Author: Hithaishi CB

Launches Artificial Intelligence Challenge in Nepal Global development organization Heifer International and FruitPunch AI, the global community educating and applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Good, launched the AI for Women Farmers Challenge — a project to develop AI tools to help rural women farmers in Nepal leverage data to improve their livelihoods. The project aims to help women-run agricultural cooperatives extract and translate their own data on financial, business and other activities, which the co-op members can then use to improve their access to markets, financing, product traceability platforms and more. The AI for Women Farmers Challenge will use FruitPunch AI’s trailblazing method of recruiting highly…

Explored fascinating world of insects and their crucial role in agriculture and the ecosystem Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)’s Youth in Agri Talk Show returned for its second episode on 16 February 2024. The SEARCA Youth in Agri Talk Show aims to promote agriculture and its importance to Southeast Asian youth, particularly those in basic education. The episode titled “Winged Warriors: The Unsung Heroes of Agri-Land” discussed fascinating world of insects and explored their crucial role in agriculture and the ecosystem. Dr. Nur Azura Adam, SEARCA deputy director for programs and an entomologist, featured as guest…

“Ministry to amend its contract farming support programme to create Win-Win Cooperation between Farmers and Companies” says KWON Jaehan, Deputy Minister of the Agricultural Innovation Policy Office, the Ministry of Agriculture KWON Jaehan, Deputy Minister of the Agricultural Innovation Policy Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, on his visit to Keundolchan Co., Ltd., a farming corporation and a partner of CJ Freshway Corp., discussed the ways to strengthen farmer-company cooperation for wider adoption of contract farming practices and listened to voices in the industry. In June 2023, Keundolchan received investment from CJ Freshway and adopted smart farming. The farming corporation has since been delivering…

Collaboration between Australia’s University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Vietnamese university researchers to create water monitoring solution A groundbreaking collaboration between UTS, Vietnam National University and Ho Chi Minh University of Technology has led to the development of a real-time sea-water monitoring system in Xuan Dai Bay, Vietnam. As the system is scalable and non-site specific, the technology has the potential to be used not just in further sites across Vietnam, but globally, and the team is actively seeking new partners to help them realise its full potential. The project, funded by Aus4Innovation and part of UTS Rapido Vietnam, employs…

Almost 90% of Malaysia’s palm oil exports go to Egypt Malaysia’s Ministry of Plantation and Commodities intends to make Egypt an essential part of its plan to expand Malaysia’s palm oil exports to the African continent through the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Its minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani said economic cooperation in the palm oil sector between Malaysia and Egypt was discussed in his meeting with the Egyptian Ambassador to Malaysia Ragai Tawfik Nasir. “Egypt is a strategic country for our palm oil industry because palm oil makes up almost 90 per cent of Malaysia’s exports to Egypt,” he…

Australia strengthens its biosecurity against pests and diseases in agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries with added funding package of $267 M per year Australia is designing the new Biosecurity Protection Levy model that will commence from 1 July 2024. Strong and sustainably funded biosecurity is essential to protect Australia against potentially devastingpests and diseases, and to safeguard our economy and agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries. The new model recognises that primary producers, whether growing for the domestic market or exporting into premium overseas markets, benefit considerably from Australia’s biosecurity status. The Australian Government’s 2023-24 Budget announced a biosecurity sustainable funding…

Global animal health leader adopts Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM for greater efficiency, visibility, and speed Boehringer Ingelheim has selected Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM applications as its technology foundation for clinical and regulatory management in its animal health business unit. By adopting unified applications on a single platform, Boehringer Ingelheim can streamline clinical execution to speed development of new medicines that help animals live healthier and happier lives. “Veeva Vault Clinical and Veeva Vault RIM will help us drive higher operational efficiency across functions while providing the insights for data-driven decision making,” said Marcus Gravendyck, head of global regulatory…

The Philippines is the 16th largest trade partner of Vietnam worldwide and the sixth-largest trade partner of Vietnam in Southeast Asia Vietnam and the Philippines will increase their bilateral trade and investment ties, with a focus placed on rice exports to help ensure food security. During the state visit to Vietnam by the Philippines’ President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos, the two Southeast Asian nations agreed that they will devise new mechanisms to enhance regional economic connectivity such as ASEAN’s Free Trade Agreement, Trade in Goods Agreement, and Comprehensive Investment Agreement. The two countries have also pledged to facilitate investments of each…

New policy controls export of biomass Malaysia’s Sabah cabinet has approved the Oil Palm Biomass Industry policy, says Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. After chairing the Chief Minister’s Department post-cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu, he said the cabinet had also decided to impose a State Sales Tax on biomass exports pending the implementation of the policy. “This is to control the export of biomass,” he said, adding that a Sabah Oil Palm Biomass law would also be enacted to regulate the industry. The policy will be enforced within two years from the date of its approval (after the palm…

Australia’s transition to net zero emissions with Net Zero 2050 Plan Australia is setting its polices to assist agriculture industry to reduce its emissions and lift its sustainability. The Agriculture and Land Sectoral Plan is one of six sectoral decarbonisation plans under the Government’s Net Zero 2050 Plan announced by Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt said the public consultation process is the first step in developing the sector plan, which will map out the role for the agricultural sector in Australia’s transition to net zero emissions. “A wide range of…