Further Insights

Space Tech, Farm AI, Faster Food Flows & more

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:38:04 +0000

This week’s must-read news for Food & Ag, Blue & Circular Economy leaders in Asia-Pacific highlights 3 interesting signals:

Risk finance is getting closer to agriculture’s delivery layer
World Bank funding, agricultural insurance, and carbon markets are all pushing the same requirement: verified progress before capital moves at scale. This creates openings for MRV, verification, farmer onboarding, insurance design, and tools that make delivery more measurable, insurable, and investable.
AI and Space Tech are targeting agriculture’s advisory gap
AgFunder, FAO, and Grow Asia all point to a practical bottleneck: farmers need better decisions under climate, input, market, and geopolitical pressure. The opportunity points to the technical guidance this generation and the next can trust and work from, built on field knowledge, satellite data, and AI.
Food trade infrastructure is being optimised for speed under volatility
China-Kazakhstan grain trading, China-US Ag market recalibration, and World Trade Organization’s engagement on food safety and import approval bottlenecks all point to faster food flows under market stress. The opportunity here points to verification, compliance tools, trade platforms, and market-access support.

What's inside this week:

🌾 Indonesia rice project cuts methane while raising yields

🥛 Oatly launches high-fibre oat milk in China

🐟 Thai Union turns tuna by-products into upcycled ingredients

💸 Catalytic capital for APAC food systems

🧪 China-US cooperation could reshape agrochemical supply dynamics

🚢 Ukraine’s MHP pushes WTO on food trade approval bottlenecks

... and much more.

Enjoy the read. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this edition - feel free to just reply to this email.

Renato Silva
Further Insights Co-Founder

💡Featured Stories

World Bank supports Philippine Ag transformation

$1bn programme aims to modernize and improve farm productivity

AgNavigator | World Bank | Food Security | Philippines

China & Kazakhstan in closer trade ties

Launch food trade platform in wake of Iran war

SCMP | Food supply | Trade | China

Farming knowledge is dying, but AI can save it

Digital systems aim to capture and scale farm know-how

AgFunderNews | AI | Agricultural Innovation | Farming

Agriculture carbon credit market expands

Voluntary carbon markets in agriculture expected to expand through 2033

GlobeNewswire | Carbon | Climate | Agriculture

Rice farming in Indonesia and methane emissions

Indonesia explores ways to reduce emissions from staple crop production

CNA | Climate Change | Rice | Indonesia | Methane

⏰ Other News

Global Ag markets react to China-US shift

Renewed China-US cooperation could reshape global agricultural commodity markets.

AgriBusiness | Trade | China | US | Food Systems

Space Tech for ASEAN smallholder farmers

Grow Asia and SST Think Tank explore space tech for agricultural innovation across ASEAN

GrowAsia | AgriTech | Space Technology | ASEAN

Thai Union showcases upcycled ingredient strategy

Thai Union highlights upcycled ingredient strategy at Vitafoods Europe

FoodBev | Upcycling | Sustainability | Ingredients

From Catalytic Capital to Scale - Transforming Rice Systems in SE Asia

Panel says scaling food systems depends on aligned capital, incentives and ecosystems

Further | Food Systems | Catalytic Capital | Rice

Agricultural insurance unlocks funding and other opportunities

Strengthening resilience across food value chains

IFPRI | Rice | Climate Resilience | Insurance

Oatly targets health-driven growth in China

Launches high-fibre oat milk to tap China’s health-focused demand

GreenQueen | Plant-Based | Functional Foods | China

Mosa Meat aims to deepen regulatory and industry ties in the region

Joins APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture

Vegconomist | Cultivated Meat | Alt Proteins | APAC

WTO food trade rules face reform push

Call for updated global rules to ease agricultural trade flows

AgroSpectrum Asia | Policy | WTO | Food Security

FAO pushes AI for rural prosperity

AI to serve rural communities and food systems

FAO | AI | Food Systems | Policy

Corporates tighten filters, biotech gets cheaper

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:20:06 +0000

This week’s must-read news for Food Systems leaders in Asia-Pacific highlights 2 interesting signals:

Corporate innovation programs have shifted focus
Based on our recent conversations with corporates across the region, a clear shift is getting stronger: these programs are prioritizing companies that can plug into core operations or become suppliers quickly. Early-stage experimentation is no longer the focus. This week, PepsiCo reinforces this direction by shifting its APAC Greenhouse program from pilots to supply chain integration, selecting proven alumni ready for deployment.

Biotech cost reduction is unlocking commercial viability for cultivated meat
Ajinomoto reduced a key cost component in cultivated meat production using a plant-derived compound, improving unit economics and bringing the category closer to price parity with conventional meat.

What else is inside this week:

🌱 Nestlé partners Soil Capital to link regenerative practices to sourcing economics

🌊 Seadling focuses on long-term income models for Southeast Asian farmers

🏗️ New 200,000-ton feed plant in Vietnam to support aquaculture growth

♻️ Singapore launches reuse economy coalition across retail and packaging

... and much more.

Enjoy the read, and let me know what you think by replying to this email.

Renato Silva
Further Insights Co-Founder

💡Featured Stories

PepsiCo brings alumni back to its accelerator

APAC program aims to fast track companies from pilots to procurement

Greenhouseaccelerator | Startups | Corporate

Soil Capital lands Nestlé deal for regenerative farming

Deal ties farmer incentives to supply chains

SoilCapital | Regen Ag | Supply Chain | EU

Cost hurdle narrows for cultivated meat

Ajinomoto develops lower-cost growth media alternative

Vegconomist | Japan | Cultivated Meat | Food Science

SEADLING backs seaweed livelihoods

Company aims to improve long-term seaweed incomes

Agfunder News | Blue Economy | Seaweed | Scaleup

India backs AI fermentation push

New lab combines AI with fermentation R&D

Green Queen | Precision Fermentation | AI | India

⏰ Other News

Women farmers power ag change

Empowering women boosts productivity and climate resilience in farming

reNature | Women | Inclusion | Food Security

Cultivated pet food hits shelves in Singapore

City remains testbed for food innovation

Protein Production Technology | Pet Food | Cultivated Meat | Singapore

China spotlights global anti-hunger agenda

Initiative links agriculture, aid and infrastructure to fight hunger

CGTN | Food Security | China | Development | Policy

Singapore backs reuse economy

New coalition promotes refill, repair and return models

Eco-Business | Circular Economy | Singapore | Sustainability

Haid builds major feed plant in Vietnam

200,000-ton feed plant to support aquaculture’s growth in the region

Seafood Source | Aquaculture | Animal Feed | Vietnam | China

Whole opens round to scale Winx tech

Food & Drink Business | Funding | FoodTech | Scaleup

China's AgriTourism play to boost rural economies

And play a major role in making cultural conservation economically viable

China Daily | China | Food Security | Culture | Policy

From global insights to farm impact

Nuffield program converts global lessons into on-farm change

Agrifutures | Education | Australia | Farm Innovation | Leadership

Pune grows urban farming wave

Residents expand from balcony gardens to larger plots

Times of India | Urban Farming | India | Consumer Trends | Sustainability

Regional expansion, local adaptation, and infrastructure buildout

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 03:44:41 +0000

This week’s must-read news for Food & Ag, Blue & Circular Economy leaders in Asia-Pacific highlights three signals we’ve been tracking:

Geography is moving upfront in the decision-making process. Cost, climate, policy, and geopolitics are shaping where companies build, source, and operate, with food security more central than ever.
Opportunities across APAC require rethinking localization. Language (even alphabet, in some cases), policy, and value chains greatly differ market by market, making strong localization strategy essential to expansion.
Geopolitical instability and infrastructure gaps are opening opportunities. Biodiesel is one example where economics are improving, while deployment depends on systems still being built.

What’s inside this week:

🌏 Thai aquaculture firms expand into Vietnam

🤖 Voice AI reaches Indian farmers through local language models

🐛 Insect Ag shifts toward cheaper feedstock and production in Southeast Asia

🛢️ Palm biodiesel debate returns in Malaysia as fuel prices rise

🏛️ ADB scales food system financing to US$ 40B by 2030 across Asia-Pacific

🧬 Cargill backs precision fermentation for high-value ingredients

Hope you enjoy the read.

Renato Silva
Further Insights Co-Founder

💡Featured Stories

ADB commits $40B by 2023 for food security

Asia-Pacific food security gets major capital boost

ADB | Food Security | DF | Financing

New Report: AgriTech Investment Opportunity in SEA & SA

Agri-Tech opportunity is local, not unified across APAC markets

Omnivore VC | AgriTech | Investment | Opportunity

Aleph Farm's cultivated beef passes blind consumer tests

Consumers rated the cultivated meat as just as good as beef on flavor and texture

Green Queen | Cellular Agriculture | Cultivated Meat

EU & Australia free trade agreement

Countries looking to quickly diversify food trade strategy

Malaysia turns to biofuel relief amid Iran War

Biodiesel seen as short-term energy solution

SCMP | Biofuel | Palm Oil | Malaysia | Policy

⏰ Other News

New program targets 5M Filipino farmers

Initiative aims to boost productivity and rural incomes

World Bank | Smallholder Farmers | Philippines | Productivity

AI voice tools reach farmers

Speeding-up farmer decision-making

IFPRI I AgTech | AI | India | Smallholder Farmers

Insect Ag recalibrates after shakeout

Current state of the sector in Asia-Pacific and beyond

AgFunderNews | Insect Ag | Asia-Pacific | Alt Proteins | Feed

Cargill doubling down on alternative proteins

Major players invest in next-gen protein production

Fooddive | Precision Fermentation | Alt Proteins | Biotech | Cargill

Thai aquaculture eyes Vietnam growth

Vietnam seen as next aquaculture expansion market

Seafood Source | Aquaculture | Thailand | Vietnam | Growth

Unilever to merge its food business with McCormick

Deal reflects changing consumer staples landscape

Tetra Pak opens Thailand innovation hub

New centre supports dairy, beverages, plant-based innovation

The Nation Thailand | Food Innovation | R&D | Thailand | Tetra Pak

Nestlé and the UN partner on food systems academy

Program aims to train leaders in sustainable food systems

Thai Mitr Phol pushes for greener sugar cane

Fresh harvest techniques avoid burning practices

Bangkok Post | Sustainability | Sugar Cane | Thailand | Mitr Phol

Resilience plays, shifting capital, and more

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 03:45:00 +0000

This week’s must-read news for Food Systems leaders monitoring Asia-Pacific:

Geopolitics is exposing again how dependent food systems are on fertilizers, energy, and fragile shipping routes, as the Iran war disrupts key flows.
Governments are stepping in more directly, shaping priority sectors and domestic capacity rather than relying on market signals alone.
Capital is holding, but concentrating in solutions tied to productivity, resilience, and deployment.
Technology is moving deeper into decision-making, raising new questions around control, incentives, and who ultimately shapes the system.

A week where control of the food system is being reshaped by geopolitics, policy, capital, and technology.

What’s inside this week:

🌍 Iran war disrupts fertilizer, energy, and food supply chains

🇸🇬 Singapore boosts local production with new funding push

🇨🇳 China embeds protein and climate into 15th five-year plan

💰 Agrifoodtech funding stays flat, capital shifts to fundamentals

🌊 India positions seaweed as core to blue economy strategy

Hope you enjoy the read.

Renato Silva
Further Insights Co-Founder

💡Featured Stories

New S$70 million funding backs Singapore farm tech

Five-year fund helps farms adopt tech to boost resilience

Channel News Asia | Policy | Funding | Singapore

AgFunder’s Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report 2026

Capital is available, but much more selectively

AgFunder | AgriFoodTech | Investment | Report

China’s new 5-Year Plan backs new proteins, biomanufacturing & green energy

15th Five-Year Plan signals strong support for alternative proteins, amid evolving market conditions.

Green Queen | Alt Proteins | China | Food Security

Food manufacturers face triple hit from Iran war

Freight spikes and input shortages ripple across food systems

Food Ingredients First | Supply | Trade | War

Big Tech expands into AI farming

Tech giants partner with agribusiness to steer farming decisions, risk unintended consequences

The Guardian | AI | Big Tech | Food Systems

⏰ Other News

Bayer VC discusses on AgTech exits

AI, epigenetics and profitability to drive next agtech wave

Startup launches cultivated meat for dogs

Australian startup tests cultivated meat market via pet food

Green Queen | Cultivated Meat | Pet Food Innovation | Australia

AI agents could help shape farm policy

IFPRI explores AI agents to support evidence-based agricultural policymaking

IFPRI | AI in Agriculture | Ag Policy | Food Systems Research

Upcycled olive waste hits industrial scale

Startup launches first industrial line for upcycled olive flour

Vegconomist | Upcycled Ingredients | Circular Economy | FoodTech

New partnership targets rice emissions

Satellite data and lab science combine to track rice emissions

iGrow News | Rice | AI | Data

New accelerator targeting climate-smart agriculture

Indian player aims to unlock investment for climate-smart agriculture

Wbcsd | Climate-Smart Agriculture | India | AgriFood Investment

India charts seaweed economy roadmap

Global event explores seaweed’s role in food and climate

Time of India | Blue Economy | Seaweed | Sustainable Aquaculture

Specialized bio-ingredients, $12T hidden costs, and more

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 04:17:52 +0000

Hi there and welcome to the 10th edition of the Further Insights newsletter.

Just a quick note before this week’s articles 👇

We’re now only 3 weeks away from the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit in Singapore, where innovative growth companies meet investors and strategic partners through pre-arranged 1-to-1 meetings.

If you’re a Startup, Scaleup, Private or Listed Established Food & Ag company, Investor, or Corporate, this is your chance to kick off Singapore International Agri-Food Week with your most valuable meetings already secured.

The Further Summit compresses months of your investor and partner outreach into a single day.

Confirmed attendees include:

AgFunder • Aerospring Hydroponics • Adisseo • Argor Capital • Astungkara Way • Bayer • Better Bite Ventures • Blackmountain • Blue Aqua • Clay Capital • Eclipse Ingredients • Harapura Impact • ING Capital • Innoven Capital • LIG Capital • Living Roots • Mana Impact • Materra • Mirova • Nestlé • OlsAro • New Energy Nexus Ventures • Numin • Pandawa Agri • Pine Ventures • RRJ Capital • SDG Impact Japan • Shiva Industries • Taurus Wealth • Terratai • Terraxy • The Radical Fund • Tindle • TRST01 • Toyo Seikan • Two Mountains Impact • Yindii • Zentide

Top 1-to-1 meeting slots are being booked fast. Head to further.ag to secure your pass early so our team can build the best matches for you.

Get Your Pass

The full agenda is now live, and we’ll be revealing the venue soon - right in the heart of town!

Now back to this week’s articles! 👇

This week’s must-read news for Asia-Pacific’s Food & Ag leaders reveal that specialized bio-ingredients are scaling beyond proteins. Cultivated omega-3 fats, microbial lipids, leaf-based proteins, and tailored fat platforms are pushing new material frontiers in food, cosmetics, and nutrition.

Indonesia stands out in this edition: moving toward rice self-sufficiency, urging the EU to delay deforestation rules for palm smallholders, wrestling with waste challenges, and set to host a U.S. agribusiness trade mission - registrations for the mission are open until tomorrow (10 Oct). More in the “Other News” section.

What else is inside this week:

🐟 Cultivated omega-3 fish fat going from Singapore to Japan
🧫 Microbes creating sustainable oil to replace palm oil
🗑️ Organic waste composted in 24h with aerobic digester
🇺🇸 U.S. trade mission to Indonesia invites applications by Oct 10
🚜 AI tractors gain PepsiCo backing in Asia-Pacific
🌾 Indonesia nears rice self-sufficiency amid production surge

Have a great read and looking forward to seeing many of you in Singapore, on 3 Nov.

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Singapore's ImpacFat brings cultivated omega-3 fish fat to Japan

Toyo Seikan and Leave a Nest back new cultivated fat R&D base in Tokyo

Impacfat | Toyo Seikan | Leave a Nest | Alt Fat | Japan

Terra Oleo engineers microbes to replace palm oil

Singapore biotech raises $3.1M from ADB and Better Bite to scale oil-producing yeasts.

Tech Crunch | Terra Oleo | Palm Oil | Singapore

Indonesia nears rice self-sufficiency amid production surge

National output jumps 12.6% as irrigation and field expansion boost yields

Antara |Indonesia | Food Security | Government Policy

EU deforestation law delayed again amid Indonesian lobbying

Palm oil producers push Brussels to exempt smallholders from new deforestation rules

Eco-Business | EU | EUDR | Palm Oil | Indonesia

3 agtech startups driving farmer financial inclusion across APAC

AgriFi, Invest Inya Farmer, and DHF Platforms boost credit, cash flow, and markets for smallholders

AgFunder | Fintech | Smallholders | Asia-Pacific

⏰ Other News

Beijing AIForce wins PepsiCo’s Greenhouse Accelerator in APAC

Recognized for autonomous low-carbon tractors advancing sustainable farming

Paradise on the Brink highlights Bali’s waste crisis and 24h compost solution

Shiva Industries' aerobic digester is one of the key solutions to APAC's organic waste (mis)management

FabFit | Shiva Industries | Waste Management | Circular Agriculture | Fertilizer

CleanBean debuts as Thailand’s new plant-based meat brand

New soy-based meat alternatives use high-moisture extrusion for realistic texture and clean ingredients

US trade mission to Indonesia accepting applications until 10 Oct

Mission taps Indonesia’s growing demand for U.S. agricultural goods

US Department of Agriculture | FAS | USDA | Indonesia | Trade Mission

Blended proteins could bridge meat & plant gaps in Asia’s diets

NECTAR’s study finds blended products may beat pure meat in taste tests

Leaft strikes deal with Lacto to launch protein in Japan

New leaf-derived protein poised to replace emulsifiers, eggs and whey in clean-label products Leaft Foods

PR Newswire | Lacto Japan | Rubisco | Alt Protein | Japan

CEFC and La Caisse launch US$160M Meldora ag-carbon platform

Rio Tinto signs long-term offtake deal to combine farming and native forest plantings for carbon credits

Tech transforms China agriculture with AI, drones, and smart systems

Autonomous robots, field sensors, predictive models cut losses and boost yields

World Bank and Sri Lanka back US$100M Rurban agriculture-climate project

Project targets 8,000 producers, upgrades 71,000 ha irrigation, and boosts rural jobs and climate resilience

World Bank | Sri Lanka | Rurban Project | Climate-Smart Agriculture

Report: State of Food and Agriculture 2024 uncovers $12T hidden costs in agri-food systems

New FAO report quantifies environmental, social, and health costs across 156 countries using true-cost accounting

FAO | Agri-food Systems | Costs | Food Policy | Report

South-to-South cooperation fuels food resilience with shared seed systems and digital tools

IRRI’s Seeds Without Borders and SeedCast link Asia-Africa in varietal exchange and planning platforms

Fresh investments, M&A, algae innovation, and more

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 00:06:00 +0000

This week’s must-read news for Food & Ag leaders in Asia-Pacific highlights three strong signals we've been following:

Algae innovation is booming, with Algenie joining Arborea as our most recent examples of next-gen photobioreactors pushing algae-based platforms that could replace oil-derived materials at scale across sectors.
Alt protein consolidation is accelerating, confirmed by the acquisition of Daring Foods, and industry insiders tipping some startups in the space may be up for grabs, remnants of the early market hype.
Funding may be down this year, but Prefer, Anmasa, and Singrow show there's still capital for teams focused on fundamentals and market fit.

What else is inside this week:

🧫 Algae platform targets crude oil cost parity
💰 Fresh capital raises in APAC
🌱 India opens stem-cell bank for cultivated meat
🌏 Vietnam & Indonesia set $18B agri trade target
🎥 A vertical farm... inside a supermarket!

And last, but not least - the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit is just 2 months away! If your company is looking to fundraise, to invest or to finance Food & Ag companies, don’t miss the opportunity to access pre-arranged, strategic 1-to-1 meetings to compress months of deal flow into one high-performance day.

Have a great read and hope to see you in Singapore in November!

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Vietnam and Indonesia set $18B trade goal with focus on food security

Bilateral plan includes agri cooperation, halal exports, and supply chain alignment by 2028

Asia News Network | Vietnam | Indonesia | Food Security

Prefer raises $4.2M in oversubscribed round to scale bean-free coffee & cocoa extenders

Startup taps fermentation to stretch supply, cut costs and emissions

Prefer Coffee | Prefer Coffee | Cocoa | Funding

Why the algae industry is thriving again (and what changed)

Innovative photobioreactor slashes costs 50x, unlocking path to $1/kg algae - as cheap as crude oil

From Carbon to Value | Algenie | Algae

India opens animal stem-cell biobank to power cultivated protein R&D

New facility will support cultivated meat and regenerative medicine research through preserved cell lines

Green Queen | Stem-Cell | Biobank | Regenerative

Video: In-store farms grow greens with 0 food miles

Indoor system cuts water use by 99% and harvests crops straight off the supermarket shelf

Climate Insider | Swegreen | Indoor Farming

⏰ Other News

Hyundai backs grain-based leather alternative in new Uncaged collab

Partnership aims to scale bio-based interior materials with lower emissions and no animal inputs

Taiwan’s Sun Fresh to pioneer smart cold chain with prevention agriculture

Company to integrate logistics, crop monitoring, and early risk alerts to cut losses and boost quality

AgroSpectrum Asia | Taiwan | Cold Chain | Logistics | Prevention Agriculture

India’s D2C grocery startup Anmasa raises $1.1M pre-seed round

Startup sells regional staples with full traceability and plans to expand across southern India

The Economic Times | Anmasa | India | Grocery | Funding

Singrow eyes global expansion after new funding round

Singapore startup to scale vertical farming and AI-driven seed breeding beyond Asia

Daring Foods acquired by one of Australia’s largest plant-based meat producers

Deals from Ajinomoto and existing backers signal ongoing appetite for alt protein consolidation

Fooddive | Daring | v2food | Ajinomoto | Alt Protein

Nestlé pilots pruning technique to boost cocoa yields and sustainability

New method nearly doubles yield while improving farmer income and long-term tree health

FoodBev | Nestlé | Cocoa | Sustainability | Yields

Bayer Foundation backs food-systems fund for smallholders in LMIC

New $4.5M facility channels catalytic finance to agri-innovators in emerging marketsa

EFA News | Bayer | Smallholders | Funding

Thai universities help farmers cut carbon and join carbon markets

Pilot supports bio-fertilizers, low-emission rice, and training to link smallholders to carbon finance

Bangkok Post | Thailand | Carbon | Smallholders | Universities

Study shows drones outperform humans in monitoring corn health

U.S. researchers find drones are faster, cheaper, and more accurate for large-scale crop diagnostics

AgDaily | Drones | Corn | Monitoring | US

Flood maps, drought crops, and DIY climate fixes in rural China

Grassroots efforts show how small communities could adapt faster than top-down systems

Eco-Business | China | Climate | Adaptation | Rural

We’re committed to making this newsletter super relevant to you and your business, and want to build it collaboratively with the Food & Ag community. Please respond to this e-mail with any feedback, critique, suggestions, or article recommendations - we read all e-mails 🙏🏼

New Food & Ag funding from Google, CA & SG

Thu, 07 Aug 2025 03:34:22 +0000

As new US tariffs loom on 7 August, Food & Ag in APAC keeps moving with strong positive signals in trade, tech, and protein innovation.

What’s inside this week:
💸 Google launches $10M AI fund for ag, climate, and health
🇮🇳 Indian farmers celebrate new UK trade deal
🤝 Singapore and Canada team up on alt protein
🛰️ Pakistan deploys remote sensing satellite
🍄 Ancient high-protein fungus returns for food security

Enjoy the read,

Renato

Living Roots is a bold bio-inputs scaleup from Thailand, actively expanding into international APAC markets. They'll be at the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit looking for strategic partners.

🎟️ Join them at the summit in Singapore, on 3 November - grab your pass here.

💡Featured Stories

Singapore and Canada partner to scale alt-protein for Asia

Nurasa and Protein Industries Canada co-invest in product development and commercialization for APAC

Yahoo! Finance | Nurasa | Alt Protein | Singapore

Google launches $10M AI fund in APAC

New initiative will back AI projects in climate, agriculture, and public health

Google | Google | AI | APAC | Investment

India-UK free trade agreement: Indian farmers to benefit most

FTA to boost exports of rice, dairy, and fresh produce

Times of India | India | UK | Trade | Farmers

Philippines, world’s top rice buyer, halts imports for 60 days

Shipments paused to protect domestic prices and absorb local harvest

The Strait Times | Philippines | Rice | Imports | Trade

⏰ Other News

ADB cuts 2025 growth forecast for Asia-Pacific to 4.7%

Cites weak China demand, weather-hit agriculture, and slower trade in growth downgrade

The impact of Trump's tariffs so far in APAC (and beyond)

US tariffs raised import costs and hit key APAC exporters without reviving US industry

Al Jazeera | US | China | APAC | Trade

Pakistan launches remote sensing satellite

New satellite to support agri planning, disaster response, and climate monitoring

Asia News Network | Pakistan | China | Satellite | Monitoring

Australia: 22% of horticultural production lost in 2023–24

Study finds pests, disease, and weather drove crop losses, costing an estimated $2.5B

ABARES | Australia | Horticulture | Crop Loss | Waste

China leads globally in cultivated meat patent filings

Strong policy support and R&D focus push China ahead in alt protein innovation

Good Food Institute | China | Cultivated Meat | Patents | Alt Protein

Beneo backs regenerative rice farming in Vietnam

New program trains farmers to cut emissions, save water, and improve soil health

FoodBev | Beneo | Vietnam | Rice | Regen Ag

China unveils laser weeding robot to replace herbicides

AI-guided machine zaps weeds with precision lasers. No chemicals or soil disruption

Agro Pages | China | Robotics | Herbicides | Automation

Water infrastructure is the next frontier for agri resilience in Southeast Asia

WEF calls for blended capital to fund irrigation, nature-based solutions, and water-smart ag systems

World Economic Forum | Water | Climate Adaptation | Southeast Asia | Blended Finance

The forgotten fungus in fermented foods: Neurospora Crassa

High-protein mold links ancient fermentation to modern food security and innovation

Springer Nature | Neurospora | Fermentation | Protein | Fungi

Agriculture drives boom in environmental testing

From soil health to carbon claims, agriculture fuels demand for testing across global food systems

PR Newswire | Environmental Testing | Soil Analysis | Carbon

Thailand’s maize-for-meat plan risks food security and forest loss

Feed crop expansion is displacing forests, degrading land, and putting rural food systems at risk

Channel News Asia | Land Use | Food Security | Deforestation

Scaling Microalgae, Alt-Cocoa & Regen Ag

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:56:00 +0000

This week's must-read news for Food & Ag leaders in Asia-Pacific highlights two strong signals we’ve been tracking:

Continued momentum in Cell Culture, gaining traction beyond alternative proteins, into cocoa and other plants
Growing traction for Regenerative Agriculture, with new data showing price parity is possible, and Big Ag accelerating pilot programs globally

What’s inside this week:

🌿 Microalgae-based super protein at hyper scale
🍔 Strategy shift paying off in plant-based meats
🧪 Lab-grown cocoa entering the mainstream
🍼 Human breast milk protein via precision fermentation
🌱 Why Regen Ag doesn’t need a premium
🧬 Climate-smart crops can now be developed much faster

🚨 Early Bird Passes are almost gone!

Grab yours and join us this November at the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit, during the Singapore International Agri-Food Week.

The summit is built for pre-arranged 1-to-1 meetings between capital-seeking companies and active investors, lenders, and buyers, designed to accelerate deals in Food & Ag.

Get Your Pass

Have a great read and hope to see you in Singapore.

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Arborea is creating a solar‑powered blueprint for low-carbon super protein

Startup growing protein from CO₂ + sunlight + microalgae, 150x soy yield, no land, water, or biodiversity loss

Vegconomist | Arborea | Microalgae | Protein

TiNDLE goes from record Series A hype to fundamentals in plant-based meat evolution

Singapore’s alt-protein scaleup shifts to unit economics, foodservice, and manufacturing scale for the US and EU

AgFunder | TiNDLE | Plant-based | Alt Protein

Climate Shocks Push World’s Largest Chocolate Supplier to Explore Cell-Based Cocoa

World's top chocolate maker teams with cellular cocoa startup to reduce emissions, resources, and land use

Green Queen | Barry Callebaut | Cocoa | Cell Ag

Eclipse raises $7M to brew breast milk protein, focusing on skincare first, then food

Lactoferrin, a prized bioactive from human milk, enters alt-protein via precision fermentation

Startup Daily | Eclipse | Precision Fermentation

What if regenerative agriculture doesn't need a premium price?

New study shows regen ag can compete on quality, volume, and price. Knowledge transfer unlocks scale

Grounded | Regen Ag | Education | Behavior

⏰ Other News

Apax’s Global Impact Fund backs Foods Connected supply chain management platform

Deal targets smarter supply chains and transparency in food sourcing and safety

FoodBev | Foods Connected | Fundraising | Supply Chain

PepsiCo and Cargill double down on Regen Ag pilot in the US, Asia-Pacific to watch

Big Food & Ag are increasingly testing ways to boost profits through sustainable experiments

AgroSpectrum Asia | Regen Ag | PepsiCo | Cargill

Forestwise gains traction with EUDR-compliant wild harvest

As EUDR nears enforcement, global buyers are eyeing deforestation-free ingredients like Forestwise’s illipe nut

GreyB | Forestwise | EUDR | Wild Harvesting

IRRI’s new platform slashes time to develop climate-smart rice and crops

Controlled environments and data to fast-track resilient crop varieties

IRRI | Rice | R&D | Climate Resilience | Crop Breeding

China accelerates rice farming automation, yielding above average

AI-powered drones and machines now prep fields, plant seedlings, and harvest rice in pilot zones

Pearl | Rice | Automation | Farm Tech | China

Hold up, humans. Ants figured out medicine, farming, and engineering long before we did

Their evolution offers insights into decentralized, efficient systems for food and health

Malaysia scrambles to defend palm oil exports under EU deforestation rules

New task force aims to align data and narrative as Europe cracks down on unsustainable imports

Reuters | Palm Oil | Deforestation | EU | Regulation

Climate adaptation won’t fully protect staple crop yields, study finds

Eco-Business | Adaptation | Staple Crops | Food Security

New financing models help smallholders access credit through value chain partnerships

Lenders are de-risking loans by bundling them with buyers, input suppliers, and digital tools

IFPRI | Smallholders | Financing

Why affordable health is the ‘sweet spot’ for APAC food and nutrition growth

Mass-market brands lead with cost-accessible formats, localised nutrition, and new product development

Food Navigator Asia | Consumer Trends | Nutrition

Tariffs Are Back. Time to Trade Smarter in APAC

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 01:54:00 +0000

Trade pressure is back, and agri-food is squarely in the line of fire.

This week’s edition spotlights how Trump’s revived tariff threats are jolting Asia-Pacific’s trade partners, with agriculture high on the list. Countries such as Japan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, and India are scrambling to shield their exports and internal markets, while palm oil, rice, dairy, and processed goods risk becoming bargaining chips.

We’ve pulled together the top developments in a dedicated Tariff Watch section at the end of today’s edition: a quick, essential read for anyone navigating Asia-Pacific’s Food & Ag trade and supply chain exposure.

📣 Also: the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit Passes are available now - limited slots, serious deals. Grab them here.

This week isn’t just about signals, it’s about strategy under pressure. Enjoy the read.

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Trump’s new tariffs are hitting Asia hard: LIVE updates, grab your popcorn

New 25-40% tariffs could hit Asia-Pacific's Food & Ag trade, or increase opportunity for intra-region trading

Yahoo Finance | Trade Policy | Tariffs | Trump | US

The quiet trends reshaping ag: a field guide for builders, backers, and business leaders

AgFunder flags 7 slow-moving trends redefining how capital, infra, and innovation align for resilient growth - and real returns - in agri-food

AgFunder | Strategy | investments | Blended Finance

Halter hits unicorn status as AI grazing platform scales globally

NZ’s Halter raises fresh funds to expand virtual fencing across NZ, Australia, and the US

Verdict | Livestock Tech | Virtual Fencing | AI | NZ

Seaweed fiber edges into mainstream food with pilot

BioMara’s new ingredient aims to bring healthy and climate-smart seaweed fiber into cereals, snacks, and meat

New Tech Foods | Seaweed | Food | Alt Fibers

Korean breeds and tech drive 6x milk boost in Nepal

Project raises milk output and farm incomes through cross-border knowledge transfer

Asia News Network | Dairy | Tech Transfer | Nepal

⚠️ Special ⚠️ 🇺🇸 Tariff Watch for Asia-Pac

The great dealmaker is conspicuously short of trade deals

90 deals promised in 90 days, only 2 sealed. Trade negotiations reality and the oversimplification of things

The Economist | Trade Policy | Tariffs | Trump | US

Asia is the top target of Trump’s newest tariff threats

What his letters mean for countries and Food & Ag in the region

TRT Global | Trade Policy | Tariffs | Trump | Asia-Pacific Exports

Asia scrambles to respond to Trump’s new trade deadline

Governments race to protect exports, agriculture among the most exposed

Channel News Asia | Trade Policy | Tariffs | Trump | Asia-Pacific Exports

Southeast Asia ramps up diplomacy amid Trump tariff fears

Talks intensify as food, agri, and electronics exports face fresh US risk

Reuters | Trade Policy | Tariffs | Trump | Southeast Asia

Will US tariff pressure on Japan and Korea push them closer to China?

US squeezes partners, and is handing China a strategic opening in return

US-South Korea trade talks put agri back on the table

Washington eyes new terms on food, tech, and exports - Seoul starts negotiating early

Indonesian palm oil exports to US set to drop on tariff fears

Industry group warns new US duties may curb trade, buyers already looking elsewhere

Thailand warns: Trump’s tariff plan could hit food exports hard

Government says up to 40% duties would threaten key agri sectors and supply chains

Farm goods stall US–India trade deal talks

Rice, dairy, almonds, and subsidies remain unresolved as deadline pressure grows

Navigating uncertainty in APAC: report

Tariffs and supply chain risk may hit food exports and spur regional trade realignment

The Economist Intelligence | Trade Policy | Tariffs | Trump | Asia-Pacific

Are Bio-Inputs And Cultivated Meat The Future of Food & Ag?

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 01:56:00 +0000

The signals from the past couple of weeks point clearly in two directions for Food & Ag:

Bio-inputs are going mainstream. Once fragmented, they’re now part of input strategies, funding pipelines, and the scaling up of manufacturing capacity
Cultivated meat is regaining momentum. Approvals and infrastructure moves suggest a serious second wave for a category many had written off

What’s inside this week:

🧬 Integrated biological + synthetic solutions gain traction

🤖 Smallholders get free AI platform to boost yield and profits

💰 Regen Ag is attracting capital, but only with scale, data, and fundamentals

🇻🇳 Vietnam’s $200M fund reappears in a more accessible version

🌏 Japan, Korea, and China ramp up biomanufacturing capacity

💀 A new study confirms: trade wars carry dire consequences for biodiversity

And don’t forget to let us know what you think about this week’s edition by simply replying to this email. Have a good rest of the week!

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Synthetic and biological inputs becoming increasingly integrated

India’s agri-biological surge signals the scaling of a hybrid model for crop inputs

AgFunder | Input | Biological | Synthetic | BioPrime

AI closes yield gaps with free localized crop insights

AgWise boosts smallholder profits by delivering hyperlocal advice at no cost

CGIAR | AI | Insights | Smallholder | AgWise

What makes regenerative agritech attractive to VCs

Biologicals and precision tools win favor, and strong business fundamentals are still key

Sifted | Regen Ag | VC | Funding

Australia approves cultivated meat for the first time

Vow’s quail-based product gets regulatory green light in major Asia-Pacific milestone

New Tech Foods | Alt-Protein | Australia | Vow

⏰ Other News

More on Vietnam’s $200M agri fund. This time, paywall-free

Mekong Capital targets large regen ag tech fund in Southeast Asia by 2026

Tech in Asia | Private Equity | Regenerative Agriculture | Agtech | Southeast Asia

Asia expands biomanufacturing as Japan backs UK alt-fat startup

Japan, Korea, and China push bioeconomy; Mitsui joins Hoxton to scale infrastructure

Corteva partners with Micropep on next-gen biocontrols

New RNA-based crop protection aims to replace chemicals with precise biologicals

Millets bring drylands back to life in southern India

3,000+ farmers revive parched lands in Karnataka using hardy, climate-resilient crops

Vietnam adopts first rice variety bred from wild relatives

New strain offers higher yields, salt tolerance, and climate resilience for Mekong farmers

Thailand pushes global cassava sustainability agenda

2025 forum spotlights climate-smart practices and market access for smallholders

Bangkok Post | Cassava | Sustainability | Regional Leadership

Indonesia, Russia eye sugar investment and palm oil trade

Controversial talks center on boosting bilateral flows in CPO exports and sugar production

It is confirmed: food trade wars have biodiversity costs, shows study 🔒

Shifting tariffs reshape ecosystems - partial access, full study behind paywall

Nature | Trade | Environment | Deforestation | Biodiversity Loss

We’re committed to making this newsletter super relevant to you and your business, and want to build it collaboratively with the Food & Ag community. Please respond to this e-mail with any feedback, critique, suggestions, or content recommendations - we read all e-mails 🙏🏼

Financing the Future of Food: The Investment Gap And The Positive Signals

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 01:57:00 +0000

From trillion-dollar gaps to targeted regional funds, this week’s signals show agri‑food finance getting more focused, and more grounded. Soil health, rice security, and regenerative models are attracting serious backing, blending scale with science.

What’s inside:

💸 $1.1T global funding need for Food & Ag puts pressure on policy and private capital

🌾 $1.5B rice program brings carbon-smart irrigation to Asia-Pacific

🌱 $200M fund targets regen agtech across Vietnam and Southeast Asia

🧪 Microbial irrigation lifts yields by 25%, with similar results as we have seen elsewhere

Agri‑Food’s future hinges on more than investment. It’s about where capital lands, what it grows, and who grows with it.

New here?

Further Insights curates the week's most relevant signals on Agri‑Food innovation and investment relevant to Asia‑Pacific.

Enjoy the read, and let us know what you think about this edition of Further Insights by simply replying to this email. We read all comments 😊

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Global Agri‑food Systems Need $1.1T Yearly to Meet 2030 Goals

Bain & WEF urge $1.1T/yr to fund resilient, low-carbon agri‑food transition globally

Economy Middle East | Finance | Food Systems

Down to Earth: Investors Navigate Regenerative Agriculture

Progress grows, but concerns linger on definitions, pesticides, and farmer support

Responsible Investor | Regenerative Ag | Investors

ADB Targets $1.5B for Sustainable Rice in Asia-Pacific

ADB teams with CGIAR, Gates to boost low-carbon rice in PH and region

MSN | Sustainable Agriculture | Smallholder Farmers

The 2025 Heatwave in Southeast Asia: A Window Into the Future

Extreme heat in 70 of 90 days, worsened by climate change, threatens urban populations and ag systems

Climate Impacts Tracker Asia
Heatwave | Climate Risk | Food Security

Mekong Capital Targeting $200M Regenerative Agriculture Fund in 2026

Vietnamese PE firm eyes forestry, biotech, data-driven farming, and ocean health

Bloomberg | Private Equity | Fund | Regen Ag

⏰ Other News

IFPRI special issue examines fertilizer and soil health policies in the wake of global crises

Research distills lessons from global crises; pushes site-specific nutrient use and smarter subsidies

IFPRI | Research | Policy | Soil Health | IFPRI

Bioirrigation with bacteria boosts productivity by 25% in sugarcane

Showing yield and soil health gains in commercial trials, similar to elsewhere

AgroNews | Soil Health |Microbial Input | Productivity

China blends rice terraces with digital seed banks to protect agrobiodiversity

Leveraging traditional rice-fish-duck systems and evolving digital seed banks to shield biodiversity and increase climate resilience

Observer Research Foundation | China | Rice | Seed Bank | Agrobiodiversity

Call out to food startups: Unlock your startup's potential in pet food innovation

Big Idea Ventures & Mars launch sustainable pet‑food innovation program

Big Ideas Venture | Pet-Food | Alternative Protein | Mars | Big Idea Ventures

Lab-grown salmon receives FDA approval

FDA greenlights Wildtype’s lab-grown salmon as safe for US market entry

Food Dive | Cultivated Seafood | Wildtype | Regulations

European soils seriously degraded by intensive farming

Over a third of UK soils suffer degradation

The Guardian | Soil Health | Intensive Farming | Europe

Amazon is at risk from US‑China trade war, deforestation

New deforestation risks tied to soy and cattle expansion to fill the gap in trade, a lesson to Asia-Pacific

Eco-Business | Deforestation | Trade War | Amazon | US-China

From Bees to Blended Finance: Agri‐Food is Adapting Fast

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 01:57:00 +0000

Welcome to Further Insights, 3rd edition!

From trade disruptions to tech-enabled bees, this week’s stories reveal an industry in flux, and in motion. While tariffs and deforestation dominate global headlines, capital and innovation are still flowing toward solutions that deliver resilience, regeneration, and returns.

We have also just launched the inaugural Further Summit, running on Nov 3 in Singapore, during the Singapore Agri-Food Week (SIAW) - one more compelling reason to be in Singapore during that time!

The Further Summit is for Startups & Scaleups seeking capital, Investors & Financiers seeking deals, and for Large buyers seeking innovative suppliers. The event is focused on pre-scheduled 1-to-1 meetings to accelerate deals and compress months of deal flow into just two days.

Enjoy the read and hope to see you before the summit,

Renato

💡Featured Stories

Global food prices dip in May due to cereal, sugar & oil

FAO index falls 0.8%, easing inflation pressure

S&P Global | Commodities | Food Security | FAO

China, EU roll out tech-forward food‑production roadmaps

Each maps out agri-food strategies with a cleantech focus

Cleantech | China | EU | Food Security

Rockefeller & PepsiCo back TransCap to scale regen-ag finance

Initiative designs blended capital platform for regen ag

AgFunder | Regen Ag | Impact Investing | Finance

India expecting two years of sugar surplus

Record yields could enable export surge in 2025/26, prices lower

Reuters | Supply | Sugar | India

Beewise raises $50M Series D to scale robotic BeeHome

Funding boosts AI-driven hive expansion globally

AgriTech Tomorrow | Agtech | Robotics

⏰ Other News

Tariffs are also a key threat to global food-system resilience

Trade duties may spike input and commodity prices and overshadow recent drops

The Economist | Tariffs | Food Security | Supply Chain

Corporate VC becomes a strategic growth lever for startups, and Food & Ag should leverage

CVC offers founders market access plus capital

Entrepreneur | CVC | Fundraising

Nestlé and OFI join forces on large-scale cocoa agroforestry

25K farmers, 2.8M trees, 1.5M t CO₂ cut in climate project

FoodBev Media | Agroforestry | Deforestation | Sustainable Cocoa

Grow Asia Joint Council meeting charts a decade of food-system impact

Leaders convened to scale school meals and regen ag in ASEAN

Grow Asia | mallholders | Climate Action | Sustainable Agriculture

Asian producers eye gap from Brazil poultry bans

Thailand steps up amid imports cut by China, EU, Japan

Asian Agribiz | Trade | Poultry | Brazil |

Upcycled retail food waste trends gain momentum

Retailers turning surplus into products and profits

Forward Fooding | Upcycling | Food Waste | Circularity

Forest fires drove record tropical forest loss in 2024

6.7 M ha lost—fires, industrial expansion top drivers

World Resources Institute | Deforestation | Land Use |

Crunch Time in Food & Ag: Funding Smarter, Farming Smarter

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 05:38:14 +0000

Welcome to Further Insights 2nd edition!

In recent months, we have been meeting with dozens of Food & Ag investors, startups, and scaleups, and can see that capital is flowing - but only to what proves to work at scale. From record profits to precision pollination, this week’s stories show an industry under pressure to scale solutions that are both commercially sound and climate-ready.

What’s inside today’s issue:

💸 Agtech VC cools but backs startups solving real-world problems
📈 CP Foods rides local strength to a 642% profit surge
🌾 Regenerative ag and ESG face calls for clearer proof
🤖 AI and biotech rise as tools for yield, resilience, and food security

The future belongs to those who build smarter and back it up with results, in the field and on the books.

Cheers, Renato & Jen

💡Featured Stories

Agtech VC: From hype to hard truths

Funding is down, due diligence is up. The winners? Startups solving real, painful agri problems

Tenacious Ventures | VC | Funding

Denso bets $500M on Southeast Asia’s agtech

Japanese giant to acquire Temasek-backed Axia in a move to deepen agri-tech reach

Tech in Asia | Denso | Axia | Funding

CP Foods rides “international local” strategy to 642% profit jump

Thai company’s Q1 earnings soar on strong ops. FY2025 forecast: cautiously bullish

Food Navigator Asia | Thailand | CP Foods

Brazil’s soil science pioneer wins $500K prize

Biological fertilization breakthrough slashes chemicals in soybean farming

AP News | Brazil | Biologicals | Prize

Regenerative farming meets ESG skepticism

Backers still believe, but demand measurable proof to avoid greenwashing claims

AgriInvestor | RegenAg | ESG

⏰ Other News

Turion Labs boosts Asia’s food biotech backbone

New Singapore hub gives early-stage startups critical infra and regulatory support

Vegconomist | Biotech | Turion Labs | Infrastructure

BeeHero launches solar-powered pollination grid

‘HeroLink’ system connects hives and farms, boosting crop yields with smart data

AgroSpectrum Asia | Pollination | Smart Farming | Agri Tech

Trump-era farm policies spark rural backlash

Tariffs and USDA cuts leave small farmers reeling despite political promises

The Guardian | USA | Farmers | Tariffs

AI transforms farming in the Global South

New tools improve yields, reduce risk, and empower smallholders across regions

CGIAR | AI | Smart Farming | Global South

Novotel adopts climate-friendly menus worldwide

All 600 hotels roll out plant-based and sustainable seafood options this month

Green Queen | Novotel | Plant-Based | Seafood | Climate Action

Agrifood science seeks a new path post-donor era

As aid shrinks, R&D groups push for private-sector models to fund food innovation

IFPRI | Funding | R&D

We will do everything to make this newsletter super relevant to you and your business. Please respond to this e-mail with any feedback, critique, or suggestions. We will be forever grateful 🙏🏼

Top Food & Ag Insights for AsiaPac This Week

Tue, 27 May 2025 09:01:00 +0000

Hi there! Welcome to Further Insights’ 1st edition! We created Further because Asia-Pacific’s Food & Agriculture sector faces urgent challenges - but also vast opportunities. From declining yields to climate and geopolitical uncertainty, the region is responding with innovation, investment, and new talent. But there’s more to do!

After connecting with hundreds of stakeholders, we launched Further to supercharge capital flow into the sector, starting with this newsletter. Further Insights is designed to cut through the noise, delivering sharp, actionable insights on Food & Ag innovation and resilience in Asia-Pacific.

Our goal? Spark collaboration for a future of abundant, nutritious, and sustainable food. Join us! Check out our mission here or dive into the first edition below.

Wishing you great days ahead,

Jen, Toby & Renato

💡Featured Stories

Can organic farming feed the world? A Balinese initiative thinks so

Astungkara Way is amongst six global finalists in the prestigious Swedish Food Planet Prize

Food Planet Prize | Indonesia | Organic | Regen

China’s Retreat From US Corn Makes It Cheaper for Rest of Asia

Japan, Vietnam, and South Korea are ramping up purchases of cheaper American grain

Ukragro | China | USA | Tarriffs

Thai dairy-free startup MUU raises funds for SEA expansion

A2D Ventures and Japanese investors back maker of eco-friendly milk alternatives

Tech in Asia | Thailand | Funding | MUU

Eratani closes Series A to boost food security and rice production across Indonesia

Empowering Indonesian rice farmers with tech to enhance yields and livelihoods

AgFunder News | Indonesia | Funding | Eratani

Calling for AgriTech Startups

Join ClimAccelerator’s program powered by Climate KIC, Europe’s leading climate innovation agency and community

Better Earth Ventures | AsiaPac | Accelerator

⏰ Other News

The 6 APAC startups turning microbes into climate solutions

From rice field bacteria to fermented bioplastics, regional innovators leverage microbial solutions for decarbonization

Asia Climate Hub | Startups | Climate | Microbes

Albatros AI platform to streamline and reduce costs for the development of fermentation-based ingredients

It optimizes microbial fermentation to transform food waste into valuable ingredients faster

Protein Production | AI | Fermentation | Albatros

Indonesia's food plan risks to be the world's largest deforestation

Military-backed rice project in Papua is a serious threat to pristine forests and Indigenous lands, despite food security aims

The Jakarta Post | Indonesia | Food Security | Deforestation

Seed money: how Asia’s small farmers are quietly reshaping big food

Asian smallholders forge profitable partnerships with businesses that provide inputs, training, and guaranteed markets

Asian Development Blog | Farmers | Big Food

Climate-adapted agricultural inputs to grow by 6-7% annually until 2030

As investors target food security solutions, Temasek and BCG study reveals

Eco-Business | Climate | Inputs

Newly discovered compounds can delay flowering in plants

Helping leafy crops maintain their nutritional quality for longer periods, offering potential to boost crop yields and adapt to climate change

Asian Scientist | New Discovery | Crops | Yields

PepsiCo APAC eyes more partnerships with the 10 finalist startups from its latest accelerator programme

Fostering startups in sustainability, offering grants and mentorship

Food Navigator Asia | Startups | PepsiCo | Acceleration

Asean seeks to strengthen US economic ties amid tariffs

Asean opts for diplomacy, plans US trade talks to mitigate tariff effects, prioritizing open markets

Bangkok Post | Asean | US | Tariffs | Food Security

We will do everything to make this newsletter super relevant to you and your business. Please respond to this e-mail with any feedback, critique, or suggestions. We will be forever grateful 🙏🏼

Welcome to Further Insights

Mon, 12 May 2025 16:37:32 +0000

We created Further because Asia-Pacific’s Food & Agriculture sector faces urgent challenges - but also vast opportunities.

Across this vibrant region, we see immense potential. Declining yields are being met with new agricultural technologies and approaches . The generational shift in farming is opening doors for new, tech-savvy entrepreneurs. And the uncertainties of climate change are spurring a surge in sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.

We believe that now is the time to drive proactive change and positive action. We see collaboration, fueled by accelerated capital deployment and innovation, as the engine of this transformation. We're here to flip the narrative by focusing on the incredible opportunities for partnership and growth. Our mission is to create a community-driven Food & Ag platform, enabling greater collaboration to unlock funding and accelerate innovation.

Further Insights, is designed to cut through the noise and spotlight the exciting potential in Asia-Pacific’s Food & Ag space. After connecting with hundreds of stakeholders across the region, we launched this newsletter to deliver sharp, actionable insights on cutting-edge agricultural tech, sustainable practices, and investment opportunities driving resilience and growth. Every week, we’ll curate the latest trends and breakthroughs, offering a forward-looking take on what they mean for Asia-Pacific’s Food & Ag professionals.

We’re also gearing up for our Further Summit, where we’ll bring together innovators, funders, and buyers to accelerate partnerships and funding for a more resilient future.

We're thrilled to welcome you to Further Insights. We’re confident that this weekly digest will be a valuable and inspiring tool as you navigate Asia’s evolving and dynamic Food & Agriculture ecosystem. Built for our community, we’d love your feedback to grow together—reply or click here!

Together, let’s shape a future of abundant, nutritious, and sustainable food for all.

Jen, Renato & Toby