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The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) are communities which base their livelihoods and food security on their close relationship with their surroundings

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) awarded certificates to 24 new Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) sites.

The 24 sites, which have been designated by FAO since the last ceremony in 2018, are located in 12 countries, including Brazil, China, Spain, Ecuador, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, and Morocco.

At the award ceremony, which also marked the International Day for Biological Diversity, Qu Dongyu, FAO Director-General said that many of the GIAHS had become reservoirs of biological diversity.

“In the context of agri-food systems and rural areas, we need to consider the combined conservation of biodiversity and food diversity. This is the most pragmatic way to raise public awareness of biodiversity.

“Agricultural heritage systems showcase practices that offer solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss, in particular at the local level,” he said.

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) are communities which base their livelihoods and food security on their close relationship with their surroundings.

24 new Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) sites are:

Brazil: Traditional Agricultural System in the Southern Espinhaço Range, Minas Gerais.

China: Shexian Dryland Stone Terraced System; Anxi Tieguanyin Tea Culture System; Ar Horqin Grassland Nomadic System in Inner Mongolia; Qingyuan Forest-Mushroom Co-culture System in Zhejiang Province.

Ecuador: Andean chakra: An Ancestral Agricultural System of Kichwas Cotacachi Communities; Amazonian Chakra, a traditional agroforestry system managed by Indigenous communities in Napo province.

Iran: Qanat-based Saffron Farming System in Gonabad; Grape Production System in Jowzan Valley

Italy: Soave Traditional Vineyards; Olive groves of the slopes between Assisi and Spoleto

Japan: Biwa lake to land integrated system; Fruit Cultivation System in Kyoutou Region, Yamanashi.

Republic of Korea: Geumsan Traditional Ginseng Agricultural System; Damyang Bamboo Field Agriculture System.

Mexico: Ich Kool: Mayan milpa of the Yucatan peninsula.  

Morocco: Argan-based agro-sylva-pastoral system within the area of Ait Souab-Ait Mansour; The Ksour of Figuig: Oasis and Pastoral Culture Around the Social Management of Water and Land.

Spain: Agricultural System Ancient Olive Trees Territorio Sénia; Historical Irrigation System at l’Horta de València; Agrosilvopastoral system Mountains of León;

Thailand: Thale Noi Wetland Pastoral Buffalo Agro-ecosystem

Tunisia: Hanging Gardens from Djebba El Olia; Ramli Agricultural System in the Lagoons of Ghar El Melh.

 GIAHS, a flagship program of FAO, was established in 2002 to identify and protect important agricultural heritage sites and their associated biodiversity, landscapes, knowledge systems, and cultures. This network currently consists of 74 systems across the world, according to the FAO. 

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

India’s shrimp exports to China are likely to cross $ 1.2 billion this fiscal compared to $ 0.8 billion in the previous financial year

The shrimp sector will see revenue growth of 5 per cent year-on-year in fiscal 2024, driven by increasing demand from China, which will shore up exports to a near-lifetime high of $ 5.3 billion seen in fiscal 2022. This growth will largely be volume-driven, allowing the operating margin to bounce back to 7.5 per cent as costs soften, according to CRISIL Ratings.

Debt is likely to contract and part-funding such as capex and incremental working capital requirements will be comfortably absorbed by the strong balance sheets of the players, it added.

India, Ecuador and Vietnam are the top three suppliers of shrimp, while the US, EU and China are the top three consumers. India supplies 70 per cent of its produce to these three regions.

In the year 2023, Indian shrimp players were impacted due to extreme heat waves affecting production, shortage of containers and higher logistics costs to the US and EU and exports to China were muted amid continued lockdowns there. This has led to Ecuador, one of India’s major competitors, seizing the lead in shrimp exports.

In 2023-24, however, good produce backed by normal weather patterns and steady demand from China is expected to drive revenue for the Indian players.

India’s shrimp exports to China are likely to cross $ 1.2 billion this fiscal compared to $ 0.8 billion in the previous financial year. With logistics costs normalising, demand from the US and Europe should revive from the lull last season.

“Buyers from the US and Europe prefer shrimps processed in India because of better quality- and disease-control measures. With supply chains getting restored, Indian exporters can replace Ecuadorian suppliers and regain their lost market share.

“Revival in the Chinese economy will also aid growth in shrimp exports from India. Revenue will grow 5 per cent in fiscal 2024 on the back of volume growth of 8-10 per cent despite the reduction in realisations,” Himank Sharma, Crisil Ratings Director said.

However, the report said, with the drop in input costs being steeper than that in realisations, the margin may inch up to the erstwhile level of 7.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of higher demand, shrimp players are expanding capacities and will add close to 20 per cent of their existing gross block this fiscal.

“The shrimp sector has displayed financial prudence for quite some time now. Hence, despite moderate debt addition over the medium term, credit profiles will remain strong.

“Total outside liabilities to tangible net worth and interest coverage ratios will remain comfortably 0.5 times as on March 31, 2024, and 8 times in fiscal 2024, respectively,” Nagarjuna Alaparthi, Crisil Ratings Associate Director said.

India's shrimp exports to China are likely

North America, Europe, and Japan have confirmed their participation

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) and Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) are hosting ASC Shrimp Summit on June 12-14, 2023. This year, shrimp buyers from all three major and promising export markets of Ecuador – North America, Europe, and Japan – have confirmed their participation.

“Connecting the marketplace to the producers is a vital part of our work at ASC in promoting ASC-certified shrimp and demonstrating how responsible aquaculture production works. We are very excited to bring major retailers from Japan to Ecuador, which is an important supplier to this market for high-quality shrimp,” Koji Yamamoto, ASC General Manager in Japan, said.

“In the previous edition of the ASC Shrimp Summit, our esteemed North American guests explored the world of Ecuadorian shrimp. They experienced the commitments of SSP producers that embrace the best practices with the highest quality and social and environmental responsibility, complying with ASC label requirements, and with a special focus on zero use of antibiotics, neutral impact on water and full traceability. Their findings confirmed why Ecuador is the leading producer and exporter of shrimp in the world. This year, we are excited to expand this encounter to Europe and Asia, enabling more representatives from our three main markets to witness firsthand the exceptional efforts of our industry,” Pamela Nath, Director of the Sustainable Shrimp Partnership, said.

Ecuador is the world’s leading shrimp producer and exporter of Pacific white shrimp (P. vannamei), supplying all major shrimp markets such as Europe, China and the US. In 2022, Ecuador exported more than 1 million MT of shrimp, reaching 66 countries, and adding $6.7 billion in exports. Ecuador also accounts for approximately 40 per cent of available ASC-certified shrimp in the world.

A packed and exciting agenda awaits the participants of the ASC Shrimp Summit in Guayaquil. During the visit, participants will tour ASC-certified farms and processing plants to see firsthand what responsible aquaculture production looks like. The tour also includes a visit to a feed mill, an important aspect of responsible seafood farming, which is now covered by the ASC Feed Standard.

North America, Europe, and Japan have confirmed

ADAMA Chile produces leading bio-stimulant products in Latin America, including ExpertGrow

ADAMA Ltd, a leading crop protection company, announced that it has exercised its call option to acquire the remaining 40 per cent stake in ADAMA Chile, formerly known as Chile Agro. This is following ADAMA’s initial investment in Chile Agro in 2013, whereby the Company acquired 60 per cent of its equity.

ADAMA Chile specialises in the development, production and commercialisation of bio plant nutrition and agrochemical products in Chile, including ExpertGrow, a triple mode-of-action bio-stimulant for the increase of yield in a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as in soybeans. ExpertGrow is based on a unique fermentation process – developed by ADAMA – that improves the plant’s photosynthesis, thereby reducing abiotic stress and improving fruit/pod retention and plant growth.

ExpertGrow is sold across Latin America in Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador and Paraguay as well as in other key markets such as Italy, France, Spain, China and Thailand. In the coming years, it is expected to be rolled out to additional countries.

The global biological crop protection market is fast-growing and expected to reach $18.2 billion in 2026. Combined with formulation capabilities and additional leading biological products such as NUTRICHELATES and LIGHUP, ADAMA has a strong pipeline of solutions to deliver to the Latin American market in the coming years.

“Biologicals are an important segment of ADAMA’s developing sustainable portfolio,” said Carlos Danilowicz, Head of the Latin America Commercial Unit. “We see a growing interest from farmers in biological products, especially in fruit and vegetable crops that are grown for export, addressing consumer and regulatory environments. This further investment will increase our presence in this growing market.”  

ADAMA Chile produces leading bio-stimulant products in Latin