Author: Suchetana Choudhuri

In this exclusive Agrospectrum interview, Dr. Godefroy Grosjean, Co-lead of CGIAR’s Hub for Sustainable Finance (ImpactSF), and Ena Derenoncourt, Senior Officer at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT and ACT-H Project Lead, share how climate-aligned finance is reshaping Ethiopia’s agricultural landscape. They highlight how the ACT-H initiative, backed by the Gates Foundation, is piloting bundled green loans that combine credit with irrigation, insurance, and training to de-risk horticulture value chains and empower smallholder farmers. Dr. Grosjean and Ena highlight the ImpactSF Analyzer, an AI-enabled tool translating climate data into actionable credit and portfolio metrics for banks, allowing them to move from single-loan transactions to systemic portfolio design. They have discussed the…

In an exclusive Agrospectrum interview, Oli Genn-Bash, Founder of The Fungi Consultant and co-founder of the UKC Psychedelics Society, explored the rising wave of functional mushrooms as a high-value agricultural and wellness opportunity. He highlighted the potential for smallholder cultivation models, noting that with training, local spawn, and market access, species like Reishi and Cordyceps could thrive in Europe and Africa, particularly through circular substrate systems using agro-waste. Genn-Bash emphasized that quality control, traceability, and provenance labeling are becoming critical in premium European markets, while technology innovations such as solar-powered polyhouses could democratize cultivation in climate-stressed regions. On the consumer…

An exclusive Agrospectrum interview, Alexandre Ferreira da Silva, Research Scientist at Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, reveals why sorghum is no longer just a supporting player—it’s becoming a star of Brazil’s bioenergy revolution. With unmatched drought resilience and off-season planting advantages, sorghum acts as climate insurance while supercharging existing corn ethanol plants. High-starch hybrids and valuable co-products like DDG are driving its economic edge, making every hectare count. Silva highlights how RenovaBio’s carbon credit program turns sorghum’s low-carbon profile into a tangible revenue boost. Looking beyond borders, Brazil’s sorghum is poised to hit the global stage, with China emerging as a…

In this Exclusive AgroSpectrum Interview, Prof. Ademola Adenle, PhD (Nottingham), MPP (Oxon)—Senior Special Adviser on Agricultural Innovation at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the inaugural laureate of the TWAS–M S Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace—articulates a bold vision for science-driven agricultural transformation. He underscores the pivotal role of climate-resilient and biofortified crops in combating hunger and malnutrition, while insisting that true impact lies in farmer-led adoption and participatory systems. Prof. Adenle highlights how genomic tools, AI, and precision breeding are redefining crop science in Africa, but cautions that sustained progress requires cohesive Pan-African policies and…

For over fifty years, synthetic fertilisers powered global food production but caused soil degradation, water contamination, and greenhouse-gas emissions, prompting a shift toward sustainable alternatives. Biofertilisers—live microbial products—are emerging as a mainstream solution, improving nutrient uptake, plant resilience, and produce quality while integrating with precision agriculture systems. Policy support, particularly in India, the EU, and Denmark, is accelerating adoption through subsidies, regulatory compliance, and carbon-credit incentives. Regional case studies demonstrate that microbial inputs, when combined with sensor-guided fertigation and AI-driven management, can reduce synthetic nitrogen use by 15–35 per cent , boost yields, and enhance market value. The global takeaway:…

Brian Tsuyoshi Takeda, CEO & Co-Founder of Restorae, Founder, Urchinomics, Secretariat of International Affairs, Japan Blue Economy, Head of Reforestation, Kelp Forest Foundation is a global voice for ocean regeneration, championing kelp forests as vital yet overlooked climate allies. In this exclusive AgroSpectrum interview, he explains how kelp ecosystems deliver biodiversity, food security, coastal resilience, and carbon sequestration—quietly but critically shaping climate futures. As Secretariat of International Affairs at the Japan Blue Economy Association, Takeda highlights Japan’s pioneering role in integrating kelp forests into blue carbon credits and Paris Agreement reporting. He discusses the credibility of kelp-based sequestration, the challenges…

In an exclusive interview with Agrospectrum, Willy Gabriel Mboukem, President of La Green Factory, outlined how Africa can finally rewrite its role in the $130-billion cocoa economy. Speaking through the lens of Autour du Cacao, his flagship project, Mboukem stressed that the real breakthrough lies not only in local processing but in valorizing by-products—transforming husks, mucilage, and pulp into new industries from cosmetics to bioplastics. He argued that Europe’s new deforestation rules, while challenging, could be a springboard for African producers to lead on traceability and sustainability if backed with the right support. Looking ahead to 2035, he envisions a…

In an exclusive AgroSpectrum interview, Lawrence Pratt, President of ClearLeaf (Costa Rica), unveils how the company’s GotaBlanca Post platform is revolutionizing post-harvest crop protection with zero-detectable residues. Using a proprietary copolymer matrix that embeds elemental silver, the technology destroys pathogens through multiple mechanisms while keeping silver levels at natural background thresholds. Pratt highlights that in pineapples and bananas—two of the world’s largest tropical export crops—the product delivers fungicide-level efficacy without worker safety risks or environmental trade-offs. With EU bans tightening and consumers demanding residue-free produce, he sees the non-toxic post-harvest protection market growing exponentially over the next five years. Regulatory…

Israel’s water journey offers a powerful playbook for nations grappling with depleting aquifers. In an exclusive conversation with AgroSpectrum, Noa Amsalem, Water Attach’e, Embassy of Israel in India describes how Israel moved from groundwater dependence to “manufactured water” through large-scale desalination and recycling over 90 per cent of its municipal wastewater. She cautions that while groundwater may resemble oil in its scarcity, its true value is closer to gold — finite, irreplaceable, and too precious to be used only once. For India, Noa stresses that regulation must go hand in hand with alternatives: treated wastewater, drip irrigation, and locally adapted…

Image Source: AI In this exclusive interview with AgroSpectrum and NuFFooDS Spectrum, Wine Brand Strategist and Digital Communications Specialist Margot van Lieshout-Koopmans, DipWSET, shares her reflections on the rapid evolution of Chinese wine. She explores how Marselan has become China’s signature grape, adapting across terroirs from Ningxia to Xinjiang and offering a storytelling opportunity through regional diversity. Margot highlights the emerging sensory identity of boutique Chinese wines—ripe yet fresh, textural, and increasingly expressive of place rather than Bordeaux mimicry. She emphasizes the power of visual storytelling and culturally rooted label design in elevating authenticity and overcoming global scepticism. On commercial…