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Agrotech, Company News, R&D, Sustainability, Water, World

GeoDrops is the first consumer product on the market capable of measuring detailed soil conditions

Homedigy Inc., a Silicon Valley high-tech consumer product and services company, introduced GeoDrops, the next-generation smart irrigation management system.  GeoDrops leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and class-leading sensor arrays to drive an extremely effective watering schedule, delivering a prettier garden while simultaneously saving up to 70 per cent of outdoor irrigation water.

GeoDrops is the first consumer product on the market capable of measuring detailed soil conditions, such as evapotranspiration rate and water content at different soil depths, allowing it to ensure every water drop is used as efficiently as possible by your plants’ roots.  It works for all types of landscaping and watering methods, including manual garden hoses, traditional irrigation controllers, and smart irrigation controllers.

The GeoDrops system is made up of one or more Droplets, each a miniature Wi-Fi-connected computer with a powerful integrated AI sensor processor.  The GeoDrops Droplet is as small as a sprinkler head, is fast to install, and is tough against outdoor use.  The larger GeoDrops system implements a distributed AI computer architecture that processes both Droplet data and online weather information and can be accessed anywhere via the GeoDrops smartphone App.  GeoDrops is also compatible with IFTTT, allowing compatible smart irrigation controllers to be directly driven by the GeoDrops system.

“GeoDrops sensor is recording the different moisture levels in the raised bed system compared to the ground [bed] system.  The system can detect wood chips in the soil as well,” said Fiona, Charles Street Gardens administrator, long-time gardener, and one of the few dozen GeoDrops early prototype users in Silicon Valley.  “We’re excited to learn how we can better use the system to manage our irrigation system in spring and summer.”

GeoDrops is the first consumer product on

Company News, Finance, Supply Chain, Sustainability, World

The funds raised will enable the group to continue to strengthen its global sales team and build out its supply chain

Ocean Harvest Technology, producers of animal feed additives from seaweed blends, has listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM), raising £6 million in the process.

The company delivered product revenue of €2.5 million in 2022, a 67 per cent increase on the prior year, and it continues to see strong demand for its products.

Mark Williams, CEO, of Ocean Harvest Technology, added said, “Listing is an important milestone for Ocean Harvest Technology and will assist the rapid growth of the group. The funds raised will enable the group to continue to strengthen its global sales team and build out its supply chain. We will also continue to invest in R&D to innovate and enhance our existing customer offering in the fast-growing markets the group operates in.”

Ocean Harvest Technology was founded in 2005 on the belief that an investment in research and development would result in the ability to create seaweed ingredients that would deliver several specific benefits across multiple animal species, based on the polysaccharides and other bioactive ingredients present in particular species of seaweeds.

Since its establishment, the group has been building a portfolio of intellectual property and has had commercial success in selling its products as ingredients to improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of the animal feed chain, by delivering improvements in animal gut health.

It has also focused on the growth of its global seaweed supply chain. Harvested seaweeds are transported to the group’s facility in Vietnam where they are processed into OceanFeed feed ingredients for multiple species of animals. The directors estimate that the group has spent over €20 million to date in R&D and commercialising its products.

The funds raised will enable the group

Company News, India, People, Supply Chain, Warehousing

He will be responsible for driving and overseeing the development and execution of NBHC’s corporate strategy, business development, systems and policies across the company.

National Bulk Handling Corporation (NBHC), a leading Agritech company offering top-notch integrated services in post-harvest agri-ecosystem, announced the appointment of Vinod Kumar as the new Managing Director & CEO.  He takes over the reins of the company from Ramesh Doraiswami, who is leaving the company to pursue his personal and professional interests. 

As the Managing Director & CEO, Vinod will be responsible for driving and overseeing the development and execution of NBHC’s corporate strategy, business development, systems and policies across the company, stakeholder management, delivery excellence, nurturing talent, and leadership development.

Vinod is a young talented leader and holds rich experience in finance, logistics, and related industries. He joined NBHC as the Chief Financial Officer in 2019 and has been instrumental in ensuring financial discipline within the business.  Last year, he was promoted to Business Head & SVP to lead the Micro Agri Commodities Lending & Business Correspondent Services, where he responsibly maintained key banking relationships.  In his career spanning over 17 years, he has worked majorly in the logistics and supply chain industry.

Commenting on his appointment as the new Managing Director & CEO of NBHC, Vinod Kumar said, “I am grateful to the Board for this opportunity and it is a privilege for me to strategically steer the company’s growth path, drive innovation & growth in the digital era, and continue to define new benchmarks for our customers. Thanks to the impetus provided by the Board, I am looking forward to working closely with the executive leadership and the incredibly talented employees of NBHC.”

Vinod’s appointment demonstrates NBHC’s commitment and efforts to develop & enhance human capital and capabilities by providing job enrichment and growth opportunities within the company. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ramesh Doraiswami for his invaluable contribution to NBHC during his tenure and wish him the best in his future endeavors.

He will be responsible for driving and

Agrotech, Company News, India, IT, Start ups

User-friendly mobile apps to provide farmers with insights on their crop health including a disease early warning system.

PepsiCo India, through its brand “Lay’s”, announced a crop & plot-level predictive intelligence model to help farmers maximize potato yields coupled with quality via functional dashboards on user-friendly mobile apps. Launched in collaboration with Cropin, a leading global agri-tech company known for creating the first industry cloud for agriculture, this initiative is a part of PepsiCo’s ‘Precision Agriculture’ model for India and is being implemented as a pilot project in demo farms at Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Most farmers in India own less than one hectare of farmland and face constant challenges due to lack of means to evaluate the optimum consumption of agri-inputs like water, fertilizers, and pesticides as well as actionable weather data. For example, potato yield losses caused through the blight crop disease can go up to 80 per cent if not forecasted early. Significant yield loss caused due to ground frost is another serious issue for potato farmers especially in the northern parts of the country.

The new initiative under the PepsiCo-owned brand “Lays” has the potential to address these challenges by using satellite imagery correlated with remote sensing data to provide insights. The system can generate a forecast up to 10 days in advance which can assist farmers in identifying different crop stages, and close monitoring of crop health, including a disease warning system that relies on weather forecasts and historical data.

Post harvest potatoes

In India, PepsiCo works directly and indirectly with over 27,000 farmers across 14 states and 100% of the potatoes for its “Lay’s” brand are sourced from farmers within the country. In its pilot stage, the necessary training and handholding to the farmers is being provided through field agronomists who are helping them understand the dashboard and leverage the insights. Currently, the model covers 62 farms as a trial: 51 in Gujarat and 11 in Madhya Pradesh.

Elaborating on the benefits of the model, Anukool Joshi, Director – Agro at PepsiCo India, said, “Being an Agri company at heart, we aim to bring in sustainable, resilient, and inclusive solutions that would address the diverse issues of farmers and help them improve their livelihoods. Through our partnership with Cropin on this new initiative, our goal is to eventually roll-out this solution to PepsiCo farmers across India and empower them with real-time tracking of crop health to maximize yield and quality.”

Commenting on the partnership, Krishna Kumar, Co-Founder & CEO, Cropin, said, “PepsiCo through its brand Lay’s has been leading the way to enable agriculture modernization and its impact at the grassroots level. While their focus on digital transformation directly aids business growth, it also accelerates small-holder farmer empowerment, drives sustainability, and sets new standards in global farming. Using Cropin’s proven plot-level predictive intelligence solution, PepsiCo is mitigating business risks and forecast crop yield and health, water stress, pest and disease early warning signals for efficient business management.”

The dashboards and related information would be accessed by the farmers through easy-to-use smartphone-based apps, namely “Cropin Grow” for farm data management and “Plot Risk” for crop intelligence. The apps can support multiple languages, and PepsiCo plans to offer the solutions in 14 regional languages in alignment with its commitment towards inclusivity in the supply chain. Built using the world’s largest crop knowledge graph, Cropin’s predictive and plot intelligence models are fine-tuned for specific crop varieties, conditions, and locations.

User-friendly mobile apps to provide farmers with

Agrotech, Company News, India, People, Sustainability

The partnership aims to train 25,500 farmers through the ProTerra Foundation

ADM inked a three-year partnership with Coromandel International Limited (Coromandel), India’s pioneering agricultural solutions provider, through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that provides responsible and sustainable agriculture solutions to soybean farmers in India. The partnership aims to train 25,500 farmers through the ProTerra Foundation, a certification program that assures non-GMO quality and sustainable agriculture production.

The three-year partnership is a pilot program to determine if sustainable agriculture practices result in improved soil quality. If the results are favourable, the two companies will extend training to farmers in Karnataka and potentially tap into their network of farmers to foster the integration of responsible practices across the value chain and the farming ecosystem.

Commenting on the partnership, Amrendra Mishra, MD Oilseeds Country Manager at ADM India, said, “This partnership seeks to equip local farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills needed in integrated nutrient management to conduct responsible agricultural practices that meet the sustainability standards of agricultural production. With our network of farmers and Coromandel’s farming expertise, we hope to make a positive impact that addresses both the ongoing environmental and food security challenges we face today.”

ADM will help to organise the training, collect soil samples for testing, map soil nutrient indices and conduct field demonstrations and visits to the selected farm plots. Training will be conducted by field representatives of ADM and Coromandel to ensure widespread understanding and knowledge among farmers. The first phase of training commenced and took place in the Latur, Osmanabad and Beed districts of Maharashtra, where ADM has a farmer procurement network.

Through regular training focused on the use of fertilisers and technologies that can drive productivity gains, farmers can put their resources to better use, saving time, money and effort over the long term. Jitendra Kolpe, Associate Vice President & Divisional Nutrition Head – West Division, Coromandel International Limited, Pune, added, “This MoU will add value to soy farmers’ agricultural cycle, where Coromandel’s role is to support them through the technicalities of farming to ensure that their crops receive the right nutrition to reduce soil degradation. The output is higher yields and quality which ensures remunerative prices to farmers with a consistent volume of procured quality crops.”

The partnership aims to train 25,500 farmers

Agro Universities, Agrotech, R&D

The technology will provide an additional source of income to farmers as paddy waste can be used to produce energy devices.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) researchers plan to develop an eco-friendly technology to upcycle paddy waste to manufacture raw materials for industrial applications. The technology will provide an additional source of income to farmers as paddy waste can be used to produce energy devices that can be used by the industry. This approach can make a key contribution to reducing stubble burning and burning of other farm waste in North India.

The Researchers are fostering a new ‘Farm-Energy Synergy’ through their work with organic waste, in-particular kitchen waste, to develop usable activated carbon, a key component in making supercapacitors. Supercapacitors, made from activated carbon produced from paddy waste, have many benefits to consumers across the electronics, energy, and agricultural sectors and can help develop self-reliance in the supercapacitors field. Self-reliance concerning supercapacitors and supercapacitor-based energy storage technology will enhance IP Generation and employment within the country.

IIT Madras Researchers have already demonstrated the conversion of bio-waste into biomass (such as vegetable waste) to activated carbon and have used it to make supercapacitor electrode materials. The same technology can be adapted to render paddy waste valid for activated carbon production. The future plan is to use the approach being followed to make activated carbon and explore scales of production.

Elaborating how the industry can help in such projects with major societal benefits, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras, said, “Agriculture still continues to be at the heart of India’s economy. This breakthrough technology that converts biomass such as paddy waste into activated carbon, will have a significant bearing on our health, environment and the economy.”

This Project is being headed by Dr Tiju Thomas, Associate Professor, Department of Metallurgical and Materials, IIT Madras. The Institute is looking for CSR Partners to help scale up the project and benefit the country at large.

Explaining the key benefits of this technology, Dr Tiju Thomas, Associate Professor, Department of Metallurgical and Materials, IIT Madras, said, “The solution that we are identifying is a well-defined process. It will allow for conversion of paddy waste of the country to commercial standard carbon material and the use of the activated carbon to fabricate supercapacitors that comply with the  market standard (e.g., ~4 Wh kg-1 for supercapacitors with <5 V range). The material will be implemented in the form of a suitable supercapacitor-based hybrid energy storage device.”

Dr Tiju Thomas added, “Rendering the supercapacitors into a modular attachment will be helpful for energy solutions across the globe. Importantly, we would like to emphasize that this would be a unique, novel, and scalable farm-to-energy interface which would benefit farmers and the industrial segment at the same time. It has the potential to offer scalable benefits across the country.”

The technology will provide an additional source

Company News, Foodgrains, People, Sustainability, World

Partnership plans to come to life through several activations focusing on food security and support for smallholder farmers across the globe

International advocacy organisation Global Citizen and the PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, announced a year-long partnership and campaign focused on alleviating world hunger and promoting economic empowerment by tapping the enormous potential of rural, small-scale farming communities. The initiative seeks to provide a platform for smallholder farmers to work alongside world leaders and advocate for delivering on commitments targeting the nexus of the food and climate crises. 

The multi-faceted partnership plans to come to life through some activations focusing on food security and support for smallholder farmers across the globe, highlighting the importance in six countries: Egypt, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, Thailand and Turkey:

The campaign will urge the private sector and philanthropists to unlock new commitments that match the scale and ambition of PepsiCo’s global Food for Good platform and support the livelihoods of farming communities in the developing world. Together, the two organisations will reaffirm PepsiCo’s $100 million commitment to the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge and call on the broader participation of its private sector peers and business leaders. As a global food and beverage company, regenerative agriculture is crucial to PepsiCo’s business with the company sourcing 25 crops from more than 7 million acres in 60 countries.

C.D. Glin, President of the PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Philanthropy for PepsiCo said, “Our partnership with Global Citizen builds on the history of collaboration between PepsiCo Foundation and local partners through programs including ‘She Feeds the World’ and ‘Agrovita’ to advance food security through gender-conscious community engagement. We’re focused on strengthening the role of small-scale women producers through sustainable and regenerative agriculture training and economic support and by improving linkages, including within the PepsiCo supply chain, to ensure sustainable and stable incomes for the farmer community. These efforts support our PepsiCo Positive commitment to Positive Agriculture and contribute to our goal to improve the livelihoods of more than 250,000 people in our agricultural supply chain and support 5 million female farmers and members of their communities by 2025.” 

Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer of Global Citizen said, “We’re happy to work with the PepsiCo Foundation to help rural farmers and their communities by sharing their stories through Global Citizen’s advocacy campaigns. These farmers, especially women, are very important for local food systems, but they often face poverty and vulnerability during crises.” 

Partnership plans to come to life through

Agrotech, Company News, Latin America, North America, Sustainability, Sustainable Energy

Darling Ingredients has acquired five facilities in South America and one in the United States, with the capacity to produce 46,000 metric tons of gelatin and collagen

Darling Ingredients, the world’s leading company turning food waste into sustainable products and producer of renewable energy, completed the acquisition of Gelnex, a leading global producer of gelatin and collagen products.

The company first announced the acquisition in October 2022 for a purchase price of approximately $1.2 billion in cash, plus or minus closing adjustments and costs. As part of the transaction, Darling Ingredients has acquired five facilities in South America and one in the United States, with the capacity to produce 46,000 metric tons of gelatin and collagen products annually. Darling Ingredients estimates that Gelnex will contribute approximately $75 million in EBITDA toward Darling’s earnings in 2023, net of inventory and integration costs.

“This acquisition gives Darling immediate capacity to serve the growing needs of its collagen customers while continuing to serve the growing gelatin market,” said Randall C. Stuewe, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Gelnex is a well-run business and is expected to be immediately accretive.”

With 17 state-of-the-art facilities on four continents around the world, Darling Ingredients’ health brand Rousselot is a leading manufacturer and worldwide supplier of hundreds of gelatin and collagen products made from bovine, porcine and fish sources.

“Collagen is the most abundant protein naturally found in the body, and it plays an increasing role in the health and nutrition market by consumers seeking benefits to their hair, nails, skin, joints, bones and muscles,” Stuewe said. “Our versatile and high-quality collagen products can be used in a broad range of applications, including powder blends, capsules, tablets, nutritional bars, drinks, dairy, confectionery and more.”

Darling Ingredients has acquired five facilities in South

Company News, Dairy, India

The dairy industry has been struggling with cost inflation, which is largely due to intrinsic challenges that has led to an adverse impact on milk production.

Hyderabad based Sid’s Farm, a premium D2C dairy brand based in Telangana, announced a slight increase in the retail price of the A2 Buffalo Milk and A2 Double Toned Buffalo Milk. The new prices, applicable per 500 ml pouches, are Rs 55 for the A2 Buffalo milk variant and Rs 44 for the A2 Double Toned Buffalo Milk one. The company has decided to not alter the cost of the cow & skim milk variants.

The A2 Buffalo milk undergoes a rigorous quality assurance process after being sourced from raw buffalo milk. Despite a considerable increase in the factor cost of procuring raw buffalo milk in the last six months, sufficient care has been taken by Sid’s Farm to limit the price rise to as less as possible. However, the seasonal drop in milk output by around 50 per cent from April to September further limits milk supply and thereby increases the cost of production through various procurement overheads. The dairy industry has been struggling with cost inflation, which is largely due to intrinsic challenges such as changing weather patterns and unforeseen issues like Lumpy Skin Disease in cows that impacted cattle over the last year. This has led to an adverse impact on milk production. Sid’s Farm takes a diligent customer-centric approach to ensure zero tolerance for antibiotics in their milk, a safeguard which often results in a relatively higher rejection rate of raw milk.

Dr Kishore Indukuri, the founder of Sid’s Farm, emphasized the importance of customer trust and satisfaction, promising to always deliver honest and high-quality milk and dairy products. Despite the rising costs, Sid’s Farm had delayed increasing their prices for as long as possible. However, due to no relief, a slight price increase for their A2 Buffalo Milk was necessary.

The dairy industry has been struggling with

Finance, India, Machinery - Pre-harvesting

 The company has clocked highest ever annual sale in FY’23 crossing 4 lakh units (Domestic + Exports)

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.’s Farm Equipment Sector (FES), part of the Mahindra Group, announced its tractor sales numbers for March 2023.Domestic sales in March 2023 were at 33,622 units, as against 28,112 units during March 2022.Total tractor sales (Domestic + Exports) during March 2023 were at 35,014 units, as against 29,763 units for the same period last year. Exports for the month stood at 1,392 units. The company clocked its highest ever annual sale of 4,07,545 Units (Domestic + Exports) in FY’23.

Commenting on the performance, Hemant Sikka, President – Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “We have sold 33,622 tractors in the domestic market during March 2023, a growth of 20 per cent over last year. Increase in crop output, mandi prices staying firm, Government support for increase in MSP for major crops and increase in wages under MGNREGA scheme will help improve the financial security of rural households and boost tractor demand in the coming months. In the exports market, we have sold 1,392 tractors.”

 The company has clocked highest ever annual

Agrotech, Company News, Machinery – Post-harvesting, Sugar industry

  The brand will train 300 operators under this program to benefit farmers with an understanding to get optimal outcome for sugarcane farming

Case IH, a brand of CNH Industrial and a global leader in agriculture equipment has announces a new CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative the “Unnat Kaushal-Sugarcane Harvester Operator Training.” The program has been introduced in collaboration with Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) in Baramati, Maharashtra for sugarcane harvester operators from all over India. The project aims to encourage sustainable sugarcane farming by training sugarcane farmers on the optimal use of harvesting equipment to improve overall efficiency and maximize machine uptime.

The initial batch had 150 farmers from villages of Baramati, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli District. The five-day training program is set to educate 300 operators between 18 and 35 years of age with minimum education qualification. The program is geared towards providing them with employability skills and bridging the gap for skilled work force in the industry.

Sandeep Gupta, Agriculture India Sales and Development Leader, CNH Industrial said, “At CNH Industrial, we are committed in making a positive impact in the agricultural industry. With the Unnat Kaushal program, we aim to equip the sugarcane harvester operators with the necessary skills and knowledge. This initiative will enable the farmers to operate the equipment efficiently leading to increased productivity, minimized costs, and ultimately, a sustainable farming system. We hope to impact many more farmers in the region through this initiative.”

The program is a part of company’s constant endeavours to educate farmers and operators, especially in the rural regions of India. Last year, as a part of their various CSR initiatives, the company has trained 600 farmers in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on topics such as financial literacy, farm mechanization, biomass management and State agricultural subsidies.

Case IH has been a global pioneer in mechanical sugarcane harvesting for nearly 80 years. The Austoft 4010 Maxx, available in India, is engineered for better cutting quality and improved productivity, with its lightweight and compact design providing sugarcane producers with more flexibility to harvest under various field conditions.

  The brand will train 300 operators

Agri Genomics, Agro Universities, Agrotech, Europe, R&D

 Bioethics Council aims to focus on the development of new biotechnological and artificial intelligence-based solutions

Bayer AG has established a Bioethics Council consisting of internationally renowned experts, to provide broad independent perspective and guidance on current bioethical questions, particularly with regard to the development of new biotechnological and artificial intelligence-based solutions. Bayer is committed to using emerging technologies in an ethically responsible way as part of its business and R&D activities across all its divisions. The Bioethics Council will maintain regular dialogue with Bayer leadership on the implementation and long-term development of Bayer’s Bioethics Policy.

“Dr Michael Devoy, Chief Medical Officer of Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division said, “Their expertise provides us with guidance on complex bioethical issues. Innovations in life sciences can raise ethical questions that society needs to discuss. In the interest of transparency, we deem it important to include a societal perspective early in our research and product development process through the external Bioethics Council”.

To this end, the Bioethics Council focuses, among others, on the further development and implementation of Bayer’s Bioethics Policy. This policy represents a company-wide ethical framework for decisions relevant to R&D innovations in the life sciences. It covers medical topics, bioengineering, and artificial intelligence. The Bioethics Policy specifically gives guidance on issues related to the discovery, development, production and application of treatments and therapies to promote human health, and in agricultural products and services.

Dr Monika Lessl, Head of Corporate R&D and Social Innovation at Bayer AG. said, “We are aware of our responsibility as a research company and therefore want to actively participate in the further development of bioethical standards in dialogue with society. Exchange with external experts is essential for this,” she emphasized.

Dr. Axel Trautwein, Head of Regulatory Science at Bayer Crop Science, added: “Developing innovations in the life sciences, particularly in biotechnology, inevitably requires a thorough assessment of the ethical implications for people and the environment. Bayer wants to raise and uphold high bioethical standards throughout its operations – with the help of the Bioethics Council. Being transparent about our approach and our progress in this process is the cornerstone of all our efforts in building a solid ethical framework for our business.”

The Bioethics Council convenes twice a year. In addition, the experts offer support on specific questions, either individually or in small teams. The Council is designed in several ways to safeguard the independence of its members. The experts provide external independent advice and do not represent Bayer or its operations.

The Council currently has ten members. Bayer will regularly report on its work.Members of the Bayer Bioethics Council are:

Carolina Aguerre, Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences, Universidad Católica del Uruguay

I. Glenn Cohen, Professor of Law and Faculty Director, Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology & Bioethics, Harvard Law School

Gry Hasselbalch, PhD, Independent scholar

Insoo Hyun, Director of the Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning, Boston Museum of Science

Andreas Kurtz, Head of the Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Registry (hPSCreg, former European Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry)

Sir Jonathan Montgomery, Professor of Health Care Law, University College London

Jonathan D. Moreno, Professor of Medical Ethics & Health Policy and of the History & Sociology of Science, University of Pennsylvania

Anne Muigai, Professor of Genetics and Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Research at the National Defence University-Kenya

Sonny Ramaswamy, President of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities in Redmond, WA, USA

Julian Savulescu, Chen Su Lan Professor in Medical Ethics at the National University of Singapore.

 Bioethics Council aims to focus on the

Agri Genomics, Agrotech, India, Industry Reports / Analysis, R&D

The application of molecular biology and genomics to farming, known as agrigenomics, has the potential to significantly transform India’s agrarian landscape. It has the potential to revolutionise agriculture by enhancing yield, expanding food variety, improving nutrition, creating disease and pest resilience, reducing food waste, and promoting sustainable farming practices. The ‘Genome-Editing’ technology is currently under scrutiny as AgroSpectrum examines its impact on the agriculture industry in general, with a particular focus on the future of India’s agriculture sector.

The application of molecular biology and genomics to farming, known as agrigenomics, has the potential to significantly transform India’s agrarian landscape. India is one of the world’s largest consumers of food, with a population of over 1.3 billion, and the agricultural industry employs over half of the country’s workforce. However, Indian farmers face various challenges, including pests, diseases, unpredictable weather fronts and the need to increase yields to feed a growing population. Agrigenomics offers potential solutions to these problems, but its implementation has been slow in India.

CRISPR/Cas9, also known as the ‘genetic scissors’, was recently discovered by Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020. This technology allows scientists to make precise modifications to the DNA of various organisms, including plants, animals, and microbes. It has the potential to revolutionise agriculture by enhancing yield, expanding food variety, improving nutrition, creating disease and pest resilience, reducing food waste, and promoting sustainable farming practices. The ‘Genome-Editing’ technology is currently under scrutiny as AgroSpectrum examines its impact on the agriculture industry in general, with a particular focus on the future of India’s agriculture sector.

Biotech crops, also known as GMOs (genetically modified organisms) or GEOs (genetically engineered organisms), have been developed through the commercial application of genetic engineering technology since 1996. These crops have been engineered to possess a wide range of desirable characteristics, including resistance to pests and diseases, tolerance of herbicides, tolerance of extremes of moisture and salt, increased yields, improved nutrient content, and increased storage stability, among others. While only Bt cotton has been cultivated for the last 20 years, other biotech crops, such as Bt brinjal, GM mustard, and herbicide-tolerant Bt cotton, have been approved by government scientific committees but have not been commercialised in India. All of the major scientific organisations, including the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), endorse GM technologies.

Genetic crop improvement and improvements in natural resource management have led to a tenfold increase in food grain output over the last hundred years. The earliest breeding method practised by ancient farmers and plant breeders was selecting superior plant types from the natural variation created by spontaneous mutations that generated novel alleles of the genes, as well as recombination of alleles from different genes in the genome. However, as science and technology have progressed, plant hybridisation techniques have also advanced.

“One just needs to look at the history of Bt-cotton to see the impact of the modification in terms of improved yield and greatly decreased use of pesticides. One can expect similar improvements in other GM crops. The preliminary data for mustard appears to show significant yield improvements (almost 40 per cent). This kind of improvement will be very important for farmers,” stated Sir Richard John Roberts, a British Biochemist and Molecular Biologist, who won the 1993 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for his discovery of introns in eukaryotic DNA and the mechanism of gene-splicing.

To read more click on : https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

The application of molecular biology and genomics

Acquaculture, Environment, People, R&D, Sustainability, World

International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture closes with many concrete results

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) marked the close of a global year-long campaign focused on small-scale artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fish workers, underlining the need to keep the momentum going.

With over 260 events held in 68 countries, the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 (IYAFA), “celebrated the millions of people working in small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture – including some 45 million women small-scale fishers – who produce 40 per cent of all the fish we eat,” QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General said at the closing ceremony, adding: “They are stewards of valuable ecosystems, and of longstanding traditions and cultures.”

Mainly carried out by families, sometimes with a handful of workers, small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture (or fish and seafood farming) add up to a massive subsector. Small-scale fisheries provide livelihoods for nearly half a billion people globally – 95 per cent of them operating in the global south.

Yet the workforce includes some of the communities most vulnerable to environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, climate impacts and economic shocks, as they contribute to the management of aquatic resources in the world’s oceans, rivers and lakes.  

To raise awareness of their role, the FAO-led campaign, supported by a wide array of partners, helped forge and strengthen partnerships among small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture workers and other stakeholders. Examples of this are the Ibero-American Network for Small-Scale Artisanal Fishing (RIPAPE) and the Maghreb and North African Platform for Artisanal Fishery.

An important body of new research carried out during IYAFA 2022 has added to our knowledge about sustainable small-scale fisheries, including the recently launched Illuminating Hidden Harvests report, by FAO, Duke University and World Fish, which investigates the contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development.

The IYAFA 2022 Final Report highlights the significant number of declarations, calls to action and statements made by partners, at national, regional and global levels, as well as provide recommendations to further support the subsector. These include the areas of environmental, social and economic sustainability, governance, gender equality and equity, food security and nutrition, resilience and youth participation.

All these recommendations are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals and FAO’s aspiration of the 4 Betters – Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind. This is supported by FAO’s Blue Transformation vision to change the way the world manages, uses and conserves its aquatic resources to end hunger and poverty.

Although IYAFA 2022 is ending, “it should not be the end, but a new beginning where we continue to amplify the voices of small-scale artisanal fishers and support the development of inclusive small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture national plans and strategies,” the FAO Director-General said.

International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture