Global coffee prices have soared to their highest in nearly 50 years due to poor weather in Brazil and Vietnam, forcing roasters such as Nestle to raise prices and consumers to hunt for cheaper brews amid the cost-of-living crisis. Spiking prices will benefit farmers with the crop this year, but challenge traders who face crippling
Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, Head of International Affairs Office at the Presidential Court, recently welcomed Bill Gates, Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to the UAE for the unveiling of a project update one year on from the announcement of the Gates Foundation and UAE Partnership on agriculture innovation and food system transformation
Faircraft, a French startup focusing on lab-grown leather through cellular agriculture, has raised €15 million in a funding round led by investors including Kindred Ventures, Cap Horn, BPI, Alliance for Impact, and Entrepreneur First. The capital will support scaling production, team expansion, and technological advancements to meet growing demand for sustainable leather alternatives. Said Haïkel
The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, Reef Saudi, organised an international training programme in Morocco recently. The initiative aimed to enhance the skills of Saudi agricultural extension specialists and introduce them to the latest technologies. As part of the programme, the delegation visited the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, which collaborates
FarmDroid, a Danish startup helping farmers and plant breeders reduce their costs of manual labor, secured €10.5 million investment to accelerate the expansion of its autonomous, solar-powered agricultural robot in the conventional market The funding round was led by Convent Capital, with participation from EIFO and Navus Ventures, providing a total of nearly DKK 80
Recent diving surveys at the largest artificial coral farm in the Middle East, located in Suwaiq in Oman’s North Batinah governorate, have shown promising results. The farm, which consists of 4,280 artificial reef units, has become a thriving habitat for marine life, including corals, shellfish, fish larvae, and large fish. Abdullah bin Mohammed al Hadabi,
Estimates suggest that 16 billion pounds of food goes to waste every year in American supermarkets alone. As much as 30% of the food that reaches US stores is then thrown away as customers are offered the best-looking fruits and vegetables to pick from, while the rest land up in the bin. With the global
In the fertile plains of Punjab, India, farmers have been experimenting with mycorrhizal fungi to boost crop yields. By introducing these fungi into the soil, they’ve seen a remarkable increase in wheat and rice production, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. This case study highlights the transformative potential of fungi in Indian agriculture, setting the
A group of U.S. lawmakers urged the Biden administration recently to address potential national security risks posed by Chinese-manufactured agriculture drones, highlighting concerns over their use on American farms. The Republican House members, including Representatives Elise Stefanik, Ashley Hinson, and John Moolenaar, emphasised the danger these drones could pose, particularly those made by Chinese company
Maine’s lobster industry, a cornerstone of the state’s economy, is bracing for a significant challenge as new regulations mandating stricter minimum sizes for harvested lobsters are set to take effect next summer. While the size change may appear minor—just 1/16th of an inch—the impact on the industry could be substantial, particularly as it already grapples
