The U.S. Department of Agriculture released reports on quarterly stock levels for major grains as well as wheat production from the 2018 crop. As always, the commodity market was watching closely and generally found the report to be bearish. 

In the coming decade, low- and middle-income countries will be the main sources of food demand for basic commodities. USDA predicts developing countries will account for 80% or more of the increase in global demand for meat, grains, oilseeds and cotton. These regions have young and growing populations and incomes that are on the rise.

Mango farmers in Australia’s Top End have drastically cut their export supply chain into Asia thanks to new direct flights from Darwin to Hong Kong, and speculation is in the air that their peers in Cairns might do the same.

Simple technical and scientific methods are already making a difference to farm yields and income in Africa, the bank’s president says.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) today announced it is investing US$24 billion in African agriculture over the next 10 years, and called on global partners to join hands to lift one billion people worldwide out of hunger.

A recent report from the European Commission shows that the United States has become Europe’s main supplier of soybeans, reaching a 52% share compared with 25% in the same period last year.

As the impacts of climate change and conflicts threaten progress towards addressing global hunger, we need to apply new thinking in agriculture. Agricultural innovation can strengthen the resilience of agri-food systems and offer adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change.