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AgroPolicy, India, R&D

Union Agriculture Minister chairs the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid Campaign-2023

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister chaired the National Conference on Agriculture for Zaid (Summer) Campaign-2023 in New Delhi. On this occasion, Tomar said that India is in a very good position in terms of food grains production and this has been achieved due to the farmer-friendly policies of the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, tireless hard work of farmers and novel research by agricultural scientists. But at the stage where India is today, we cannot sit on our laurels, production should be scaled and on the basis of minute planning, such meaningful results should come out so that in the Agriculture sector, besides meeting the continuous supply of our domestic needs, we can successfully fulfil the world supply demands.

Tomar said that everyone should consider adopting other available alternatives to chemical fertilizers, – nano urea and biofertilizer. About 2.5 lakh crore rupees are being incurred annually on fertilizer subsidies. Apart from saving this amount, healthy products can be done and individual health can be ensured. Due to awareness campaigns, the cultivation area under organic and natural farming is increasing. States should focus on the progress of small farmers through measures like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi launched by Prime Minister Modi. Krishi Vigyan Kendra and ATMA should work together at the district level to bring about rejuvenation, the State Governments should draw their annual plans for the Agriculture sector and consider how they can make good use of the Central Government schemes for the interest of the farmers. Agriculture and allied Departments/Ministries and States together make up Team India, which should further strengthen the Agriculture sector. He said that Summer Crops are important, which also helps in increasing the income of small farmers. Tomar said that the benefits of the schemes should reach the small farmers by making proper use of the Government funds. The government is also working on the Digital Agriculture Mission, in which cooperation of the States is necessary.

Union Agriculture Minister chairs the National Conference

Acquaculture, Animal Health, Company News, Sustainability, World

The FDA’s Centre for Veterinary Medicine has granted Calysta’s FeedKind protein GRAS status for use in the US in salmonid feeds at up to 18 per cent of the diet

Calysta, the world leader in fermented protein, has announced that its leading product, FeedKind, has achieved generally recognised as safe (GRAS) status with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA’s Centre for Veterinary Medicine has granted Calysta’s FeedKind protein GRAS status for use in the US in salmonid feeds at up to 18 per cent of the diet. In the US FeedKind will be listed under its common name, dried fermentation biomass.

The ruling means aquaculture companies in the US now have access to a nutritionally rich and non-GMO protein ingredient that both helps preserve biodiversity while addressing a growing market need for proteins for feed and food.

Allan LeBlanc, VP and Aquaculture Lead at Calysta said: “FeedKind is an exceptional alternative to other sources of protein, and is free from heavy metals, pesticides, and microplastics, ensuring animals are only fed the nutrients they need. Because it can be produced year-round using no arable land and without using any plant or animal ingredients, it truly is a protein without limits.”

Herman Sloot, Vice President of Commercial Development said: “US GRAS status was a key achievement for us, so we are very pleased with the official notice. This brings the US closer in line with existing approvals in other markets throughout the world, such as the EU, and enables us to expand the market opportunity for this revolutionary product. This is an important first step in our path toward US GRAS status for use in pet foods to complement our existing EU and UK approvals for pet food.

GRAS status comes after Calysta successfully switched on its first commercial-scale facility via Calysseo, its joint venture with animal feed giant Adisseo, providing 20,000 tonnes of protein for the Asian aquaculture market. Calysseo has already announced its intentions to expand its production footprint in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The FDA’s Centre for Veterinary Medicine has

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, India, Sugar industry

It is used as a pre, early post, and post-emergent herbicide to control weeds in sugarcane

Best Agrolife Limited a prominent Indian agrochemical company, announced that it had been granted a patent for its invention titled ‘Synergistic Herbicidal Composition of Triazine and Sulfonylurea Herbicides with Phenoxyacetic Herbicide’ for a term of 20 years. This new patent is a combination of Ametryn+2 and 4D+Halosulfuron methyl. It is used as a pre, early post, and post-emergent herbicide to control weeds in sugarcane.
 

“Sugarcane is of paramount importance to Indian agriculture and economy. India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar, as well as the second-largest exporter of sugar. Unfortunately, due to the lack of efficient and safer herbicides, the country experiences a total loss of around 25 million tonnes of cane yield annually (equivalent to 2.5 million tonnes of sugar) valued at approximately Rs 1500 crores. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for more sustainable herbicides to control even the toughest weeds at all stages,” explained Vimal Alawadhi, Managing Director, Best Agrolife Ltd.
 

“Conventional herbicides could control weeds at certain growth stages by targeting only the leaf part of weeds and not the root. Furthermore, issues such as residue, volatility, and quick regrowth of weeds have been long-standing problems for sugarcane growers. With this new patent, we will be able to provide sugarcane growers with a more effective, efficient, and sustainable solution for all the aforementioned weed-related problems,” he added.
 

Halosulfuron-methyl, a sulfonylurea herbicide, can be absorbed by leaves and transferred to the underground parts of the plant, allowing it to kill both the overground leaves and the underground roots. In contrast, Ametryn is a triazine selective systemic herbicide for controlling annual grass weeds like crabgrass and green bristle grass and part of broad-leaf weeds in sugarcane fields. The halosulfuron-methyl and Ametryn mixture can kill grass weeds, broad-leaf weeds, and other stubborn weeds in pre, early, post, and post-emergent stages, resulting in improved sugarcane yield with high sugar content.

It is used as a pre, early

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, Environment, India, People, Sustainability

The main objectives of Sagar Parikrama are to disseminate information on various fisheries-related schemes and programs being implemented by the government

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, starts the Sagar Parikrama Phase-III from Hazira Port, Gujarat, and proceeds towards the coastal line of Maharashtra at Satpati, Vasai, Versova, and Parikrama will end at Sasson Dock, Mumbai.

The main objectives of ‘Sagar Parikrama’ are to facilitate interaction with fishermen, coastal communities and stakeholders so as to disseminate information on various fisheries-related schemes and programs being implemented by the Government; demonstrate solidarity with all fisher folk, fish farmers and concerned stakeholder as a spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, to promote responsible fisheries with focus on the sustainable balance between the utilisation of marine fisheries resources for food security of nation and livelihoods of coastal fisher communities and protection of marine ecosystems.

The journey of Sagar Parikrama focuses on the sustainable balance between the utilisation of marine fisheries resources for the food security of the nation and livelihoods of coastal fisher communities and the protection of marine ecosystems, to bridge the gaps of fisher communities, and their expectations, development of fishing villages, upgradation and creation of infrastructure such as fishing harbours & landing centres to ensure sustainable and responsible development through an ecosystem approach.

The Sagar Parikrama program is celebrated in all coastal States/UTs through a pre-decided sea route down right from Gujarat, Diu, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar, and Lakshadweep Islands to have interaction program with fishermen, fisher communities and stakeholders in these locations to know the problems of Coastal Fisher folk. A holistic approach has been adopted to improve the quality of life and economic well-being of fishers and fishermen in rural areas and create more livelihood opportunities.

The main objectives of Sagar Parikrama are

Biofuel industry, Company News, Finance, India, Sustainable Energy

Profit Before Tax stood at Rs. 85.90 crore in Q3 FY23 compared to Rs. 50.25 crore in Q3 FY22.

Pune, based Praj Industries (Praj) announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2022

Performance Review for Q3 FY23 – Consolidated:

• Income from operations stood at Rs. 909.97 crore (Q2 FY23: Rs 876.58 crore, Q3 FY22: Rs. 585.64 crore)

• PBT is at Rs. 85.90 crore for the period (Q2 FY23: Rs 65.78 crore, Q3 FY22: Rs. 50.25 crore)

• PAT is at Rs. 62.31 crore (Q2 FY23: Rs. 48.13 crore, Q3 FY22: Rs. 37.05 crore)

• Order intake during the quarter Rs. 944 crores (Q2 FY23: Rs. 981 crore, Q3 FY22: Rs. 956 crore)

Performance Review for 9M FY23 – Consolidated:

• Income from operations stood at Rs. 2,516.42 crore (9M FY22: Rs. 1,504.31 crore)

• PBT is at Rs. 205.91 crore for the period (9M FY22: Rs. 126.83 crore)

• PAT is at Rs. 151.70 crore (9M FY22: Rs. 92.60 crore)

• The consolidated order backlog as on December 31, 2022 stood at Rs. 3380 crore which comprises of 87.5 per cent domestic orders and 12.5 per cent international orders.

Commenting on the Company’s performance for Q3 & 9M FY2023, Shishir Joshipura, CEO & MD, Praj Industries said, “We delivered consistent performance in Q3 FY23 by leveraging our strong execution capabilities with unrelenting customer focus. Energy transition and climate action is emerging as a strong development agenda globally. To address business opportunities arising out of this, we are investing in a new manufacturing facility to be housed in a new subsidiary. We remain confident of building on this momentum.”

Profit Before Tax stood at Rs. 85.90

Agrotech, Company News, Finance, India

The fund inflow will be utilised towards committed debt reduction target of $500 Mn by the end of March 23.

UPL Ltd. announced the completion of investment of Rs 1,580 Crore ($200 Mn) by ADIA, TPG and Brookfield for 9.09 per cent stake in UPL Sustainable Agri Solutions Limited (UPL SAS).

The fund inflow will be utilised towards committed debt reduction target of $500 Mn by the end of March’23. UPL SAS will be India’s largest ‘Integrated Agtech Platform’ and will include the India crop protection business, SWAL, Adarsh Farm Services and the Nurture digital platform.

UPL Ltd. is a global provider of sustainable agriculture products & solutions, with annual revenue exceeding US $6 billion. Through OpenAg, UPL is focused on facilitating progress for the entire agricultural value chain. We are building a network that redefines the way an entire industry thinks and works – open to fresh ideas, innovative ways, and new answers as we strive towards our mission to make every single food product more sustainable.

The fund inflow will be utilised towards

Company News, Dairy, Environment, India, Live Stock, Sustainable Energy

This collaborative effort will promote biogas plants and create a value chain that will improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers

NDDB Mrida, a wholly owned subsidiary company of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed an agreement with Sistema.bio, India’s leading biogas company, to work with smallholder dairy farmers, provide sustainable solutions in waste-to-energy, and open avenues of generating additional income for farmers. Meenesh Shah, Chairman, NDDB & NDDB Mrida and Piyush Sohani, MD, Sistema.bio India graced the occasion. 

The primary objective of this partnership is to improve the socioeconomic stature of dairy farmers, particularly smallholder women dairy farmers, through the usage of biogas plants. Sistema bio through carbon financing will provide affordable modern flexi biogas plants to dairy farmers in NDDB’s rural network. 
The plan is to reach out to more than 25,000 farmers with biogas plants this year, with a vision to serve 3,00,000 dairy farms in the coming 2-3 years. NDDB Mrida will also promote the usage of bio-slurry produced directly or as an organic fertilizer through the sale of slurry-based products for agriculture in an enterprise mode. 

NDDB Mrida and Sistema bio will jointly work with dairy cooperatives, dairy federations, milk producer organisations and other farmer-centric institutions to install modern flexi biogas plants for small and medium dairy farmers of India and disseminate knowledge about the same and about manure management and bio-slurry applications as well.
This collaborative effort will promote biogas plants and create a value chain that will improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers and at the same time contribute towards the Swachh Bharat Mission and encourage the generation and use of green energy. NDDB has first-hand experience working with Sistema Bio while developing the Zakariyapura Manure Management Model, which is now part of the Gobardhan Scheme in Gujarat. 
This partnership perfectly synergises the capabilities and focus of both organisations. This initiative will successfully help promote organic manure leading to a reduction in the usage of chemical fertilizers as well as endorse clean cooking energy at the rural household level. At present, 40,000 farmers use biodigesters developed by Sistema bio to create value from waste.

This collaborative effort will promote biogas plants

Agro Universities, AgroPolicy, Climate, Environment, Foodgrains, India, Nature, People, R&D, Schemes - Banks, Sustainability

IRRI’s technical assistance to the project includes the introduction of climate-smart technologies such as MTR.

World Bank Regional Integration and Engagement in the South Asia Region (SAR) Director Cecile Fruman visited Assam to get a firsthand understanding and appreciation of IRRI’s work on the World Bank-funded Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART).

APART aims to add value and improve the resilience of selected agriculture value chains and is focused on smallholder farmers and agri-entrepreneurs from targeted districts in the state. IRRI’s technical assistance to the project includes the introduction of climate-smart technologies such as MTR.

Fruman was pleased to see the community coming together to form a Farmer Producer Company (FPC) and benefiting from the project through stronger market linkages and the introduction of new stress-tolerant rice varieties and farm-based mechanisation technologies. She met and visited the field of Usha Nath, an exemplary farmer beneficiary under IRRI-APART. Nath contributes extensively to the family income by running her own vermicompost unit and establishing different livestock enterprises. She has adopted a fully mechanised way of farming in her field and advocates for others in her community to follow suit. Nath demonstrated the operation of a mechanical transplanter in her field and shared its benefits with Fruman and the rest of the team.

Fruman stressed the importance of community-driven development and the involvement of women farmers as key drivers of true progress.

IRRI’s technical assistance to the project includes

Agrotech, India, Start ups

The session was aimed at benefitting both the students and the stakeholders in agriculture research alike.

India’s leading drone manufacturer and service provider Marut Drones was invited to participate in a day’s workshop on Stewardship and Innovative Technologies in Crop Protection at Regional Agricultural Research Station (PJTSAU), Warangal. The workshop came as a joint initiative by CropLife India and Foundation for Agriculture Sustainability and Transformation (FAST).  Prem Kumar Vislawath from Marut Drones conducted a session on ‘Artificial Intelligence and Drone Technologies’ and gave a perspective on the current drone technology landscape in the country and the way forward. The session was aimed at benefitting both the students and the stakeholders in agriculture research alike.

The event was attended by students, researchers, academicians, and agriculturists. The Chief Guest Usha Dayal, District Agriculture Officer, Warangal, delivered an address on developing the country as a pioneer in innovative technologies especially in agriculture.

The Founder of Marut Drones Prem Kumar Vislawath said, “It is an opportune moment for us to be here at the workshop as the students will get some hands-on experience which is very important in giving them the right exposure of the drone industry in India and understand the right skills they need to acquire in this direction.”

Recently Marut Drones was also a prominent was part of the Youth20 (Y20) Inception Meeting as an esteemed panelist at the three-day event. Hosted by the Government of India Y20 at IITG between 6-8 February it aimed to provide the youth a platform to raise their concerns on issues faced in the modern world, contribute vision and ideas towards the policy-making process of the G20 leaders through policy recommendations, and lay the groundwork for programmes of Y20 during India’s G20 Presidency.

The session was aimed at benefitting both

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Company News, India, People, R&D, Sustainability

KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities for the scaled deployment of the AI-powered early pest warning and advisory solution for cotton and other crops developed by Wadhwani AI. 

The Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence announces that Wadhwani AI has entered into a formal partnership with the Karnataka State Department of Agriculture (KSDA). This is an important partnership and will go a long way towards realising our common objective of improving the welfare of farmers across the state of Karnataka. Through this partnership, the KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities for the scaled deployment of the AI-powered early pest warning and advisory solution for cotton and other crops developed by Wadhwani AI. 
Additionally, Wadhwani AI will work towards ensuring the AI-readiness of the KSDA and conduct capacity-building initiatives for ministry personnel on the responsible use of AI and its application to boost agriculture systems in the state.
“We look forward to collaborating with Wadhwani AI and leveraging their expertise in developing cutting-edge AI-powered solutions to enhance agriculture systems in Karnataka and improve the income of farmers. We intend to unlock the value of the agriculture pest and disease data at our disposal and utilise it to create novel solutions in crops like cotton, maize, chilli, and other crops in Karnataka, with the help of emerging AI-based technologies,” said, B. C. Patil, Minister for Agriculture, Government of Karnataka. 

“Small farmers in India depend on government programs at every step of the crop cycle. Timely, accurate, and hyperlocal AI-based early-pest warning and advisory can augment human capabilities to overcome systemic challenges in these large-scale programs. I would like to extend my thanks to Ravi Trivedi from Nudge’s Indian Administrative Fellowship, who has facilitated the deployment of our solution in the Dharwad district and provided guidance and support towards our partnership with the KSDA and the signing of this MoU,” J. P. Tripathi, Associate Director – Agriculture, Wadhwani AI.
“We are committed to using AI to meaningfully impact the lives of low-income populations, in India and other developing countries. Ensuring that our AI solutions reach the communities most affected by the problems we are trying to address and can create a meaningful impact at scale is only possible by working closely with the government, said Shekar Sivasubramanian, Chief Executive Officer, Wadhwani AI.

KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities

Agrotech, Company News, India, Start ups

As per MoU, TSAW Drones will provide DE Drone with access to its cutting-edge drone technology, as well as its extensive expertise and experience in the field.

Bengaluru based Drone tech startup TSAW has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DE Drone World Solutions at Asia’s biggest air show Aero India 2023 during the Manthan Event. The MOU signifies the beginning of a new partnership between TSAW Drones and DE Drone World Solutions and outlines their commitment to working together to develop and promote innovative drone solutions for a range of industries.

Under the terms of the agreement, TSAW Drones will provide DE Drone World Solutions with access to its cutting-edge drone technology, as well as its extensive expertise and experience in the field. DE Drone World Solutions, on the other hand, will contribute their in-depth knowledge of the industry, along with their established network of clients and partners, to help TSAW expand its market reach and improve overall capabilities.

Kishan Tiwari, Founder & CEO, TSAW Drones said “We have built an impressive rapport with the team DE Drone at Aero India and are greatly impressed with their technology acumen and the robust client relationships that they’ve built. We are convinced that as we work together under the same framework, we will continue to discover great synergies in our respective platforms and bring novel breakthroughs to market for our potential consumers. Moreover, the MOU exemplifies our willingness to work for an Atmanirbhar Bharat as well as to promote best-in-class drones for surveillance, agriculture, logistics, and security.”

“Drone utilities are one of the hottest booming technology segments, with the potential to add tremendous value to industries such as security, agriculture, manufacturing, retail, and logistics. The collaboration with TSAW Drones comes at the right time as we are gearing up to combine our extensive industry knowledge to advance drone-based solutions in India. I personally have a high regard for the business that they have set up and I am eager to develop the best possible solution with them for our corporate clients,” said Satish Kumar, Managing Director, DE Drone World Solutions Pvt Ltd

As per MoU, TSAW Drones will provide

AgroPolicy, Allied Industry, India, North America, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Trade

The main areas of cooperation envisaged are Agricultural policies for the development of modern agriculture, Organic agriculture to facilitate the bilateral trade of organic products

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of India and the Government of Chile for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and Allied sectors.

The MoU provides for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.  The main areas of cooperation envisaged are Agricultural policies for the development of modern agriculture, Organic agriculture to facilitate the bilateral trade of organic products, as well as promote the exchange of policies aimed to develop organic production in both countries, Science and innovation to explore partnerships to promote innovation in the agricultural sector among Indian Institutes and Chilean institutes as well as collaborate to confront common challenges. 

Under the MoU, a Chile-India Agricultural Working Group will be constituted which will be responsible for the supervision, review and assessment of the implementation of this MoU as well as for establishing frequent communication and coordination.

The meetings of the Agricultural Working Group will be held once a year alternatively in Chile and India.  The MoU shall enter into force upon its signature and shall remain in force for a period of five years from the date of execution after which it shall be automatically renewed for a further period of 5 years.

The main areas of cooperation envisaged are

Agrotech, Company News, India, Machinery - Pre-harvesting

SKF solutions help agricultural customers achieve high reliability at low ownership and operating costs

SKF India, leading technology and solutions provider of bearings and services, will showcase state-of-the-art products and solutions for the agricultural sector at the 11th edition of Krishi Darshan Expo, scheduled between 18th and 20th February 2023 at the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture Cooperation, NRFMTTI in Hisar, Haryana.

Sujeeth Pai, Director of Industrial Market, SKF India said, “We partner with India’s leading agricultural equipment manufacturers at every stage of the crop cycle to meet the demand for machine longevity and productivity under challenging operations conditions. We are excited to participate in Krishi Darshan Expo 2023 and showcase our products and solutions for the sector. By working closely with SKF’s agricultural sector experts early in the product planning and design process, OEMs can optimise components, systems, and sub-systems. Our objective is to help the Indian agricultural sector drive machine speed and efficiency, reduce downtime, and automate manual processes, thereby making agriculture more efficient, competitive, and sustainable.”

SKF solutions help agricultural customers achieve high

Foodgrains, R&D, Start ups, Sustainability, World

A selection of enterprises that are helping transform agrifood systems are to receive tailor-made help

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the SEED partnership officially launched the SDG Agrifood Accelerator Programme, an instrument designed to help agrifood system start-ups develop their businesses while contributing to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alternative approaches and innovative solutions are needed to transform global agrifood systems in the face of challenges such as rapid population growth, economic downturns, extreme climates and changing consumption patterns.

During a virtual event held at FAO’s headquarters in Rome, 12 innovators from around the world used a workshop to showcase how they are contributing to the SDGs while supporting such a transformation in their local context.

The small- and medium-sized enterprises were selected among the hundreds that comprise the portfolio of the adelphi-hosted SEED partnership. They are to be supported by the programme in three areas: financial readiness, innovation potential, and market reach. The kind of help they will receive includes assistance in the development of business, marketing or investment plans, as well as advice on how to approach potential financiers or how to go digital.

“Together with SEED we want to explore how the innovators involved can make a difference in the transformation of agrifood systems locally as we work towards achieving the SDGs globally,” said Stefanos Fotiou, Director of FAO’s Office of Sustainable Development Goals. “Leveraging the network of innovators from SEED and nurturing local agrifood solutions through a tailored innovation support package opens new ways for FAO to have an on-the-ground impact.”

A selection of enterprises that are helping