AGP Executive Report

UK Drought Response: England’s PM Andy Burnham announced a £65m drought package for farmers, including £50m to boost the Sustainable Farming Incentive and up to £15m for on-farm reservoirs, as NFU warns cashflow and yields are under severe strain. Northern Ireland Funding Deadline: DAERA’s Sustainable Farming Investment Scheme is down to the wire, with applications due by 3 Sept 2026 for grants up to £62,500 to improve farm efficiency and environmental resilience. EU Trade Rules for Commodities: The EU Deforestation Regulation is set to reshape access for African exporters of coffee, cocoa and palm oil, raising compliance pressure but also creating a market incentive for deforestation-free, legal supply chains. Africa Productivity Push: The African Union called for stronger seed banks and more domestic fertilizer production to cut food import dependence and lift yields, as CAADP implementation reviews continue. Kenya Ag-Tech Upscale: Kakuzi is expanding AI, drones and data analytics to strengthen macadamia quality and resilience, while Kilimo Agropro appoints a new CEO to drive sustainable growth. Regional Integration: SADC leaders opened in Durban with a focus on resilient, sustainable industrialization tied to agriculture and critical minerals. Irrigation Investment: Philippines’ Nueva Ecija is set to get a P7.1bn irrigation project to reduce drought risk and stabilize production. Seedling Drives: Kenya’s Meru plans to distribute millions of avocado and cocoa seedlings with training and extension support, and St. Kitts is distributing coconut seedlings to rebuild local capacity.

Irrigation Investment: The Philippines’ National Irrigation Administration is pushing a P7.1bn Lower Cabu Irrigation Project in Nueva Ecija to cut drought risk, boost cropping intensity, and reduce reliance on rain. Food-Systems Logistics: The Philippines is also accelerating a Clark mega food hub in Pampanga, with about P4bn committed and a first phase targeting partial operations before end-2027 to lower distribution costs and connect farms to markets. Rural Skills & Inputs: Davao Region turned over a P1.7m nursery facility to Davao del Sur State College, aiming to strengthen training and community resilience through high-value crops. Drought Support: UK PM Andy Burnham announced £65m extra drought funding for farmers, including help for reservoirs and a sustainable farming incentive scheme. Water-Smart Cropping: California research looks at “less bad” options for farmers facing groundwater cutbacks by growing winter crops/forage with less water instead of full fallowing. SADC Summit: Leaders meet in Durban for the 46th SADC summit, with agriculture and infrastructure transformation high on the agenda. Sustainability Delivery Gap: New research finds many organisations struggle to turn sustainability ambition into measurable execution, with big confidence gaps between sustainability leaders and project teams. Nigeria Sugar Push: Nigeria’s National Sugar Development Council unveiled a $1bn EPC-plus-finance push plus a ₦10bn acceleration fund to drive sugar self-sufficiency and tighten import enforcement.

Clean Energy for Rural Resilience: Jordan’s Shobak wind farm—run by a China Three Gorges-linked operator—keeps generating steady green power as the country targets a big renewables share by 2035. Community Farming & Youth Jobs: Sudbury’s Flour Mill Community Farm marks its 10th season with an expansion that doubles growing space, adds preservation, and creates more paid youth roles. Solar Water for Food Security: Zimbabwe’s Mutekwatekwa Community Garden uses a solar-powered borehole to keep vegetables growing year-round, helping families buy staple foods when drought hits. Climate-Smart Construction: Bangladesh’s environment minister backs concrete blocks over bricks to protect farmland fertility and cut pollution and emissions. Debt and Development Accountability: Kenya’s public debt jumps sharply since 2022, raising the key question of whether borrowing is funding projects that generate returns. Drought-Proof Fisheries & Jobs: Bangladesh’s PM urges better use of rivers and haors to expand fish production, create youth employment, and protect water bodies from pollution. Solar Tech in Aquaculture: Maine is testing a solar-powered floating system that automates oyster farming to boost output while reducing labor. Food-System Innovation: Hebrew University researchers report plant-engineered seeds producing a key dairy protein, pointing to more sustainable dairy ingredients. Agri-Policy for Farmers: UK drought support includes £65m for farmers, with new on-farm reservoirs and environmental funding as harvests suffer. Water & Waste Protection: Zimbabwe climate communication should be judged by behavior change, not just reach—linking messaging to real action.

Drought Relief for Farmers: UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a £65m package to help drought-hit farms after record dry conditions threatened yields and food prices. Food Security via Local Gardens: Philippines lawmakers moved to institutionalize the “Gulayan sa Barangay at Paaralan” program, pushing community and school gardens to tackle hunger, stunting, and malnutrition. Value-Adding for Small Producers: Fiji commissioned a $635,000 processing centre in Batiri to buy local crops, cut spoilage, and strengthen market access for farmers. Circular Livestock Feed: Australia’s Blantyre Farms secured $1m for an on-farm feed mill to turn food by-products and manure into livestock feed, reducing reliance on grain. Livestock Trade Risk: Namibia faced pressure on EU-certified livestock exports after veterinary inspections were paused for budget reasons, with a temporary fix to keep trade moving. Training for Sustainable Livelihoods: Nagaland wrapped a Mithun-based enterprises and horticulture value-add training, while SBI RSETI Peren took trainees on a pisciculture field visit to support self-employment. Regional Integration Push: Zimbabwe urged SADC to turn integration promises into tangible citizen benefits, with agriculture and industrial transformation central to the summit agenda.

Drought Relief for Farmers (UK): Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced a £65m package for drought-hit farmers, including support for sustainable farming, easier reservoir building, and better water access as Britain faces record dryness and fears for food prices. Digital Agriculture & Policy (Nagaland): Nagaland approved its Agriculture Policy 2025 and launched a Unified Digital Agriculture Ecosystem under a Digital Agriculture Mission, alongside horticulture expansion plans and new centres of excellence. Food Security via Community Gardens (Philippines): Senator Francis Pangilinan filed a bill to institutionalize “Gulayan sa Barangay at Paaralan,” pushing community- and school-based fruit and vegetable gardens to tackle hunger, stunting, and malnutrition. Irrigation for Women Farmers (Ghana): An MP donated 10 irrigation machines to women farmers to cut rainfall dependence and boost productivity after floods. Livestock Breeding Boost (Uganda): Uganda’s animal breeding sector gets a new five-year push to expand access to quality dairy, piggery, and poultry breeding stock, aiming for better genetics and higher productivity. Contract Farming Push (Barbados): Farmers and vendors welcomed a call for Massy Supermarkets to formalize contract buy-in, with government support to help agro-processing grow. Fisheries Support (Bangladesh): Acting President Hafiz Uddin Ahmad urged coordinated action to sustain fisheries resources during National Fisheries Fortnight-2026. Seaweed Crisis Response (Mexico): Mexico is exploring ways to use sargassum—potentially for biofuel or fertilizer—as the daily beach cleanup battle costs billions and disrupts tourism.

Drought Relief for Farmers (UK): UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is set to announce a £65m package to help drought-hit farms, including £50m extra for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and up to £15m for on-farm reservoirs, plus flexibility in environmental schemes so farmers can graze earlier without losing payments. Farm Equipment for Food Security (Nigeria): Nasarawa gubernatorial candidate Mohammed Abubakar Adamu says he’s empowering farmers with 100 tricycles, 200 soil-tilling machines, herbicides, organic fertilizer, NPK/urea, and sprayers to boost yields and livelihoods. Carbon + Bamboo Restoration (India): Meghalaya launched a bamboo-centric afforestation project on degraded lands to restore forests, sequester carbon, and generate verifiable carbon credits for rural incomes. Compost Smarts (US): A garden coach shares how to “feed” compost piles with the right mix of greens and carbon to avoid odors and flies. Food Access (US): Waynesboro Public Schools will provide free breakfast and lunch to all students daily, targeting local food insecurity. Agri-Trade Protocol Push (Nigeria-China): Nigeria’s power minister urges fast implementation of the Nigeria-China aquatic products protocol to unlock zero-tariff access and boost exports and forex. Livelihood Recovery (Philippines): After a July 5 fire destroyed stalls at Batac Public Market, 129 stall owners received DSWD livelihood assistance to restart businesses.

Climate-smart ag support: Borongan City (Philippines) is seeking UN-backed technical help for a climate-smart agriculture program, with four nearby municipalities in Eastern Samar set as co-beneficiaries. EU green claims rules: The European Commission’s FAQ clarifies how the upcoming environmental claim law will curb greenwashing, with rules applying from late September 2026. Biodiversity + farming research: Kenya hosted experts on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use, alongside a grape industry exchange, aiming to connect science with farmer outcomes. Ag risk management: Lesotho’s agriculture ministry reviewed a Smart Subsidy and agriculture insurance pilot, focusing on how insurance can protect farmers from climate shocks and livestock disease. Circular bioenergy push: India’s Union Cabinet approved GOBARdhan, a national circular bioenergy scheme to scale compressed biogas from farm and cattle waste. Blue-foods spotlight: PBS ordered a second series of “Hope In the Water,” focusing on sustainable fish and seaweed farming. Women-led conservation: In Indonesia’s Tesso Nilo buffer zone, women farmers are using citrus and other fruit crops to reduce human-elephant conflict while earning income.

Blue Economy Funding: The Philippines secured €200M (about P14B pesos) from France’s AFD for the Marine Ecosystem for Blue Economy Development program, aiming to protect marine ecosystems and create sustainable livelihoods for over 3 million coastal workers. Pesticide Health Fight: California moved to phase out paraquat after every seller pulled registrations rather than submit required health data; sales may continue for up to two years per product, keeping the issue in the spotlight. Farm Support Grants: Western North Carolina’s WNC AgOptions is opening its 2027 grant cycle, offering $10,000 seed awards for climate-smart, efficiency, and diversification projects. Ag Policy Under Pressure: A coalition in Nigeria is urging a halt to a proposed $2.5B industrial livestock project, warning it could undermine food sovereignty, land rights, and rural livelihoods. Regenerative Land & Livelihoods: An Indigenous pastoralist leader in Cameroon highlights forage fields and land-rights advocacy as a practical path to restoring degraded land and securing the future.

Climate & Crops: A Dutch bank analysis links Europe’s drought and heatwaves to major farm losses, with restrictions on irrigation water in parts of the Netherlands and early, smaller potato harvests reported from Zeeland. Jobs & Rural Economies: South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 33.6%, with agriculture among sectors shedding work as weak growth and investment bite. Food Safety & Fisheries: Oman is testing fish products in markets after an oil spill reached parts of its coast, with samples taken to check compliance. Market & Nutrition Push: California’s walnut industry is promoting walnuts as fresh-produce and snack items, aiming to reach younger consumers beyond baking. Community-Led Resilience: In Zimbabwe’s Hwange, a tomato project for Isla Village—built with conservation partners—trains farmers in conservation agriculture and sells produce locally to boost income and food security. Governance & Accountability: Zimbabwe’s auditor flags irregularities in agriculture projects, including borehole pump mismatches that could limit irrigation and livestock water. Trade & Policy Pressure: Ghana’s brewing sector urges a pause on higher excise duties, warning of knock-on costs for jobs and cassava-linked supply chains.

Pest Relief for Sugar Farmers: Mindanao sugarcane growers asked DSWD to extend emergency cash help after red-striped soft-scale insect outbreaks hit Bukidnon, Cotabato, Sarangani, Davao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat, following P10,000 grants in Negros Occidental. Circular Farm Inputs: A Bukidnon restaurant chain is using black soldier fly larvae to turn food waste into organic fertilizer and feed, supported by local government and science agencies. Seaweed Bioplastics Push: Philippines scientists urged more R&D investment into seaweed-derived bioplastics, pointing to the country’s seaweed production strength and the need for better research-to-market links. Agri-Food Investment & Tech: Walmart, PepsiCo, Nestlé and Microsoft joined the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Summit 2026 speaker lineup, signaling more capital and innovation for resilient food value chains. Dairy Supply Chain Security: India’s dairy cooperatives and the Indian Army reaffirmed their partnership to strengthen milk procurement, processing and cold-chain logistics. Soil & Crop Health Tech: Researchers unveiled an in-field tomato leaf image dataset to speed AI disease detection and cut harvest losses and chemical risks. Food System Costs: A U.S. grocery price report found sustainability labels often carry premiums, with some meat claims nearly doubling costs. Water & Land Stewardship: Colombia’s ancient farmers used canals and raised fields to manage seasonal floods productively—an example of working with nature, not against it.

Cold Chain & Food Loss Cuts: Terroso Agriculture joined the Global Cold Chain Alliance to strengthen Nigeria’s cold storage, temperature-controlled logistics, and preservation tech—aiming to reduce post-harvest losses that hit farmer incomes and food security. Market Access for Smallholders: Kuminda is connecting Zimbabwean smallholders to EU horticultural exports via contract farming and quality training, using preferential EU access to help growers meet international standards. Agri-Finance for Growth: Equity Bank Uganda backed Master Grain Milling’s expansion, showing how trade financing can unlock capacity and distribution for agro-processing firms. Co-ops Get Faster Funding: India’s Rajya Sabha passed the NCDC Amendment Bill to let the National Co-operative Development Corporation provide more direct, flexible loans and grants to cooperative societies, reducing delays through state routing. Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Laos: Laos launched an ADB-backed project (to 2030) to expand finance, strengthen value chains, improve food and nutrition security, and build climate-resilient irrigation and roads. Biodiversity & Diet Link: A new study warns global vegetable intake falls short of dietary guidelines while vegetable crop diversity declines, tying nutrition and biodiversity loss to food security risks.

Land Tenure Reform: Côte d’Ivoire is pushing to become a leading African hub for land tenure security, launching Abidjan Land Tenure Days to speed up reforms, digitalization, and women/youth access to land. Farm Policy & Water: Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin debate heats up as officials signal an end to further water buybacks, arguing for better use of existing supplies amid fresh concerns for food security. Conflict-Reducing Livestock: Nigeria’s federal government targets six states plus the FCT for interventions under a new ranching policy, including rehabilitation of grazing reserves and a Plateau pilot to curb farmer-herder clashes. Input Costs & Soil Health: Queensland backs advanced cattle breeding tech with a $2m investment, while separate coverage highlights pressure from chemical and urea costs and the push toward regenerative, lower-input approaches. Biodiversity & Food Systems: A new study warns global vegetable intake and crop diversity are falling, linking nutrition gaps to declining biodiversity. Training for Resilience: Kansas State’s Cow Camp brings hands-on beef cattle education on herd health, reproduction, finance, and pest control.

Food Security & Community Infrastructure: Regenerative Roots Association in Nashua, NH is under contract to buy a building for its food pantry, aiming to move from pop-ups to a long-term home serving 200+ local families. Farm Resilience & Soil Health: UK ag policy adviser George Eustice argues the next frontier is resilience—less dependence on costly inputs and more focus on soil health. Water Stress & Alternatives: Selangor, Malaysia is running a six-month feasibility study for a seawater desalination plant, targeting completion by December to cut reliance on existing water treatment. Climate Impacts on Crops: Europe’s 2026 heatwave is already hitting grain revenues hard, with analysts estimating around €2B lost from reduced production. Vertical Farming Milestone: Canada’s GoodLeaf Farms says all three vertical farms (Quebec, Ontario, Alberta) reached profitability, signaling CEA can scale. Seed Systems & Yields: Japan is granting Nigeria about $3.5M to strengthen rice seed production at NCRI, boosting certified seed supply for farmers. Horticulture Supply Gaps: Ghana’s tomato and ginger shortfalls are deepening import dependence, with CSIR researchers pointing to weak seed systems, irrigation limits, soil health issues, and disease pressure. Sustainable Finance for Next-Gen Farmers: Whole Foods and the National Young Farmers Coalition launched a Next Generation Farmer Fund for growers under 40 using land stewardship practices, with industry matching support. Agri-Tech Governance: Indonesia’s INTI 2026 expo opens in Jakarta as the country pushes AI and digital growth while waiting for signed AI governance rules. Urban Greening: Tennessee’s Community Tree Planting grant opens for applications, funding trees and planting support to expand canopy and cool cities.

Climate & Food Security: UK farmers warn heatwave impacts could trigger food shortages, with wheat crops down to about half normal height and extreme weather raising pressure for regenerative practices that help soils hold water. Policy & Inputs: California moves to phase out paraquat as all manufacturers voluntarily cancel registrations after DPR’s reevaluation linked the herbicide to potential health and wildlife risks. Water & Rice Resilience: The Philippines will keep rice imports flowing despite a record Q2 palay harvest, citing El Niño threats and the need to protect buffer stocks. Livestock Health: Wales extends bovine TB pilot projects after encouraging results, pairing herd-specific husbandry and biosecurity changes with farmer-vet collaboration. Soil & Farm Skills: Over 100 tribal pulse farmers in Kashmir get climate-smart training and inputs at SKUAST-K, with emphasis on conserving local varieties. Sustainable Markets: RSPO reports growing certified sustainable palm oil supply, with major land protection and smallholder benefits. Ag Tech & Packaging: Kyushu University develops a self-repairing freshness film that changes color as food spoils, aiming to reduce waste and improve safety signals. Youth & Community Farming: Ohio’s Cultivators Youth Workforce Program showcases deer-resistant fencing, gardens, pollinator habitat work, and hands-on farm skills at an open house.

Regenerative Agriculture Policy: California’s new statewide definition of regenerative agriculture is now shaping grant programs and soil-health targets, using an outcome-based framework that leaves farmers to decide which practices fit local conditions. Dairy Innovation: South Australia’s DairySA Innovation Day drew 200+ participants to focus on water-smart production, soil health, irrigation, and resilience for dairy farms. Water Governance Failures: In Pakistan, full reservoirs aren’t reaching Karachi’s Hub industry or Balochistan farmers, sparking protests and pointing to broken or mismanaged distribution systems. Ag Risk Support: Canada’s agriculture ministers plan to strengthen AgriStability by doubling the payment cap and expanding eligible paid labour by farm family members. Food System Standards: Nigeria’s Food Summit pushed for standardization, quality assurance, and food safety to build consumer trust and support culinary tourism. Market Access for Farmers: Michigan launched its Farmers to Markets Program to help farm businesses sell more consistently through marketing support tied to farmers markets. Forest-Based Green Economy: Nepal marked Community Forest Day, highlighting forest enterprises, herbal processing, eco-tourism, and carbon credits as income pathways for local communities. Oil Palm Human Rights Alarm: A new report links Latin America’s oil palm expansion to deforestation, land grabbing, and violence, criticizing certification for enabling greenwashing. Aquaculture Feed Investment: Malaysia’s Perak is backing a new aquaculture feed factory aimed at boosting local feed production and supply-chain resilience. CEA Market Bridge: The CEA Summit East will open with a keynote on getting crops to market—arguing buyers, packaging, and food safety matter as much as growing.

Water Governance: Karachi’s Hub industrial area is facing a water crisis while Balochistan farmers protest scarcity—even with reservoirs near full—pointing to broken or blocked distribution systems and calling for data-driven allocation. Lake Victoria Wetlands: Uganda’s oil buildout is linked to wetland degradation in the Lake Victoria catchment, with risks like siltation, pollution, habitat disturbance and rising human pressure. Wildlife & Land Use: Kenya’s Samburu Reserve is seeing declines as settlements and farming encroach on habitats and migration corridors, raising alarms for conservation and corridor restoration. Climate-Smart Youth: Namibia’s environment minister urged Ohangwena youth to lead climate-smart farming and agribusiness as rainfall shifts and dry spells hit livelihoods. Aquaculture Expansion: New Zealand fast-tracked the Hananui salmon aquaculture project, projecting major output and jobs for the region. Farm Support & Grants: Western North Carolina’s AgOptions 2027 information sessions explain $10,000 grants for efficiency, diversification and farm sustainability. Agri Finance & Inclusion: Egypt reported 79% financial inclusion (56.4m active accounts), citing support for smallholder farmers and women/youth programs. Sustainable Energy for Farms: New Zealand also approved a Canterbury solar farm via fast-track, boosting renewable power for households and regional resilience. Agri-Trade Ties: Nigeria and China are framing a new push on agriculture, science and technology as part of a broader strategic partnership. Food Security Watch: A global hunger report shows modest improvement in 2025 but warns food insecurity remains high and El Niño could worsen outcomes.