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Company News, Finance, North America

Vive will leverage the funding round to continue the acceleration of its commercial deployment of next-generation Precision Chemistry™ solutions into new North American markets.

Vive Crop Protection has announced the final close of investments in its Series C financing round, adding Co-operators, iSelect, and the Jim Richardson Family Office, to its current investor base. Each of these investor groups are strategically focused on the development of next-generation agriculture technology.

“The addition of Co-operators and iSelect along with continued support from existing investors has given Vive the opportunity to accelerate its product pipeline and make a real impact on more acres,” says Darren Anderson, CEO of Vive Crop Protection.

The financing round was led by Emmertech and included participation from the Cibus funds and existing investors Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Export Development Canada (EDC), and Urbana Corporation. Vive also secured debt financing from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) to provide both working and growth capital in support of its continued expansion.

Vive will leverage the funding round to continue the acceleration of its commercial deployment of next-generation Precision Chemistry™ solutions into new North American markets while advancing its research and development pipeline.

Vive’s proprietary Allosperse® delivery technology is a nanoscale, polymer-based delivery system that improves the targeting and performance of both conventional and biological active ingredients, enhancing farmers ROI and sustainability profile.

“As one of the largest farm insurers in Canada, we are committed to supporting the development of tools and solutions that will help the Canadian agricultural sector thrive,” says Dan Watchorn, Vice President, Commercial and Farm Insurance at Co-operators. “As a limited partner of Emmertech, we view this as an impactful opportunity to collaborate by co-investing in Vive, as they introduce their innovative technology to the Canadian market. We believe Vive’s products represent the future of farming practices and have the potential to facilitate the production of greater yields, increased efficiency, and lower emissions which is in alignment with Co-operators commitment to sustainability.”

“At iSelect we see a strong crossover between technology companies like Vive Crop Protection and product companies in our portfolio (ex. Vestaron, Kula Bio, Holganix) that are working to deliver biological solutions that both improve farmer profitability and environmental sustainability,” says David Yocom, Principal at iSelect Fund. “We believe that Vive can serve as both a potential partner to companies in our portfolio today & in the future, while developing its own products that directly align sustainability and economics for farmers.”

Vive will leverage the funding round to

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India

NFSM-Nutri Cereals is being implemented in 212 districts of 14 states.

The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha shared that the Government has planned to increase millets production and annually fixes target for the millet production. The crop-wise, state-wise and season-wise target of Nutri-Cereals for the year 2022-23 is annexed. For increasing the production of Nutri-Cereals under National Food Security Mission (NFSM) programme, the NFSM-Nutri Cereals is being implemented in 212 districts of 14 states. Under NFSM, assistance is given through state governments to farmers for interventions like cluster demonstrations on improved package of practices, demonstrations on cropping system, distribution of seeds of High Yielding Varieties (HYVs)/hybrids, improved farm machineries/resource conservation machineries/tools, efficient water application tools, plant protection measures, nutrient management/soil ameliorants, processing & post-harvest equipments, cropping system based trainings to the farmers etc.

The mission also provides support to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) & State Agricultural Universities (SAUs)/Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) for technology back stopping and transfer of technology to the farmer under supervision of Subject Matter Specialists/Scientists. The research organisations are supported for undertaking research projects that can help enhancing production and productivity of food crops.

The State Governments can also promote cultivation of millets under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana – Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture & Allied Sector Rejuvenation (RKVY- RAFTAAR) with the approval of the State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) of the respective states.

NFSM-Nutri Cereals is being implemented in 212

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Bee keeping, R&D

GI Tag will boost rural sector by increasing revenue of the producers and employment in the region

Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare, chairs a meeting on application and use of Geographical Indication (GI) of Honey at Krishi Bhawan. Dr Likhi said, National Bee Board (NBB) will support stakeholders to get GI Tag for different types of honey with support from State Governments and other stakeholders

Dr. Likhi mentioned that NBB will support stakeholders to get GI Tag for different types of honey with support from State Governments and other stakeholders. He said, GI Tagging will immensely help in uplifting the beekeeping community as after the Tag, beekeepers can further proceed for value addition in honey & other beehive products.

A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and ensures good qualities or a reputation in the region. GI is important to proliferate the beekeeping at national and international level.

Dr. Sudhanshu, Secretary, Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) briefed about the GI tagging of agricultural commodities and mentioned that GI Tagging in is based on area and species specific and it must be adopted with the prospective of export.

Dr. Prabhat Kumar, Horticulture Commissioner, Govt. of India mentioned that for holistic development of beekeeping, thrust is also needed to boost honey marketing at national as well as at international level. GI Tag will boost rural sector by increasing revenue of the producers and employment in the region. It mentioned special quality/ characteristic unique to the geographical indications. It prevents duplication of the tagged products so in another way it provides legal protection to Geographical Indications in India. This Tag is given to good quality products so it increases customer satisfaction. The good quality of the products opens the international door for the producers. With changing marketing dynamics, it is becoming necessary for all industries today to make the best use of the geo tagging service.

100 Honey FPOs/ Clusters have been identified under NBHM to promote and support the honey sector in a holistic way in the country. “Madhukranti portal” is another initiative under NBHM which is launched for online registration and developing Blockchain system for traceability of source of honey and other bee products. At present, over 20 lakh honeybee colonies have registered with NBB on Madhukranti portal. NBHM is being effectively monitoring the beekeeping activities in India.

He informed that India is currently producing about 1,33,000 Metric Tonnes (MTs) of Honey (2021-22) and India has also become one of the main honeys exporting country. The country has exported 74,413.05 MT of Honey world-wide during 2021-22.

GI Tag will boost rural sector by

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Allied Industry, India, Start ups

Under ABI project, ICAR- CIPHET Ludhiana is providing incubation facilities for selected technologies.

A MoA for incubation of groundnut processing was signed between ICAR-CIPHET and Samrat R Singh.

Agribusiness, the business sector encompassing farming and farming-related commercial activities which involves all the steps required to send an agricultural good to market: production, processing and distribution. But due to lack of awareness rural youth are not getting any benefit. Keeping in view the above facts, under ABI project, ICAR- CIPHET Ludhiana is providing incubation facilities for selected technologies.

Samrat R Singh from Ludhiana approached CIPHET for incubation facility of groundnut processing, as groundnut-based products are loaded with protein & fibre, antioxidant properties along with aids in preventing cancer, regulate blood sugar and being low fat makes it critically important for individuals on diets or people who have to enhance their overall health.

Nachiket Kotwaliwale assured him that all possible help will be extended for establishment of agribusiness unit and start-up after successful completion of incubation.

Nachiket Kotwaliwale (Director ICAR-CIPHET), with the CIPHET team including Ranjeet Singh (PI ABI), Renu Balakrishnan (I/c ITMU) and Alka Sharma (RA) were present on the occasion.

Under ABI project, ICAR- CIPHET Ludhiana is

Agri Genomics, AgroPolicy, R&D

DMH-11 has been tested for three years against national check Varuna and zonal check RL1359 in confined field trials at multiple locations in India.

According to Dr Jitendra Singh Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences in a written reply to Parliament question about field trials of genetically modified (GM) Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11) showed approximately 28 percent more yield than the national check and 37 percent more than the zonal checks.

 As per the statement, DMH-11 has been tested for three years against national check Varuna and zonal check RL1359 in confined field trials at multiple locations in India. The field trials were conducted to assess the impact on human health and the environment according to the stipulated guidelines and applicable rules. “Extensive studies carried out on toxicity, allergenicity, compositional analysis, field trials, and environmental safety studies of GM mustard lines vs. their non-transgenic comparators have provided evidence that they are safe for cultivation and for food and feed use. Visitation of bees to the transgenic lines is similar to the non-transgenic counterparts as per the data recorded during the trials,”.

Dr. Singh also said that bees present in the transgenic lines are similar to the non-transgenic counterparts as per the data recorded during the BRL-I and BRL-II trials conducted over three growing seasons at multiple locations as per the protocols approved by Review Committee on Genetic Manipulation (RCGM) and the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).

DMH-11 has been tested for three years

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, Environment, North America, Sustainability

FMC Corporation has shown leadership in Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) performance throughout 2022.

FMC Corporation has been recognised by CDP, the gold standard of environmental reporting, as a leader in environmental sustainability, earning an A- for climate change and water security. The scores reflect FMC’s ambitious environmental goals as well as the company’s transparency and management of climate-related risks.

“We are thrilled that FMC has been recognised by CDP as a global leader for the measures we are taking to address climate change and water security,” said Karen Totland, FMC vice president and chief sustainability officer. “We have continued to raise the bar for sustainability at our company and achieving a score of A- in both areas validates the efforts of so many colleagues around the world. Achieving our goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 is a top priority and we continue to make notable progress despite a challenging environment.”  

Earlier this year, FMC reset its environmental sustainability goals to drive meaningful improvements in emissions, energy, water and waste across its value chain. In addition to its aggressive net zero targets, FMC continues to promote water stewardship at its operating sites and in the communities it serves, and is focused on reducing water consumption in high-risk locations. In 2022, the company established a goal to achieve Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification at all its sites by 2035.

In 2022, more than 680 investors with over $130 trillion in assets and 280 major purchasers with $6.4 trillion in procurement spend requested environmental data from companies through CDP. A record more than 18,700 companies globally responded. Just 24 percent of chemicals companies who responded reached the leadership level (A/A-) for climate change, with the industry average score being a B-. 

“As a mission-based non-profit that runs the global environmental disclosure system, CDP greatly values the support of FMC,” said Dexter Galvin, CDP global director, Corporations & Supply Chain. “Urgent system-wide action remains critical to ensuring that we can limit global warming to 1.5°C, avoid the worst effects of climate change and safeguard our planet’s natural resources. Disclosure is the first key step in addressing current and future environmental risks. FMC has demonstrated its commitment to transparency around its environmental impacts and strategies for action by disclosing its environmental data through CDP in 2022. Disclosure not only provides the foundation for environmental action, but brings tangible business benefits for shareholders, customers and employees alike.” 

FMC has shown leadership in Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) performance throughout 2022. In addition, to CDP, FMC scored in the 92nd percentile (as of December 13, 2022) of chemicals companies for S&P Global’s Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), which assesses over 10,000 companies around the world.

FMC Corporation has shown leadership in Environmental

Agrotech, Company News, North America, R&D

Companies aim to deliver prescriptive crop protection product performance and farmer ROI through advanced data capabilities.

Corteva Agriscience has announced a collaboration with NEVONEX, powered by Bosch, to explore precision application of crop protection products using on-farm data, advanced analytics, and spray equipment. The collaboration intends to create value for farmers by enabling data-driven crop protection applications with standard machine spray technology.

“Corteva Agriscience is excited to include NEVONEX among our growing list of industry collaborations aimed at leveraging digital capabilities to deliver new value to farmers through our crop protection products,” said Dr. Brian Lutz, Vice President of Digital Solutions at Corteva Agriscience. “Through our Research and Development (R&D) efforts at Corteva, we are creating new value for our customers based on how we connect data and digital systems with equipment on the farm. By coupling intelligent equipment with real-time, farm-specific data analytics, we can provide detailed crop protection prescriptions customized for an operation in order to optimize every dollar invested while sustainably meeting yield and productivity goals.”

“Our collaboration with Corteva reflects our goals of making a difference through digitalization, while putting the farmer at the center,” said Dr Micha Muenzenmay, Chief Technology Officer at NEVONEX. “Through our open, technology-neutral Digital Services platform, we put the right data together to enable better decision making for on-farm application.”

NEVONEX, powered by Bosch, offers an end-to-end infrastructure and managed framework with interface access to a wide range of agricultural machinery. Through smart digital agriculture, farmers benefit from higher yield potential, optimized operating processes, and right-sized use of crop protection, seed and fertilizer products while protecting and preserving environmental resources.

This exploratory work within R&D reflects Corteva’s commitment to sustainable innovation and the continued effort to integrate digital capabilities into the company’s crop protection and seed product portfolios.

Companies aim to deliver prescriptive crop protection

Company News, Environment, India, Sustainability

Company recognised for water conservation project, water economic zone, at Udaipur, Rajasthan 

DS Group awarded by the Union Tribal Affairs Minister, Arjun Munda for its water conservation project, Water Economic Zone in Udaipur, Rajasthan, in the category of Environment Sustainability at the 20th FICCI CSR Awards. The FICCI CSR Awards recognises the efforts of companies in integrating and internalising Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Speaking on the occasion, Rajiv Kumar, Vice Chairman, DS Group said, “We are honoured to be recognised for our water conservation initiatives. Water scarcity is a global concern and India sustains 16 percent of the world’s population with only four percentage the world’s freshwater resources. As water is essential for socio-economic development and sustainable ecosystems, we are focusing on the long-term availability of water through conservation measures and sensible utilisation of natural resources, which also consequently leads to better livelihood opportunities and elevated economic conditions.” 

Started in 2018, the ‘Water Economic Zone (WEZ)’, focuses on enhancing natural resources, particularly water and soil whereby ensuring groundwater recharge, and improving the irrigation potential of identified geography, which in turn enhances the livelihoods of people. Through this project, the company has treated nearly 11000 hectares of land across the Alsigarh and Kurabad watersheds in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan. The project also promotes efficient use of water through improved irrigation practices such as Drip Irrigation and Rain guns along with growing climate-friendly crops.

Knowing the importance of water for livelihood and excellence of WEZ projects, DS Group has constructed/renovated more than 900 water harvesting structures with a cumulative storage capacity of around 80 Lakh, consequently bringing 2300 hectare of land under irrigation. Motivated by the successful impact of the Water Economic Zone project, the group has extended it to other states too. Presently the group is diligently undertaking water initiatives in 6 Indian states, namely Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat, benefitting millions of people.

The DS Group (Dharampal Satyapal Group) is a Multi-Business Corporation and one of the leading FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) conglomerate with strong Indian and International presence. Founded in the year 1929, it is an inspiring and successful business story that blends a remarkable history and legacy with visionary growth. The Group’s portfolio is extensive and diverse with presence in Mouth Freshener, Food and Beverage, Confectionery, Hospitality, Agri, Luxury Retail and also has other investments. Catch, Pulse, FRU, Maze, Ksheer, Pass Pass, BABA, Tulsi, L’Opera, Le Marche, Birthright, Rajnigandha, The Manu Maharani and Namah are some of the leading brands the Group proudly shelters.

Company recognised for water conservation project, water

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, India

Change to take effect from 21 December 2022

BAL has moved to Group A from Group B of companies on BSE. The change will take effect from 21 December 2022. The company was already making bullish growth and now with this new development, it has garnered a lot of curiosity and interest from investors. 

As a research-based organisation, BAL is serving the farming community by bringing in world-class and cost-effective farm solutions in the form of novel agrochemical formulations. The company has presence across insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, and plant growth regulators. It is known for indigenously developing and marketing world-class and cost-effective farm solutions in the form of novel agrochemical formulations. Currently, BAL has 7,000 MTPA and 30,000 MTPA technicals and formulation manufacturing capacity respectively through three of its manufacturing plants in Gajaraula, Greater Noida, and Jammu & Kashmir. The company has fast expanded its distribution network and product portfolio in niche segments and got listed itself among the top 15 agrochemical companies in India. Currently, it boasts to have more than 5200 distributors in India and it retains an unrivaled portfolio of 360+ formulations and more than 80 technical manufacturing licenses. 

Focused on its First-to-Market strategy, BAL has transformed its business model from being a generic player to a predominantly branded player now. The company is focused on manufacturing and launching import substitutes of many active ingredients indigenously and introducing 2-3 patented/specialty formulation products every year. This year, BAL launched several new products that strengthened its financials significantly. The company introduced three new research-based products in the insecticide space namely Axeman, Ronfen (patented ternary insecticide), and reveal, one new herbicide with the brand name Tombo and one new insecticide combination Warden. With the launch of Citigen and Vistara, BAL became the first Indian agrochemical company to manufacture CTPR (market size of more than Rs 2800 crore) technical indigenously. The company also got the patent for the indigenous manufacturing of an in-house developed ternary herbicide which the company plans to launch in near future with the brand name ‘Shot Down’. Other than the above products BAL has been granted the patent for the first-of-its-kind fungicidal composition of Cyazofamid, Dimethomorph, and Difenoconazole (Market Size Rs 350 crore) and registration for the indigenous manufacturing of Pyroxasulfone technical (Market Size Rs 450 Crore).

The tremendous success of these newly launched products led to solid performance in Q2 FY23 and H1 FY23. The company posted a multi-fold jump in its consolidated revenue at Rs 700.3 crore jumping 115.9 percent on YoY basis and 51 percent QoQ basis. The EBITDA stood at Rs 182.5 crore, displaying 418.1 percent YoY growth and 176.9 percent QoQ growth. PAT stood at 129.82 crores a growth of 415.4 percent on YoY basis and 223.4 percent on QoQ basis. The company reported a 74 percent YoY rise in revenue to Rs 1164 crore, EBITDA margin expanded by 1078 bps YOY to 21.4 percent (vs 10.6 percent in H1FY22) and PAT rose by 233 percent YoY to Rs 169.9 crore in H1 FY23. The company has many more such products in the pipeline this year, further accelerating its growth. 

While CARE Ratings Limited assigned a ‘CARE A-’ rating to the long-term bank facilities of the company with a stable outlook in October 2022 the total stake of the promoter and promoter group BAL increased from 47.30 percent to 48.19 percent when Vimal Kumar, the Founder of Best Agrolife Limited, purchased a total of 65000 equity shares on 28 November 2022. In fact, Vimal Kumar bought 1,47,481 equity shares in the company on 15 November 2022, making it a purchase of a total of 212481 equity shares during November itself.
 

Change to take effect from 21 December

Acquaculture, Company News, Finance, India

Aquaconnect will utilise the fresh funds to widen its service offerings in both the pre-harvest and post-harvest aquaculture value chain

Aquaconnect, a full-stack aquaculture platform announces that it has raised $15 million (Rs 120 crore) in a Series A funding round, led by Lok Capital, with participation from Louis Dreyfus Company Ventures, Suneight Investment along with existing investors including Omnivore, Rebright Partners, Flourish Ventures, HATCH and other debt investors participated in the round. 

Aquaconnect will utilise the fresh funds to strengthen its portfolio of scalable solutions that use AI and Satellite remote sensing and widen its service offerings in both the pre-harvest and post-harvest aquaculture value chain (to input retailers, seafood buyers and other stakeholders). 

Aquaconnect aims to grow stronger in the pre-harvest chain by tripling its AquaPartners network to amplify the impact across India. Currently, the company has a network of 500+ AquaPartners (rural entrepreneurs who provide last-mile assistance), serving over 90,000+ fish and shrimp farmers. 

Commenting on the Series A fund round, Rajamanohar und,Somasundaram, Founder & CEO Aquaconnect,said, “We’ve added about 500 AquaPartners in the last 12 months and this phygital network has helped us scale phenomenally across 6 major aquaculture production states. In the next 12 months, we are set to triple our AquaPartners’ network across India and optimise our service offerings.”

In the post-harvest chain, the company aims to scale its seafood market linkage across domestic markets in India. Further, Aquaconnect plans to accelerate seafood exports to the top import markets like the US, China and Japan and capture a significant share in the blue protein segment, globally. 

“We have been operating our domestic market linkages & overseas exports under stealth. As our pilots have shown great success, our team is geared up to scale the success we have achieved and enhance our B2B offerings in the next 12-18 months”, added Rajmanohar Somasundaram.

“Aquaculture is a great means for smallholder farmers to enjoy significant upward economic mobility. While Aquaculture might seem like a niche Agtech space, it is the sunrise sector in India showing double-digit YoY growth with a $15 billion market opportunity. However, the industry is hampered by inefficiencies in the value chain and poses a huge scope for tech disruption. Yet its true potential is untapped. Aquaconnect, with its deep-tech intervention, has the potential to disrupt the Indian aquaculture value chain and emerge as a key player in the growing blue food segment. We are excited to be a part of Aquaconnect’s growth, while it chases its aspiring goals and scales its operations in the domestic and global markets” said Hari Krishnan, Partner, Lok Capital. 

“Next 12-18 months will be challenging and exciting at the same time, the fresh funds will help us to accelerate our efforts and strengthen tech capabilities and bring efficiency and transparency in the aquaculture value chain,” said Rajmanohar Somasundaram. In July last year, Aquaconnect had raised $4 million in a pre-Series A round from Rebright, Flourish ventures and AgFunder. 

Aquaconnect will utilise the fresh funds to

Agro Universities, India

The Hydroponic Farm project has been initiated in association with 9Growers

New Delhi based International Institute of Hotel Management (IIHM) is leading the sustainability movement with unique initiatives on its own campuses. IIHM Delhi inaugurated its first Hydroponic Farm on campus on 14th December 2022 promoting sustainable cultivation of vegetables using less water and artificial lighting. The project has been initiated in association with 9Growers.

The Hydroponic farm on IIHM Delhi campus was inaugurated by Dr Suborno Bose, CEO of IIHM Hotel School, by switching on the lights and this special programme was attended by distinguished guests from the hospitality fraternity. They included Kush Kapoor, CEO, Roseate Hotels & Resorts, Parul Mahajan, Head of Advocacy, Government Relations, Industry Partnerships and International Relations at National Skill Development Corporation, Sheetal Singh, GM, Ambassador, Delhi, IHCL SeleQtions, Shuvendu Banerjee, GM, Crowne Plaza Today, Okhla, Vineet Sharma, Rooms Division Manager, Eros Hotel New Delhi, Chef Diwas Wadhera, Executive Chef, Eros Hotel New Delhi.

Dr Suborno Bose, Chairman, IIHM said, “Hydroponic farms are common in many western countries because it goes against conventional farming and it uses lesser water than normal farming and is ideal for places where there is dearth of water. This is a small step towards embracing sustainability in our lives. Sustainability is no longer a lip service or political slogan but a reality that people in India and around the world must realise. Sustainability is the only key to survival. IIHM’s Delhi’s Hydroponic farm is just the first step towards a larger goal of starting such farms across all IIHM campuses in India and overseas”.

Himanshu Aggarwal, Co-Founder and CEO, 9Growers, explained the idea and utility of a hydroponic farm. He said, “The idea of a hydroponic farm is to use minimum water and ample light to grow essential vegetables needed in the kitchens of hotels and restaurants. We are encouraging everyone in cities to learn this type of farming as it requires minimum space and water. Hydroponic farms help to reduce food waste and the system is designed in a way that we are plucking fresh vegetables in just the amount that we need.”

The Hydroponic Farm project has been initiated

Agro chems – Pesticides, Agro Universities, Agrotech, India

WBF would encourage opportunities for students and young researchers at the University to understand how the biocontrol industry works

The World BioProtection Forum (WBF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sharda University, under which both parties have committed to working together to help advance the biocontrol sector.

Biological solutions for the control of agricultural pests and diseases present a fast-growing segment of AgriTech, and they offer a safe and sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. The WBF strives to connect industry and academia within the bioprotection/biocontrol sector, with a view to nurturing scientific and technological innovations and maximising their commercial potential.

The MOU is consistent with the WBF’s belief in Innovation through Collaboration. The organisation is founded on the principle that collaboration between the biocontrol industry and academia in the AgriTech sector will connect different stakeholders who can work together to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of biocontrol products.

Sharda University is a world-renowned institution, based in Uttar Pradesh, India. Its School of Agricultural Sciences is dedicated to providing high quality education and training, and a focus on providing a multidisciplinary environment for collaboration and overall development enables its students to address current and future challenges to food and environment security.

The WBF and University’s shared interests in collaboration and advancing sustainable agriculture led them to enter into an engagement whereby WBF would encourage opportunities for students and young researchers at the University to understand how the biocontrol industry works, the different environments in industry and academia, and how collaboration between industry and academia can be unanimously beneficial.

The MOU was signed during a ceremony taking place at the recent World Bioprotection Summit-India (WBS-India), held on 1st December 2022. Co-organised by the WBF and Sharda University, the event itself marked the first collaboration of the two organisations, as it welcomed students, academics, industry experts and policy makers from across India and the rest of the world, to discuss challenges and opportunities in biocontrol.

Dr Minshad Ansari, Chairman of the WBF, said “It is an honour to formalise the relationship between the WBF and our colleagues at Sharda University with this signing. Academic institutions are the source of many great innovations, but the path to commercialising those ideas is often not clear. If we can encourage more young researchers to share their solutions for sustainable agriculture, and if we can connect those brilliant minds with the right people in industry to take them forward, the biocontrol sector will advance more rapidly, providing more of the sustainable solutions that we need, more quickly.”

WBF would encourage opportunities for students and

Agrotech, Company News, India, Inputs, People

Moharana will be responsible for building innovative agri-tech products that cater to the new-age farmer’s needs

Zuari FarmHub Ltd has announced the appointment of Balaya Moharana as its Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Moharana will be responsible for building innovative agri-tech products that cater to the new-age farmer’s needs. As a veteran technology leader, he will be leading the fastest-growing tech teams within the Adventz group, the parent company of Zuari FarmHub Ltd.

He has over 25 years of experience building world-class products and platforms, and leading technology teams across multiple sectors like telecom, finance, healthcare, and agriculture. He has worked in various leadership roles in the domestic and international markets and has spent close to two decades in the US, building teams from the ground up in renowned startups.

Prior to joining Zuari FarmHub, Moharana was the Head of Technology at DeHaat.  In his current profile, he will work closely with the MD & CEO, Madan Pandey, to strengthen the technology element of Zuari FarmHub. Moharana graduated in Computer Science and Engineering from NIT Durgapur (1995).

Moharana will be responsible for building innovative

Agro Universities, Agrotech, India, Live Stock, R&D

Multi-species facility which can be used for small scale slaughter of pigs, sheep and goat

ICAR – National Research Centre on Meat, Hyderabad develops Portable Meat Production and Retailing Facility – Multispecies (PMART-M). The facility was inaugurated by Dr BN Tripathi, Deputy Director General (AS), ICAR, New Delhi in presence of Dr SB Barbuddhe; Director, ICAR – National Research Centre on Meat, Hyderabad; Dr VK Gupta, Director, ICAR NRC on Pig, Guwahati; Mihir Sarkar, Director, ICAR – NRC on Yak and Dr Girish Patil, S, Director, ICAR – NRC on Mithun.

The facility is highly useful for small scale meat producers. It is a multispecies facility which can be used for small scale slaughter of pigs, sheep and goat. PMART-M has facilities for restraining the animal, stunning, hoisting, dressing above the ground, cutting, packaging and retailing. Further, solution for hygienic disposal of waste has also been provided. Entire waste can be put into the composters and biomethanation plant provided along with PMART-M. Biogas plant produced methane gas which can be used for singeing of the carcass and burning the gas stove.

The solid and liquid fertiliser provided may be used for soil enrichment. Guidelines of FSSAI and PCB have been factored-in while designing the facility. Patent application has been submitted for the invention.

Multi-species facility which can be used for