India’s Independence Day roadmap for agri: PM Narendra Modi used the 80th Independence Day stage to unveil “Shakti Ki Saptadhara/Sapta Dhara,” with Agriculture and Food Processing as one of seven pillars—pushing a “farm to export market” push for millets, spices, fruits and other brands, alongside calls for more value addition. Cotton research tie-up: Pakistan’s Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture and China’s Institute of Cotton Research (CAAS) signed an MoU to expand long-term cooperation on cotton germplasm, biotechnology and research, citing shrinking cultivation areas and climate pressure. Policy pressure on farmers’ inputs: A separate report flags India’s edible oil policy uncertainty as a key reason farmers don’t respond as expected to production goals, with incentives often moving opposite to long-term targets. Farm mechanisation gap: India’s tractor boom is noted, but overall mechanisation still lags, with electrification seen as a practical route for small farms. Aquaculture cautionary tale: A report on Spain’s shelved industrial octopus farm highlights how hard-to-farm species face regulatory and ethical hurdles. Nutrition focus: Commentary argues rural India must shift from productivity-only farming to nutrition-sensitive agriculture to improve dietary diversity and affordability. China clean-energy shift with ag links: A feature on China’s solar and wind scale underscores the broader energy transition context that can shape future farming power and costs.