LaserFly – For a Healthy Future.(Image credit: Pantec Biosolutions AG)

Traditional laser-based weed control systems have long struggled with inefficiency, requiring extremely high-powered lasers to burn away unwanted plants.

This not only makes them energy-intensive but also raises safety concerns, from fire hazards to potential eye injuries. However, a game-changing innovation from Pantec Biosolutions is transforming the field of sustainable agriculture.

The Detect & Laser Treatment system takes a completely new approach by cutting weeds rather than burning them, using Pantec’s patented 3-μm laser. This particular wavelength is highly absorbed by both water and chitin – the material found in insect shells and many pest organisms. As a result, the system requires significantly lower radiation doses, making it far more compact, energy-efficient, and safer to use than traditional systems. “This allows for significantly lower radiation doses, which keeps the control system compact and energy-efficient, and also significantly reduces the risk of eye injury or fire.”

What sets this system apart is its versatility. It’s not just effective against weeds it also targets pests like insects that contain chitin. This biocide-free approach makes it an ideal fit for farmers transitioning from conventional to organic methods, as it eliminates the need for chemical herbicides and pesticides while protecting soil health and biodiversity.

Enter LaserFly, the autonomous agricultural robot powered by this revolutionary laser technology. Designed with sustainability at its core, LaserFly uses advanced AI-driven image recognition to identify and neutralise weeds and pests with surgical precision. Its laser selectively targets only harmful species, ensuring beneficial insects and surrounding flora remain untouched.

LaserFly represents a significant leap forward in precision farming. “By increasing efficiency of natural resources use and integrating innovative biotechnological methods, LaserFly supports a healthier and more resilient agricultural system.” The robot's capabilities are fully aligned with ambitious environmental goals, including the European Green Deal, which calls for a 50% reduction in hazardous pesticide use by 2030.

With a wavelength of 2.94 µm that ensures strong water absorption, peak laser power of up to 100 W, and rapid, intelligent targeting through AI, LaserFly is engineered for adaptability and performance. This isn’t just another farm robot – it’s a sustainable solution for modern farming.

TopCut system is designed to be compatible with a variety of harvester types.(Image credit: Züern)

The TopCut system by Züern Harvesting is an innovative solution designed to improve the efficiency and precision of harvesting tall, deep-rooted crops such as cereal grains and grass-based crops

Aimed at conventional farming, this system uses advanced cutting technology to streamline the harvesting process, benefiting both farmers and the environment.

A standout feature of the TopCut system is its cutting mechanism, which harvests crops at an optimal height, generally above the root zone. This method reduces soil disturbance, preventing unnecessary damage to plants and improving the overall quality of the harvested crop. By cutting at this higher level, it also protects the root system, especially in crops that grow in deeper soils, ensuring minimal disruption and stress to the plant.

The TopCut system is designed to be compatible with a variety of harvester types, making it easy for farmers to integrate with their existing machinery. This versatility is particularly valuable for large-scale, high-output farming operations, where efficiency is key. Additionally, the system includes a cleaning mechanism that removes contaminants from the crops during harvest, reducing the need for extensive post-harvest processing.

From an environmental perspective, the TopCut system plays a role in promoting sustainability. By cutting crops at the right height, it helps minimise the need for excessive tillage, which in turn reduces soil erosion and preserves the soil’s natural structure. Maintaining the integrity of the root zone also supports healthier crop growth in the following seasons, contributing to a more sustainable farming cycle.

In essence, the TopCut system offers a forward-thinking approach to crop harvesting, balancing efficiency, quality, and environmental sustainability. Its precision cutting technology, ease of integration with existing equipment, and focus on long-term agricultural productivity make it a valuable tool for modern farming.

Designed with the needs of sectors such as paints and coatings. (Image credit: Bühler)

Bühler has officially launched the Cenomic Horizon 3, a powerful addition to its wet grinding portfolio, aimed at transforming energy efficiency, product quality, and throughput for industries that rely on fine grinding and dispersion

Designed with the needs of sectors such as paints and coatings, printing inks, and agrochemicals in mind, the new bead mill offers a smarter, more sustainable solution for processing solids into liquids.

Unveiled globally from Bühler’s headquarters in Uzwil, Switzerland, Cenomic Horizon 3 is equipped with a 20-litre active chamber and 30-kilowatt drive power. This state-of-the-art machine represents a leap forward in processing technology, offering precise temperature control, reduced wear, and greater application flexibility. As explained by Patrick Schwager, Bühler’s Product Manager for Grinding & Dispersing, the new model is engineered to handle temperature-sensitive materials with improved stability, giving operators more confidence and control in production.

Significant design improvements are at the core of Cenomic Horizon 3’s performance. A newly optimised grinding chamber and an advanced bead separation system ensure efficient product flow and bead distribution. The integration of a silicon carbide inner liner dramatically improves thermal conductivity, enabling efficient cooling during continuous high-power operation. Pilot trials have shown that Cenomic Horizon 3 can reduce outlet temperatures by up to 15°C and increase flow rates by 20%, while also achieving energy savings of up to 30% compared to previous versions.

The mill also incorporates Bühler’s Premium V4 automation platform, offering digital control over recipe management, real-time performance monitoring, and predictive maintenance. This intelligent interface improves process safety, reduces downtime, and supports operational efficiency.

Cenomic Horizon 3’s versatility is one of its most attractive features. It is compatible with a wide array of formulations from primers and finishes to pigment concentrates and agrochemical suspensions enabling manufacturers to adapt quickly to changing demands without compromising on quality.

For current customers, retrofit kits are available, allowing upgrades to existing Cenomic 3 and Optima 3 systems. These modular enhancements expand process capabilities through a redesigned chamber and updated screen technology, offering a cost-effective path to modernisation.

Bühler is also providing hands-on access to the Cenomic Horizon 3 through its application centres in Switzerland, China, and Japan. These facilities offer full-scale testing environments where customers can run trials using their own formulations, fine-tune grinding parameters, and validate performance before making investment decisions.

With additional sizes set to roll out in the future, Cenomic Horizon 3 marks a bold step forward in Bühler’s mission to deliver innovative, energy-smart grinding solutions to global markets.

In agriculture, water isn’t just life. It’s livelihood.

In the world of African agriculture, few things are as vital and as overlooked as water

Not just for drinking, but for growing, irrigating, and sustaining life from soil to supper. In Sierra Leone, where farming still feeds most households, one partnership is quietly rewriting that story, drop by drop.

Enter So Pure, a local enterprise with a bold ambition: deliver clean, affordable drinking water across the country, while laying the groundwork for better agricultural resilience. But this isn’t just about hydration this is about farming futures. And now, with the support of capital lender Zvilo, So Pure is scaling its operations in ways that directly impact the agricultural landscape.

So Pure operates a fully integrated water value chain - purifying, packaging, and distributing safe drinking water through sachets and 20-litre bottles to over 500,000 Sierra Leoneans. While that may sound like a public health story, farmers know better: water security underpins crop planning, livestock health, and rural labour productivity.

Since 2019, So Pure has also been running a waste recovery facility collecting and recycling plastic sachets and packaging. This creates a circular economy that benefits not only the environment but also supports rural livelihoods. And with Zvilo stepping in to provide working capital, So Pure can now localise its packaging production, reduce reliance on imports, and stabilise supply chains—an urgent win for agricultural communities constantly disrupted by external shocks.

Scaling up to 10–12 million litres per month isn’t just a business milestone—it’s a watershed moment for farmers who rely on predictable water access, even if indirectly. And this impact grows with So Pure’s network of over 500 vendors and agents, many of whom are located in farming communities.

The initiative also aligns with Sierra Leone’s national 10-year WASH programme, “Securing Water, Enabling Dignity, and Advancing Development,” which targets 90% coverage by 2035. Farmers are at the heart of this goal because without clean water, there is no food security.

Support from development finance institutions like British International Investment, FMO, and Proparco, along with Ecobank’s risk-sharing facility, underscores how strategic finance can nurture grassroots change. As part of BII’s CARE for Water initiative, the project also ties into broader climate adaptation goals vital for African farms facing erratic weather and drought.

As So Pure and Zvilo push the boundaries of what clean water access can mean, they’re not just serving consumers - they’re fuelling the continent’s oldest profession with its most essential resource.