Innovation Centre, an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, and German cooperation.

 It was one of the first online events where the company had FPOs and smallholders to celebrate the inauguration & establishment of these FDCs along with the Agri-experts. The launch was also aimed at creating awareness and educating other FPOs and Agri practitioners from across the various States about the benefits of FDCs.

FDC is a physical store that is set up at the Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) premises under the franchise business model as a one-stop solution for all farmers’ needs. The model will leverage the power of aggregation to make available high-quality products at the right time and at economical prices. The technology infrastructure and digitization will drive efficiency, ease of doing business at the store level and will opportunity to leverage the benefits of analytics for the system as a whole.

FDCs would enhance the learning ecosystem for the farmers through the ‘model farmer initiative’ & advisory services through its partners. It would extend its coverage to subsume, farm output market linkages, farm machinery, insurance & other value-added services. FDC is owned, operated, and managed by FPOs. 

Farmer Development Centre (FDC) is a store

Logistics

The last-mile delivery capability will cover over 1, 00,000 villages in the country 

Mahindra Logistics has partnered with Bengaluru-based social enterprise and largest village commerce network, 1Bridge, for last-mile delivery in the rural parts of the country. Mahindra Logistics has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with 1Bridge to this effect, the company said in the statement.

 Under the tie-up, over the next three years, the two partners look to build last-mile delivery capability covering over 1,00,000 villages in the country, Mahindra Logistics Ltd (MLL) said in a release. The two partners have commenced pilot projects in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu on deliveries of consumer/home appliances and groceries, it said. 

“This collaboration will complement MLL’s logistical expertise, pan-India network and a wide customer base with 1Bridge’s deep presence across villages in rural India through its network of local business associates and district-level stations. We look forward to working collaboratively towards a strengthened supply chain network in rural India,” said Rampraveen Swaminathan, MD & CEO, Mahindra Logistics. 

1Bridge has its operations spanning over 6,000 villages across 65 districts in six states, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha, according to the release. ”We are delighted to partner with a leader like Mahindra Logistics, as this will enable a start-up like us to learn faster and deliver better consumer experience to the village consumers,” said Madan Padaki, CEO, 1Bridge.

 

The last-mile delivery capability will cover over