Generative AI models support the agricultural industry in their small molecule discovery process. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Computational biology company, Evogene Ltd has developed a generative AI foundation model, version 1.0, for small molecule design, in collaboration with Google Cloud

The new model expands on Evogene's ChemPass AI by identifying novel small molecules that meet multiple complex product criteria.

Generative AI models support the agricultural industry in their small molecule discovery process by enabling the simultaneous consideration of multiple complex product requirements, all while creating truly novel molecular structures. This allows the industry to access strong, defensible IP portfolios.

Ofer Haviv, president and CEO of Evogene, said, "Completing our foundation model is a major milestone in our offering. It unlocks new frontiers for ChemPass AI, giving us the power to generate wholly novel molecules—ones that not only perform but also create new IP space. This is key to overcoming long-standing challenges in life-science R&D: from reducing late-stage failure in pharma to developing ag-chemicals that are effective, sustainable, and proprietary."

Boaz Maoz, managing director, Google Cloud Israel, said, "We're pleased to collaborate with Evogene's innovation in AI-powered molecule design. Their progress with ChemPass AI highlights the strength of pairing advanced AI infrastructure with deep scientific insight. We look forward to seeing the impact of this new model in drug discovery and agriculture."

The development will empower thousands of smallholder farmers. (Image source; Adobe Stock)

Blue Earth Capital has announced a US$30mn private credit commitment of its investment vehicles to Valency International

Based in Singapore, Valency is a global trader, processor, and exporter of agricultural commodities with a specialty in edible nuts (particularly cashew & sesame) and agricultural inputs (agrochemicals & fertilizers). The company operates large-scale commodity processing facilities across four countries in Africa and Asia.

The investment marks BlueEarth’s fourth impact-linked facility (ILF), which are designed to encourage borrowers to align with pre-defined impact goals.

The additional funding will provide Valency with working capital to buy agricultural commodities from the company’s network of smallholder farmers and local traders across Africa.

Amy Wang, Head of Private Credit at BlueEarth, said, “By providing this impact-linked facility to Valency, BlueEarth is excited to not just support a market leading business but also empower thousands of smallholder farmers and support critical local processing capacity while reducing the carbon footprint of cashew nuts. Valency’s approach to bridging agricultural value chains between Africa and Asia demonstrates exactly the kind of measurable, scalable impact our capital is designed to accelerate.”

Sumit Jain, Chief Executive Officer of Valency, comments: “We are excited to partner with Blue Earth Capital on this $30 million sustainability-linked financing, which strengthens our commitment to supporting smallholder farmers and driving local value addition in Africa. This investment will help us enhance our sourcing network, reduce environmental impacts, and contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture in the region, all while aligning with our mission to create lasting social and environmental impact.”

The event saw representatives from FAO. (Image source: FAO)

FAO South Sudan recently convened a peer review meeting to validate findings on the effectiveness of its seed system investments across five states in the country

The event was geared to assess and strengthen the draft report “Assessing the Effectiveness of Resilience Interventions Through Investments in Seed Systems.” 

The event saw representatives from FAO, relevant partners, and technical experts from the United Nations, non-governmental organisations, research institutions, and civil society organisations. Participants provided feedback on a report assessing FAO’s investments in community-based seed production, seed fairs, and direct seed distribution. The evaluation used the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis II (RIMA-II) methodology to address the 'what' of the outcomes and was complemented by a qualitative tool to explore the 'why' behind the observed results.

“Strengthening local seed systems – including traditional varieties – alongside promoting commercial seed production is essential to support agriculture in South Sudan,” said Felix Dzvurumi, Head of Programme, FAO South Sudan.

“I found this peer review to be both informative and engaging, exceeding my expectations. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in this meeting and learn from FAO's resilience interventions in seed systems,” said Isaac Jebaseelan, Roving Coordinator, South Sudan FSLC.

“The peer review on how seed systems contribute to resilience aligns with the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster's efforts to promote the sustainability of local seed production and ensure its timely availability to local farmers, thereby supporting collective initiatives aimed at enhancing food security in South Sudan,” said Mat Gai, Cluster Coordinator, South Sudan FSLC.

US$10.12mn grant to boost resilient agriculture and livelihoods for rural communities in Zimbabwe. (Image source:

The board of directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a US$10.12mn grant from the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending arm, to enhance sustainable agriculture and build climate resilience in Zimbabwe’s drought-prone regions

The funding will support the Zimbabwe Agricultural Value Chain and Livelihoods Enhancement Project (AVCLEP), expected to directly benefit 7,000 livestock-keeping farmers and 42,000 smallholder and crop farmers.

The project aims to increase sustainable crop and livestock productivity, improve access to markets, and promote value chain integration for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in the agricultural sector. It will be implemented across Matabeleland South, Masvingo, and Bulawayo Metropolitan Province—areas with high livestock populations that are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events.

Zimbabwe continues to face challenges such as macroeconomic instability and the impacts of climate change, including floods, droughts, and storms, which disproportionately affect rural communities.

"This investment represents a critical intervention to build climate resilience and improve food security in Zimbabwe's most vulnerable agricultural communities," said Moono Mupotola, African Development Bank's deputy director general for Southern Africa and country manager for Zimbabwe. "By rehabilitating existing infrastructure and introducing climate-smart agricultural practices, the project will transform livelihoods in areas that have historically suffered from drought and limited access to water resources."

AVCLEP will focus on promoting climate-smart agricultural productivity and enhancing agricultural value chains. Planned initiatives include the rehabilitation of dip tanks, development of solar-powered boreholes, and strengthening of crop-livestock value chains. These measures aim to improve food and nutrition security and enhance climate resilience. Additionally, the project will support integrated land use planning, landscape restoration, and catchment management to improve water availability.

Further components include capacity building, social inclusion, and knowledge management—fostering technical training, gender equality, and youth empowerment. Strong project management mechanisms will ensure implementation aligns with the Bank’s procedures.

The project prioritises the inclusion of women (50%) and youth (20%), while an estimated 90,000 community members are expected to benefit indirectly from improved access to water, veterinary services, and livelihoods support.

Employment generation is also a major goal, with the project set to create 200 full-time and 2,800 seasonal jobs in the crop and livestock value chains. Average monthly household incomes in the target areas are projected to increase from US$85 to US$120.

Implementation is scheduled to begin in June 2025 and conclude by December 2029.

The African Development Bank continues to play a vital role in supporting Zimbabwe’s rural transformation, with this latest initiative contributing to efforts that have already helped to reduce food insecurity and poverty.

“This Project will enhance adaptive capacity, promote sustainable economic opportunities, and strengthen the resilience of rural communities to climate change within the target areas,” commented Martin Fregene, director of the African Development Bank’s Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department. “We look forward to working with all key stakeholders during the project implementation, to drive impactful solutions in the target areas which have been negatively affected by climate change.”

AVCLEP reflects the Zimbabwean government's dedication to boosting agricultural productivity and mitigating climate change impacts. By combining infrastructure rehabilitation with climate-smart practices, the initiative is expected to deliver measurable improvements in food security and household incomes.