Sahit Muja, Albanian Minerals. (Image source: Albanian Minerals)

Harnessing the power of the world's largest green magnesium reserves, Albanian Minerals is unlocking a mineral blend capable of transforming billions of tons of CO₂ into vital nutrients for biodiversity

By reducing land and ocean acidity, this innovation paves the way for a healthier planet, fostering fertile soil, vibrant ecosystems, and improved human health. Green magnesium promises enhanced plant growth, superior soil quality, and a boost to global food security. Furthermore, including it in health supplements also offers numerous benefits. 

“Our approach to solving the planet's greatest challenges is centred around eco-friendly green magnesium, which has already demonstrated remarkable results in restoring both land and water,” said Albanian Minerals’ CEO, Sahit Muja while summing up the company’s mission. “As we face the ongoing crises of climate change and environmental degradation, green magnesium's role in carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem stability is more critical than ever.”

Beyond being a mere product, green magnesium represents a catalyst for a sustainable future.

President & CEO of Agmatix, Ron Baruchi. (Image source: Agmatix)

In an exclusive interview with African Farming, CEO of Agmatix Ron Baruchi highlighted the role of their new Agronomic Trial Management software in enhancing business performance

Could you provide an overview of Agmatix and its impact on transforming the global agricultural landscape?

Ron Baruchi (RB): Agmatix is dedicated to advancing agriculture by turning data into actionable insights that enable more sustainable farming practices worldwide. Through our data-driven platforms, we empower agribusinesses, agrifood companies and their respective agronomists and growers to make informed decisions, optimise resources, and adopt regenerative practices. Our commitment to enhancing productivity while promoting environmental stewardship allows the agricultural sector to achieve a balance between maximising yield and minimising environmental impact. By focusing on cutting-edge technology like AI-driven agronomic analytics, Agmatix is helping the agricultural landscape evolve into a more resilient and sustainable ecosystem, meeting the growing demands for food security and environmental responsibility.

According to you, how does AI contribute to driving innovation in agriculture?

Ron Baruchi (RB): AI is revolutionising agriculture by transforming how we understand and apply data across every stage of the production cycle. From forecasting crop health and optimising input use to modelling the environmental impact of specific practices, AI allows us to handle complex, large-scale data with unparalleled precision. At Agmatix, AI helps us turn vast data sets into actionable insights that reveal trends and patterns otherwise difficult to detect. It also enables us to automate processes, making it easier for agriculture professionals and agronomists to access data-driven recommendations. By integrating AI with agronomic science, we are driving innovation that not only improves productivity but also aligns with the urgent need for scaling regenerative agriculture practices.

Could you shed some light on your Agronomic Trial Management software and its role in enhancing business performance?

Ron Baruchi (RB): Agmatix's Agronomic Trial Management software is designed to streamline the research and development process for agribusinesses. Our platform offers robust tools for planning, monitoring, and analysing trials, allowing companies to assess the efficacy of new inputs, crop varieties, and agronomic practices. The software also helps agrifood companies pilot regenerative practices and crop varieties in real-world settings, providing invaluable insights into their effectiveness under actual growing conditions. By centralising trial data and providing real-time insights, we help organisations make quicker, data-backed decisions that optimise product performance and reduce time-to-market. This software is a game-changer for agribusinesses looking to enhance their competitive edge by making data-driven decisions that improve crop yield, quality, and sustainability outcomes.

How has this technology helped in addressing the key challenges faced by the agri-food sector?

Ron Baruchi (RB): The agri-food sector faces unique challenges, from resource scarcity and climate variability to increasing demand for transparency and sustainability. Today’s companies are also under pressure to achieve more with fewer resources, balancing constrained internal resources with ambitious product development goals. Agmatix’s technology addresses these challenges by enabling companies to manage and analyse data more efficiently and accurately. Our analysis tools allow teams to maximise their time spent wrangling data, analyse results faster, and focus on actionable insights. This accelerated process enables cross-functional teams, such as marketing and sales, to leverage trial results data into early market penetration strategies and create impactful sales enablement materials. For example, our platforms facilitate scaling regenerative agriculture practices by assessing key impact areas such as soil health, nutrient use, and biodiversity. Through our Trial Management software, companies can experiment with different inputs and farming methods, gaining insights into what works best under various conditions, which leads to optimised resource use and reduced environmental impact. By providing tools that support efficient, evidence-based decision-making, we help agri-food companies meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market.

Could you outline, with examples, how Agmatix's range of solutions has positively impacted agribusinesses in terms of sustainability?

Ron Baruchi (RB): Agmatix has been instrumental in helping agribusinesses achieve sustainability through several of our core solutions. For instance, our RegenIQ framework, designed for regenerative agriculture, assesses the impact of farming practices on soil health, water use, and biodiversity. By applying this framework in crops like coffee, cacao, and soybeans, we have enabled agribusinesses to measure and adjust practices to improve sustainability outcomes. Additionally, our Agronomic Trial Management platform has helped companies develop and test new products such as low-nitrogen fertilisers and biocontrols for pest management, allowing them to make informed decisions that reduce resource use while maintaining yield and quality. These efforts not only support the companies' sustainability goals but also contribute to a more resilient agricultural system.

The GenFarm Project comprises the e-Hub built around specifically equipped standard containers while in the initial phase. (Image source: Volkswagen Group Africa)

Volkswagen Group Africa has announced the start of operations of its new facility to pilot modern farming with e-tractors across the continent

In an attempt to ensure that rural Africa’s farming is reliable, sustainable and environmentally friendly, Volkswagen Group Africa has announced the start of operations of its multifunctional facility to pilot modern farming with e- tractors across the continent. The GenFarm Project is a holistic ecosystem of e-powered mechanised farming service providing mobility services for transportation of goods and people.

In June 2023, Volkswagen Group Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Rwanda to provide land for the establishment of this project. Piloted in Rwanda in partnership with Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda and Volkswagen Group Innovation Centre Europe, the GenFarm Project comprises the Empowerment Hub (e-Hub), currently a pre-Hub built around specifically equipped standard containers while in the initial phase. This will be a key component of the GenFarm.

The e-Hub is expected to be operational by the first half of 2025, with its construction being currently underway. Equipped with photovoltaic power system and the energy storage system, the e-Hub will supply clean energy, storage space and business space to the cooperatives. This includes space for their service operations, e-tractor services, and e-scooter services. Volkswagen Group Africa facilitates the stakeholder steering committee and reviews post pilot expansion possibilities. The pilot phase of the project will benefit cooperatives in Gashora which is in the Bugesera district. The project allows farmers to book an e-tractor including a trained driver for affordable sustainable farming.

“The unique selling point of the project is the use of the battery swap system. In this way, the battery becomes part of the hub's energy infrastructure as well as energy storage for the tractor,” said managing director of Volkswagen Group Innovation, Dr Nikolai Ardey.

Volkswagen Group Africa chairperson and managing director, Martina Biene mentioned that they were growing their footprint in Africa and regarded Rwanda as a key growth market. "This project demonstrates our commitment to sustainable practices and highlights our ability to provide mobility solutions to the rural community in addition to the urban community currently serviced by our Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda business,” said Biene.

The software ensures precise dosing and transparently documents all steps, from small batches to complex multi-comp onent recipes. (Image source: Minebea Inc)

Leading global manufacturer of weighing and inspection technologies, Minebea Intec has launched a new recipe software to cater to the needs of companies in the food industry

ProRecipe XT helps map manual dosing processes by combining scales and software into a powerful unit, thus fulfilling the highest requirements for precision and process reliability. Moreover, it benefits not only production companies with demanding recipes but also system integrators who want to expand their portfolio with a powerful recipe management system.

From the precise weighing of ingredients to automatic documentation, ProRecipe XT eliminates errors and enables the entire process to be digitally controlled, thereby saving time and ensuring smooth flow. ProRecipe XT finds typical application in the food industry where it can be used in the production of baked goods. The baking process is quite tedious and generally involves the processing of numerous ingredients in different quantities.  

The software ensures precise dosing and transparently documents all steps, from small batches to complex multi-comp onent recipes. Thanks to the interface to existing ERP systems, order and batch data can be transferred automatically. Once dosing is complete, ProRecipe XT returns the weighing data and consumption quantities directly. This saves time, minimises input and weighing errors and ensures precise batching and an up-to-date stock overview at all times. Additionally, the software has a modular and attractively priced licensing concept that makes sensitive cost calculations easier. 

The comprehensive services - from software and weighing solutions to commissioning and qualification - come from a single source. Where necessary, Minebea Intec provides support with individual adaptations in order to offer customised solutions for specific customer requirements.

"With ProRecipe XT, we enable our customers not only to digitalise their production processes but also to make them significantly safer and more efficient," explained Lars-Henrik Bierwirth, global product manager at Minebea Intec. "Thanks to the complete traceability and precise control of all process parameters, we are setting new standards in production safety."