Phytech hopes new tie-ups will accelerate adoption of digital farming tech
Israel-based digital farmer Phytech has announced partnerships with major irrigation solution providers Rivulis and Netafim.
Water
Scientists say yeast and green algae improves water treatment
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered that a combination of yeast and green algae improves water treatment efficiency.
EIT Food launches new start-up accelerator to serve future resilient agriculture
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is partnering with EIT Food, the world’s largest food innovation community, to launch a new accelerator bub for start-ups in the EU.
What does Bowery’s closure tell us about the future of vertical farming?
Bowery Farming may not be the last vertical farming company to fail before the sector begins a period of more stable scaling and growth.
Cheer for Italy’s agrisolar sector as projects attract €185m
Private equity firm and renewable energy investor Capital Dynamics has raised €185 million to finance two of Italy's largest agrivoltaics projects in Sicily.
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.
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).
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...
What’s gone wrong for Ynsect?
The French poster child of the insect farming industry has filed a safeguard plan after failing to find enough financing for its expansion plans. Can it find cash from some investors?
Project aims to create a unified methodology for the UK ag sector
Lloyds Banking Group and Soil Association Exchange have joined forces to offer what they call a ‘first of its kind’ environmental baselining assessment in a bid to create more sustainable and profitable farming practices.
Plant breeders want unified global policy on genome-edited crops to boost food security
International Seed Federation members are calling for harmonised regulations on new breeding technologies such as genome editing to accelerate impactful innovation.
Agtech investor profile
Serra Ventures on why investors will continue to be drawn to the rewards of agri-tech
It’s currently a challenging time for venture capitalists in the sector. But Tim Hoerr, founder and CEO of Serra Ventures, can’t think of a better category to be in.
'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.
Has the environmental case for vertical farming just been stacked up?
Growing lettuce vertically could be as good for the environment as growing them in fields and could save 8,000 hectares of land in the UK, according to a new study from the University of Surrey and the University of Aberdeen.
The smart ag projects helping Brazil’s coffee farmers save up to 30% of their water
Brazil supplies about a third of the world's coffee, making it by far the world's largest producer. But with dwindling water supplies threatening the industry, producers are busy with efforts to protect this vital resource.
Health-threat ‘forever chemicals’ removed from water with 3D-printed ceramic ink
3D printing offers effective, scalable way to remove harmful chemicals, according to scientists.
PepsiCo commits $1.7 million to drive young people into US ag
With farmers under the age of 35 making up just 9% of the US farming industry, PepsiCo Foods North America has launched the Planting Pathways Initiative (PPI) to expand opportunities in the sector.
California: Bold moves needed for agriculture to adapt to climate change
A new report details farming’s needs for climate resilience.
Inside a billion dollar deal: Why Merck acquired Elanco aqua health
Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside North America, has completed its acquisition of Elanco's aqua business, a deal it claims will bolster its leadership within that sector.
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.
US vertical farmer Plenty to expand in the Middle East
Plenty is forming a joint venture with Mawarid, a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, in a US$680 million deal to develop a network of indoor farms across Gulf Cooperation Council member countries over the next five years.
Can GenAI really predict the future of crop yields? Ask Cropin
We caught up with India’s Cropin Technology, which has just partnered with Google's Gemini generative AI chatbot to launch Sage, a real-time intelligence platform for the agricultural sector.
Start-up’s fundraise illustrates need to address climate credit’s ‘chequered’ past
Mitti Labs, which aims to reduce methane emissions in rice farming, has just secured $3 million in equity investment thanks to its prospects of being able to meet rising demand for verified carbon credits.
Co-op the latest UK supermarket to support greener farming
Co-op has unveiled plans to support its British farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices to boost sustainability and address future environmental issues.
Farmbot fundraise illustrates demand for water saving solutions
As water scarcity intensifies and environmental pressures mount, smart water management is becoming essential for ensuring the sustainability and productivity of agriculture. Leveraging data, technology, and best practices can help farmers grow more with...
The new projects aimed at transforming rice farming in South Asia
Mitti Labs, a tech-enabled project developer focused on sustainable agriculture, specifically in the rice farming sector, has unveiled five rice projects in India to reduce methane emissions, increase water security and build farmer resilience.
Urgent need for ag-food sector in middle-income countries to ramp up emissions reduction efforts: World Bank report
The global ag-food system has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with middle-income countries (MICs) in particular needing to reverse their collective role as the world’s largest emitters of GHGs related to ag-food.
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.
Why financing smallholder farmers matters... experts discuss
Agtech solutions must address financing for smallholder farmers, together with scope 3 emissions, and inequity across multiple sectors of the industry in order to meet sustainability goals. This was the consensus among panellists at a recent webinar...
BetterSeeds welcomes former Bayer executive as chairman
The Israel-based company that uses gene-editing technology, specifically CRISPR, to genetically improve crops and design better seeds, has announced the appointment of Dr. Helmut Schramm, a former Bayer Crop Life executive and highly respected...
Iyris gets $16m to scale tech for ‘underserved’ growers in harsh conditions
Iyris (formerly RedSea), which helps growers in the most difficult farming environments around the world to increase crop yields, reduce input costs and risk, and extend growing seasons, has completed a $16 million Series A fundraise. Now, the hard work...
Blue Food Innovation Summit, London
Sustainable aquaculture: Mowi, BioMar and policy shapers on solutions
The opening session of the Blue Food Innovation event in London last week centered around the need for sustainable aquaculture innovation to address climate change, responsible feed sourcing and measuring, the social licence to operate, and consumer...
Precision irrigation company expands product offer in Europe as region’s water fears grow
WiseConn will launch a new product in Europe to give agricultural operations, farms, and agribusinesses more irrigation management solutions to improve water efficiency, crop yields, and overall farm productivity.
Overlooked in carbon counting: Ground-breaking method estimates agricultural pond methane emissions in Australia
Researchers in Australia have developed a revolutionary approach to assess methane emissions from agricultural ponds, crucial for national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory reports.
Precision ag start-up primed for growth after new partnerships
Canada-based Verdi says new support from Silicon Valley accelerators will allow it to rapidly scale its platform for farm automation.
Global ag is ‘dishearteningly under-optimised’: Hexafarms gets €1.3m to digitise indoor farming
Hexafarms, a start-up which develops software for indoor commercial food production, has announced the successful close of a €1.3 million pre-Seed funding round led by leading European early-stage investors Speedinvest with participation from Mudcake and...
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.
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.
VC investment
Agtech's ‘great reset’ continues, data reveals
PitchBook’s latest Q1 2024 Agtech Report indicates a market undergoing a correction, with the wheat being separated from the chaff. Some sectors are hotter than others, meanwhile.
Innovation Insider
UK: Raising funds at required scale a barrier to ‘transformative change’
Despite advances in innovation and technology in UK agriculture, attracting sufficient investment remains a key hindrance in achieving transformative change in the industry.
Overcoming the ‘tyranny of distance’: Can Australia successfully push its weight on a global stage?
Aussie agtech is hoping its unique experiences of climate change will allow it to spearhead international expansion. The signs are promising.
Untapping the water management market: Finnish start-up raises €2.2m to recycle nutrients from wastewater
NPHarvest, a spin-off from Aalto University in Finland, has raised €2.2 million to bring its proprietary nutrient catcher machine to market. The hardware is the first of its kind, making it possible to catch nutrients on a real commercial level, the...
science shorts
Agtech Aha! Moments: From testing the world's first unmanned forestry machine to cultured beef rice
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’,...
US sustainable farming outlook positive, but operational and financial support still key barriers to adoption
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.
French start-up flush with new funds to combat water scarcity in agriculture
Founded in 2014, Weenat provides the agricultural community with agro-meteorological data to monitor the climatic and agronomic conditions of its plots in real time, from sowing to harvesting.
Aquaculture without antibiotics: Peptobiotics closes Series A round as it seeks to tackle ‘acute’ overuse and resistance
Singapore start-up Peptobiotics has raised US$6.2M in Series A funding to commercialise its antimicrobial peptide technology as it seeks to replace the use of antibiotics, firstly in aquaculture, and in the future in livestock.
Agri Trend Tracker: From BioConsortia’s latest US$15mn to Bayer’s data analysis to verify carbon reductions
Our 360-degree look at the latest developments from across the globe takes in the news that gene-editing start-up BioConsortia has secured US$15 million, while a UK-based spinout is set to accelerate efforts to help palm tree farmers improve yields.
Innovation insider
Japan wants to promote smart agriculture, fast
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....
Water now a major risk for world’s supply chains, report warns
New analysis provides a unique insight into how some of the world’s largest brands are grappling with water issues.