Starbucks looks to worms to recycle used coffee grounds into fertiliser
The coffee giant has unearthed a new solution for disposing of spent coffee grounds in the UK.
Crop inputs
Study says organic inputs can boost rice yield and cut nitrogen losses
Integrating organic and inorganic fertilisers can improve eco-efficiency and sustainability in rice cultivation, which could hold significant implications for rice growers in mid-latitudes.
Does TIME’s best invention list mark a shift in how the world views agtech?
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?
Innovafeed gets $11m USDA grant to bring insect fertiliser to the US
French insect company Innovafeed is celebrating after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) awarded it an $11 million grant as part of its Fertiliser Production Expansion Programme (FPEP).
What solutions does the UK agri-supply industry want to achieve resilience?
A new report flags the growing demand for data, circular innovation and market access for precision bred commodities in the UK.
NitroVolt gets €3.5 million to realise its green ammonia plan
The Danish company has secured €3.5 million in seed funding to develop a sustainable and decentralised method for producing ammonia.
Study says ‘vaccinating’ plants could reduce pesticide use and secure global food supplies
Induced resistance, where plants’ immune systems are activated in a controlled way that prepares them to fight pests and disease, could help build a sustainable and resilient agricultural system, according to researchers.
Ugly approach: Obsession with ‘aesthetic grading’ causes significant food loss, economic woe for farmers
Research led by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) has revealed that aesthetic grading, which focuses on the appearance of apples, leads to significant food losses without economically benefiting farmers.
Watch: Farms are crying out for innovation, says UK-Agri-Tech Centre CEO
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.
Watch: BASF on innovation, regulation and collaboration
Progressive regulatory frameworks, together with more collaboration with data, are needed to scale effective innovation, says BASF’s Neil Key.
Watch: Gates Ag One discusses the tech solutions on its radar
The innovation being eyed by Gates Foundation's agtech arm has potential to be deployed in richer nations, says Trey Key, its director of business development. But he warns that ag requires more time for technology integration compared to other sectors.
Last chance to register for FREE webinar dissecting Asia’s growing agri-food ecosystem
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).
‘The timelines are too long’: Regulation ‘holding back’ biologicals in Europe, firms complain
Biological players have criticised the overlong regulatory timelines for alternative crop protection products in the region.
The end of the era of ‘nice to have’ products? 5 insights from McKinsey’s latest farmer survey that you can’t ignore
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.
Plans to turn pongamia oil into biofuel move up a gear
Terviva, the company aiming to plant 200 million pongamia trees over 10 years for food, feed and fuel, has received investment from Chevron Renewable Energy Group, as mining giant Rio Tinto also looks to pongamia as a feedstock for renewable diesel...
Is it time for a more balanced perspective on chemical crop protection?
Valid concerns about their use have led to some negative perceptions. But it’s time to be more agnostic regarding the use of both synthetic and natural ingredients in crop protection, believes Moa Technology.
Innovation Insider: Country profile
Denmark: Outlier or pioneer?
Will Denmark’s unprecedented carbon tax be replicated in other countries? Or is it simply another example of its unique willingness to challenge the status quo?
Study: Biochar ineffective as feed additive for reducing methane in dairy cows
A recent Swiss study has found that biochar (BC), a substance gaining popularity in agriculture for carbon storage and soil improvement, does not effectively reduce methane emissions.
Overheard at World Agri-Tech – 11 talking points for the sector to ponder
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.
'Seasonality can kill you as a company': Can a new standards framework help bring successful products to market quicker?
A new standard-setting playbook edited by Leaps By Bayer, the impact investment arm of Bayer, aims to spur innovation and investment across the sector.
Innovation Insider Country profile
India: Are the bets back on?
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.
Green insecticide start-up raises $14m
SOLASTA Bio, based in Glasgow in the UK and with a base in North Carolina in the US, has completed a $14 million Series A funding round to accelerate the development of its peptide-based bioinsecticides.
Save the bees: new brand lifts off to preserve falling populations
Agtech company Terra Vera has launched a new division to address the critical issue of declining bee populations.
Flipping a genetic ‘switch’ in beans, peas and lentils can boost soil fertility and food security
The potential to flip the genetic 'off switch' and ensure legumes convert nitrogen into nutrients regardless of the soil conditions could improve the yield of legume crops and also the amount of nitrogen left in the soil for subsequent crops, explains...
Accuracy advances: How aligning satellite data with rice growth stages improved paddy mapping info in China
Scientists have developed an innovative framework that aligns advanced satellite data with rice growth stages to bolster paddy mapping accuracy in China, raising hopes it will enhance precision ag strategies and contribute to global food security efforts.
Fresh funds for crop protection start-up demonstrates the pheromone appeal
PheroSyn, a spin-out from Rothamsted Research in the UK, has secured new funding to advance its pheromones-based pest management solutions.
How ‘citizen science’ hopes to find the crops of the future
The tricot (triadic comparison of technologies) approach is proving key to testing new crop varieties, particularly in the context of smallholder agriculture and climate adaptation, say scientists.
Agtech investor profile
FMC Ventures: ‘AI and machine learning will drive the future of crop protection’
The venture capital arm of agricultural sciences giant FMC Corporation looks for ‘game-changing’ innovations that go beyond FMC's core business of crop protection. Associate Matt Foley tells us more about the firm’s operations, strategies and impact.
Company hails ‘enormous’ potential of micropeptides in crop protection after fundraise
Micropep Technologies, which creates natural crop protection and stimulation products using micropeptides, has announced a $29 million Series B funding round and unveiled a proprietary discovery platform called Krisalix.
Will the new UK government embrace gene-edited food?
Plant scientists in the UK are demanding clarity from the new government to unlock the potential economic and environmental benefits of new precision breeding techniques such as gene editing.
PepsiCo Europe and Yara partner to decarbonise crop production
PepsiCo Europe has announced a long-term collaboration with crop nutrition company Yara aimed at providing farmers in Europe with crop nutrition programmes to help decarbonise the food value chain.
Syngenta reveals latest tie-up to accelerate launch of ‘pioneering’ biological solution
The crop protection giant has revealed a partnership with Ginkgo Bioworks, a US biotechnology company that specialises in using genetic engineering and synthetic biology to create custom microorganisms for a wide range of industries.
Japan GM foods: New government data highlights genetically modified crop safety to assuage ‘accidental spillage’ concerns
The Japanese government has released new data highlighting the safety of genetically modified crops to placate public concerns that accidental spillages were affecting biodiversity.
AGTECH START-UP FOUNDER INSIGHTS
What We’ve Learned: Unibaio on how natural microparticles can reduce chemicals in ag
Argentina-based Unibaio is a biotechnology company that develops innovative microparticles to improve the performance and sustainability of agrochemicals. Its key technology involves creating biodegradable nanocapsules made from natural polymers that can...
Enhanced rock weathering proves cost-effective for reducing N2O emissions: study
Research shows that enhanced rock weathering combined with fertilisers with nitrification inhibitors could cut global agricultural nitrous oxide emissions by 25% without slowing down the overall recovery of the ozone layer.
Huge study aims to unearth knowledge of ‘largely unexplored’ subsoil
A four-year €6 million ‘DeepHorizon’ project, funded by Horizon Europe, will involve extensive subsoil sampling across European countries.
The rising role of mushroom chitin for sustainable production
Thanks to its perceived sustainability advantages over animal-based chitin, there’s rising interest in the use of mushroom-derived chitin in agriculture, AgTechNavigator learns.
Climate resilient crops: Scientists hail benefits of zinc, while ‘world's first’ gene-edited cowpea gets US approval
Zinc can make crop yields more climate-resilient, particularly for legume crops, according to new research. Separately, Israeli BetterSeeds has achieved USDA approval for the world's first gene-edited cowpea.
Regen ag: Undefined and unable to feed the planet?
Yes, its broad principles offer a promising path towards sustainable nutrition and food security for the future. But without a standard definition regen ag risks becoming a soon-disregarded fad, it has been warned.
The next source of eco-friendly fertiliser: purple bacteria?
Biomass made from a species of purple bacteria typically found in marine sediments, seawater pools and mud flats is an ‘excellent nitrogen fertiliser’, according to research published in the journal Sustainable Agriculture.
UK agtech faces funding, scalability challenges amid sustainability and Brexit concerns
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.
Budding European agtech start-ups buoyant after Corteva partnership
A new tie-up between agritech giant Corteva Agriscience and Dutch accelerator StartLife, which supports start-ups in the food and agriculture sectors, aims to enable solutions through open innovation and speed the path to market breakthrough agrifood...
RNAi for crop protection: how are the key challenges being addressed?
The study of RNAi in biology has been around for decades, but the use of RNAi for crop protection is relatively new. We caught up with Canada-based Renaissance BioScience Corp, which is developing novel yeast-based RNA interference (RNAi) technology for...
Is private equity investment best placed to serve agtech?
It’s a question we put to Sao Paulo, Brazil-based Aqua Capital, a private equity firm investing in sustainable and innovative companies within the ag and food sectors, which has announced the final closing of its Ag & Food PE Fund III (Fund III).
What's behind Syngenta's move to open up its genome-editing and new breeding tech?
In a groundbreaking move, Syngenta Group has announced that it is expanding access to its genome-editing and breeding technologies to academic researchers globally.
Microplastics pollution in soils: Is the problem outpacing the potential solutions?
It’s a significant and growing environmental concern. But has the agtech industry been slow to address the issue of microplastics pollution from agrochemicals and agricultural practices?
New tool to detect toxins in fertiliser unveiled
Researchers have developed a new geochemical ‘fingerprint’ to trace contaminants in fertiliser in the hope of remediating contamination linked to phosphate.
New approach to cultivar selection needed to maximise lettuce production in greenhouse vertical farming
Lettuce cultivars should be selected for their ability to thrive under varying light conditions in order to maximise production in vertical farming, say researchers in Thailand.
Sucking up: Ground-breaking Australian research could be a major boost for engineering climate resilient crops
A new scientific discovery in Australia could help engineer climate resilient crops capable of ‘sucking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere’ more efficiently, and helping to produce more food in the process.
Meet the seven start-ups tasked with reshaping agri-food in Cambodia
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.