AGP Executive Report

Climate Resilience for Farmers: South Asia’s farmers are bracing for harsher extremes, with one soybean grower in India saving her harvest after a sudden weather alert—an example of how climate shocks are reshaping day-to-day farm decisions. Land Restoration & Drought Policy: Saudi Arabia received a UN award for restoring degraded land and expanding vegetation cover, while COP17 delegates backed new drought tools including a global catalytic financing platform and a drought resilience index. Rangelands & Pastoral Livelihoods: Bangladesh’s environment minister urged community-led rangeland protection, warning that grazing areas are shrinking and that pastoral livelihoods need stronger land safeguards. Agri-Trade & Food Security: Uganda and the DRC used a Butembo business forum to push smoother cross-border trade, including agriculture-linked deals. Farm Economics Under Pressure: Bolivia’s rice producers blocked a key highway over higher diesel prices, and South Africa’s sugar industry flagged delays in updating reference pricing for imported sugar. Agri-Tourism & Regenerative Learning: Ireland granted planning permission for a farm-based “Eye on Nature” eco-tourism classroom focused on biodiversity and regenerative practices. Soil & Water Access: Ghana’s maritime authority commissioned solar-powered water systems for communities and schools in the Upper West Region. Millet for Marginal Lands: Nagaland’s 2nd millet festival highlighted millet’s drought tolerance and low-input fit for hilly, poor-soil areas.

Critical Minerals Value-Add: The Philippines issued a new national policy framework to push critical minerals beyond extraction toward processing and downstream jobs, echoing Indonesia’s ore-export shift. Solar for Farm Resilience: Hawke’s Bay Airport advanced plans for a 12–17MW solar farm to cut emissions and power a future that needs far more renewable electricity. Flood Recovery for Rural Livelihoods: India approved ₹5,000 crore in PMAY-G housing support for 3.8 lakh Assam families, with extra help for tea garden workers and extended surveys to reach eligible households. Water Finance for Sustainable Agriculture: The ADB launched a JPY water theme bond to fund irrigation, disaster resilience, and farm productivity across Asia-Pacific. Food System Resilience in APEC: APEC adopted principles urging innovation and digital tools to strengthen food systems against extreme weather and rising costs. Carbon-Linked Forest Protection (REDD+): A Mindoro program protecting Iraya Mangyan forests shows promise but hinges on transparent benefit-sharing and delayed carbon revenue. Precision Pest Control: UK researchers validated a slug risk model to enable more targeted, precision pellet use. Animal Welfare Tech: UK egg producer Noble Foods is trialing acoustic monitoring to improve laying hen welfare. Livestock Support on the Ground: Budgam approved 180 sheep husbandry cases under multiple agriculture schemes to expand rural livelihoods.

Climate Risk Insurance: The EIB (via EIB Global) is backing the World Food Programme with up to €4m to roll out tailored climate-risk insurance for Ethiopian smallholders, alongside a €110m rural finance credit line to help farmers manage shocks. Deforestation Rules Hit Cocoa: Liberia’s cocoa trade faces disruption as the EU Deforestation Regulation tightens rules on forest-clearing after Dec. 31, 2020—raising the stakes for producers in Grand Gedeh. Drought Resilience Push: India’s environment minister says drought must shift from reactive relief to tech-enabled resilience, highlighting land restoration and early-warning systems discussed at UNCCD COP17. Soil & Land Restoration Results: India reports 21.76m ha restored in 2011–2020 under the Bonn Challenge, generating about 1.22bn person-days of employment. Ag Tech for Farmers: A new report projects agriculture IoT growth to $12.61b by 2030, driven by precision farming sensors, drones, and automation. Water & Food Security Cooperation: Egypt and Argentina sign an MoU to boost agricultural research, including stress-tolerant crops, irrigation, water conservation, and nitrogen fertilizer production. Farmers’ Market Access: South Africa’s new packhouse opens in Lekwa Teemane to strengthen horticulture and market access. Livestock Trade Pressure: Mississippi cattle farmers warn Trump’s plan to import subsidized foreign beef could undercut local producers and slow herd rebuilding.

Food Security & Policy: The Philippines is moving to institutionalize the right to adequate food, with a bill consolidated in a push to cut involuntary hunger affecting millions. Housing Finance Inclusion: Kenya is considering using mobile money transaction records and other non-salary data to widen access to affordable housing loans for farmers and self-employed workers. Sustainable Packaging: A new review flags why biobased packaging adoption still lags—performance, safety, scaling, and consumers’ willingness to pay. Land Restoration Funding: Solomon Islands urged COP17 negotiators to make climate and land-restoration finance more accessible and predictable for small island states. Rangelands & Drought: UNCCD COP17 talks advanced rangeland and soil-health action, but a massive financing gap remains the make-or-break issue. Biofuels & Crops: India hit its E20 ethanol blending target early, boosting demand for agricultural feedstocks. Agriculture Trade & Branding: Vietnam’s rice leaders stress traceability and brand-building to turn export volume into lasting value. Climate-Conflict Lens: Asean officials called for climate resilience to be built into regional security planning. Farm Risk: Kansas wheat harvest is tracking toward one of the lowest yields in decades after freezes, hail, and wet harvest conditions.

Food Security Policy: The Philippines is moving to institutionalize the right to adequate food, consolidating six hunger-fighting bills after citing an estimated 7.5 million people facing involuntary hunger in 2025. Climate-Smart Irrigation: The ADB is considering a $100m loan to expand solar-powered irrigation nationwide, aiming to give small farmers year-round water and boost resilience. Sustainable Supply Chains: Olam Agri switched on rooftop solar at its Ghana wheat hub, adding 2.2 million kWh of clean power and cutting emissions at its pasta and flour operations. Land Restoration Finance: UNCCD COP17’s Finance Day confirmed $644.5m in new commitments plus $216.4m already lined up, as the world faces a huge funding gap for land restoration and drought resilience. Ag Innovation & Training: Minnesota’s Department of Agriculture opened applications for an AGRI Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant, backing on-farm research and demos to improve profitability and resource use. Cold-Chain for Farmers: IceBattery® completed a Ladakh-to-Delhi trial hauling apricots over 1,300 km with passive cooling support to protect quality.

Modern Agri for Veterans’ Families: Cambodia’s First Lady inspected a new initiative in Siem Reap to train veterans’ families in modern crops, livestock, and integrated production-to-market models, aiming for steady secondary incomes. Citrus Export Push: The Philippines’ Mindanao Citrus Industry Summit focused on making local citrus competitive and more sustainable as growers struggle with inconsistent supply and quality while the country imports mandarins, oranges, and lemons. Digital Agriculture Governance: Sri Lanka launched decision support systems under its IDAT program for fisheries and plantation sectors, bringing together data and dashboards to improve planning, monitoring, and resource management. Water + Food Security Stress: Kenya’s Naivasha communities raised concerns as a major Microsoft-G42 data centre project stalled over power capacity, highlighting how new industry demand could strain water in a region already facing shortages. Clean Energy for Farms: Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland North is expanding rural biogas using livestock and household waste, pairing digesters with solar electrification and producing nutrient-rich slurry for fields. Agri Finance Skills: AFRACA and NIRSAL ran a week-long masterclass in Lagos to strengthen climate- and AI-ready agricultural lending across African financial institutions. Food Trade Disruption Watch: Black Sea grain disruptions plus weaker harvests and higher energy and fertiliser costs are tightening wheat supply routes and pushing prices up.

Regenerative Agriculture Push (India): India says its soil-first shift is gaining traction, with natural farming clusters reaching 8.80 lakh hectares and 18.19 lakh farmers enrolled, plus major scale-up of soil health cards and water-saving “Per Drop More Crop” coverage. Women in Sustainable Farming (UAE): The UAE has kicked off the first phase of Women Farmer Field Schools under its “Empowering Women Farmers” plan, with virtual onboarding on Aug 27 and farm-based training starting in September. Blue-Carbon for Climate Markets (Bangladesh): FAO and Bangladesh’s Forest Department launched “Blue Carbon for the Future” to measure deep-soil carbon in the Sundarbans down to five meters, aiming to strengthen carbon-market readiness and climate reporting. Fisheries Tech for Lower Costs (Malaysia): Malaysia’s fisheries agency will showcase satellite buoys and boat simulators at MAHA 2026, alongside equipment support for B40 fishermen to improve efficiency and sustainability. Aquaculture Training (India/J&K): Khyber Aquaculture rolled out trout-farmer training focused on biosecurity, water quality, disease prevention, and modern production methods. Food Prices & Biofuel Pressure (India): A Haryana Congress leader flagged rising sugar and jaggery prices, warning that diverting sugarcane toward ethanol could tighten food supply and drive costs higher. Sustainable Fishing Rules in Court (Philippines): The government is asking the Supreme Court to revisit a ruling that blocked round-the-clock monitoring of commercial fishing vessels, arguing it protects small fishers’ sustainable livelihoods.

USDA staffing cuts: Illinois farmers are warning that proposed reductions in USDA personnel could weaken crop reporting, inspections, and day-to-day support like the Farm Service Agency—just as conservation funding faces pressure. Water & farm policy: Iowa’s agriculture secretary candidate Chris Jones argues for systemic change to tackle water quality, criticizing “Band-Aid” approaches and tariff moves that he says hurt cattle producers. Bio-control for sugarcane pests: Negros Occidental added biologists to speed production of biological control agents against red-stripe soft scale insects, using lab-made fungus and beneficial insects to protect fields with a longer-term approach. Court fight over fishing monitoring: The Philippines government is asking the Supreme Court to reverse a ruling that struck down round-the-clock monitoring of commercial fishing vessels, saying it must protect sustainable livelihoods for small fishers. Energy for crops: Zimbabwe winter wheat farmers welcomed uninterrupted electricity, supporting production after drought-era power shortfalls. Climate-smart resettlement: A $10m UNDP-KOICA initiative in Iraq will back climate-resilient farming for displaced communities alongside housing, training, and local peacebuilding. Solar for rural livelihoods: Okomu’s solar hybrid mini-grid in Edo, Nigeria, is set to cut diesel use and power households and agri-linked SMEs. Drought response: India’s Sri Sathya Sai district is expanding natural farming and protective irrigation, with subsidized alternative seeds and crop insurance for El Niño-hit farmers.

Tariff Shock for Agriculture: Canada’s PM Mark Carney says U.S. talks collapsed over “last-minute” demands, and Canada will retaliate dollar-for-dollar with 50% tariffs starting Sept. 8, hitting sectors including dairy and agricultural equipment. Climate-Resilient Farming Webinar: CARICOM, CAHFSA and COLEAD will host a Sept. 3 webinar on climate-resilient agriculture, aiming to cut the Caribbean’s food import bill through adaptation and innovation. Water-Smart Irrigation: Bangladesh’s Barind Multipurpose Development Authority chief inspected irrigation projects, stressing modernization, reduced wastage, and farmer-first water management. Soil Health Research: Scientists refined a simpler way to measure DNA-bound phosphorus in soils, helping track nutrient cycling and guide more sustainable fertilization. CBG Supply Chain Focus: India’s revamped GOBARdhan push for compressed biogas highlights the next bottleneck: securing reliable, nearby feedstock to keep plants viable and emissions benefits intact. Women in Ag Work: India’s latest labor and survey findings show women make up over half the farm workforce, yet still face lower pay and barriers to land and credit. Solar for Farms: A Philippines solar-powered pump irrigation system inspection underscored lower fuel costs and more dependable water for local farmlands.

Water Crisis & Farm Risk: The U.S. federal government finalized Colorado River reservoir operating rules, ordering cutbacks for California, Arizona and Nevada as Lake Mead and Lake Powell hit record lows—raising new pressure on irrigated agriculture. Groundwater Stress: A new study finds parts of Northern California’s Sacramento Valley also sank between 2020-2022, with damage described as largely irreversible, underscoring limits of aquifer pumping. Sorghum for Resilience: Venezuela’s Confeagro confirmed 2,300+ hectares of sorghum planted in Guárico, with more planned in Portuguesa and Anzoátegui to diversify cereals under hotter conditions. Mechanization & Value Chains: Sindh (Pakistan) met ADB officials to expand mechanised farming, improve farmer market links, and strengthen sustainable natural resource management. Aquaculture Demand: FAO projects global aquatic product demand will rise 11% over the next decade, driven by expanding aquaculture and growth in developing markets. Green Skills & Jobs: Cambodia’s SDF backed agri-processing and EV workforce training to support a broader green transition. Agri-Policy Push: J&K floriculture stakeholders urged a dedicated commercial floriculture policy, including insurance, working capital support, and protected cultivation. Sustainability Execution Gap: A Kenya-based report warns many African projects fail on measurable sustainability outcomes because execution lags behind ambition.

Agri-Policy & Resilience: Philippines lawmakers are pushing a long-overdue National Land Use Act to tackle recurring flooding with a unified, science-based framework rather than piecemeal local fixes. Sustainable Energy for Farms: Iraq’s rural community of Kulak has shifted from unreliable power to solar with storage, keeping water pumps running and improving farmers’ ability to store and sell harvests. Water-Smart Farming: India’s “Water Secure Haryana” plan targets waterlogged and saline land with drainage, promotes water-efficient crops, and expands direct seeded rice to cut water use. Agroecology Under Pressure: A critique of Philippines agrivoltaics warns large-scale solar on farmland could displace staple crops and become a “green land grab” unless governance and food-security safeguards are built in. Seeds & Breeding: Malaysia’s agriculture ministry says it will expand local seed and breed production using modern biotechnology to cut seed import dependency by 30% by 2040. Livestock Support: Cyprus livestock breeders report delayed or incomplete FMD compensation and restocking hurdles, raising pressure on farmers to resume operations. Farm Payments: Ireland will raise advance payments for BISS/CRISS/Eco-scheme from 70% to 75% to ease cash flow during fodder shortages. Local Food Systems: Arlington Area Childcare Inc. is running a farm-to-school program with garden-based learning and fresh produce for students. Market Access: India’s commerce minister Piyush Goyal is using Singapore meetings to boost agri-exports via APEDA-FairPrice and business roundtables.

Agri Trade & Biofuels: USDA Undersecretary Luke Lindberg says the Philippines is set to be a major buyer of record US ethanol exports, with 2025 shipments up 87% to $192.06M as the country expands E20 blending to cut pump prices and improve air quality. Soil, Water & Land Restoration: At UNCCD COP17, China is pushing “implementation” by scaling proven desertification fixes like straw-woven dune barriers, aiming to turn restoration success into global practice. Pollinators: This weekend’s Great Southeast Pollinator Census is inviting citizen scientists to count bees and butterflies to track declines tied to pesticides and habitat loss. Ag Innovation & Inputs: A spinach-derived antimicrobial peptide citrus greening treatment has received unconditional US EPA registration, clearing the way for late-2026 grower access. Agri Finance & Climate Resilience: AFRACA and NIRSAL ran a Lagos masterclass on inclusive agricultural finance using climate and AI tools for lenders across Africa. Agri Livelihoods & Youth: Nigeria’s NALDA launched a Kwara youth agroforestry campaign, planting 5,000 economic trees and setting up a wider rollout of 56,000 more nationwide.

Drought as a food-and-health emergency (UK): New analysis warns England’s record heat and water stress are now hitting crops, livestock, and public health—moving drought from a water problem to a food security and health crisis. Milk price support (Ireland): Carbery set July’s base milk price at 37.40c/l and added a 0.5c/l support payment, with bonuses for somatic cell count and sustainability. Carrot grower squeeze (Ireland): Irish carrot growers say costs have doubled since 2020 while retail prices rose far less, leaving only a small margin for survival; they argue for urgent market and policy action. Drone services for rice (Malaysia): A village drone rental program is helping padi farmers fertilise and spray faster, cutting labour time while creating local income. Bio-LNG from farm waste (Finland): Suomen Lantakaasu inaugurated a bio-LNG biogas plant in Nurmo, using manure and food by-products to produce renewable fuel and biofertiliser. Coconut livelihoods and exports (India): India’s coconut sector is expanding into processing and exports, supporting nearly 30 million livelihoods as productivity and market links improve. Food hubs debate (Canada): Manitoba’s only food hub says local, sustainable sourcing can strengthen farmer access to markets, but questions remain about whether more hubs will truly lower prices. Microplastics in fish (Ghana): CSIR-WRI reports microplastics in local fish at levels far above guidelines, raising health and livelihood concerns for coastal communities. Ag-tech recognition (US): EagleNXT won “Crop Monitoring Solution of the Year,” highlighting UAV multispectral monitoring to spot stress and nutrient issues earlier. Dairy consolidation (Baltics): Estonia’s Agrone parent agreed to acquire Latvia’s Rīgas piena kombināts, aiming to combine sustainable raw milk production with stronger processing and brands.

Nitrogen Smarts for Cleaner Farms: NYU researchers say plants switch off nitrogen uptake via an HHO5 protein once they’ve “had enough,” pointing to crops that could cut nitrate leaching and lower fertilizer costs. Water for Salmon First: British Columbia reissued a temporary protection order on the Salmon River, forcing 458 water licences and transitioning users to stop irrigation of water-hungry forage and lawns to protect spawning Chinook. Farm Profitability Under Pressure: A San Diego County report warns small farms face costs rising faster than revenues, arguing farmland preservation alone won’t keep agriculture viable. Drought Hits Food Systems: Albuquerque now relies on groundwater for all drinking and irrigation as the Rio Grande stays dry, with farmers facing ongoing irrigation shortfalls if snowpack doesn’t return. Fertilizer Volatility Watch: Teagasc flags that chemical nitrogen use could exceed Ireland’s 2030 limit under “business as usual,” pushing research on reducing reliance. Aquaculture Value Boost: FAO, via EU support, is rolling out safer, fuel-efficient portable fish-smoking dryers in Papua New Guinea to improve quality and protect processors’ health. Policy & Markets: Nigeria’s onion exporters to Ghana resume after cross-border trade frictions eased, while Katsina (Nigeria) starts distributing 90,000 bags of grains alongside longer-term irrigation and input plans.

Agrivoltaics Breakthrough: Bangladesh launched its first grid-connected agrivoltaics pilot in Chuadanga, pairing solar generation with crops like green chillies and rice to protect farmland while informing national policy. Input Independence: Malaysia’s agriculture ministry is pushing domestic production to cut reliance on imported inputs, using poultry as a reminder that “stable supply” can still hinge on global inputs like feed and fertiliser. Tech for Farmers: India’s UP-Japan Investment Meet heard calls to bring Japanese ag technology to small and marginal farmers, not just big investors. Water Quality Pressure: Ireland’s Agricultural Science Association conference spotlights water quality and nitrates, warning farmers face big challenges ahead under tightening environmental expectations. Circular Bio-Inputs: Thailand’s Repids turns used cooking oil into a non-toxic organic insecticide, tackling grease waste while creating a farm-friendly alternative. Branding Fresh Fruit: Ghana’s Blue Skies Holdings grew by processing near farms and building protected trademarks/certifications to sell premium fresh-cut fruit globally. Trade Restart: Nigeria lifted its suspension on onion exports to Ghana after consultations, aiming to restore safer, smoother cross-border market operations.

Land Rights & Conflict Resolution: Jigawa Governor Umar Namadi handed resettlement certificates to the Jobi community after a 47-year border dispute with Niger that left families losing farmland and livelihoods. Regenerative Coffee: UCC launched a regenerative coffee pilot in Vietnam using biochar and reduced conventional fertiliser to cut emissions and strengthen farm resilience as heat and soil decline threaten yields. Watershed Restoration: Sri Lanka’s ADB and government rolled out SUWERP to restore upper watersheds after cyclone damage, aiming to curb erosion, protect water quality, and reduce flooding and landslide risks. Drought & Soil Crisis: Pakistan’s Sindh faces a rainfall shortfall and worsening land degradation, with experts warning that 62% of land is barren or marginally cultivable and calling for urgent soil and water policy action. Food Security Support: Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu launched a South-West zonal community food bank programme to supply nutritious food for children under six, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. Climate Risk to Crops: California pistachio growers brace for major losses after warm winter “chill hours” failures and hot bloom disruption, with prices likely to stay high. Fisheries & Biosecurity: Western Australia’s new patrol vessel Equinox will boost northern fisheries compliance and bird flu surveillance. Low-Carbon Fuels Demand: Australia’s Ampol, IFM Investors and GrainCorp backed a demand-side framework for low carbon liquid fuels using canola and other feedstocks, linking new SAF demand to agriculture.