AgricultureSustainability

Regenerative Organic Alliance Launches Pathway Program To Combat Greenwashing And Expand Sustainable Farming

The Regenerative Organic Alliance has launched Journey to ROC, a new certification pathway addressing greenwashing concerns while expanding regenerative farming adoption. The program partners with RegenAgri to help farms gradually meet ROC’s rigorous standards through a multi-year transition process.

New Certification Pathway Aims to Scale Regenerative Agriculture

The Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROC) has launched a new initiative called Journey to ROC to address greenwashing concerns while expanding adoption of regenerative agriculture practices worldwide, according to reports from industry sources. The program creates a stepped certification pathway that allows farms and food brands to gradually meet ROC’s rigorous standards through partnership with RegenAgri, another regenerative certifier with less stringent requirements.

AISoftware

Microsoft’s 30-Year Quest for AI-Powered Windows Input Revolution

Microsoft executives reflect on 30 years of voice technology development since Windows 95’s speech API, acknowledging past limitations while positioning new AI capabilities as potentially transformative. The company’s consumer CMO suggests AI could represent the first major input revolution since the mouse, despite previous voice-centric technologies failing to gain mainstream traction.

Windows 95’s Overlooked Voice Technology Legacy

As Windows 95 recently passed its 30th anniversary, Microsoft executives are reflecting on one of its least-remembered innovations: built-in voice capabilities. According to reports, the operating system introduced the Microsoft Speech API (SAPI), providing support for speech recognition and synthesis that allowed developers to create applications that could speak and be spoken to. However, sources indicate this early voice technology failed to revolutionize how people used Microsoft products, setting a pattern that would continue for decades.

EconomyTrade

Southern Africa Holds 30% of World’s Critical Minerals But Faces Funding Hurdles, Report Reveals

Southern Africa holds approximately 30% of the world’s critical mineral resources but faces eight major financing barriers limiting development. A new World Economic Forum report identifies policy uncertainty and investment risks as key challenges preventing the region from leveraging its mineral wealth for economic growth.

Southern Africa’s Critical Mineral Potential

As global demand for clean energy technologies accelerates, Southern Africa‘s abundant critical mineral reserves have become increasingly vital to the energy transition, according to reports from the World Economic Forum. The “Financing Southern Africa’s Clean Power and Critical Minerals” report reveals the region holds about 30% of the world’s critical-mineral resources, including copper, cobalt, lithium, graphite, manganese, chromium, vanadium and platinum-group metals.

BusinessEnergy

Sanedi Reports Perfect Performance Score and Fourth Straight Clean Audit in 2024/25

The South African National Energy Development Institute has reportedly achieved all its performance targets for the 2024/25 fiscal year while securing a fourth consecutive clean audit. Sources indicate the organization’s work has generated significant energy savings and tax incentives while supporting community development projects.

Perfect Performance Record Achieved

The South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) has reportedly achieved an “outstanding performance” for the 2024/25 fiscal year, achieving 100% of its performance targets and securing a fourth consecutive clean audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA). According to reports, this exceptional outcome reflects the organization’s commitment to excellence, integrity and impact in advancing South Africa‘s energy sector.