As the global population continues to grow, it is estimated to reach around 10 billion by 2050. The need for sustainable food systems has become more urgent. Cellular agriculture is emerging as one of the key technologies for decarbonizing protein production systems by directly producing products from cells, without the need to raise animals for slaughter or growing crops, says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has finalized the latest update of a toolkit that aims to revolutionize small and middle-sized rural entrepreneurship. RuralInvest, the methodology developed by the FAO Investment Centre, offers its users a path from theory to practice, to assist entrepreneurs in creating sustainable and bankable business plans.

A team of researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science and partners attempted genome editing using the atmospheric-pressure plasma as protein introduction technique. Their findings are published in an open-access article in PlosOne journal. Transgenic reporter plants were used as an experimental system to assess genome editing. The transgenic plants carried the reporter genes L-(I-SceI)-UC and sGFP-waxy-HPT.

A law expert from the University of Passau in Germany explains that there is currently no validated method of identifying gene-edited plants that carry only naturally occurring mutations or those that can be achieved through conventional mutagenesis. Hence, reforms based on a scientific and academic point of view are being proposed to make room for gene editing under the European Union's (EU) regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

A study published in CABI Reviews takes a look at gene editing techniques and suggests that the CRISPR-Cas method could be a possible ‘savior' for rice crops threatened by climate change and high food demand. The review highlights that while rice is one of the most consumed cereals worldwide and feeds about three billion people, climate-induced abiotic and biotic stresses have affected the production and quality of rice crops

Murdoch University, ISAAA Inc., and partners aim to assist both small and large-scale exporters in understanding the potential of gene editing for crop improvement, and the issues related to trade in gene-edited produce. Thus, a two-day international meeting titled International Conference on Gene-edited Crops: Enabling Future Commercialisation and International Trade is being organised on April 26-27, 2023 at The Shine Dome, ACT, Australia.

Israeli start-up Ever After Foods, previously known as Plurinuva has officially launched its patented bioreactor platform to produce cultivated meat. The company claims that its patented technology can transform the unit economics of cultivated meat by reducing expenses for facilities and increasing tissue production. Instead of growing cells in large stir tank bioreactors, Ever After Foods uses a two-stage approach in smaller packed bed vessels, and is planning a pilot facility in Israel in 2024.

On March 3, 2023, Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp. announced that CTNBio, the National Biosafety Commission of Brazil's Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, has given the full approval for commercialization and cultivation of HB4 Wheat after the conclusion of the safety evaluation. This approval follows Brazil's previous approval for food and feed use of HB4 Wheat flour in November 2021.

The growth of digital technology and digital tools in agriculture in the past decade has been phenomenal. This technology growth is playing an increasingly important role in agricultural research for development. However, such technologies and tools often classify small farm holders as similar entities. In addition, in low- and middle-income countries, core agriculture actors, such as women and minority communities are often excluded from digital agricultural solutions.

A collective sustained effort, political will, and renewed commitment across Africa and globally are necessary to transform agri-food systems and deliver better nutrition. This call was given by Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) during the assembly of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.