Bayer’s Acquisition of Monsanto

The types of artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence integration to the food value and supply chain, other technologies embedded with artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence adoption barriers in the food value and supply chain, and solutions to overcome these barriers were analyzed by the authors. It was demonstrated by the analysis that artificial intelligence can be integrated vertically into the entire food supply and value chain, owing to its wide range of functions. Different phases of the chain are affected by developed technologies such as robotics, drones, and smart machines. Different capabilities are provided for different phases by the interaction of artificial intelligence with other technologies such as big data mining, machine learning, the Internet of services, agribots, industrial robots, sensors and drones, digital platforms, driverless vehicles and machinery, and nanotechnology, as revealed by a systematic literature analysis. However, the application of artificial intelligence is hindered by social, technological, and economic barriers. These barriers can be overcome by developing the financial and digital literacy of farmers and by disseminating good practices among the participants of the food supply and value chain.

Insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides are among the crop protection chemicals that are expected to drive the worldwide agrochemicals market, which is expected to reach USD 308.92 billion by 2025. Recent decades have seen a rise in agricultural activity in India as a result of the country's growing population and the need for more food supply. The Indian agrochemicals market was valued at around USD 6 billion in 2022. The study was conducted in Dhanera Taluka of Banas Kantha district, Gujarat, and examined five villages with 150 farmers, focusing on the groundnut crop, which has a significant need for insecticides and pesticides. The study aimed to achieve two objectives: to understand farmer perceptions regarding water conservation products, and to identify problems faced by groundnut farmers. The primary data was collected through semi-structured schedules, and secondary data was collected from different reliable sources. The majority of respondents were involved in both agriculture and livestock farming and had annual earnings between 5 and 10 lakhs. They primarily farmed during both Kharif and Rabi seasons. Key problems faced by groundnut farmers included high input costs, pest and weed infestations, labor shortages, water scarcity, and Sclerotium wilt.

AT THE ANNUAL Chemspec Europe exhibition in Geneva last month, attendees celebrated an upturn in agricultural chemicals after a dismal 2010. With a pickup in most industrial markets as well, executives claimed that fine chemicals in general are rebounding this year. On the other hand, most agreed that the pharmaceutical market, still a major focus at the custom and specialty chemical event, has changed fundamentally in the past two years such that it is unlikely to return to the double-digit growth it enjoyed prior to 2008. Setting the tone a day before Chemspec opened, the European Fine Chemicals Group hosted an afternoon conference on agricultural chemicals. Keynote speaker Matthew Phillips of Phillips McDougall, a Scotland-based crop protection consultancy, illustrated a revitalized sector in which crop protection chemicals are emerging from a down cycle in 2010 with modest 1.2% growth behind a booming seed market. In the days after, major suppliers of agricultural chemicals reported ...

The purpose of this paper is to explore the hypothesis that a common basis for rapid growth in agricultural output and productivity lies in a remarkable adaptation of agricultural technology to the sharply contrasting factor proportions in the two countries. It is hypothesized that an important aspect of this adaptation was the ability to generate a continuous sequence of induced innovations in agricultural technology biased towards saving the limiting factors. In Japan these innovations were primarily biological and chemical. In the United States they were primarily mechanical.

Improving the regional organization of food flow requires an understanding of system constraints. System transformation is necessary if the system is to include regional, independent wholesale food suppliers and to distribute food in an equitable and sustainable manner. Regional suppliers play a pivotal role in overall food system resilience, an emerging issue in wake of the numerous failures in conventional food supply chains exacerbated by COVID-19-related disruptions. Yet alternative supply chains that link local producers with towns and urban centers regionally, represent a small fraction of our nation's food suppliers. They struggle to compete with larger distribution networks that can supply products in-and out-of-season by global procurement. The upper Midwest harbors numerous local and regional food supply chains consisting of farms, processors, trucking companies, wholesalers and other firms that share a commitment to sustainability and local economic development. A constellation of challenges hamper their emergence, however, even as larger scale food supply chains flounder or fail to effectively serve communities. Informed by Donella Meadows's work on leverage points for systemic change, a collaborative, transdisciplinary and systems research effort examined conventional food supply networks and identified key opportunities for shifting food supply chain relationships. System concepts such as stock and flow, leverage points, and critical thresholds helped us to frame and identify challenges and opportunities in the current system. The second and third phase of our collaborative research effort occurred over 4 years (2013–2016) and involved twenty-six people in co-generation of knowledge as a loose-knit team. The team included farmers, supply chain practitioners, students, academic staff and faculty from multiple departments and colleges. Our primary method was to host public workshops with practitioner speakers and participants to identify dominant narratives and key concepts within discourses of different participants in distribution networks. The literature review was iterative, based on challenges, ideas and specific questions discussed at workshops. Our research exposed two meta-narratives shaping the supply chain: diversity and efficiency. In addition to these high-leverage narratives, we identified and examined five key operational thresholds in the Upper Midwest regional food system that could be leveraged to improve food flow in the region. Attention to these areas makes it possible for businesses to operate within environmental limits and develop social structures that can meet scale efficiencies necessary for economic success. We iteratively shared this co-produced knowledge with decision-makers via local food policy councils, local government, and national policy circles with the goal of supplying actionable information. This phased action research project created the environment necessary for a group of food system entrepreneurs to emerge and collaborate, poised to improve system resilience in anticipation of food system disruptions. It forms the basis for on-going research on food flow, regional resilience, and supply chain policy.

Effects of biological attack on US food supplies.

Cutting edge technologies to end food waste

This paper outlines a process for exploring food system vulnerability and resilience using scenario modelling with the Australian Stocks and Flows Framework (ASFF). The capacity of ASFF to simulate how diverse shocks and stressors affect food system behaviour across multiple sectors—with diverse, interconnected and dynamic variables shaping system response—renders ASFF particularly suited for exploring complex issues of future food supply. We used ASFF to explore the significance of alternative agricultural policies for land use, crop production, livestock production, fisheries, food processing, transport, food waste and ultimately food supply. Policies in different scenarios varied with regard to the timetable for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the degree of government participation or regulation in the food system and the scale of solutions (varying from centralized and global to decentralized and local). Results from the scenarios suggest that Australia does not have the ability to maintain a domestic surplus of foods required for a nutritious diet. In particular, the health of the current food system is highly vulnerable to constraints in oil supply, and increased food production threatens to precipitate a drastic decline in critical water supplies. We conclude by outlining a proposed method for using ASFF to delve deeper into the dynamics of the food system, probe the consequences of various adaptive responses to food production and supply challenges and devise potential indicators for food system resilience. Shocks and stressors to be added to the next phase of scenario modelling include soil salinity, climate extremes and credit scarcity. The ASFF methodology should be applicable to other parts of the world, although appropriate recalibration and adjustment of model assumptions would be required to reflect regional differences.

Despite growth in Rwanda’s agricultural production ability, with food crops representing 33% of the National GDP and 80% of the population reliant on agriculture, food supply remains fragile. A factor which has significant impact on productivity is soil pests, whose effects filter through the whole value chain. Poor yields result in demand that exceeds supply, leading to higher food prices and reduced affordability by the poor. Poor quality products result in lower consumer acceptability and short shelf life. Rwandan farmers have limited access to plant protection products. A survey of farmers conducted in 2008 revealed that only 16% of the households use pesticides and few use other products for soil pest control. This paper examined the existing vegetable production situation, major soil pests for vegetables and the needs of the farmers in respect to soil pests’ management in Rwanda in 2014. From interviews of 110 vegetable farmers and 18 key informants, it was established that the main vegetable crops were cassava, beans, Irish potatoes and cabbages. The main method for vegetable production was intercropping. Production of vegetables was not intensive as evidenced by the limited use of high value inputs such as fertilizers and crop protection chemicals. The vegetable production constraints starting from the most serious were insect pests, diseases, lack of high quality seeds, high cost of pesticides and fertilizers. The key insect pests were white grubs, cutworms, termites and bean fly. Most of the farmers (76%) did not control the insect pests due to lack of knowledge, lack of alternative methods for pest management and high cost of pest control products especially the chemical pesticides. Chemical pesticides were reported as the main control method by 55% of those who controlled insect pests. This translates to only 13% of the farmers reporting use of chemical pesticides to control insect pests. This represents a 3% decline in the already low (16%) use of chemical pesticides to control insect pests. Conversely, pest infestation levels have been increasing over time. Diversification of the pest control methods is therefore warranted and has indeed been lauded as a key approach to improving pest control. Biologically-based crop protection technology using entomopathogenic nematodes is critical for improving insect pest control. This is due to the possibility of the technology being maintained over a large area without major efforts on the part of the already financially resource poor farmers. Facilitating access to information about the sources of the biologically-based insect pest control technology can enhance diversification of the insect control methods.   Key words: Soil pests, biological control, crop protection, entomopathogenic nematodes.

<p class="0abstract">A growing population world might exceed its food supply in the future. Food availability needs an increasing agricultural productivity and production through technology and innovation. European concerns about innovation policies reflected on the Lisbon Agenda include the European program PROPRURAL+ for the Portuguese Azores Islands. The agricultural innovation in the Azores started with the Green Revolution, which increased agricultural production, using seeds, fertilizers, chemical products and agricultural equipment. But much more innovation is needed for the Azores to became a well-sustained and competitive European region in this economic sector. For example, concerning milk, the region is responsible for more than 30% of the national production. But, since the liberalization in EU imposed by the global markets, a crisis in the sector is installed. Dairy producers are now facing many difficulties in trying to enhance the profitability of their farms, by reducing costs and improving efficiency. A characterization of the Azorean agriculture, emphasizing the milk production sector is presented. The specificities and the potential of the region are discussed and some agricultural innovations with IoT technologies are pointed out.</p>

We provide a quantitative assessment of the prospects for current and future biomass feedstocks for bioenergy in Australia, and associated estimates of the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation resulting from their use for production of biofuels or bioelectricity. National statistics were used to estimate current annual production from agricultural and forest production systems. Crop residues were estimated from grain production and harvest index. Wood production statistics and spatial modelling of forest growth were used to estimate quantities of pulpwood, in‐forest residues, and wood processing residues. Possible new production systems for oil from algae and the oil‐seed tree Pongamia pinnata, and of lignocellulosic biomass production from short‐rotation coppiced eucalypt crops were also examined. The following constraints were applied to biomass production and use: avoiding clearing of native vegetation; minimizing impacts on domestic food security; retaining a portion of agricultural and forest residues to protect soil; and minimizing the impact on local processing industries by diverting only the export fraction of grains or pulpwood to bioenergy. We estimated that it would be physically possible to produce 9.6 GL yr−1 of first generation ethanol from current production systems, replacing 6.5 GL yr−1 of gasoline or 34% of current gasoline usage. Current production systems for waste oil, tallow and canola seed could produce 0.9 GL yr−1 of biodiesel, or 4% of current diesel usage. Cellulosic biomass from current agricultural and forestry production systems (including biomass from hardwood plantations maturing by 2030) could produce 9.5 GL yr−1 of ethanol, replacing 6.4 GL yr−1 of gasoline, or ca. 34% of current consumption. The same lignocellulosic sources could instead provide 35 TWh yr−1, or ca. 15% of current electricity production. New production systems using algae and P. pinnata could produce ca. 3.96 and 0.9 GL biodiesel yr−1, respectively. In combination, they could replace 4.2 GL yr−1 of fossil diesel, or 23% of current usage. Short‐rotation coppiced eucalypt crops could provide 4.3 GL yr−1 of ethanol (2.9 GL yr−1 replacement, or 15% of current gasoline use) or 20.2 TWh yr−1 of electricity (9% of current generation). In total, first and second generation fuels from current and new production systems could mitigate 26 Mt CO2‐e, which is 38% of road transport emissions and 5% of the national emissions. Second generation fuels from current and new production systems could mitigate 13 Mt CO2‐e, which is 19% of road transport emissions and 2.4% of the national emissions lignocellulose from current and new production systems could mitigate 48 Mt CO2‐e, which is 28% of electricity emissions and 9% of the national emissions. There are challenging sustainability issues to consider in the production of large amounts of feedstock for bioenergy in Australia. Bioenergy production can have either positive or negative impacts. Although only the export fraction of grains and sugar was used to estimate first generation biofuels so that domestic food security was not affected, it would have an impact on food supply elsewhere. Environmental impacts on soil, water and biodiversity can be significant because of the large land base involved, and the likely use of intensive harvest regimes. These require careful management. Social impacts could be significant if there were to be large‐scale change in land use or management. In addition, although the economic considerations of feedstock production were not covered in this article, they will be the ultimate drivers of industry development. They are uncertain and are highly dependent on government policies (e.g. the price on carbon, GHG mitigation and renewable energy targets, mandates for renewable fuels), the price of fossil oil, and the scale of the industry.

At present, the fundamental development way of agricultural production lies in science and technology to achieve the agricultural sustainable and stable development and ensure the effective supply of agricultural products for a long time. Many Chinese scholars had done many researches about the agricultural science and technology innovation. Numerous scholars got much valuable research conclusions for improving the construction of agricultural science and technology innovation system. However, there were still some problems existing in the current agricultural science research system, such as that the agricultural science and technology studies were divorced from the agricultural production, the mechanism of the market was still imperfect, there was an unreasonable layout in the agricultural science and technology. Therefore, we wanted to know the dynamic and the evolution path of the international agricultural science and technology innovation. What is more, we wanted to know whether there was a significant difference between the domestic and overseas agricultural science and technology innovation and if the international experience was good for the development of the Chinese agricultural science and technology innovation. So, there was analysed the research theme, the hot-spots and frontiers of international agricultural science and technology innovation based on the Citespace III to get the situation and character of the relevant international research.

Food ingredient fraud and economically motivated adulteration are emerging risks, but a comprehensive compilation of information about known problematic ingredients and detection methods does not currently exist. The objectives of this research were to collect such information from publicly available articles in scholarly journals and general media, organize into a database, and review and analyze the data to identify trends. The results summarized are a database that will be published in the US Pharmacopeial Convention's Food Chemicals Codex, 8th edition, and includes 1305 records, including 1000 records with analytical methods collected from 677 references. Olive oil, milk, honey, and saffron were the most common targets for adulteration reported in scholarly journals, and potentially harmful issues identified include spices diluted with lead chromate and lead tetraoxide, substitution of Chinese star anise with toxic Japanese star anise, and melamine adulteration of high protein content foods. High-performance liquid chromatography and infrared spectroscopy were the most common analytical detection procedures, and chemometrics data analysis was used in a large number of reports. Future expansion of this database will include additional publically available articles published before 1980 and in other languages, as well as data outside the public domain. The authors recommend in-depth analyses of individual incidents. This report describes the development and application of a database of food ingredient fraud issues from publicly available references. The database provides baseline information and data useful to governments, agencies, and individual companies assessing the risks of specific products produced in specific regions as well as products distributed and sold in other regions. In addition, the report describes current analytical technologies for detecting food fraud and identifies trends and developments.

How to digitalise agricultural systems in the developing world

China's food security has a great influence on the world, and has always been the top priority in China. In recent years, as the concept of food security is evolving into one of nutrition security and the importance of food diversity is increasing, research based on nutrition security and broad food systems are increasingly needed in today's China. Thus, not only for human consumption, but also animal foods have been integrated into the Food Equivalent, which is used to analyze China's current agriculture system and reveal the water resource distribu- tion. The results indicated that the average animal food consumption has risen by 78.6%, and now China's daily supply of animal food per capita has reached about 50% of that in the USA and 80% of that in the South Korea. So there exist an obvious disparity in animal food supply between China and these two countries. It is impossible for the China's current agricultural system to achieve the level in the USA. Under China's current agricultural system, the consumption proportion of feed had surpassed the consumption of food grain, increased sharply from 33% in 1992 to 67% in 2011. However, the growth potential of total output is approaching an upper limit, so the continued growth of feed demand exerts great pressure on the China's food supply. The discordance of the spatial distribution of water resource and virtual water revealed that China's current agriculture system had a low efficiency in being able to achieve food and nutrition security. China's current grain farming cannot meet the demand of increasing nutrition and appropriate resource utilization. The implementation of grassland agriculture appears feasible and necessary for saving feed grain, providing a large number of high-quality animal foods and appropriate water resource utilization.