Asia Agri-Food-Tech Digest: May 2025 Roundup

This month's top stories highlight a powerful blend of innovation, investment, and policy shifts shaping the future of agriculture, food, and climate action in Asia. From seed funding for carbon tech to state-level climate strategy, here’s what you need to know:

🔹 Denmark Rallies Global Partners to Drive Sustainable Palm Oil in Indonesia

In a bold cross-sector initiative, the Danish government has teamed up with Ferrero, Agriterra, Musim Mas, and others to promote sustainable palm oil practices. The partnership underscores a growing global emphasis on environmental stewardship in agricultural supply chains.
📖 Full story – Musim Mas

🔹 AI-Powered, Healthier Foods Dominate Future Food Asia 2025 Finalists

The top 10 startups vying for the FFA $100K award have been announced—and AI-driven, nutritious food solutions lead the charge. From novel proteins to smart food tech, the list reflects where the industry is headed.
📖 Meet the finalists – AgTechNavigator

🔹 Temasek Unveils Asia’s State of Decarbonisation Report

This milestone report lays out a blueprint for accelerating climate action across the region. It calls on governments and businesses to move “from commitment to action,” with a focus on emissions reduction, energy transition, and measurable impact.
📖 Explore the report – Temasek

🔹 India’s AltCarbon Secures $12M to Scale CO₂ Removal

Carbon tech startup AltCarbon has landed $12 million in seed funding to scale its infrastructure and expand carbon removal in India. With climate-tech investment heating up, this move highlights India’s growing role in the global carbon economy.
📖 Funding details – TechCrunch

🔹 MeliBio (Bee-Free Honey Pioneer) Acquired by FoodYoung Labs

The alternative protein and sweetener space got a jolt as MeliBio, known for its honey without bees, joins forces with FoodYoung Labs. The acquisition signals continued investor confidence in sustainable food innovation.
📖 Full story – AgFunder News

🔹 Investors Look to Geology to Fight Carbon Emissions

A new wave of investment is flowing into geological carbon storage—literally putting money into rocks. As carbon credit markets mature, natural solutions like mineralization are gaining serious attention.
📖 More from – Financial Times

🔹 NUS to Lead Study on Climate Impacts in ASEAN Agriculture

National University of Singapore (NUS) will examine climate-related vulnerabilities in ASEAN’s food systems, aiming to enhance regional food security through data-driven policy.
📖 Full article – The Straits Times

🔹 AFPA Welcomes Minister Collins’ Forestry Continuity in Australia

The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) has applauded the continued appointment of Minister Julie Collins to the forestry portfolio, citing it as a key step in ensuring sustainable resource management and sector stability.
📖 Read the statement – AFPA

Why This Matters for Asia-Pacific

These stories spotlight how the Asia-Pacific region is embracing climate resilience and agri-food innovation whilst actively shaping the global agenda. With rapid urbanisation, shifting consumer behaviour, and urgent environmental challenges, APAC markets are driving demand for sustainable, tech-driven solutions.

Many of these themes, including climate finance, carbon removal, functional nutrition. AI in food systems, and cross-border sustainability partnerships will be explored in depth at the upcoming APAC Agri-Food Innovation Summit.

The summit is set to convene industry leaders, startups, and policymakers to shape actionable outcomes for the region’s food and climate future. Want to join the conversation and be involved in the programme? Download the partnership brochure to discover how.