CATEGORIES

INI Farms and LuLu Group forge direct farm-to-retail alliance

In a significant development for the Indian Fruit and Vegetable (F&V)/horticulture sector, INI Farms, a part of the AgroStar group, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LuLu Group International, to establish a direct farm-toretail partnership for the Indian Cavendish Bananas.

Centre unveils LMS, Helpline 14447, Krishi Rakshak and SARTHI portals

Arjun Munda, the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Tribal Affairs, inaugurated several initiatives in Delhi aimed at assisting farmers.

Rise of Carbon Farming in India

Carbon farming that gives financial incentives is likely to be embraced by farmers in India where a large number of smallholder farmers are low-income earners. If the policy gradually shifts away from the subsidy-anchored posture, the rate of adoption will increase significantly.

How 'Framework for Voluntary Carbon Market' Will Benefit India?

The country's living environment is being harmed by modern Indian agriculture, which not only releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere but also pollutes the air and depletes water supplies. Moreover, an uneven and overabundance of fertilizer application may lower agricultural output and ultimately jeopardize the nation's food security. Thankfully, carbon farming has the potential to address each of these issues. Given its large agricultural area and ample potential for environmental enhancement, India is expected to emerge as the primary hub for carbon farming credits in the coming years.

"Future of Indian biostimulants appears promising, offering a sustainable and vibrant agricultural landscape"

In the face of challenging climatic conditions and evolving global markets, 'Combine', the only biostimulant shown to have an ameliorating effect on all enzymatic activities, has been empowering grape farmers across the nation for the past 25 years. This product, from Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL), ensures exceptional grape quality, acting as a shield against unfavourable conditions and underscoring its pivotal role in integrated disease management. In an interaction with AgroSpectrum, Rajavelu N.K, CEO of Crop Protection Business at Godrej Agrovet Ltd, shares his insights on the challenges and opportunities for biostimulants in India and beyond. Edited excerpts:

"The tractor industry's 2024 performance outlook is positive"

With renowned brands like Case IH and New Holland, CNH Industrial, a global leader in equipment and services, provides comprehensive agriculture solutions, including machinery, implements, and digital technologies. CNH has been at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge technology to farmers nationwide. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, CNH recently showcased agricultural machinery, including balers, combine harvesters, and tractors, at its Greater Noida facility. Narinder Mittal, Country Manager & Managing Director, Agriculture Business – CNH Industrial India & SAARC, shares insights on India’s farm mechanisation industry with AgroSpectrum. Edited excerpts;

Networking platforms for women offer opportunities for collaboration, mentorship and knowledge exchange

In the ever-evolving world of agribusiness, women entrepreneurs are taking charge, driving innovation, and reshaping the sector.

As women actively participate, their empowerment becomes integral to realising India's agritech evolution

In India's ever-changing agritech landscape, today women are positioned to revolutionise the nation's traditional agricultural practices.

Overcoming traditional stereotypes, women are now active in critical aspects of agritech

While there’s a stronger emphasis on Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in various agribusiness areas, there’s ample room to improve the inclusivity of the women workforce in skill development and adoption of labour-saving technologies for new or modified tool solutions, testing of product prototypes and finalisation of products for the market.

Empowerment without equal access to vital resources isn't possible

On International Women’s Day, it is pertinent to explore the burgeoning opportunities for women in agribusiness in 2024, a sector pivotal to India’s economy and undergoing a transformative phase of feminisation.

Stark disparity in land ownership hampers women's ability to expand and invest in agribusiness ventures

In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in the agricultural landscape of India, with an increasing number of women making their mark in the traditionally male-dominated sector.

India's Voluntary Carbon Credit Market Gaining Attention

The voluntary carbon credit market in India’s agriculture sector is gradually gaining momentum, although it remains relatively nascent compared to other industries. This makes it an exciting field with substantial opportunities for growth. The value and recognition of agricultural projects within the carbon market, like those in other sectors, vary based on factors such as project scale, certification standards, associated co-benefits and market demand. The government recently launched the Framework for Voluntary Carbon Market in the agriculture sector.’ This framework is expected to simplify the process of entering domestic and international carbon markets for companies and support larger-scale projects.

"India presents vast opportunities for driving growth through innovative technologies to enhance productivity"

Plasma Water Solutions India, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Plasma Water Solutions Inc, USA, has established a robust service network through authorised partners. Currently, validation demo sites are operational in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu, with plans for expansion into other regions. In conversation with AgroSpectrum, Pragya Kalia, Managing Director of Plasma Water Solutions India Pvt Ltd delves into how the company aims to catalyse growth in the agriculture sector by leveraging innovative technologies. Here are some edited excerpts:

'Nari Shakti' in Limelight

Women have taken remarkable strides in agriculture in India, ranging from agritech startups, agribusinesses, and R&D to academia.

Is SMART Farming A Smart Bet for India?

In the dynamic landscape of Indian agriculture, the dawn of smart farming technologies heralds a new era of innovation and efficiency. Recently, significant strides have been made in this sector, exemplified by Arya.ag’s, strategic partnership with Crystal Crop Protection Limited. This collaboration introduces a nationwide crop monitoring initiative powered by Arya.ag’s cutting-edge satellite crop monitoring tool, Prakshep”. Such initiatives underscore India’s commitment to advancing agricultural practices towards greater productivity and sustainability, a commitment further reinforced in India’s Interim Budget 2024. Let's look into more aspects related to the smart agriculture market in India.

IFFCO - Tetra Pak tie-up for sustainable production and packaging in Saudi Arabia

In a strategic move aligning with its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG-based) plans in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, International Foodstuffs Co. (IFFCO Group) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tetra Pak, the globally acclaimed food processing and packaging solutions company.

Aarti Industries inks supply contract of agrochemical intermediate with global giant

Aarti Industries Limited (AIL), a prominent global speciality chemicals company, has announced the signing of a 9-year long-term supply contract for a crucial agrochemical intermediate with a leading global agrochemical products and solutions company.

eFishery completes pilot project in India, eyes global expansion

Southeast Asia’s leading aquaculture company, eFishery, has achieved a significant milestone by completing its commercial pilot project in India.

BioPrime launches King Farmers Cohort Programme

BioPrime AgriSolutions, a leading biotechnology company specialising in developing cutting-edge agri-biologicals, has introduced the “King Farmers Cohort” programme, a revolutionary initiative aimed at empowering farmers with crop-specific, region-specific knowledge and skills.

How Lucrative is Shrimp Sector Despite Challenges?

India has demonstrated consistent and robust growth in shrimp exports over the last decade, supported by government focus and organic growth, and has established a dominant position in the global value chain.

Can AI Help Build a Secure Food System?

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (Al) in food production is likely to spark a debate about ethics and governance across the entire supply chain.

Blockchain and its Impact on the Agri Value Chain

The supply chain is always a complex task to manage the integrity, accountability, traceability, and quality of the products.

Booming HPAI-free Poultry Exports

India's poultry industry is poised for a significant boost as the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recently approved the country's self-declaration of freedom from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in specific poultry compartments. This approval is expected to have a substantial impact on India's poultry exports.

"We are seeing marketplaces move to a phygital model"

Established in 2013, AgroStar stands as a pioneering AgTech startup in India, dedicated to the mission of \"Helping Farmers Win.\"

Phygital Farming Takes Root in India

In the heart of India's agricultural landscape, a transformation is underway, powered by the rapid growth of e-commerce platforms. Online platforms are becoming the bridge that connects farmers directly with buyers, eliminating the traditional intermediaries and ensuring fair prices. This shift holds the promise of addressing long-standing challenges and propelling the sector into a new era of efficiency and sustainability.

India extendsS250M loan to Kenya for agri modernisation

During a joint press conference with Kenyan President William Ruto, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India will provide Kenya with a $250 million line of credit to modernise its agricultural sector.

How Agri Analytics Influence Agricultural Resilience

The amount of data in the agriculture sector is increasing at an exponential rate. Smart tractors, drones, and other linked farm equipment are examples of connected equipment (IoT) gadgets that are starting to accumulate data. Growers and leaders in agriculture are realising that big data holds the key to unlocking discoveries that could accelerate the development of new technologies and improve soil health, plant genomics, animal management, and other areas. With embedded Al, agriculture analytics may extract useful insights that can improve agricultural production, animal and plant health, sustainable practices, and more.

Emerging Trends in Biological Solutions

Driven by factors such as increasing demand for organic and natural products, rising concerns about food safety and security, and a growing focus on sustainable agriculture practices, the growth prospects for biological solutions in the agri-industry look promising in 2024 as well.

Advancing towards Tech-driven, Resilient Agriculture

India’s agricultural sector today is said to be on the verge of a breakthrough technological transformation. The new farm management approach uses Geo Positioning Systems GPS) and Artificial Intelligence-enabled software for precise mapping of farmlands, ensuring that individual fields or crops get precisely the inputs they need for optimum productivity. The technologies such as the Internet of Things loT), Big data, Artificial Intelligence Al), Machine Learning ML) and agribots are helping the farming community by providing granular data on rainfall patterns, water cycles, fertiliser requirements, improving crop production and real-time monitoring, harvesting, processing, and marketing. Despite the array of technology solutions available for farmers and investment flows, the road to transforming agriculture through technology is not without bottlenecks. Agritech solution providers need to consider several actions like training, awareness campaigns, demonstrations of new technologies in 2024 when looking to move toward a more sustainable production and to enhance efficiencies and increase farmers’ income by adopting them.

Agrovision attracts few lakhs of farmers of Central India to increase farmers' income

Ravindra Boratkar, Organising Secretary, Agrovision, and Publisher of AgroSpectrum welcoming the guests including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Tage Taki, Union Minister and Chief Patron of Agrovision Nitin Gadkari and other dignitaries at the valedictory function of 14th edition of Agrovision held in Nagpur on November 27, 2023.