Sustainability

The USDA is investing $8.8m in advanced biofuel production from non-food plant sources, as it supports the industry in a challenging economic environment.

Norway promised the country $1bn in 2010, but impediments to achieving more sustainable forest management still mean $940m is to be released.

Advances in aquaculture will be needed to meet growing demand for protein in sub-Saharan Africa, but the sector faces many more problems than other primary production industries, according to the FAO.

Swiss agtech company Gamaya has closed on $3.2 million for deployment of its drone-mounted analytics systems.

Investors, including Rabobank partners SHIFT, are targeting Mastiline in the belief its technology could be internationally commercialised and decrease antibiotic use.

The agtech specialist is the first technology investment by the Canadian real estate company, which first invested in Farmers Edge in August 2015.

While VC firms may be backing meat substitutes made from plants, consumers won’t sacrifice taste, said panellists at the Future Food-Tech conference in New York.

Arbaro Fund's Markus Grulke and Marco Kaiser tell Agri Investor how it will deal with land leases, responsible investment and return expectations.

Despite record production, a report by the Organic Trade Association says the supply chain must improve to meet growing US demand.

Sustainable food and agri-focused Seed 2 Growth Ventures has led a $10m funding round for biological pesticides company Terramera.