Norroa effectively controls varroa mites for up to 18 weeks, improving overall colony health.

In a major step forward for apiculture, GreenLight Biosciences has announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) registration of Norroa, the first-ever RNA-based treatment specifically designed to tackle Varroa mites, one of the biggest threats to honey bee populations and, by extension, global agriculture.

Norroa contains vadescana, a powerful active ingredient that uses RNA interference (RNAi), a natural process that targets the mites' reproductive system, effectively stopping their breeding cycle. The treatment’s formulation belongs to IRAC Group 35, providing a completely new mode of action for varroa control, ensuring effective mite management without harming bees. Importantly, vadescana breaks down quickly in the environment, aligning with sustainable agricultural practices.

The registration comes at a crucial time. Recent reports show alarming honey bee colony losses, with 1.7 million colonies lost between June 2024 and March 2025. Commercial beekeepers are facing average losses of 62%, partly due to the development of mite resistance to traditional chemical treatments. This, in turn, leads to higher viral loads in colonies, causing further damage to the hives.

Mark Singleton, chief commercial officer at GreenLight, said, “Norroa represents a breakthrough in honey bee protection from varroa mites, offering beekeepers an effective and easy-to-use tool that keeps mite populations down for up to 18 weeks.” He also stressed that Norroa is safe for bees, workers, and queens, with no negative effects on brood development. With few options left, beekeepers now have a much-needed alternative to chemical treatments.

The field trials speak volumes. Conducted across multiple U.S. regions, they showed Norroa effectively controls varroa mites for up to 18 weeks, improving overall colony health. By reducing mite pressure, this solution can contribute to higher colony survival rates during winter, a critical factor for maintaining healthy pollinator populations.

In the fight against varroa, Norroa™ offers a sustainable, precise solution for beekeepers, helping protect the bees that are vital to pollination and essential to the U.S. agricultural industry, valued at an estimated US$20bn annually.

Argos brings global expertise to local fields, using advanced technology to tackle extreme conditions and food security challenges head-on.

Argos Greenhouse Solutions, an Israeli pioneer in agritech, has been redefining modern farming since 2005

Designing and delivering turnkey greenhouse systems for regions as diverse as Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa, Argos brings global expertise to local fields, using advanced technology to tackle extreme conditions and food security challenges head-on.

“High-quality produce, grown locally, using world-class technology” is more than just a slogan — it’s the foundation of their work. At the Israel–South Africa Agritech event, business development manager Bar Sharon shared how controlled-environment agriculture is not just a luxury but a necessity in regions where traditional farming simply cannot survive.

“We’ve had to design greenhouses that can withstand everything from -10°C snowy winters to 50°C scorching summers. These are greenhouses, highly engineered environments capable of year-round production in climates where conventional farming fails,” Sharon noted.

One such success unfolded in Central Asia, where Argos’ climate-controlled greenhouses delivered lush vegetables in the depths of winter. These projects were made possible through precise design, customised structures, and advanced environmental control systems tailored to local extremes. Argos never applies a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, every project begins with market demand, followed by crop selection, greenhouse design, and a viable business model. According to Sharon, this strategy ensures that their solutions are grounded in real-world economics.

But the company's scope goes well beyond greenhouse construction. From initial design to post-harvest infrastructure and even training, Argos helps clients build entire agricultural ecosystems. In Indonesia, Argos partnered with local authorities to equip rural farmers with solar-powered greenhouse kits to grow habanero chillies. These compact, off-grid systems use gravity-fed irrigation and solar panels, allowing communities with limited infrastructure to run self-sustaining, profitable farming operations.

“We can supply post-harvest packing houses, sorting machinery, cold storage, and even training programs. This is about building sustainable agricultural ecosystems for the client,” Sharon explained.

Affordability is also key. Argos strives to make high-end technologies cost-effective for both commercial and smallholder growers. “Innovation doesn’t help if it’s not profitable,” Sharon said. “These aren’t charity projects. They’re sustainable, revenue-generating ecosystems that create jobs, strengthen food security, and support local economies.”

Sharon’s relocation to South Africa marks a bold step in Argos’ commitment to expanding across Africa. With its vast range of climates and a growing need for reliable food systems, the continent presents immense potential for controlled-environment agriculture. The company is actively seeking local partners to launch pilot projects and showcase what their solutions can achieve.

Though greenhouses remain Argos’ core strength, their expertise now includes open-field irrigation systems, including their own line of sprinklers currently being distributed in India — with plans to expand further.

Argos Greenhouse Solutions is helping redefine what’s possible in agriculture. By merging local production with global standards, they are proving that with the right technology, top-quality produce can be grown just around the corner no matter the climate. As Sharon put it, “When you walk down the supermarket aisle, we want you to pick up something new: something that looks like it was imported from Europe, but was actually grown just down the road.”

The model has potential well beyond Tapri. Project InnerSpace sees massive scalability across millions of hectares of global farmland.

A new geothermal cold storage initiative in Himachal Pradesh is set to change the game for Indian farmers, slashing post-harvest losses and boosting rural incomes

Project InnerSpace has launched its GeoFund programme, with the first funded initiative breaking ground in Tapri, Kinnaur—an apple-growing region in northern India. The Tapri Geothermal Cold Storage Project, spearheaded by clean-tech company Geotropy, aims to provide farmers with reliable, low-cost cold storage and crop drying using geothermal energy.

GeoFund is designed to support pilot projects that showcase the power of geothermal energy to drive economic growth, particularly in underserved rural areas. By using philanthropic funding to de-risk early-stage ventures, the programme aims to unlock global models that are scalable and sustainable.

“A widely recognised barrier to the rapid expansion of geothermal energy is the lack of pilot projects to demonstrate impact across the various technologies, applications, geologies, and geographies globally where it could be most impactful in economic development, energy security, and prosperity,” said Jamie Beard, Executive Director of Project InnerSpace.

The Tapri facility will offer 500 tonnes of cold storage and fruit dehydration capacity, allowing apple growers and horticulture farmers to store and preserve their harvest, reduce waste, and sell at higher prices outside of the harvest glut. Currently, the absence of affordable, dependable cooling forces many smallholders to offload crops quickly, often at a loss.

“This project is about more than just building a cold storage unit—it's about making sure our community can create economic growth by tapping into its geothermal potential,” said Vijay Chauhan, CEO of Geotropy. “Our farmers already see the value of this work, and we now have a waiting list for people to use the facilities.”

The model has potential well beyond Tapri. Project InnerSpace sees massive scalability across millions of hectares of global farmland, particularly in regions where post-harvest losses hinder food security. GeoFund will open-source data and collaborate with partners to replicate the model in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Vietnam Turns Industrial Waste into Fertiliser.

Vietnam is set to welcome a pioneering sustainable agriculture initiative, as Japanese biotech firm CHITOSE and Vietnamese environmental solutions company TA Vital join forces to transform industrial sludge into agricultural compost

This collaborative project marks a significant step toward Vietnam’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050, aligning with the nation’s broader environmental and circular economy ambitions.

The facility, under construction in the Prodezi Industrial Park—one of Vietnam’s first recognised eco-industrial zones—is expected to begin trial production by the end of 2025. During the initial phase, the compost produced will be used for landscaping purposes within the park itself, due to variability in sludge content sourced from multiple factories.

At the heart of this initiative is CHITOSE’s advanced composting technology, which employs an industrial-scale barrel system combined with a custom microbial blend. This enables the effective breakdown and detoxification of sludge materials, converting up to 80% into usable compost. Integrated AI monitoring tools track fermentation conditions in real time, optimising temperature, moisture, and microbial activity to ensure consistent quality.

A key innovation lies in the ability to tailor the nutrient content of the compost to meet the specific needs of crops—such as dragon fruit—enhancing yield and soil health. Although initial applications will focus on non-food plants, the long-term goal is to expand into food crop fertilisation by working directly with factories producing more consistent, organic waste streams.

Another future ambition is to shift from Japanese-sourced equipment to local production, helping reduce costs and expand deployment across Vietnam and potentially Southeast Asia.

By transforming waste into high-value agricultural input, this project stands as a practical model of the circular economy in action. It not only supports industrial sustainability but also holds promise for reducing chemical fertiliser use and improving soil resilience—two critical needs for climate-smart agriculture in the region.

As Vietnam continues to advance its green agenda, this sludge-upcycling venture represents a meaningful step toward a more regenerative and resource-efficient future.