Researchers from Landmark University, Nigeria, reviewed the current research trajectory of agricultural extension programs implemented in the country and found that there need to be more efforts to diffuse knowledge to facilitate the adoption of innovations that will help farmers. Their findings are published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research. The researchers collected information about the programs implemented in Nigeria and compared them with the best agricultural extension and rural advisory services in other countries, especially those in Asia.

The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) has concluded that the genome-edited semi-dwarf teff developed by the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is not subject to biotechnology regulation under USDA's SECURE Rule.The new semi-dwarf teff was developed by researchers at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's Institute for International Crop Improvement (IICI), together with the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research to improve teff productivity using new plant breeding techniques.

The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in Japan gave their green light to a high-starch maize variety on March 20, 2023. This is the fourth genome-edited food product that Japan did not subject to regulations for genetically engineered (GE) food, feed, and biodiversity. The said maize variety had its waxy gene deleted using CRISPR-Cas9 technology to increase its starch amylopectin proportion to almost 100%, compared to the 75% amylopectin and 25% pectin proportion of conventional maize.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) today issues its first-ever euro private placement for €65 million to four German pension funds with the Hamburger Pensionskasse (HPK) as key investor. HPK is one of Germany’s largest company pension funds and works with the German food and beverages sector as well as the retail industry. This investment will enable IFAD to help thousands of small-scale farmers and their families in rural areas of developing countries adapt to climate change

Farmers predominantly follow the rice-based cropping system in various regions of India. However, the continuous practice of rice-based cropping systems causes soil depletion, pest and disease outbreaks, and weed infestation. The introduction of crop diversification could mitigate the adverse impact of monocropping on the environment. Crop diversification is cultivating different crops on the same piece of arable land. It enhances farm productivity and soil biodiversity disrupts the pest and disease cycle, and helps farmers obtain additional income in the event of crop failure.

When the Green Revolution began, India was facing massive hunger and starvation. The focus of the Green Revolution was a major boost to the calorie supply, and the new varieties of rice and wheat helped to do that. But the government was focused on just these two crops. All the infrastructure that was built, the policy environment, and the incentives for farmers were focused on these crops only. That resulted in the crowding out of more traditional crops that are higher in nutrition, such as millets and pulses.

The contribution will fund 17 country and regional projects; including four in the Near East and North Africa (Lebanon, Palestine, Türkiye and Yemen); six in sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Namibia, Somalia and a multicountry project aimed at mitigating the impact of drought for the most vulnerable pastoral and agropastoral communities in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Uganda); four in Asia and Oceania (Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka); and three in Europe (one in Republic of Moldova and two in Ukraine).

In preparation for the anticipated implementation of animal biotechnology regulations in the Philippines, the government finds it important to equip stakeholders with knowledge on animal biotechnology. Two experts explained what opportunities biotechnology can provide to marine scientists, fisherfolk, and consumers during a webinar organized by ISAAA Inc. on March 31, 2023, that aimed to raise public awareness and acceptance of genetically modified (GM) and gene-edited fish and aquaculture products.

Cell Agritech, Malaysia's first cultivated meat company, is set to start the construction of its first plant in Penang by 2024. While regulations for cultivated meat are still unclear in Malaysia, Cell Agritech aims to launch its products into the Asian market by 2025. The announcement was made in mid-March by Jason Ng Chin Aikm, Cell AgriTech's founder, during Malaysia's first Cultivated Meat Conference held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

Researchers from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, reported that micronutrient deficiency is the major culprit of hidden hunger, which demands consumption of foods enriched with enough amount of bioavailable micronutrients. Malnutrition, particularly micronutrient deficiency, has been linked with anemia, fatigue, blindness, and 17% of deaths in children younger than five years in developing countries.