Crops

Singapore looks forward to continuously expanding agricultural cooperation with China and jointly building a future-oriented, high-standard food security system. (Image source: MOA)

Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ma Youxiang met separately with Stanley Loh Ka Leung, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) on 11 October in Biejing

During his meeting with Permanent Secretary Loh, Vice Minister Ma recapped progress made in China-Singapore cooperation in areas such as agricultural policy exchange, economic and trade investment in agriculture and agricultural S&T. He highlighted that China was looking forward to working with Singapore to continue implementing two MOUs on cooperation in agriculture and food security, pushing for S&T cooperation in vertical farming, advancing trade in livestock products and further enhancing pragmatic cooperation. 

Permanent Secretary Loh spoke positively of the results of bilateral cooperation and said that Singapore looks forward to continuously expanding agricultural cooperation with China and jointly building a future-oriented, high-standard food security system. Permanent Secretary Loh spoke positively of the results of bilateral cooperation and said that Singapore looks forward to continuously expanding agricultural cooperation with China and jointly building a future-oriented, high-standard food security system. Permanent Secretary Loh spoke positively of the results of bilateral cooperation and said that Singapore looks forward to continuously expanding agricultural cooperation with China and jointly building a future-oriented, high-standard food security system.  

In his meeting with Deputy Director-General Bechdol, Vice Minister Ma commended FAO’s efforts to safeguard global food security. He said China will support FAO’s leading role in global food and agricultural governance and expressed China’s hopes to further enhance China-FAO cooperation in areas such as South-South cooperation and Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. Deputy Director-General Bechdol spoke highly of China’s achievements in agricultural and rural development, saying that the FAO hopes to work with China to promote the transformation of global agricultural and food systems.  

In his meeting with Executive Managing Director Elouafi, Vice Minister Ma said China hopes to further strengthen strategic alignment with CGIAR, boost pragmatic cooperation at all levels, and work with CGIAR to build a global platform for open cooperation in agricultural S&T to foster innovation. Executive Managing Director Elouafi expressed her appreciation for China’s support for CGIAR, saying that CGIAR hopes to elevate cooperation with China to a new level.  

Syensqo launches AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus to raise the bar in biological formulations. (Image source: Syensqo)

Science company, Syensqo is launching AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus, a technology disruptor for microbial-based formulations, that offers unmatched shelf life to accelerate the adoption of more sustainable agriculture methods

In the dynamic landscape of the agriculture industry, the demand for more environmentally friendly farming solutions is higher than ever, and biological formulations are considered one of the most promising tools. However, issues such as limited shelf life and inconsistent efficiency can often hinder the implementation of these natural-based actives. In order to address these challenges, Syensqo is applying its longstanding expertise to designing innovative formulation solutions. 

AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus is a ready-to-use all-in-one solution, which includes a carrier, codispersant and rheology agent for the formulation of microorganisms, including beneficial fungi. AgRHEA LifeXtend Plus is the latest addition to the AgRHEA range which includes solutions such as AgRHEA OD-EASY and AgRHEA SticGuard and demonstrates the strong commitment of Syensqo in supporting the agricultural sector on its path towards increased sustainability. 

Syensqo's latest innovations will be showcased at the Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) which will be taking place from 21-23 October in Basel, Switzerland.

Under both programmes, USDA purchases US-grown commodities and provides them to implementing organisations, including the United Nations World Food Programme. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

In an attempt to strengthen global food security, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) would be investing US$466.5mn through its two premier international development programmes

The announcement which was made at the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 annual meeting, Vilsack explained about the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Programme which would be allocated US$248mn in fiscal year 2024 to support projects in nine countries that will provide critical school meals and boost literacy and primary education, especially for girls. On the other hand, the Food for Progress programme would be provided with US$218.5mn to help seven countries strengthen their agricultural systems, adopt climate smart technologies, sustainably increase productivity and expand international trade.

Under both programmes, USDA purchases US-grown commodities and provides them to implementing organisations, including the United Nations World Food Programme. Food for Progress implementing partners sell the commodities locally and use the proceeds to support local development projects. McGovern-Dole partners use the commodities directly in school feeding programmes. 

This year, USDA will provide more than 37,000 mt of US commodities to support projects in Angola, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Malawi and Rwanda, benefitting approximately 1.2 million children and their family members in more than 2,800 pre-primary and primary schools. 

The Food for Progress projects funded this year will utilize 315,000 mt of US commodities and ultimately benefit nearly 200,000 farmers in Benin, Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Tunisia and will focus on priority topics including climate-smart agriculture, food security, sanitary and phytosanitary standards, access to capital and trade facilitation.

“The McGovern-Dole and Food for Progress programmes are the embodiment of USDA’s multi-faceted approach to combatting hunger and poverty and addressing the effects of the climate crisis worldwide,” Vilsack said. “Teaming up with both private- and public-sector partners, we’re not only providing direct food assistance, but also fostering sustainable agricultural productivity growth, promoting climate-smart agriculture and enhancing developing countries’ ability to engage in trade, which is critical to food security.”

The YSB and FAW pests are among the most destructive pests in agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Syngenta Biologicals and Provivi recently announced a collaboration to develop and commercialise new pheromone-based biological solutions to effectively and more safely control detrimental pests in corn and rice

The collaboration brings together Provivi’s expertise in pheromone-based crop protection solutions with Syngenta’s global reach and development capabilities. The two new pheromone solutions will help farmers manage the devastating pests which include the Yellow Stem Borer (YSB) in India and Indonesia and Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Thailand.

These innovative product formulations, made from biodegradable materials, represent significant advancements such as enhanced efficacy, longer duration, and improved environmental sustainability for the benefit of farmers. Both of these will be available to farmers starting in 2026. 

Pheromones are natural signaling compounds that effectively control pests by interfering with their mating behaviors, preventing pest reproduction. The benefits of using pheromones in an integrated pest management programme include their non-toxicity, highly specific target activity and a mode of action, preventing, instead of eliminating, thereby supporting the preservation of biodiversity and the flourishing of non-target species.

The YSB and FAW pests stand out as among the most destructive insect pests in agriculture, threatening a wide variety of crops in many countries and impacting farmers’ livelihoods as well as food security. Syngenta and Provivi have previously collaborated to bring the pheromone-based technology NELVIUM to Indonesia to control rice stem borer insects. The expansion of the pheromone partnership with Provivi is aligned with Syngenta’s sustainability priorities, which includes accelerating crop productivity while reducing the impact on the planet, through more sustainable technologies.

“Farmers need solutions that effectively address pest pressure while ensuring sustainability on their farms, particularly as pest threats evolve with climate change," said global head of Biologicals and Seedcare at Syngenta, Jonathan Brown. "We are proud to work together with Provivi to deliver the next-generation in pheromone-based biocontrols that target farmer key pest challenges.”