Nestlé continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Thailand’s coffee sector.(Image credit: Nestlé)

Nestlé (Thai) Ltd. has renewed its long-standing partnership with Thai coffee farmers by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Thai Coffee Growers Association

The agreement, covering the 2025/2026 harvest season, affirms Nestlé’s commitment to purchasing Robusta coffee beans directly from local farmers while continuing to promote sustainable farming practices and improve livelihoods within the coffee-growing communities.

The signing ceremony was held in Chumphon Province, a key region for coffee production in Thailand, and was honoured by the presence of the provincial governor, reflecting the significance of the initiative to the local economy.

As part of the agreement, Nestlé will support farmers not only through bean purchases but also by sharing practical knowledge on Regenerative Agriculture. This approach focuses on improving soil health, conserving water, and promoting biodiversity, ultimately helping farmers build climate resilience and boost both yield and quality.

“For several decades, Nestlé has continuously supported our local coffee farmers. Additionally, Nestlé has consistently been the largest purchaser of local Robusta beans in Thailand. The signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) each year reaffirms that Nestlé will purchase Robusta coffee beans directly from Thai farmers. Moreover, we support farmers in adopting Regenerative Agriculture practices in their coffee plantations through knowledge-sharing programs and various training sessions. This not only helps improve coffee production in terms of both quantity and quality but also aids in restoring ecosystems and protecting soil and water resources, enabling farmers to cope with climate change,” said Salinla Seehaphan, Corporate Affairs Director at Nestlé (Thai) Ltd.

Thianchai Chookittiwiboon, Governor of Chumphon Province, praised the initiative, emphasising coffee’s economic importance to the region. He noted that direct support from companies like Nestlé aligns with the province’s goal to establish itself as a globally recognised “Robusta Metropolis.”

Echoing this, Prayoon Songprasert, Chairman of the Thai Coffee Growers Association, acknowledged Nestlé’s ongoing contributions. He highlighted the positive impact of high-yield plantlets developed by Nestlé and the company’s training initiatives, which have led to consistent quality and income growth for farmers.

With this renewed partnership, Nestlé continues to play a pivotal role in advancing Thailand’s coffee sector promoting sustainability, boosting farmer incomes, and securing the future of Robusta cultivation in the country.

Nutrient levels of essential elements enhancing the nutritional quality of the crops.

UbiQD has revealed promising results from a USDA-funded greenhouse study conducted at the University of California, Davis, demonstrating that their luminescent quantum dot (QD) laminated glass can significantly boost crop growth, nutrient uptake, and energy efficiency in controlled-environment agriculture (CEA)

Published in Materials Today Sustainability, the study marks a pioneering use of quantum dot-integrated structural glass in agriculture.

The research compared two greenhouses during a winter lettuce growing cycle—one fitted with UbiQD’s spectrum-optimised QD-glass and the other using standard glass. The results showed a remarkable 37.8% increase in fresh biomass, with plants almost 40% heavier, suggesting a substantial rise in edible yield. Leaf area and root length also grew by 38%, enhancing photosynthesis, water, and nutrient absorption, which in turn improved plant resilience and shelf life.

One of the study’s key outcomes was a 41% rise in light-use efficiency, indicating plants converted sunlight into biomass more effectively under the QD-glass. Nutrient levels of essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were also higher, enhancing the nutritional quality of the crops. Furthermore, the glass improved the red-to-blue light ratio by 61%, without sacrificing the total amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), optimising light quality for growth.

“For glass greenhouse farmers looking to boost output while reducing energy inputs, this is a breakthrough,” said Hunter McDaniel, CEO of UbiQD. “These results prove that the sun can be engineered passively through QD-infused glass to deliver more productive, resilient, and sustainable food systems.”

As the global food system faces challenges including climate change, resource scarcity, and growing demand, this spectral engineering technology offers a timely solution. The study concludes that UbiGro glass could be a key step towards climate-smart greenhouses that marry photonics and sustainable agriculture, enabling year-round production especially in colder or energy-limited regions.

The company is pushing its innovative platform out of the lab and into real-world agricultural systems.

In the heart of Singapore’s biotech scene, Terra Oleo is quietly leading a revolution that could transform two of agriculture’s most complex and carbon-heavy supply chains-palm oil and cocoa

With a fresh US$3.1mn in funding and support from Breakthrough Energy’s prestigious Fellows Program, the company is pushing its innovative platform out of the lab and into real-world agricultural systems.

This isn't just a tech breakthrough-it’s a response to a mounting crisis. The global palm oil and cocoa industries are feeling the squeeze of climate disruption, shrinking arable land, and tighter environmental regulation. In 2024, cocoa stockpiles fell by 26%, sending prices soaring, while palm oil exports dropped by nearly 6% as producers struggled with rising costs and inconsistent yields. For agri-businesses, food producers, and cosmetics manufacturers alike, volatility is becoming the norm and sustainable alternatives are no longer a niche pursuit but an industry necessity.

Terra Oleo’s answer is a tunable fermentation platform that uses microbes to convert agro-industrial waste into high-value lipid ingredients. These aren't just stand-ins for palm oil or cocoa butter; they’re engineered replacements designed to match or outperform conventional fats in terms of performance, stability, and application. From food and pharmaceuticals to personal care and cosmetics, the potential uses are wide-ranging.

The real genius lies in the platform’s customisation. Unlike natural microbial processes that are often limited in scale and flexibility, Terra Oleo’s system allows for precise control over the lipid profile of its outputs. That means the company can tailor its ingredients to suit specific industry needs, whether that’s for baking chocolate or industrial emulsifiers. And because the process bypasses land-intensive crops, toxic refining steps, and heavy energy use, it drastically reduces both the carbon footprint and chemical waste involved.

Backed by deep scientific expertise in synthetic biology and microbial engineering, the company is poised to move quickly from pilot phase to commercial scale. It has already signed product testing agreements with several major players in the food, oleochemical, and personal care sectors. More than a proof of concept, this funding round marks a shift towards real, scalable change.

With its roots partly in the palm oil industry, Terra Oleo has a unique advantage it knows the traditional system inside out and is building a better one alongside it. At scale, its platform could prevent up to 900 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, signalling a major leap towards decarbonising agriculture’s supply chains without compromising quality or performance.

As the pressure mounts to future-proof ingredient sourcing and reduce environmental impact, Terra Oleo’s approach offers more than just an alternative—it offers a reset. For agriculture, that reset can’t come soon enough.

The evolution of agricultural plastics, opportunities within the circular economy.

In the heart of Mexico’s agricultural sector, BASF is breaking new ground with its NOR HALS portfolio advanced additives designed to enhance the strength and longevity of agricultural plastics

These additives are tailored to meet the rigorous demands of plasticulture, where durability and sustainability are increasingly vital.

From greenhouse films to mulching sheets and silage bags, BASF’s NOR HALS products such as GSID 1012 AR, Tinuvin NOR 211 AR, and Tinuvin NOR 356 AR, offer exceptional resistance to the harsh realities faced in the field. With climates growing more extreme and farmers adopting thinner, more efficient films, these additives ensure the plastics can withstand intense UV exposure, heat, and chemical interactions with crop protection products without compromising performance.

But durability is just one part of the story. BASF emphasises that NOR HALS additives also support recycling efforts by maintaining the mechanical integrity of plastics at the end of their service life, reducing the release of harmful microplastics into the environment. This innovation aligns closely with growing sustainability goals in Mexico’s agriculture sector.

Recently, BASF teamed up with ExxonMobil in Querétaro to bring together over 80 industry leaders from agriculture and plastics for a strategic meeting. The focus? The evolution of agricultural plastics, opportunities within the circular economy, and collaborative ways to boost the value chain solidifying a future that marries performance with responsibility.

Raúl Castañeda, Head of BASF’s Performance Chemicals business for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, said, “The NOR HALS portfolio is the result of years of research and a commitment to excellence. Addressing the challenges of plasticulture today requires materials that not only withstand extreme conditions but also contribute to sustainability.”

For BASF, this is more than innovation - it’s a vital step toward smarter, greener agriculture where plasticulture plays a key role in feeding the future.