Syngenta Group: Multi - dimensional Development in Biologicals, Digital Agriculture and Sustainable Agriculture, Pioneering an Innovative Journey for the Future of Farming

Editor’s Note: Discover how Syngenta Group is reshaping agriculture's future through innovation. This interview explores the group's remarkable progress in biologicals, digital agriculture, and sustainability. See how biologicals innovation meet farmer demand for sustainability, AI revolutionizes agriculture via R&D, field tools, and supply chain management, and Syngenta leads sustainable ag with initiatives like the Portfolio Sustainability Framework and key collaborations. Join us as we uncover Syngenta Group's efforts in driving agricultural transformation and ensuring a sustainable future.

Syngenta Biologicals’ Achievements and Growth Drivers 

One of the highlights in 2024 is the continued rapid growth in our biologicals business, driven by continued innovation in developing science-based, effective biological products and growing demand from farmers transitioning to more sustainable farming practices. Syngenta has established multiple important collaborations aimed at accelerating the launch of innovative biologicals, as well as in further expanding its industry-leading portfolio of biological solutions – particularly in the field of Nutrient Use Efficiency.

″As a global leader in foliar and seed treatment, biologicals and soil health technologies, Syngenta Biologicals is committed to bringing science-based innovation to give more choices and flexibility to farmers. To this end, we have invested significantly in partnerships that position us at the cutting-edge of science,″ said Jonathan Brown, Global Head of Seed Treatment and Biologicals at Syngenta. 

Syngenta Group's Digital Agriculture and AI Applications

Feroz Sheikh, Chief Information and Digital Officer at Syngenta Group:

″At Syngenta, we believe in the power of AI in revolutionising agriculture – by improving efficiency, driving productivity and enhancing sustainability. AI is helping us accelerate our R&D to create better, more resilient crops as well as next generation solutions for plant health; create cutting-edge tools that broaden farmers’ insight into their farms and transform their decision-making capacity, and connect end-consumers to farm producers. With AI, we are building a future where farming is more informed, adaptive, and positioned to meet the global demands of tomorrow.″

Syngenta is leveraging AI in 5 main areas:

1. AI in R&D: Today at Syngenta, all research projects utilize machine learning models to identify novel active ingredients – for synthetic and biological products.

2. AI in the Field: The introduction of AI-driven systems for reliably monitoring and predicting soil health, enabling high-resolution soil nutrient, texture, and carbon maps for growers.

3. AI in Farmers' Hands: GenAI-enabled digital tools acting as agronomic advisors to help farmers determine optimal crop management practices.

4. AI in Pest Management: Precision agriculture and data-driven decision-making solutions supporting farmers by targeting crop protection products only to infested areas.

5. AI in Supply Chain Management: Demand forecasting, market prediction, and the reduction of overproduction and waste to optimize logistics and improve efficiency.

The global market for AI in agriculture is projected to grow from $1.7 billion in 2023 to $4.7 billion by 2028 as estimated in a recent market analysis, underscoring the significant economic potential of these technologies. A WEF report estimates that digital agriculture could boost the agricultural GDP of low- and middle-income countries by $450 billion annually.

Syngenta Group's Sustainable Agriculture Initiatives 

″Syngenta Group launched its first Group-wide Sustainability Priorities in April 2024. The 4 Sustainability Priorities reflect our belief that agriculture can feed the world while becoming a climate solution and regenerating soil and nature, and each priority comes with clear and ambitious targets,″ said Petra Laux, Chief Sustainability Officer Syngenta Group.

Guided by 4 Sustainability Priorities – each with its own clear set of targets - Syngenta is developing new technologies and solutions that support farmers to grow healthier plants in healthier soil with a higher yield. Syngenta Group is also the first in the industry to introduce a systematic and fact-based framework – the Portfolio Sustainability Framework (PSF) - which is steering its portfolio towards increased sustainability performance.

Syngenta also launched a collaboration in the US with MacDonald’s – the largest global fast food chain – which aims to reduce environmental impacts during beef production using Syngenta’s Enogen(R) corn. University research has shown that feeding Enogen as silage or grain can improve feed efficiency, and potential environmental savings including lower emissions of greenhouse gases and lower use of land, energy and water per unit of production.

Syngenta Group further extended its collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, building on a successful partnership and with new ambitious targets. Syngenta Group’s goal is for 1 million hectares of degraded pastureland to be recovered and turned into productive areas throughout Brazil by 2030. A significant portion of that will be in the Cerrado. Syngenta Group and TNC will also collaborate to regenerate agricultural soils in China.

In other developments, Syngenta continues efforts to decarbonize its global operations, and its US manufacturing facility in St Gabriel, Louisiana, US has been recognized as a top user of green power by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  This follows recognition of Syngenta Group China’s manufacturing site in Kunshan, China as a carbon-neutral facility by the Beijing Green Exchange for fully offsetting its carbon emissions generated from its operations.

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