Scientists have engineered new signalling networks to produce crops that need less fertiliser. The novel synthetic plant-microbe signalling pathway could provide the foundation for transferring nitrogen fixation to cereals.

African governments should enact policies that facilitate adoption of technologies and innovations required to transform small-holder farming, international scientists said.

Agriculture has always been a ripe market for tools that take the power of the computer out to where the action is — in the middle of a 1,000-acre field of corn, at an impromptu meeting in the farmer’s driveway, or out at the remote seed storage facility.

As the backbone of developing economies, agriculture not only serves to feed a nation but creates employment and, often, contributes significantly to the GDP.

With precision agriculture becoming less of an idea and more of a reality for farmers, one Canadian company has jumped on board with drone technology to help farmers when they scout.

A vegetable-picking robot that uses machine learning to identify and harvest a commonplace, but challenging, agricultural crop has been developed by engineers.