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New in AgTech
Ohalo’s Revolution in Plant Genetics
It is estimated that global food production must increase by at least 50% over the next 25 years in order to cater for the world population. With the reduction in yields caused by soils depleted of nutrients, climate change and reduction in arable land available for farming, disruptive agricultural technologies are driving change. Ohalo Genetics has unveiled Boosted Breeding, an innovative plant breeding technology promising to unlock yield improvements and enhance the adaptability and resilience of nearly any agricultural crop. This changes the script of plant inheritance.
Normally, offspring receive a random half of their genetic material from each parent through meiosis. This process makes it difficult to reliably combine numerous desirable traits like drought tolerance, disease resistance, and high yield when breeding plants. The good news is, Ohalo has reimagined crops inner workings. By temporarily disabling the genetic halving mechanisms during reproduction, boosted breeding uses proprietary protein and enables both parent plants to pass their entire genome to their progeny. What we get is an offspring with the best of both worlds. Polyploid plants with the complete suite of advantageous traits from parent plants.
The proof is in the pudding. In one potato trial, two parent plants with modest yields (33g and 29g) produced a “boosted” offspring generating a remarkable 682g—a 20× increase! According to Ohalo, there have been overall yield gains of at least 50-100% in their early crop trials. Additionally, Boosted Breeding creates genetically uniform seeds—even in crops such as potatoes, which were previously limited to vegetative propagation. Ohalo brands this innovation “True Seed”, a potential industry disruptor for crops traditionally grown via clones or cuttings. If the early results hold at scale, this innovation could significantly impact agricultural production by improving yields and efficiency. It represents a notable development in plant breeding that could support more sustainable food systems. If I were an investor, policymaker, and farmer, I would pay close attention to this scientific breakthrough.
Brazil Taking Over Europe’s Agriculture Machinery Markets
Investors looking to the future should watch out for Brazil even as they adapt to changing times in the geo-political climate and agriculture technology. Brazil leads the world in export of commodities such as beef, soybean, coffee with agriculture contributing to 3.2% of its GDP. This compares to Europe’s 1.5% GDP average over the past decade. With the country’s vast arable land and tropical climate, Brazil has ascended to being the world’s agricultural powerhouse over the years.
As high energy costs and regulatory uncertainty stagnate Europe’s agricultural machinery markets, Deere predicts that machinery sales from Brazil will surpass that of Europe. What’s more is that the aging farming population and rapid urbanization leaves fewer workers on European farms. This further limits the growth potential of agriculture machinery which rides on crop and livestock production. In contrast, Brazil's rising market share is expected to swell to approximately $9.7 billion by 2030.
Photo by Raphael Nogueira on Unsplash
Tractors aside, this is why Deere is betting on Brazil as its next big customer:
Analysts point to Brazil’s expanding farmland, record investments in agri-tech, and aggressive financing schemes—like Plano Safra—as key drivers of growth. As traditional farm labor becomes scarcer and precision agriculture tools gain traction, demand for advanced machinery is accelerating.
Deere has streamlined its operations and is shifting gears toward growth. We expect the company to leverage on its stronger margins to capitalize on a more agile global strategy. Brazil offers high-potential for investment.
Deere’s precision farming tools help cut waste and lower emissions, which makes it a great fit for sustainability-focused portfolios. With the realities of climate change, this solves for pressing and teething problems in the agriculture sector. There is a sustainability premium to it given investors’ willingness to back companies embodying Environmental, Social and Governance values.
Global demand for food increases even as climate change lowers agricultural yields and leading global food importers such as China demand for more protein.
Vast arable land, strong government support, rising mechanization to cure labor shortages, and rapid adoption of smart, sustainable technologies is fueling Brazil’s rise as the world’s top market for agricultural machinery.
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Out and About
Silencing men: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is a mindset shift towards promoting the representation and participation of all people groups and focused on empowering those who were initially marginalized. What immediately comes to mind is the feminist movement and how much has come out of it. We celebrated Fathers on Sunday and this made me think about just how fatherhood has changed with modernization in society. Fathers, especially millennial fathers, seem to be more present, more nurturing with stay at home dads being an option for present parenting. But is this trend in men taking more culturally less masculine roles by choice or are men quietly giving up? Have we empowered one gender at the expense of another? Erica Komisar, a child attachment and parenting expert sheds light on this growing crisis.
Figs are under attack: The realities of how climate change impacts food production continue to hit many like a tone of bricks. This season in Apulia, Italy, farmers experienced an early fig season. Frost damaged the green and black flowers, which fell to the ground shortly afterward. Another province in Italy, Brindisi, faced a sharp fruit drop days before harvesting. Losses as high as 70% were experienced this spring. Figs in different parts of Italy ripened 17 to 23 days earlier than usual. Harvesting began end of May, well before the traditional St. Anthony's Day period around 13 June. What started out as a promising year for fig lovers is proving to be a difficult scenario of high demand with dwindling supply as frost bites damage figs. More on this on Fresh Plaza
AI is ruining your kids: 22% of children aged 8-12 are already using Artificial Intelligence according to the UK study from The Alan Turing Institute. However, this growing use of generative Ai is common among children in private schools whereas state schools students only make up 18% of the pie. This is a serious digital divide. Private school teachers are also more conversant with the use of Ai, optimizing 66% for planning lessons and giving out homework.
Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash
But too much of anything is poisonous. The digital access disparity widens the gap in children accessing quality education. Even more threatening is the damage Ai has on your young ones creativity, cognitive development. Just like the pandemic turned us into socially-awkward people, early childhood interaction with Ai could lower your child’s emotional intelligence. Here is the research featured on Patreon.
>It’s getting hotter: Temperatures are tipped to soar past 40°C in southern regions like Spain and Italy even as weather forecasts predict a blistering summer. Brace yourself for England’s first heatwave this year. Remember to stay hydrated, seek shade, wear light clothing, and avoid midday sun. Stay tuned to local weather alerts and keep cool to beat the heat.
>It’s summer, want to swim?: It has been yet another week of protests around Europe and this particular one comes right after celebrating forty years of the Schengen Agreement. A century ago, a polluted Spree River in Berlin was declared out of bounds for swimmers. The city dwellers, organized by the Fluss Bad Berlin group, dove right into the Spree River and had a mass swim to protest and have public access to the water flowing. The water is now pure and the public want the on the 1.8km canal away from boat traffic opened. The Independent has this covered.
Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash
A Thought For Friday
“Markets shift. Forecasts miss. Even the most seasoned operators get blindsided by a curveball. But if the agriculture sector—and the broader investment world—has taught us anything lately, it’s this: rigidity is riskier than change itself. From Brazil’s rise in machinery sales to the changing tides of climate, those who adapt quickly often outperform those who simply plan well.
So, as you wind down the week, take a moment to lean into the unknown. Be sharp, but don’t be afraid to laugh at the chaos. The best moves often come from those who stay grounded but flexible—ready to evolve without taking themselves too seriously. Because in this game, it’s not just about weathering the storm; it’s about learning to dance in the rain.
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A Snowflake
