Tackling counterfeit seeds with “unclonable” labels
Fake seeds can cost farmers more than two-thirds of expected crop yields and threaten food security. Trackable silk labels could help.
Detailed images from space offer clearer picture of drought effects on plants
J-WAFS researchers are using remote sensing observations to build high-resolution systems to monitor drought.
Titanic robots make farming more sustainable
MIT alumnus-founded FarmWise uses autonomous machines to snip weeds while preserving crops, eliminating the need for herbicides.
Nanotube sensors are capable of detecting and distinguishing gibberellin plant hormones
Developed at SMART, the nondestructive nanosensors could have wide applications in agricultural science.
New MIT internships expand research opportunities in Africa
University placements through MISTI aim to contribute to Africa’s growing research ecosystems.
A targeted approach to reducing the health impacts of crop residue burning in India
A new study shows how small-scale actions could improve air quality and health outcomes.
Nonabah Lane, Navajo educator and environmental sustainability specialist with numerous ties to MIT, dies at 46
Lane leaves a lasting legacy at the Institute and on tribal communities around the country.
MIT PhD students shed light on important water and food research
J-WAFS Fellows discuss their inspiration for pursuing challenges in water and food systems.
Pesticide innovation takes top prize at Collegiate Inventors Competition
Vishnu Jayaprakash SM '19, PhD '22 won for the AgZen-Cloak, an invention that makes pesticides stick to crops, minimizing pollution and water waste.
“Drawing Together” is awarded Norman B. Leventhal City Prize
Winning project supports collaboration between public housing residents in New York City and a local nonprofit offering training for work in the digital economy.
Processing waste biomass to reduce airborne emissions
MIT spinoff Takachar converts agricultural waste into clean-burning fuel, and wins Earthshot Prize.
Getting innovative products to rural communities
MIT spinout Essmart has created a supply chain to help local retail shops in rural India sell life-improving products.
New J-WAFS-led project combats food insecurity
The Jameel Index for Food Trade and Vulnerability — a project supported by Community Jameel — will study the implications of climate change on food security as they relate to trade.
Helping cassava farmers by extending crop life
CassVita, founded by an MIT alumnus, has created a biotechnology to increase the shelf life of cassava, a nutritious but perishable root vegetable.
Silk offers an alternative to some microplastics
Researchers have developed a biodegradable system based on silk to replace microplastics added to agricultural products, paints, and cosmetics.