Author: Hithaishi CB

BKCC Introduces a farmer-friendly Vertical Farming System That reduces labor, increases safety, and supports farmers of all ages. Across the world, the farming population is aging, and fewer people are willing to work outdoors under harsh weather or uncertain income conditions. Even in controlled-environment agriculture, labor remains the greatest challenge. Despite technological progress, vertical farming still relies heavily on human work — and traditional fixed-rack systems often require: climbing up and down racks, stretching to reach upper trays, moving constantly between aisles. As labor becomes scarce, vertical farming must evolve into systems that support human operators, not burden them. BK…

Significant milestone for the UAE and the region, as efforts accelerate towards building climate-resilient and nature-connected cities, in line with the UAE Vision 2031 The inaugural edition of “My Plant & Garden Middle East 2025” was launched at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City, Dubai, under the patronage of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment. The opening ceremony was led by His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Salman Al Hammadi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Food Diversity Sector at the Ministry, and His Excellency Marwan Ahmed Bin Ghalita, Director General of Dubai Municipality, with the participation of government officials, international delegations,…

New chapter in the long journey of the national fertilizer and petrochemical industry Pupuk Indonesia Group, through its subsidiaries, PT Pupuk Kalimantan Timur (Pupuk Kaltim) and PT Rekayasa Industri (Rekind), officially started construction on the first soda ash factory in Indonesia. The start of factory construction was marked by a groundbreaking ceremony and the installation of the first pile, which took place in the Kaltim Industrial Estate (KIE) area in Bontang, East Kalimantan. The event was attended by the Senior Director of Business Performance & Asset Optimization of Danantara Asset Management, Bhimo Aryanto, along with the board of directors and commissioners of Pupuk Indonesia and Pupuk Kaltim, as well as representatives…

XAG P150 Max delivers upgraded structural design, intelligent control, and enhanced terrain adaptability, providing consistent, high-efficiency performance in real-world farming environments At Agritechnica 2025, the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery, XAG unveiled its latest innovations, introducing the P150 Max Agricultural Drone and the R Series Agricultural Rover. The new drone offers high payload capacity and full autonomy, while the rover is designed for precision crop protection in orchards and greenhouses. Together, they demonstrate how XAG integrates robotics and intelligence to make field operations smarter and more productive. Held every two years in Hanover, Germany, Agritechnica drew around 500,000 visitors…

Turning weather uncertainty into farmer resilience, Bayer launches Alivio, focusing on innovation in the agri-insurance space Indian smallholder farmers are increasingly exposed to erratic weather patterns, long dry spells, rising temperatures, shifting seasons, and high-intensity rains. Findings from Bayer’s Farmer Voice Survey – India 2024 reveal that nearly 9 in 10 farmers already feel the negative impact of climate change on their farms, with 72% expecting reduced yields, 62% anticipating increased crop failures, and more than half reporting frequent droughts, heat waves, or excessive rainfall in recent years. In response, farmers are proactively seeking ways to safeguard their livelihoods. While support to manage financial…

Leaders in Asia are focusing on strategies that integrate advanced technologies, sustainable practices, and collaborative efforts to enhance food security and resilience Asia-Pacific is leading the charge in the global quest for sustainable food solutions, transforming cutting-edge research into scalable innovations that are reshaping the future of food. Far from merely joining the race, the region is setting the pace, turning breakthroughs into real-world impact with remarkable speed. Experts from Enterprise Singapore, OFI, Friesland Campina, the Gates Foundation, Nomura, Sumitomo Corporation, Main Sequence Ventures, and the Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) Canada shared there opinion with reference to Asia…

Singapore Unveils Singapore Food Story 2, a comprehensive approach to food resilience Asia-Pacific’s agri-food system is at a critical point, facing challenges like climate volatility, water scarcity, evolving consumer demands, and natural resource degradation. As the world’s largest and one of the most dynamic agri-food market, it holds significant potential to spearhead the development of innovative solutions to future-proof food systems, ensure nutritional security, and support sustainable growth, both regionally and globally, for future generations. Now is the time for strategic partnerships and visionary leadership to shape the future of food — for the region, and for the world. Given…

The parametric insurance will protect livelihoods of 14,200 small-scale fishers, the first of its kind in the country The Government of the Philippines, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC), has partnered with global conservation organization Rare and Willis, a WTW business, to launch the country’s first parametric insurance solution for small-scale fishers.  This project has been developed through support from the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA) with funding from the Government of Canada and the UK Government’s Blue Planet Fund. The partnership is aimed at protecting the livelihoods…

Cyndy Galimpin, Head of Animal Health, ROPU ASKAN (ASEAN, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines), Boehringer Ingelheim Across the Asia Pacific, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health challenge with far-reaching implications for both human and animal health. In 2019, AMR was linked to 1.27 million deaths worldwide, more than HIV or malaria. When microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi learn to resist the medicines designed to kill them, infections become harder—or even impossible—to treat. This isn’t just a medical problem. It’s a human, animal, and environmental challenge. One Health: The Connection We Can’t Ignore Health experts widely agree…

Singapore International Agri-Food Week 2025: Startup funding_Identifying and Supporting Early-stage Startups in Sustainable Protein Solutions The Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein at the National University of Singapore (Bezos Centre @NUS) and Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) announced a new partnership to accelerate early-stage sustainable protein innovation through a startup competition. This is part of Bezos Centre @NUS’ US$3 million in grants over five years to support early and growth-stage startups in this space. The inaugural Sustainable Protein Startup Competition is identifying and supporting early-stage startups in sustainable protein solutions. Three winning startups will be selected through a competitive pitching process. Each winner is receiving a funding…