Day: 29 March 2026

World Cocoa Foundation confirms leadership continuity as refined strategy moves into delivery

Stuart Mitchell

The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has confirmed that its President, Chris Vincent, informed the WCF Board in the summer of 2025 of his intention to step down in summer 2026. At the Board’s request, he has agreed to continue as President through to the end of 2026 to lead the full implementation of WCF’s refined strategy and ensure continuity during this critical delivery phase for the cocoa sector. Over the past five years, Chris has led a significant transformation of the organisation, strengthening WCF’s strategic focus, credibility and role as…

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From coffee cups to children’s books: James Cropper and Biffa turn waste into storytelling gold

Stuart Mitchell

James Cropper Paper & Packaging, Britain’s master papermakers with over 180 years of heritage, has partnered with century-old sustainable waste management company Biffa to produce Whitney the Wasteater and the Wrong Bite, a playful new children’s storybook designed to encourage proper recycling habits and community engagement. Launched to coincide with World Book Day and aimed at children aged 2-7, the story follows Whitney, a lovable yet ‘picky’ Wasteater who thrives on clean, dry recyclables but falls ill after taking a wrong bite from mixed or contaminated bins. The tale blends…

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Natcap Launches Free Tool to Identify Nature Risk Hotspots in Agricultural Supply Chains

Stuart Mitchell

Natcap has announced the launch of its Agricultural Commodity Tracing Tool, a new solution that enables companies to identify where the agricultural commodities in their supply chains are produced using granular, sub-national data. In minutes, the tool provides credible, data-driven estimates of commodity origin without requiring additional data from suppliers. These insights help businesses pinpoint geographic hotspots for nature-related risks and prioritise supplier engagement and mitigation efforts. The tool also provides a neutral, evidence-based lens to validate supplier claims and identify potential blind spots. “Agricultural supply chains are often opaque,…

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Celebrating Science In Action: Nominations Now Open for $10,000 Borlaug Field Award

Stuart Mitchell

The World Food Prize Foundation announced today that nominations are now open for the Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application, Endowed by The Rockefeller Foundation. The $10,000 award honors an individual under age 40 for exceptional, science-driven achievement in international agriculture and food production. Recipients reflect the intellectual courage, persistence and determination demonstrated by Dr. Borlaug early in his career as a young scientist in Mexico working to combat global hunger and poverty. “This award celebrates not only exceptional achievements, but also the bold spirit of…

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The Hague AI innovation marks breakthrough in global soil health monitoring

Stuart Mitchell

A new artificial intelligence system developed by The Hague-based Veridi Technologies, in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research (WUR), marks a breakthrough in identifying nematode species. Normally this is complex, costly, and requires specialised expertise, which is available only at a limited number of places worldwide. This AI system can now independently recognise the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne chitwoodi through a microscope. In tests, its performance matched that of an experienced taxonomic nematologist. “This breakthrough demonstrates how artificial intelligence can make highly specialised biological expertise accessible at scale. Healthy soil is…

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