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HomePosts Tagged "agriculture" (Page 2)
Agrotech, Company News, Investments

The company aims to expand and diversify its B2B brand, Fasal Fresh, procuring sustainably grown, fully traceable, and high-quality produce from its extensive network of growers covering 75,000+ acres of Farmland enabled by Fasal’s IoT-crop intelligence technology

TDK Corporation announced that TDK Ventures, Inc. has invested in India’s full-stack agriculture pioneer Fasal, in an INR 100cr round co-led by British International Investments to foster its innovative full-stack horticulture optimisation solution and bring it to market. Fasal’s solution has already been proven to improve crop yield and reduce operational costs at an affordable price to the individual farmer. This financing round provides further ammunition to Fasal in its mission to transform the Indian agriculture industry with its full-stack platform anchored on top of its patented IoT-crop intelligence technology and expand further to Southeast Asia markets.

Since the commercialisation of its technology, Fasal has worked with horticulture farmers spanning more than 75,000+ acres growing crops like grapes, pomegranates, bananas, apples, chilli, cardamom, etc. by enabling them to grow more and grow better with its patented IoT-crop intelligence technology. Fasal’s farmers have reduced irrigation water consumption by 82.8 billion litres, pesticide reduction by 127,426 kgs, curbed GHG emissions by 54,965 MT, and increased their yields and quality by up to 30 per cent with the help of technology. Fasal has gone deeper into the value chain by building technology to predict the exact harvesting time, yield, and tentative quality and is utilising this intelligence to bring this sustainably grown, traceable, and high-quality produce to the consumers via its B2B brand ‘Fasal Fresh’.

The company highlights that its technology platform has a traceable supply of over half a billion USD worth of produce, connecting seamlessly with demand across various consumption markets in the supply chain, ensuring 10x more efficient procurement thereby reducing wastages significantly. This technology platform empowers the company to synchronise supply with the most appropriate demand directly at the farm gate before the harvest itself.

The company aims to expand and diversify

Agro Universities, India, People

Raghunathan Narayanan is the co-founder of The Catalyst Group

Raghunathan Narayanan, Co-founder of The Catalyst Group, has been elected Ashoka Senior Fellow 2023 for his transformative approach to empowering smallholder farmers in India, with a primary focus on the 3Fold model and the Platform for Inclusive Entrepreneurship (PIE).

“Traditionally, smallholder farmers were considered as beneficiaries of the public system or savers of the world because when India went through a famine, they worked to produce food for the whole country. However, they remained there without much progress. The way we see it, while they grow food, they are also entrepreneurs,” said Raghunathan.

Recognising the immense potential of agriculture for job creation in India, Raghunathan and his team at Vrutti Livelihood Impact Partners (Catalyst Group) built an entrepreneurial approach to smallholder farming based on learnings from an impact assessment of agricultural interventions in Madhya Pradesh’s tribal areas. By 2009, the first Agriculture Enterprise Facilitation Centre was established, conducting a pilot with 250 farmers.

This led to self-organisation and collaboration among farmers, such as producing bio-pesticides and engaging in initial processing like millet processing for higher incomes. The success prompted scaling to other agroecological zones, with the schemes of five state governments and philanthropic donors aiding in expansion to larger farmer organisations, refining selection criteria, and expanding services. This evolved into the ‘3Fold idea and model,’ integrating farm advisory, input services, financing, and marketing, with technology as an accelerator.

Raghunathan Narayanan is the co-founder of The

R&D, Sustainability, World

The data shows the urgent need for improvement, as well as the potential for shared learning

“The state of food systems worldwide in the countdown to 2030”, published today by The Food Systems Countdown to 2030 Initiative (FSCI), provides the first science-based monitoring to guide decision-makers as they seek the wholesale transformation of the global agriculture and food systems. This transformation is needed urgently both to reduce the environmental impact of these systems and to mitigate the impact of climate change on them. The overarching objective is that all people – especially the most vulnerable – have equitable access to healthy diets through sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems.

The UN Food Systems Summit catalysed agriculture and food system action, though policymakers often lack the data required to drive critical decisions. The FSCI is filling that gap, having identified an indicator framework composed of 50 indicators that monitor agriculture and food systems at a global level, using existing data to enable immediate action. Repurposing existing data, rather than carrying out time-consuming new research, means policymakers have quick access to relevant information.

Following this first global baseline, the FSCI will track agriculture and food systems annually until 2030, updating the framework as needed where new indicators or better data emerge.

Agriculture and food systems play a vital role in meeting all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), yet the SDGs are insufficient to monitor these systems. The FSCI fills this gap.

Agriculture and food systems transformation is essential if countries are going to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions. Yet this is still an emerging conversation: agriculture and food systems only played a small part in climate negotiations at COP27. They featured more strongly at the recent COP28 where over 150 countries signed the Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action and committed to incorporate agriculture and food systems into their climate plans by 2025 – very encouraging progress.

The data shows the urgent need for

Company News, Herbicides, India

The addition of the trademark GRAMOXONE® to Crystal Crop Protection’s portfolio will play a vital role in extending its reach to more farmers across India and is expected to contribute significantly

Crystal Crop Protection Limited, one of the fast-growing R&D-based crop protection manufacturing and marketing companies in India, has announced the acquisition of the trademark GRAMOXONE® for use in the Indian market, from Syngenta, a global leader in agriculture.

With increasing herbicide adoption of an impressive 15-20 per cent in the last decade, farmers have been open to using innovative methods for increasing crop yield. A paradigm shift from manual weeding to the use of herbicides is expected to enhance agricultural production in India significantly.

Ankur Aggarwal, Managing Director of Crystal Crop Protection Limited, stated, “In a pursuit to improve protect yield and increase profits for farmers, herbicides have become the fastest-growing segment in crop protection. The acquisition of the trademark GRAMOXONE® represents a significant step forward in our pursuit of expanding our footprint within the herbicide category. GRAMOXONE® is a widely recognised trademark in the broad-spectrum herbicide category.”

The addition of the trademark GRAMOXONE® to Crystal Crop Protection’s portfolio will play a vital role in extending its reach to more farmers across India and is expected to contribute significantly. Crystal Crop Protection’s non-selective herbicide portfolio already features industry-leading brands.

The addition of the trademark GRAMOXONE® to Crystal Crop

Collaborations, Sustainability, World

The two organisations will specifically collaborate on helping countries meet the ambitious targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding that recognises the critical role of investment in rural infrastructure, nature resources management and climate resilience in transforming agrifood systems. The two organisations will specifically collaborate on helping countries meet the ambitious targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

AIIB and FAO will explore collaboration opportunities in infrastructure investments that improve water resource management, agriculture and irrigation productivity, logistics and climate change adaptation and resilience. The two organisations will focus on digital solutions and innovations that increase efficiency productivity and preparedness. Special attention will be given to addressing the social development needs of vulnerable groups and gender issues.

“AIIB and FAO are united by our vision of realising human prosperity through sustainable development,” said Jin Liqun, AIIB President and Chair of the Board of Directors. “This partnership represents our commitment to working together to finance sustainable Infrastructure for Tomorrow. By partnering with the FAO, together we help to ensure efficient and effective use of resources and expertise across the development sector.”

The two organisations will specifically collaborate on

Company News, Sustainability, World

The pilot program sets the company on the path to the goal of 120,000 regenerative agriculture hectares in Brazil by 2027

ADM, a leader in sustainable agriculture supply chains, announced an important expansion of its global regenerative agriculture efforts with the launch of its program in Brazil. The Brazil program aims to promote and support sustainable agricultural production with a focus on soil health, biodiversity protection, improved soil fertility and resilience, and increased farm productivity. In the initial stages of the program, ADM will focus on three practices:

Fertiliser uses efficiency and increased use of biological inputs, reducing chemical inputs and substituting traditional nitrogen products with more technological alternatives to result in reduced carbon emissions in planting, coupled with increased productivity due to improved soil health.

No-till farming, with technical assistance guidance for the refinement and intensification of this widely used practice in the field.

They covered soil/cover crops, using a mix of cover crops to improve soil health, especially during off-season windows, to positively impact water absorption, structure, biodiversity and soil fertility.

 “The basic principle is to support farmers in their efforts to do more with less, meaning higher productivity with less use of inputs, less water use, lower greenhouse gas emissions, lower risk of soil degradation, and less use of fuels and energy. We know that customers are looking for lower-carbon intensity products with increased transparency in supply chains, and we’re committed to continuing to expand our efforts to help them meet their sustainability goals and consumer needs,” said Luciano Souza, ADM’s grains director for South America.

The pilot program sets the company on

AgroPolicy, Sustainability, Trade

Shobha Karandlaje interacts with the Brazilian delegation led by Carlos Favaro

Shobha Karandlaje Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare interacted with the Brazilian delegation led by Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply Carlos Favaro. At the outset, Shobha Karandlaje extended a warm welcome to Carlos Favaro.

MoS Shobha Karandlaje showed gratitude for supporting the Indian Presidency during the G20 Agriculture Working Group Meetings and expressed regret for the Minister’s absence and inability to attend the G20 Agriculture Minister’s Meeting at Hyderabad. She expressed happiness that the visit would further strengthen India-Brazil’s rapidly growing cooperation in the agriculture sector. She said that both countries have a flourishing bilateral agriculture trade, and further cooperation can be strengthened in food processing, agro-industry, and agricultural research and development.

Shobha Karandlaje further said that the demand for avocados is growing in India, which provides an opportunity for India to import avocados from Brazil. She assured that India will extend its full support to Brazil for a successful G20 Presidency. She also expressed happiness that Brazil is establishing a task force, the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, which aligns with the India Presidency’s Deccan High-Level Principles on Food Security and Nutrition align with this task force.

Carlos Favaro emphasised that Brazil and India face similar challenges in the agricultural sector, and hence, both countries can find standard solutions to mitigate these challenges. The fight against hunger is a paramount focus for Brazil, and they expressed a desire to collaborate with India through technology transfer, knowledge sharing and cooperative efforts with India to fight hunger.

Brazil anticipates receiving India’s specific interests and demands, which can be addressed at the institutional level by both countries. The promotion of bilateral trade was highlighted by Brazil’s willingness to open its market to various agricultural products and expedite Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) related negotiations to facilitate trade.Brazil’s delegation extended an official invitation to India for the forthcoming 2024 G20 presidency.

Shobha Karandlaje interacts with the Brazilian delegation

Finance, Sustainability, World

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces import dependency, and addresses food security challenges arising from economic, climate, and regional political uncertainties

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Bank Respublika Open Joint Stock Company signed a 34 million Azerbaijan manat loan (around $20 million) to support women borrowers and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) involved in agricultural production, processing, and trade in Azerbaijan.

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces import dependency, and addresses food security challenges arising from economic, climate, and regional political uncertainties. Boosting the agriculture sector has significant potential to reduce poverty as most of the country’s food is produced by smallholder farmers.

“MSMEs are essential to lift incomes and create jobs in Azerbaijan, as they employ more than two-thirds of working people and nearly 40 per cent of registered women-owned businesses are in the agriculture sector. Bank Respublika is a longstanding reliable partner of ADB and its work aligns with ADB’s goal of improving food security, strengthening agriculture, and helping women to access finance, training, and markets. We look forward to our continued partnership with Bank Respublika” said Candice McDeigan, ADB’s Azerbaijan Country Director.

A majority of private businesses in Azerbaijan are MSMEs with almost half of them located in rural areas. Despite their importance, MSMEs struggle to access financial resources, making it harder for them to secure bank loans than larger firms. The country’s financial sector is slowly recovering from the impact of COVID-19 while currency-related risks continue to be a concern in the banking sector.

“Bank Respublika is a strong and valued partner due to its significant presence in rural areas, focus on MSMEs, and commitment to improving financial access for women and rural customers,” says Suzanne Gaboury, ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations. “This deal draws from our regional experience, particularly the advantages of using local currency to strengthen capital markets.”

ADB will also issue a Manat-denominated bond to support the loan. ADB will also work with Bank Respublika to promote gender equality through a professional development certification program for women employees and tailored financial services for female clients. ADB will work with Bank Respublika to develop gender-disaggregated loan data and provide training to loan agents on understanding women’s business concerns.

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India, Sustainability

16th Agricultural Science Congress gets underway in Kochi

Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying said that in view of the increasing food demand, environmental degradation and the challenges posed by climate change, there is an urgent need to transform agri-food systems into sustainable enterprises through scientific innovations. He was speaking after inaugurating the 16th Agricultural Science Congress (ASC) in Kochi.

Rupala added that agricultural scientists should strive to infuse greater mechanisation in the agriculture production process and develop and popularise specialised farm implements for women in agriculture.

Union Minister shared his observation during the Sagar Parikrama drive that marine and inland water pollution has seriously affected aquatic life and coastal ecology. He exhorted the scientists to find lasting and sustainable solutions to address this perilous threat.

Sharing his enthusiasm, Rupala highlighted that traditional farm products such as pokkali rice need to be promoted and measures are to be taken to ensure profitability for the pokkali farmers. He suggested that minimising post-harvest losses is equivalent to boosting production and this can be achieved by focusing attention on advanced technological interventions.

Union Minister further added that the future of India’s agriculture depends a lot on how the accumulated scientific knowledge can be translated to commercial success.

Rupala also inaugurated the Agri Expo being held on the side-line of the event which showcases innovative agricultural technologies of public and private sector research institutes, universities, agro-industries, extension agencies and NGOs. The Union Minister gave away the Dr. B.P. Pal Award for Excellence in Agricultural Sciences, Dr. A.B. Joshi Memorial Lecture Award and several other NAAS awards to the recipients.

16th Agricultural Science Congress gets underway in

Company News, World

The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) assesses the 2,000 most influential companies across industries on their performance and contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

FMC Corporation has been recognised as a leader in the World Benchmarking Alliance’s 2023 Nature Benchmark. The company ranked 23rd out of 350 companies in the food and agriculture sector and 6th in the agricultural inputs segment.

The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) assesses the 2,000 most influential companies across industries on their performance and contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The 2023 Nature Benchmark ranked companies’ efforts to protect the environment and its biodiversity, including the protection and restoration of vital ecosystems.

“At FMC, we see our efforts to protect biodiversity and the environment as mission critical,” said Julie DiNatale, vice president and chief sustainability officer. “We are excited that our ranking by WBA reflects our hard work in this space and we will continue to partner with farmers and across the food and agriculture value chain to drive improvements that benefit generations to come.”

FMC continues to make strong progress on its net-zero and waste-to-beneficial reuse goals. Material circularity is a key priority for the company’s operating sites around the globe, which has collectively increased the company’s waste-to-waste-to-beneficial by nearly 70 per cent in 2023. FMC was also recognised for its strong governance around sustainability, notably its inclusion of key sustainability targets in executive compensation.

The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) assesses the 2,000

Agrotech, Company News, Water, World

This 3-year, $3 million partnership will equip farmers, conservation planners, and sustainability experts across North America with innovative tools to enhance drought resilience, improve soil health, and encourage sustainable water use

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) and Cargill are coming together to advance the implementation of regenerative agriculture practices through the promotion of water stewardship within agricultural supply chains. This 3-year, $3 million partnership will equip farmers, conservation planners, and sustainability experts across North America with innovative tools to enhance drought resilience, improve soil health, and encourage sustainable water use.

“Climate change-induced extreme weather events, including drought, heavy precipitation, and elevated temperatures, have dramatically intensified operational risks for farmers and the broader food, fibre, fuel, and beverage sector,” said Wayne Honeycutt, president and CEO of SHI. “Through this partnership, we’re expediting the adoption of regenerative systems by offering stakeholders practical insights to assess improvements in water storage and availability resulting from changes in on-farm practices.”

Recent SHI research has demonstrated that increases in available water holding capacity (AWHC) associated with soil organic carbon gains from soil health practice implementation can lead to twice as much water storage in the topsoil compared to previous estimates. This important finding, currently available as a set of mathematical equations, provides a scientifically robust framework to measure the impact of soil health management on water storage. Continuing efforts supported by this partnership will make this data more accessible to farmers and sustainability experts, enabling farmers to estimate how many more inches of water their soil can capture during the growing season due to improved soil health.

Ashley McKeon, director of regenerative agriculture at Cargill, affirmed, “We strongly believe that regenerative agricultural practices can play a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and water stress on our agricultural systems, which is why we are committed to advancing regenerative agriculture across 10 million acres of agricultural land in North America by 2030. Building on more than five years of partnering with the Soil Health Institute, we are empowering farmers and stakeholders across the agricultural value chain with the tools they need to make informed decisions that contribute to a more sustainable and resilient future.”

This 3-year, $3 million partnership will equip

AgroPolicy, India, Water

The two ministers exchanged perspectives on their respective regions, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific

S Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister held wide-ranging discussions with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen during which new agreements were signed in the field of agriculture and water as well as on mobility.

According to a tweet by S. Jaishankar, the two sides also noted the progress in the I2U2 – India, Israel, US, UAE bloc – as well cooperation in multilateral forums.

The main pillars of the Strategic Partnership are Agriculture, Water, Defence & Security which are taking our ties forward. New agreements in water & agriculture underline the potential to do more.

Both ministers discussed cooperation in high-tech, digital & innovation, as also connectivity, mobility tourism, finance, and health. Also noted was the progress in I2U2 and cooperation in multilateral forums. The two ministers exchanged perspectives on their respective regions, Ukraine and Indo-Pacific.

The Israeli Minister in a tweet said he had held an excellent meeting with EAM Jaishankar, and the two sides are expanding cooperation in the fields of cyber, agriculture and water.

The two ministers exchanged perspectives on their

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, India, R&D, Sustainability

The declaration highlights the need to strengthen digital Infrastructure including digital e-learning content and deployment of emerging immersive technologies across Agricultural Higher Education Institutions

There is a need to strengthen digital Infrastructure including digital e-learning content and deployment of emerging immersive technologies across Agricultural Higher Education Institutions in India. Institutionalising a system-wide Digital Capacity Building Program across stakeholders to improve systemic digital competence, knowledge and skills is also a necessity.

The Delhi Declaration on Modernisation of Agricultural Education System in alignment with the National Education Policy issued jointly by The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the World Bank highlights the need to incorporate digital resources and tools for effective and accessible teaching and learning in Agriculture. It lays emphasis towards creating a renewed and resilient system for gender-inclusive and sustainable education that will pave the way for India’s agriculture education sector. Multidisciplinary technology-facilitated education should be promoted and the policies on Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics (STEAM) in agricultural higher education need to be transformed.

The Delhi Declaration was unveiled on the concluding day of the successful three-day International Conference on Blended Learning Ecosystem for Higher Education in Agriculture 2023 hosted jointly by the ICAR and the World Bank. The Conference was held as part of the National Agricultural Higher Education Project’s (NAHEP) Resilient Agricultural Education System (RAES) development initiative.

Undertaken to strengthen the National Agricultural Education System in the country, NAHEP is a five-year project initiated in 2018 with an equal contribution of $82.5 million (about Rs. 600 crores) each from the World Bank and the central government. The World Bank loan is to be repaid over 19 years after a grace period of five years, the purpose of NAHEP is to transform agricultural higher education. The Blended Learning Platform is part of the project.

Speaking at the valedictory session, Dr R B Singh, Former President of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) and Chairman, of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB) said, “By promoting sustainable development goals through the dissemination of knowledge and skills, we empower the next generation of agricultural leaders to meet the challenges of tomorrow. Let us continue to collaborate across borders and disciplines, to ensure that agriculture remains a force for positive change in the world.”

According to Dr Trilochan Mohapatra, Former Secretary Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General, ICAR, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, “Education is the backbone of a thriving agricultural sector. Blended learning offers a powerful tool to bridge the gap between traditional classroom teaching and the demands of a rapidly changing world. I urge all stakeholders to embrace it and integrate it into our education systems. It is important for us to embrace new methods and technologies to strengthen the agriculture education system and develop a skilled workforce that can contribute to the growth of the agriculture sector.” 

“India’s agricultural sector pays a massive significance on the country’s economy. Every year, more than 5000 Indian students receive PhDs, which is more than the rest of the globe. I believe NAHEP is the perfect example of how opportunities can be provided for vocational education as it has given the platform to another initiative called the Resilient Agricultural Education System (RAES). We will continue working with the ICAR and the Government of India to disseminate new technologies so that all states of the country can benefit equally from them,” said Dr Auguste Tano Kouame, Country Director, of the World Bank.

The declaration highlights the need to strengthen

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Horticulture, India, IT, Live Stock, Start ups

It aims to deliver curated content to farmers on time and upskill the vast network of extension workers for agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, livestock and rural livelihood missions through certified online courses.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi with Digital Green under public private partnership framework to build a national level digital extension platform. The platform will host a digital library of curated multi-format multi-lingual content, help extension workers access and deliver curated content to farmers on time and upskill the vast network of extension workers for agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, livestock and rural livelihood missions through certified online courses.

The MOU is with Digital Green, an award winning social enterprise that is leveraging the power of technology to support small and marginal farmers to enhance their productivity and income, strengthen their agency and build community level resilience. Founded by Rikin Gandhi, a technocrat and social development enthusiast, Digital Green has been working with governments in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, serving over 25 lakhs farmers and having enhanced the capacities of over 4000 front like workers.

Speaking on the occasion, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, MoA&FW, GoI said that “The proposed national digital platform will help make our extension system more efficient and effective by connecting farmers to the strong foundation of digital agriculture ecosystem that is being built by the government. Digital capacity of this extension system is crucial to help farmers reap the benefits of digital agriculture and will serve as one of the component of digital public infrastructure for Agriculture announced recently in the Union Budget “.

There are over 200,000 extension workers in India in agriculture, livelihood and allied sectors. This ambitious initiative will converge the outreach efforts of departments of agriculture, horticulture, livestock, dairy, fisheries and rural livelihoods under a single digital platform through a decentralised content creation and targeted dissemination. To be launched within six months, the platform will have the portal and capabilities to serve the entire farming community in India and catalyse Agtech and other market actors with newer and higher value proposition.

According to Rikin Gandhi, technology has no value unless it makes a positive difference to the last mile farmer. Thanking the GoI for investing in technology to make Indian farm system future ready, he said that “we are honoured and proud to be partnering with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and be a key stakeholder in making our small and marginal farmers thrive and proposer. He further added that the envisaged platform will contribute to and complement the national systems to emerge as a digital public good for the farm sector in India.’’

It aims to deliver curated content