News and Analysis on Global Agri-Tech Innovation, Investment and Regulation
Scientists in Tunisia have sequenced the complete genomes of two iconic durum wheat varieties, Mahmoudi and Chili, opening up what researchers describe as a “treasure trove” of genetic traits that could help future‑proof global wheat production against...
China is expected to rely less on bulk agricultural product imports over the next decade as new report projects lower imports of grain, soybeans, cotton, edible oils and sugar by 2035.
With capital tightening and exits slow to materialise, Leaps by Bayer’s Derek Norman argues that agtech must adopt a tougher, more disciplined mindset – testing to fail early, not to validate success – if it wants to remain investable
New data from BIA BioSolutions shows UK biosolutions companies have raised £1.46bn in equity since 2018, underlining the sector’s growing importance as policymakers and industry look for domestic, biology‑based solutions to insulate the economy from...
As climate stress squeezes farmer margins and fractures the global food system, SOSV’s Po Bronson believes rising pain could finally accelerate agtech adoption. But only if the sector learns to fund innovation beyond venture capital and embraces...
Forestwise is gearing up for its most promising illipe butter harvest in years as improving weather conditions and wider sourcing areas signal a long‑awaited rebound for the rainforest‑derived ingredient.
The fallout from the Iran war stresses the importance of crop diversification to reduce dependence on importsduring conflict, says the director-general of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province is stepping up efforts to position itself as the country’s leading high‑tech livestock and food‑processing hub through multibillion‑dollar investments.
As climate volatility, geopolitical disruption and input shocks converge, supply chain risk is increasingly shaped at the farm and forest level. Treefera’s new bi‑weekly commodity intelligence bulletin signals a shift toward first‑mile visibility as a...
Ultra‑low asparagine wheat developed by Rothamsted Research shows how precision gene editing can help food producers meet tightening safety regulations, without sacrificing productivity, marking a significant step forward for safer, more compliant food...
Japan is introducing new export injunctions to prevent unauthorised export of seeds and seedlings and extending breeders’ rights by 10 years.
A new partnership between plant biomanufacturing start-up Foray Bioscience and New York-based nut tree breeder Z’s Nutty Ridge aims to overcome one of agriculture’s hardest scaling problems: how to commercialise elite varieties of long‑lived perennial...
A team of researchers in the UK has successfully developed a method to fortify pea shoots with Vitamin B12, potentially offering a new plant-based source for a nutrient typically missing from vegan and vegetarian diets.
A groundbreaking study has revealed how a wild banana species from the Himalayas could save the global banana industry from devastating soil-borne diseases, while boosting yields and fruit sweetness.
Olam Group is to divest its IT and digital services business Mindsprint, which serves multiple clients across the food and agri-sectors, to technology services and consulting company Wipro for US$375 million.
New grants aim to raise farmer incomes, strengthen producer organisations and build resilience to climate and economic shocks
Thai farmers living in areas heavily affected by climate change are twice as likely to suffer from depression, with recent flooding events acting as a primary trigger for severe psychological distress.
Heavy snow has exposed deeper structural problems in Aomori, Japan where ageing growers and a looming shortage of seedlings are threatening the renewal of orchards.
Demos report warns nearly one in five farms operate at a loss. But shifting to sustainable methods could deliver a £1.6bn annual profit uplift
High milk prices, rising production, and a major cash return from Fonterra’s divestment are setting New Zealand dairy farmers up for a strong financial season.
Sinar Hijau Ventures (SHV) is rebuilding Maluku’s spice value chain to lift farmer incomes and move communities away from extractive work that harms its biodiverse forests.
Pandawa Agri Indonesia plans to expand its integrated farming model across 10,000 hectares of coffee in Indonesia to support a major shift toward low‑carbon production.
India’s basmati rice sector is facing slowed exports, falling prices and rising domestic stockpiles as conflict‑driven freight surcharges and container shortages hinder shipments to key Middle Eastern markets.
Feed millers in Asia are holding back on new purchases as the Iran war drives freight costs and corn prices higher, with buyers monitoring how long the disruption in shipping and fuel markets will persist.
VP PJ Amini says the updated Ag Playbook 2.0 framework is meant to equip founders, not deter them, with clearer data on timelines, costs and development hurdles
UK agri‑biotech Tropic has closed an oversubscribed $105m Series C, the biggest raise yet for a gene‑edited tropical crops company, as investors double down on CRISPR‑enabled tools to boost yield, fight disease and strengthen climate resilience across...
Dilmah Tea says retail’s relentless discount culture is undermining tea growers and stripping plantations of the resources needed to stay sustainable.
Vietnam has nearly doubled its low‑emission rice target as adoption risks reduce for farmers across the Mekong Delta.
UK spinout says its organelle‑engineering platform could unlock traits not possible to achieve with nuclear genome editing, as investors back new crop development programmes across Europe and North America
The UK’s first crop of ‘low‑carbon’ potatoes has arrived on supermarket shelves, marking a milestone in efforts to prove that more sustainably produced foods can secure both retailer backing and mass‑market consumer uptake
New UK Agri-Tech Centre CEO Steve McLean says the industry is entering a defining period that demands bigger thinking, harder commercial focus, and technologies proven on real farms, not just in labs
Mycoverse secures €2.4m pre-seed round to accelerate AI‑enabled biocontrol platform, beginning with potato late blight
Japanese food manufacturers say high costs, unstable supply and weak direct ties with producers prevent them from shifting to domestically sourced raw materials.
Canada produces an abundance of high-quality food, but weak marketing and low global awareness are limiting the country’s ability to capitalise on its full agricultural potential.
Closing the gender gap in farming is critical to global food and economic security, with evidence showing that equal access to land, finance, and inputs could improve yields by up to 30%.
Export Development Canada (EDC) identifies significant growth opportunities across Asian markets as Canadian companies look to diversify their exports beyond the US.
Pinstone Pulse report finds 92% of farmers feel unrecognised for on‑farm sustainability progress – deepening a disconnect already flagged in last year’s Barclays‑commissioned analysis
Canada believes it can help meet Asia’s growing food needs, but an industry leader says complex regulations are slowing market access, raising costs and creating uncertainty for companies.
University of Oxford spinout expects precision‑bred wheat to reach UK farms within around five years, following the launch of a new consortium with seed giant KWS and Dyson Farming, the UK’s largest commercial farming operation
Future planning in agriculture must prioritise long-term stewardship to address climate, biodiversity, and food security challenges that unfold over decades, says an agribusiness leader.
Analysis claims last year’s collapses stemmed from structural cost‑adoption mismatches – not broken technology – and outlines where disciplined growth will re‑emerge
State of the Sector
In this State of the Sector report, AgTechNavigator examines how rice production is evolving under the pressures of climate volatility, labour shortages and rising costs, highlighting how innovation and policy is impacting this important staple crop.
Agricultural stakeholders are optimistic about biotechnology’s potential to supercharge photosynthesis in rice and potato crops, but have warned that market acceptance and pest resistance remain the ultimate barriers adoption.
China currently stands at a critical juncture in the global race for agricultural supremacy. While the country has made massive strides in laboratory research for New Breeding Technologies (NBTs), a significant ‘institutional fence’ is preventing these...
Vietnam faces tougher market access as the Philippines tightens rice standards, even while planning to import large volumes, says the vice president of the rice association.
Banks need to be more than mere partners for Vietnam to fulfil the ambitions of its One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice initiative, says Lộc Trời Group chairman.
Investor profile
Investor Naeem Lakhani believes fixing human health starts with fixing soils. His agtech fund, The First Thirty, is raising €100m to back companies connecting soil biology, food quality, and human health – powered by AI and collapsing genomics costs
Taiwan-based Ubiquity is seeking global partners to co-develop new food and ingredient products using its proprietary rapid germination technology.
Vietnam agriculture sector records massive losses across crops and livestock to the “severe and extreme” natural disasters in 2025.
India-based Modern Village Foundation (MVF) aims to close the adoption gap by delivering affordable agtech services to smallholder farmers through its unique model.