Agricultural machinery

Does TIME’s best invention list mark a shift in how the world views agtech?

15-Nov-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Agtech companies are celebrating recognition in TIME magazine’s best inventions for 2024. Does it mark a turning point in wider perceptions of the industry?

Country profile

France: Still room for some va va voom?

06-Nov-2024 By Harry Holmes

French agri-tech is alive with innovation despite recent company woes and the government falling short on its ambitions to help the sector go global.

What impact will Donald Trump's victory have on the agtech industry?

06-Nov-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Trump’s return to the White House is expected to have a significant bearing on the agtech sector. Here’s how.

Last chance to register for FREE webinar dissecting Asia’s growing agri-food ecosystem

04-Nov-2024 By Oliver Morrison

AgTechNavigator's FREE AgTech Innovation and Investment – APAC editorial webinar takes place on November 6. Register your attendance today so you don’t miss out. The event will start on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at 5:00 PM SGT (Singapore).

Watch: Farms are crying out for innovation, says UK-Agri-Tech Centre CEO

28-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Farmers are not resistant change, says Phil Bicknell, CEO at the newly merged UK-Agri-Tech Centre. But the “three Cs” of communication, collaboration and cash are needed to help them adopt newer sustainable practices.

Incubator launch aims to drive California’s ‘critical’ ag robotics sector

24-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Two new start-up incubators will provide real-world testing environments, world-class resources, and critical industry partnerships for robotics companies in California.

Agtonomy hails ‘common-sense’ approach after raising $32.8 million

21-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Agtech companies should consider alternative funding models that align better with the agricultural industry's needs and timelines, says Agtonomy’s CEO Tim Bucher in the wake of its Series A round.

The end of the era of ‘nice to have’ products? 5 insights from McKinsey’s latest farmer survey that you can’t ignore

17-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Cautious farmers are more concerned with ROI and less willing to experiment with new products and technologies, according to a new global report from McKinsey.

Smallholder farmers in Africa call for improved access to technology

08-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Smallholder farmers in Africa benefit from regenerative agriculture through a diverse set of practices but need better access to technology.

M&S employs precision ag to deliver eco-friendly parsnips in time for Christmas

07-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

UK retailer Marks & Spencer has begun using drones and robot tractors to produce lower carbon parsnips.

Overheard at World Agri-Tech – 11 talking points for the sector to ponder

03-Oct-2024 By Oliver Morrison

From regen ag to AI and biologicals… what’s hot and what’s not in agtech? This and much more was discussed at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London.

Farmers globally demand agricultural innovation: Bayer survey

30-Sep-2024 By Harry Holmes

Farmers around the world are crying out for agricultural innovation amid widespread concern over climate breakdown, a new survey has found.

Innovation Insider Country profile

India: Are the bets back on?

11-Sep-2024 By Harry Holmes

After the crisis in funding in 2023, India’s agtech landscape is adjusting. But can investment be directed to the right places? Harry Holmes investigates.

UK bank HSBC offers farmers discounted loan fees to support sustainable practices

10-Sep-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Farming businesses on the journey to more sustainable practices can now receive discounts on loan fees as part of a new HSBC UK initiative.

Virtual fencing tech: smart solution or just shocking?

16-Aug-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Halter’s virtual fencing technology has just launched in the US, where it insists it can help the beef and dairy industries become more productive and more sustainable. And despite concerns from some – but not all – welfare groups, the company’s system...

Walmart and Denali expand food waste recycling partnership

29-Jul-2024 By Oliver Morrison

US-based Denali, which turns food waste into valuable products such as fertiliser, renewable energy and biodiesel, has revealed a new collaboration with Walmart.

US-China drone row latest: new coalition forms to oppose ban

17-Jul-2024 By Oliver Morrison

In response to proposed legislation aimed at banning China-made drones in the US, a group of American distributors have come together to fight the ruling.

Robots won’t replace the tractor anytime soon, says Rabobank

17-Jul-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Autonomous machines are a potential game changer in crop farming, boosting productivity, precision, and ease of operations, but bringing them successfully to the market implies a long road, according to a new a RaboResearch report.

UK agtech faces funding, scalability challenges amid sustainability and Brexit concerns

18-Jun-2024 By Maria Fortunato

Despite being backed by a world-renowned science base, the UK's agri-tech industry grapples with significant challenges in translating its research into practical applications for end-users.

Soil power: the UK start-up generating sustainable energy from the earth

07-Jun-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Bactery, a spinout from the University of Bath, creates sustainable power from bacterial batteries – ‘Bacteries’ – that harvest electricity from soil.

AI-powered early detection system aims to transform pig welfare

22-May-2024 By Oliver Morrison

A latest ‘listening’ device detects respiratory diseases in pigs sooner.

Meet the seven start-ups tasked with reshaping agri-food in Cambodia

15-May-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Seven disruptive start-ups have been selected to drive agri-food innovation and economic growth in the country, offering innovative solutions to enhance the agrifood value chain, improve commercial exchanges, and introduce high-value crops.

‘This is agtech, not tech-ag’. Is the industry still ignoring the needs of farmers?

13-May-2024 By Oliver Morrison

The term 'disconnect' frequently arises in agtech. How can the industry bridge the gap between technology and on-ground farm realities to retain long-term trust with growers?

How can rice straw processing become less environmentally damaging?

10-May-2024 By Oliver Morrison

A new project aims to unlock renewable energy and cut rice straw emissions in India and Philippines.

Precision sprayer Greeneye defies market slump to raise $20 million to scale US operation – but will farmers follow?

30-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

The Israeli company says securing this round of capital in today’s challenging economic climate is further validation of Greeneye’s mission to drive mainstream adoption of precision spraying technology in the US.

Innovation set to accelerate as UK’s largest agri-tech body unveiled

18-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Agtech is set to play ‘a defining role’ as agri-food businesses look to adopt new technology to drive growth, claims a new report commissioned to mark the launch of the new UK Agri-Tech Centre.

The worst job in ag? TerraClear raises US$15m to free farmers from chore of rock picking

16-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Rock removal company TerraClear has announced its existing investors have poured an additional US$15 million into capturing the untapped US$2.7 rock management market. A 5,000-year-old problem finally has a solution, it says.

science shorts

Agtech Aha! Moments: From testing the world's first unmanned forestry machine to cultured beef rice

15-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Our round-up of the latest research from institutions and universities across the globe looks at the world’s first unmanned machine designed for autonomous forestry operations, while Korean scientists have successfully developed ‘cultured beef rice’,...

Côte d’Ivoire: Cocoa farmers turn to biochar to boost yields and soil quality

12-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Biochar made from empty cocoa pods has the potential to improve and retain moisture in soil, according to a cocoa cooperative in in Côte d’Ivoire. It is looking to biochar made from agricultural waste to solve the problem of persistent drought compromising...

US sustainable farming outlook positive, but operational and financial support still key barriers to adoption

11-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

McKinsey & Company survey reveals that 90% of US farmers are aware of sustainable practices, but widespread adoption remains low with compensation levels remaining a main concern.

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit Roundup

The ultimate Trojan Horse? US drone makers up in arms about Chinese industry advancement

08-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Drones are unquestionably great tools for crop spraying, surveying and mapping, but their consequences are potentially grave if gotten into the wrong hands. US drone companies are warning about alleged, and strongly disputed, security risks stemming from...

Climate change & wine: A global map of changing wine regions

03-Apr-2024 By Rachel Arthur

Climate change could create dramatic shifts in where wine is produced: making vineyards unsustainable in some regions, but opening up new opportunities in others. Researchers have mapped how the global distribution of vineyards is likely to change.

UK’s largest grocer and bank step in to help farmers reduce costs and decarbonise

01-Apr-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Tesco, the UK’s leading supermarket and NatWest, the largest UK bank for business and one of the largest for the farming sector, have launched a new discounted climate and sustainable finance scheme for 1,500 of the retailer’s farmers.

Cargill increases its renewable energy capacity by more than 40%

29-Mar-2024 By Oliver Morrison

The agribusiness giant is aiming to rapidly expand its renewable energy portfolio to meet its ambition of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 10%.

Innovation insider

Japan wants to promote smart agriculture, fast

27-Mar-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Agri-tech spend is lagging in the land of the rising sun. But amid the looming threats of depopulation and ageing, the government is looking to new styles of agriculture that can boost productivity, sustainability and strengthen national food security....

The World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit: The world’s biggest and best agtech show

06-Mar-2024 By Oliver Morrison

With over 2,500 delegates and 70+ start-ups attending World Agri-Tech from 40 countries, all eager to expand their network and forge new partnerships, this year’s event is shaping up to be a memorable event.

How precision pollination promises to increase crop yields

06-Mar-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Precision pollination has the potential to boost crop yields up to 30%. That’s according to BeeHero, a data-driven technology company aiming to redefine pollination in commercial agriculture.

Seabed mining: an inevitable industry or disaster in the making?

04-Mar-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Proponents argue it can help meet the world's pressing need for critical minerals – especially an agtech industry looking to low carbon and renewable energy sources. Opponents say it is economically and environmentally unviable.

Meet the Iraqi start-ups hoping to futureproof a drought-hit sector

27-Feb-2024 By Oliver Morrison

The Agriculture Innovation Hackathon was hosted in Mosul earlier this month, as an agriculture sector beset by desertification turns to the power of technology to overcome the challenges faced by farmers.

The boar war: how can we best combat wild pig intrusion to ensure crop safety?

22-Feb-2024 By Oliver Morrison

From the US to Italy to Australia, feral pigs are harming agriculture across the world. A lack of solutions that exist to deal with the problem presents white space opportunities, AgTechNavigator finds.

Sustainability Report Card

‘Third-Way' mindset: Valagro Group’s last sustainability report before coming under Syngenta Biologicals

21-Feb-2024 By CM Tay

Valagro Group's recently published Sustainability Report 2023 highlights some successes and a continued commitment to environmental responsibility, social impact and economic value distribution, but more details and data would be welcome to more...

Agtech Aha! Moments: From AI for olives to no neonicotinoids in US potato farming

14-Feb-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Our round-up of the latest research from institutions and universities across the globe looks at a new app to improve olive oil industry efficiency, while potato experts in the US will investigate how to control pests without using controversial neonicotinoids....

Innovation Insider: India

Market fragmentation hampers India agtech but public-private alignment brings hope

14-Feb-2024 By CM Tay

India's agtech sector is witnessing significant developments driven by government policies, changing investor landscapes and a growing focus on sustainability. However, market fragmentation is dampening its ability to scale up, with challenges surrounding...

Agtech Aha! Moments: From using white noise to grow fungi to pesticide sensors for tomatoes

06-Feb-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Our round-up of the latest research from institutions and universities across the globe looks at how Australian scientists are using sound to repair degraded soils. Elsewhere, Brazilian researchers have unveiled a new biodegradable sensor to detect pesticides...

3 start-ups boosting food quality in Europe

05-Feb-2024 By Augustus Bambridge-Sutton

Food quality technology plays a vital role both in ensuring that food is safe to eat, therefore reducing food waste, and providing insights around its health and composition. Three European start-ups tell FoodNavigator how technology can help them understand...

AgTech Investor Profile

Eatable Adventures on how technology can solve the ageing farmer timebomb

01-Feb-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Agtech innovation is playing a critical role in addressing food security and environmental challenges. But it is also key to cracking the problem of an ageing farmer population threatening global agriculture, says Eatable Adventures founder and CEO José...

Laser scarecrows aim to make birds see red

09-Jan-2024 By Oliver Morrison

Damage to crops caused by birds costs millions of dollars each year. Now, researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Rhode Island in the US are investigating the effectiveness of laser scarecrows – a high-tech solution using light...

AgTechNavigator

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