ac-webcam-c

Top Stories

Grid List

Vietnam Turns Industrial Waste into Fertiliser.

Agriculture

Vietnam is set to welcome a pioneering sustainable agriculture initiative, as Japanese biotech firm CHITOSE and Vietnamese environmental solutions company TA Vital join forces to transform industrial sludge into agricultural compost

This collaborative project marks a significant step toward Vietnam’s net-zero emissions goal by 2050, aligning with the nation’s broader environmental and circular economy ambitions.

The facility, under construction in the Prodezi Industrial Park—one of Vietnam’s first recognised eco-industrial zones—is expected to begin trial production by the end of 2025. During the initial phase, the compost produced will be used for landscaping purposes within the park itself, due to variability in sludge content sourced from multiple factories.

At the heart of this initiative is CHITOSE’s advanced composting technology, which employs an industrial-scale barrel system combined with a custom microbial blend. This enables the effective breakdown and detoxification of sludge materials, converting up to 80% into usable compost. Integrated AI monitoring tools track fermentation conditions in real time, optimising temperature, moisture, and microbial activity to ensure consistent quality.

A key innovation lies in the ability to tailor the nutrient content of the compost to meet the specific needs of crops—such as dragon fruit—enhancing yield and soil health. Although initial applications will focus on non-food plants, the long-term goal is to expand into food crop fertilisation by working directly with factories producing more consistent, organic waste streams.

Another future ambition is to shift from Japanese-sourced equipment to local production, helping reduce costs and expand deployment across Vietnam and potentially Southeast Asia.

By transforming waste into high-value agricultural input, this project stands as a practical model of the circular economy in action. It not only supports industrial sustainability but also holds promise for reducing chemical fertiliser use and improving soil resilience—two critical needs for climate-smart agriculture in the region.

As Vietnam continues to advance its green agenda, this sludge-upcycling venture represents a meaningful step toward a more regenerative and resource-efficient future.

The future of marine resources.

Aquaculture

The Philippines is intensifying its efforts to ratify a landmark international treaty aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), reinforcing its commitment to ocean conservation and sustainable marine resource management

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has pledged full support to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in promoting the Senate’s concurrence to the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). Signed under the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the BBNJ treaty addresses the conservation and equitable use of marine resources in high seas and other regions beyond exclusive national control.

Although Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President ratified the agreement in 2024-a year after its global adoption - the treaty still requires Senate concurrence before the Philippines can officially participate.

Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., Agriculture Secretary emphasised the agreement's relevance for the Philippines, said, “The BBNJ Agreement is crucial for conserving and sustainably managing marine biodiversity in areas beyond the Philippines’ jurisdiction, allowing the country to safeguard its rich marine ecosystems while ensuring fair access to and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources.”

As a nation composed of over 7,000 islands and located near areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ), the Philippines has a strong stake in the treaty’s success. It was an early signatory and active participant in the negotiation process, aligning with global conservation goals and the principles of the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award.

Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther Bayate stressed the strategic timing of the ratification: once approved by the Senate, the Philippines will be eligible to participate in the first Conference of Parties (COP1). This milestone event is expected to take place shortly after 60 countries submit their ratification instruments to the United Nations. As of late August, 55 nations have completed the process, with momentum building towards reaching the required threshold during the UN General Assembly from September 23–26.

The BBNJ treaty represents a critical tool for archipelagic nations like the Philippines—not only to influence global marine governance but also to safeguard marine ecosystems, promote fair benefit-sharing, and support the livelihoods of coastal communities reliant on ocean resources.

ProgressiveTraction features an innovative double-edge lug design. (Image credit: Trelleborg Tires)

Equipment

In the shifting soil of modern agriculture, where weather is unpredictable and margins are tight, it’s often the overlooked details like tyres that make all the difference

For over a decade, Trelleborg’s ProgressiveTraction technology has been doing just that: delivering practical, field-tested advantages to farmers navigating today’s demanding conditions.

Born from real-world farming needs, ProgressiveTraction features an innovative double-edge lug design, crafted to provide superior traction, reduce soil compaction, and improve stability—even in the most unforgiving field conditions. Combined with self-cleaning tread patterns and wider lugs to reduce vibration, this tyre offers smoother, smarter performance where it matters most.

Alessio Bucci, Marketing Training & Development Director said, “Each feature of ProgressiveTraction has been carefully developed by our tyre experts to give farmers real advantages in the field, every day.” He added, “Whether the goal is to maximise performance or increase efficiency, this technology delivers a field-tested response to the performance expectations of modern agriculture.”

The technology even proved itself at the bottom of the world. In 2014, ProgressiveTraction was fitted to a Massey Ferguson 5610 that completed a 5,000-km journey to the South Pole and back during the Antarctica2 Expedition.

“Taking part in such a complex expedition allowed us to put our expertise into practice in the most challenging conditions,” Bucci explains.

Today, ProgressiveTraction powers a full range of Trelleborg’s agricultural tyres, from the TM1000 for high-horsepower tractors, to the TM3000 for harvesters and TM600 for row crops. The newer TM900 offers up to 17% more grip and 20% longer tyre life than competitors.

With the Premium Care Portal, Trelleborg now backs select models with up to 5,000 certified hours of tread wear, offering even more peace of mind to working farmers.

Bucci added, “As agriculture continues to move forward, this technology stands ready to leave its mark on an ever-wider range of tyres and applications.”

Enhance Agricultural Resilience with Solar Energy.

Infrastructure

The SoLAR project, funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), is entering its second phase, aiming to deepen agricultural resilience and climate transformation in smallholder farming

Launched by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the initiative runs from July 2025 to December 2029 and expands its geographical and thematic focus, now incorporating Ethiopia and Kenya, while continuing its work in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Building on the success of its first phase (2019–2024), SoLAR looks to scale solar energy solutions for agriculture and position them as a replicable and scalable model for climate-resilient agriculture across the Global South.

In its first phase, SoLAR focused on generating evidence, piloting innovative financing models, and influencing policy to integrate solar-powered irrigation systems (SIPs). These solar pumps have proven effective in mitigating climate impacts by replacing diesel pumps and promoting sustainable groundwater usage. “Across the four South Asian countries, we have seen promising steps toward scaling solar irrigation sustainably and inclusively,” said Darshini Ravindranath, Project Lead and Research Group Leader at IWMI. The project has helped governments in Bangladesh and India integrate solar irrigation into national strategies, while in Nepal, it led to a significant policy shift, including revised subsidy criteria supporting women farmers and smallholders.

Key outcomes include the promotion of gender-sensitive policies, innovative financing such as micro-financing and grants, and the adoption of solar irrigation systems that reduce carbon emissions, conserve groundwater, and support high-value crops. IWMI’s work also extended to grid-connected solar irrigation in Nepal, enabling farmers to sell surplus energy, providing them with additional income streams while promoting responsible groundwater use.

In phase two, SoLAR will expand its reach to East Africa, focusing on scaling solar-powered solutions for irrigation, cooling, and processing. With Kenya and Ethiopia facing climate and energy challenges, the project sees solar technology as a transformative tool for boosting year-round agricultural production and enhancing food security. Muluken Elias Adamseged, Deputy Country Representative at IWMI in Ethiopia, remarked, “Scaling solar-powered irrigation, cooling, and processing can boost year-round production, cut losses and costs, and enhance food security.”

The second phase aims to drive an integrated approach with evidence-based policy design, accelerated funding for solar adoption, enhanced capacity building, and the establishment of Living Labs to test solar solutions in diverse settings. The program will directly benefit smallholder farmers in India, Bangladesh, Kenya, and Ethiopia by improving water and energy security, reducing emissions, and enhancing resilience to climate risks, according to Philippe Sas, Head of Cooperation for SDC in India.

Most Read

Latest news