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New Food & Ag funding from Google, CA & SG
This week’s must-read news for Food & Ag leaders in APAC
As new US tariffs loom on 7 August, Food & Ag in APAC keeps moving with strong positive signals in trade, tech, and protein innovation.
What’s inside this week:
💸 Google launches $10M AI fund for ag, climate, and health
🇮🇳 Indian farmers celebrate new UK trade deal
🤝 Singapore and Canada team up on alt protein
🛰️ Pakistan deploys remote sensing satellite
🍄 Ancient high-protein fungus returns for food security
Enjoy the read,
“The Further Team has been instrumental to Living Roots, offering clarity, connection, and wisdom at every step of our fundraising this past year”
Living Roots is a bold bio-inputs scaleup from Thailand, actively expanding into international APAC markets. They'll be at the Further Food & Ag Investment Summit looking for strategic partners.
🎟️ Join them at the summit in Singapore, on 3 November - grab your pass here.
💡Featured Stories
 | Singapore and Canada partner to scale alt-protein for AsiaNurasa and Protein Industries Canada co-invest in product development and commercialization for APAC Yahoo! Finance | Nurasa | Alt Protein | Singapore |
 | Google launches $10M AI fund in APACNew initiative will back AI projects in climate, agriculture, and public health Google | Google | AI | APAC | Investment |
 | India-UK free trade agreement: Indian farmers to benefit mostFTA to boost exports of rice, dairy, and fresh produce Times of India | India | UK | Trade | Farmers |
 | Philippines, world’s top rice buyer, halts imports for 60 daysShipments paused to protect domestic prices and absorb local harvest The Strait Times | Philippines | Rice | Imports | Trade |
⏰ Other News
ADB cuts 2025 growth forecast for Asia-Pacific to 4.7%
Cites weak China demand, weather-hit agriculture, and slower trade in growth downgrade
AgroSpectrum Asia | ADB | APAC | Trade | Economy | Growth
The impact of Trump's tariffs so far in APAC (and beyond)
US tariffs raised import costs and hit key APAC exporters without reviving US industry
Al Jazeera | US | China | APAC | Trade
Pakistan launches remote sensing satellite
New satellite to support agri planning, disaster response, and climate monitoring
Asia News Network | Pakistan | China | Satellite | Monitoring
Australia: 22% of horticultural production lost in 2023–24
Study finds pests, disease, and weather drove crop losses, costing an estimated $2.5B
ABARES | Australia | Horticulture | Crop Loss | Waste
China leads globally in cultivated meat patent filings
Strong policy support and R&D focus push China ahead in alt protein innovation
Good Food Institute | China | Cultivated Meat | Patents | Alt Protein
Beneo backs regenerative rice farming in Vietnam
New program trains farmers to cut emissions, save water, and improve soil health
FoodBev | Beneo | Vietnam | Rice | Regen Ag
China unveils laser weeding robot to replace herbicides
AI-guided machine zaps weeds with precision lasers. No chemicals or soil disruption
Agro Pages | China | Robotics | Herbicides | Automation
Water infrastructure is the next frontier for agri resilience in Southeast Asia
WEF calls for blended capital to fund irrigation, nature-based solutions, and water-smart ag systems
World Economic Forum | Water | Climate Adaptation | Southeast Asia | Blended Finance
The forgotten fungus in fermented foods: Neurospora Crassa
High-protein mold links ancient fermentation to modern food security and innovation
Springer Nature | Neurospora | Fermentation | Protein | Fungi
Agriculture drives boom in environmental testing
From soil health to carbon claims, agriculture fuels demand for testing across global food systems
PR Newswire | Environmental Testing | Soil Analysis | Carbon
Thailand’s maize-for-meat plan risks food security and forest loss
Feed crop expansion is displacing forests, degrading land, and putting rural food systems at risk
Channel News Asia | Land Use | Food Security | Deforestation
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