Scientists unveil leaf-mounted sensors to monitor plant health in real time
‘Small but mighty’ technology could help improve crop yields and boost agricultural productivity, according to scientists in Japan.
‘Small but mighty’ technology could help improve crop yields and boost agricultural productivity, according to scientists in Japan.
Asia’s agrifood sector has three untapped opportunities: precision agriculture, farmer empowerment through financial inclusion, and food waste reduction.
Indigo Ag and Truterra’s new strategic collaboration is aimed at simplifying, expanding and accelerating the adoption of ag sustainability solutions.
A $1 billion scheme aims to give hundreds of millions of farmers across Asia, Latin America and Africa greater access to weather data to help them manage the effects of climate change.
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?
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.
A new report flags the growing demand for data, circular innovation and market access for precision bred commodities in the UK.
Pitchbook’s new Q3 2024 agtech report reveals investor confidence is returning. Venture capital funding is on the rise. But deal counts continue to decline and exit opportunities remain limited.
Country profile
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.
Trump’s return to the White House is expected to have a significant bearing on the agtech sector. Here’s how.
Carbon farming in Europe is still a relatively new and emerging market, but Patrick Pagani, deputy secretary general of influential agricultural lobby group Copa-Cogeca says there is confidence that carbon credits will prove a viable income source for...
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.
Progressive regulatory frameworks, together with more collaboration with data, are needed to scale effective innovation, says BASF’s Neil Key.
Two new start-up incubators will provide real-world testing environments, world-class resources, and critical industry partnerships for robotics companies in California.
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.
Chinese scientists are using drone-based hyperspectral imaging to combat the effects of maize lodging.
GenAI and AI platforms continue to develop at a fast pace, experts from Microsoft and Syngenta Group told the recent World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London. But ‘humans in the loop’ are needed to develop dependable frameworks for validating...
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.
A new report shows a rise in digital payment adoption among US farmers, reflecting a broader industry shift towards digital solutions. But costs are still a concern for younger tech adopters.
The company that provides digital solutions to help farmers and agribusinesses optimise their operations has raised €36 million in a Series C funding round.
UK retailer Marks & Spencer has begun using drones and robot tractors to produce lower carbon parsnips.
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.
Sustainability report card
The meat giant’s climate ambitions are ‘unwavering’, according to its latest sustainability report. Is it making genuine progress or just hot air?
Farmers around the world are crying out for agricultural innovation amid widespread concern over climate breakdown, a new survey has found.
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.
Agtech data services provider Varda has joined the four-year €6 million ‘DeepHorizon’ project, funded by Horizon Europe, to conduct extensive subsoil sampling across European countries.
Agtech investor profile
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.
Farming businesses on the journey to more sustainable practices can now receive discounts on loan fees as part of a new HSBC UK initiative.
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.
Leaf Agriculture has just raised $11.3 million to make it easier for companies to access and use farm data from multiple sources. Manual data entry or in-house data processing pipelines are not working anymore, co-founder and CEO G. Bailey Stockdale...
UK-based RootWave has developed an eco-friendly weed control system that uses electricity instead of harmful chemicals to kill weeds. We spoke to its CEO Andrew Diprose to learn about how combining best-in-class power electronics, imaging and artificial...
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.
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.
University of Wisconsin–Madison engineers have developed low-cost sensors that allow for real-time, continuous monitoring of nitrate in soil types that are common in Wisconsin. These printed electrochemical sensors could enable farmers to make better...
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.
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.
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.
A panel of experts at the recent World Agri-Tech South America Summit in São Paulo hailed the country’s success in this sector.
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...
There is fertile ground for agfintech growth in Latin America. But fragmentation of data remains a bottleneck for the sector’s growth.
A new report highlights the transformative potential of digital technologies to create a more sustainable, transparent, and resilient global agricultural trade system. But more guidelines, upskilling initiatives and standardisation of data are needed to...
How scientists are helping the food industry to grow crops, using AI.
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...
Bactery, a spinout from the University of Bath, creates sustainable power from bacterial batteries – ‘Bacteries’ – that harvest electricity from soil.
Digital traceability in the global ag-food scene requires greater inclusivity and collaboration to bridge gaps among OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) member countries and transform supply chains, according to a comparative...
As yet untapped RNA-based technology is set to make up the next generation of tools to accelerate plant breeding and protection says new UK-based spin-out TraitSeq.
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.
Canada-based Verdi says new support from Silicon Valley accelerators will allow it to rapidly scale its platform for farm automation.
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.
AgTech innovations spanning carbon reduction, waste valorisation and soil characterisation from across Asia Pacific are among the latest cohort of the PepsiCo APAC Greenhouse Accelerator Program.