Author: Hithaishi CB

Signs MoU to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, ensure mutual food security, and promote sustainable trade The Philippines and Cambodia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation during a bilateral meeting between Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. and Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Dith Tina. The meeting, held during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Cambodia, focused on enhancing agricultural trade, food security, and market access for farm products. Minister Dith expressed optimism about the growing demand for Cambodian agricultural exports in the Philippines, particularly premium aromatic rice, which is increasingly sought after in urban…

The PAN Group has signed a cooperation agreement with Japanese partners AGRI SMILE and Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc. to contribute to sustainable agriculture Vietnam and Japan have significant potential to expand agricultural and food cooperation. Vietnam offers abundant and diverse agricultural and seafood supplies, while Japan has a high demand for safe, high-quality, and traceable food products. Japan’s ageing population, labour shortages in agriculture, and consumer preferences for healthy, sustainable food further reinforce these opportunities. In addition to direct exports, both countries can expand cooperation in deep processing, value-added product development, preservation technologies, and high-tech agriculture. Acting Minister of Agriculture…

Mutual cooperation on three main areas including “sharing expertise in agricultural data analysis’, ‘developing technical and vocational education’, and ‘utilising data from the 2024 Agricultural Census’ Malaysia’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (KPKM) and Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance research collaboration in the agri-food sector. The agreement, formalized through PNB’s research division, PNB Research Institute (PNBRI), aims to strengthen public-private partnerships and drive innovation in agricultural development. The partnership focuses on three key areas: sharing expertise in agricultural data analysis, developing technical and vocational education, and utilizing data from the 2024…

“Digitalization is no longer optional in agriculture. It is a powerful tool to tackle hunger, reduce emissions, and help smallholder farmers and rural communities thrive” reaffirms Alue Dohong, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific Digital agriculture is transforming how food is produced, managed, and delivered, offering powerful tools to tackle climate change, strengthen food security, and build more resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. Across regions, governments, innovators, researchers, and farmers are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI), mobile platforms, satellite data, and digital advisory services to drive change. To exchange experiences, showcase innovations, and explore ways…

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Vietnam’s Agricultural Project Management Board (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) in collaboration with the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) held a meeting to launch the Agri-photovoltaics for rural areas in Vietnam (Agri-PV) project. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The Agri-PV project aims to deploy at least 10 agricultural solar power models. The pilot models will provide valuable experiences to demonstrate that farmers can benefit from combining agricultural production with solar power. In addition, 65% of…

Technology aims to support sustainable food production in space and has potential applications for terrestrial farming The University of Southern Queensland’s (UniSQ) iLAuNCH Trailblazer initiative is working with international partners Axiom Space, Yuri Gravity, and Medicinal Harvest to create an autonomous system for monitoring plant health in space. This project involves testing plants in a flight-certified growth chamber using advanced machine vision techniques. The system, supported by an AI algorithm, can detect early signs of plant stress through regular camera footage, enabling remote monitoring and optimization of plant health. The technology aims to support sustainable food production in space and…

Mobilizes ten regional technical and scientific cooperation support centres worldwide to boost countries’ capacity for monitoring and reporting on Target 2 of the CBD’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) launched a new global partnership to help countries monitor and report on ecosystem restoration, including in Asia-Pacific, one of the most biodiverse yet ecologically threatened regions of the world.Announced during the “Subregional dialogue on biodiversity monitoring and reporting with a focus on ecosystem restoration” in Bangkok, the new partnership will mobilize ten regional technical and…

World Bank will leverage its loan to mobilize between USD300 million and USD500 million in climate protection for farmers, fisherfolk, and agri-based micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The Philippine government, with the backing of the World Bank, is set to roll out a five-year, USD70 million initiative in 2026 to protect the country’s agriculture sector from escalating climate-related risks. The project aims to establish a co-insurance pool that will provide financial protection to 750,000 small farmers and fisherfolk by 2030. Under the program, the World Bank will leverage its loan to mobilize between USD300 million and USD500 million in…

Theme “Agri-Food Systems in Rural Areas: Green Solutions and Business Opportunities” The 11th Sino-German Agricultural Week unveiled in Chengdu, China’s Sichuan Province, in September first week. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of China and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity of Germany. The event focused on the theme “Agri-Food Systems in Rural Areas: Green Solutions and Business Opportunities.” Tao Huaiying, Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) of MARA, Markus Schick, State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, and Hu Yun, Vice Governor of Sichuan Province, attended the opening…

Investment supports sustainable agriculture, species restoration, carbon credits, sequestration, and global net-zero competitiveness. The CEFC and global investment group La Caisse (formerly CDPQ) have launched a AU$250 million landmark, large-scale, diversified agricultural platform to generate high-quality Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), with Rio Tinto as a foundation offtaker. La Caisse has invested AU$200 million alongside a AU$50 million commitment from the CEFC to create the Meldora platform (Meldora), managed by Australian agriculture and natural capital asset manager, Gunn Agri Partners (GAP). Meldora has purchased its first asset, a broadacre and irrigation farm of more than 15,000 hectares in Central Queensland. Meldora will…