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Collaborations, Company News

Farmer workshops held across key districts, including Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Patiala, Malerkotla, Sangrur, and Bathinda, offering hands-on training in modern agronomic practices.Over 42,000 farmers across 260+ villages participated in the workshops and 190+ interactive sessions to enhance corn yields and productivity

Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in healthcare and agriculture, recently concluded its Spring Corn Festival in Punjab, a month-long initiative aimed at empowering farmers with advanced knowledge and agronomic practices to enhance corn productivity. Through a series of workshops across key agricultural districts, Bayer reinforced the significance of corn in India’s self-sufficiency goals and provided farmers with practical tools to improve their yields and income.

Spanning multiple locations—including Fatehgarh Sahib, Ludhiana, Patiala, Malerkotla, Sangrur, Bathinda, Sri Muktsar Sahib, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, and Moga—the initiative, which commenced on January 7 and concluded on February 4, engaged over 42000 farmers in discussions on sustainable farming, crop management, and technology-driven solutions.

Corn, India’s third-largest cereal crop, contributes nearly ₹400 billion to the national GDP and plays a crucial role in Punjab’s evolving three-crop rotation system. As farmers increasingly adopt spring corn for its economic benefits, Bayer is committed to driving improvements in yield efficiency, sustainability, and market linkage.

The workshops provided in-depth training on sustainable agricultural practices, precision farming, and soil health management, along with demonstrations of DEKALB’s Spring Hybrids, known for their adaptability, superior standability, and high starch content (80-85%), making them ideal for ethanol production. In addition, DEKALB hybrids are well adapted for silage purposes as well. With a flexible sowing window and suitability across multiple soil types, these hybrids offer farmers greater resilience and higher returns.

Reflecting on the initiative, Mohan Babu, Cluster Commercial Lead, Crop Science Division, Bayer (India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka), stated: “At Bayer, we are committed to helping corn farmers boost productivity and profitability through innovation and sustainable practices. The Spring Corn Festival empowered farmers with the right knowledge and tools to improve yields, strengthen market opportunities, and contribute to India’s food security and feed and sustainable fuel sufficiency.”

Jagminderpal Singh of Grewal Village from the Burj Hakima District, Ludhiana shared his experience: “The training helped me understand new techniques that will improve my farm’s yield. Seeing these methods in action has given me the confidence to apply them on my land and better meet market demands.”

Following the success of the Spring Corn Festival in Punjab, similar training sessions were also underway in Uttar Pradesh until February 15, ensuring that farmers in different regions gain access to expert knowledge and best practices.

Farmers also participated in live agronomic training, gaining expert insights on best practices for corn cultivation, pest management, and optimizing resource use to maximize productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability.

Through its phygital knowledge-sharing approach, Bayer remains committed to transforming India’s agricultural sector by equipping smallholder farmers with the skills and insights needed to make informed decisions, drive sustainable growth, and enhance farm profitability.

Farmer workshops held across key districts, including

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, Agrotech, Biofuel industry, Foodgrains, India, Seeds, Sustainability

Workshops to offer live demonstrations, agronomic training, and insights into DEKALB hybrids.

Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in healthcare and agriculture, is organising a series of farmer workshops across key districts in Uttar Pradesh to highlight the importance of corn as a vital crop for food, feed, and sustainable fuel. These farmer-centric roadshows, already underway, will cover Marehara, Kamalganj, Chhibramau and other key locations, reinforcing Bayer’s commitment to supporting smallholder farmers in improving their yields and incomes.

The corn sector in India plays a crucial role in the economy, generating over 1,000 million man-days of employment and contributing Rs 400 billion to the national GDP. With rising demand both domestically and globally, Bayer is driving improvements in corn yields through cutting-edge research, sustainable practices, and innovative solutions to support India’s goal of self-sufficiency in corn production.

The roadshows, which began on January 27 will go on till February 14 in the state. These interactive workshops will provide farmers with comprehensive insights into advanced crop management techniques to ensure maximum productivity. The sessions will feature live demonstrations of agronomic best practices, allowing farmers to see innovative techniques in action. They will also hear success stories from fellow farmers who have achieved better yields using DEKALB hybrids. Experts will provide guidance on sustainable farming techniques, equipping farmers with the knowledge to enhance productivity while maintaining soil health. Additionally, engagement activities, including a QR code-based reward system via the FarmRise app, will offer farmers opportunities to earn incentives and stay connected with Bayer’s agricultural network.

Speaking on this initiative, Mohan Babu, Cluster Commercial Lead, CropScience Division of Bayer in India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka, said, “Bayer is committed to helping corn farmers enhance their productivity and income by equipping them with the right tools, knowledge, and support. These workshops are a crucial step in enabling farmers to adopt innovative practices, improve their yields, and meet the evolving demands of the corn market. Uttar Pradesh plays a vital role in India’s corn ecosystem, with its vast agricultural landscape and growing contribution to national production. By strengthening corn cultivation, we aim to support India’s journey toward self-sufficiency in corn for food, feed, and sustainable fuel, ensuring long-term economic growth and resilience for smallholder farmers.”

At the workshops, farmers will also learn about DEKALB’s Spring hybrids, known for their adaptability to diverse sowing conditions, superior standability, stay-green traits, and high-quality grains. These hybrids are designed to help farmers optimize their output while ensuring long-term sustainability. DEKALB Spring Hybrids possess a high starch content of 80-85% which is highly congenial for the distilleries to produce high-quality ETHANOL from these Hybrids. DEKALB hybrids are highly adaptable for SILAGE cultivation also.

Workshops to offer live demonstrations, agronomic training,

Agbiologicals, Agribusiness, Agrotech, Europe

Bayer to distribute Ecospray’s new liquid nematicide with their exclusive brand, Velsinum™, across Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Africa starting in 2026.

Bayer today announced that the company has signed a new exclusive distribution agreement with UK-based Ecospray to market a biological liquid nematicide sourced from garlic. The product presents a biological alternative to traditional synthetic chemical nematicides in vegetable and potato crops and will be marketed in the European Union under the new name Velsinum™.

“Farmers in the EU are in desperate need of new, effective solutions against pests for their high-value vegetable crops,” said Jens Hartmann, Regional Head for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “Velsinum will be a welcome addition into Bayer’s trusted portfolio of biological solutions and technologies supported by innovations like Velum, BioAct, Nematool and Terra MG.”

Nematodes cause over 75 billion euros worth of damage to crops globally each year with all crops facing at least one nematode pest threat. Velsinum will offer growers a new tool against nematode root damage with complementary benefits for both plant and soil health. Plants which can avoid root damage are better able to absorb available nutrients and also can withstand disease and pest pressure overall, all while safekeeping beneficial earthworm populations to maintain soil quality.

Ecospray’s knowledge and expertise of the naturally occurring bioactive compounds contained within garlic has allowed the company to develop effective plant protection products which take advantage of the natural nematicidal properties of garlic extract in order to create safe, effective and zero-residue solutions.

“We are excited to collaborate with Bayer on Velsinum, which is fully compatible with Bayer’s existing biological portfolio,” said Peter McDonald, CEO of Ecospray. “This partnership is a strong endorsement of Ecospray and its R&D capabilities developed over many years. We also greatly appreciate the ongoing support from our existing distributors in Europe Certis Belchim BV and CBC (Europe) SRL., who remain vital to our market development with our legacy product Nemguard.”

Bayer’s partnership with Ecospray continues Bayer’s work to bring new botanical and biological solutions from the open innovation ecosystem to growers, while encouraging diversity in modern agricultural practices and enabling additional regenerative agricultural practices. With Bayer’s trusted brand, global commercialization capabilities, and unparalleled agricultural systems expertise Bayer helps to bring effective biological products to market more quickly.

Bayer to distribute Ecospray’s new liquid nematicide

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Biofuel industry, Company News, Sustainability, World

The companies have closed a deal where Bayer acquires camelina germplasm and intellectual property assets from Smart Earth Camelina Corp. to meet growing demand for renewable fuel.

Bayer announced a deal with Canada-based Smart Earth Camelina Corp., whereby Bayer has acquired their camelina germplasm, intellectual property, and materials to expand its global leadership position in biomass-based feedstock markets. This acquisition underlines Bayer’s goal to help decarbonize the transportation sector and to deliver regenerative agriculture solutions through the investment and development of intermediate oilseed crops to meet the demand of the growing renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) markets which is estimated to increase from 14 billion to 40 billion gallons by 2040.

As part of Bayer’s Biofuel strategy, the introduction of camelina will complement Bayer’s existing work with CoverCress, and the recent announcement on scaling winter canola in the US as a biomass-based feedstock to meet growing demand for renewable fuel. Bayer aims to launch hybrid TruFlex winter canola in the US in 2027.

Camelina is a novel intermediate oilseed crop with a promising low-carbon intensity for renewable fuel and can be grown in both spring and winter. Bayer intends to use its expertise in oilseeds to further develop this product.

“We are committed to supporting farmers’ ability to deliver on growing demand for low-carbon biomass-based feedstocks, through investments and development of new intermediate oilseed crops like camelina and advancing sustainable cropping systems,” said Frank Terhorst, Head of Strategy & Sustainability at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “Bayer is going to continue to lead the way with alternative biomass-based feedstocks and regenerative agricultural solutions.”

Biofuels play a key role in decarbonizing the transportation sector since electrification is not feasible in all transportation systems like aviation or marine. Biofuels can be produced from renewable organic materials like corn, soy, canola and novel alternative oilseed crops like camelina and CoverCress. These drop-in fuels have a lower carbon intensity than fossil fuels and can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional fossil fuels, playing a key role in mitigating climate change. On top, they can provide farmers with new revenue streams through the cultivation of biomass-based feedstocks.

“We are excited about the acquisition of camelina germplasm from Smart Earth Camelina Corp. which enables us to offer farmers a profitable low-carbon intermediate crop option,” added Jennifer Ozimkiewicz, Head of Crop Strategy Soy & Biofuels at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “Camelina is a short season and drought tolerant crop, offering growers an alternative low-input crop for marginal land or to be grown in-between crops.”

“Smart Earth Camelina Corp. has been at the forefront of camelina development for over 20 years, and camelina is now poised to join the ranks of the other major oilseed crops,” said Jack Grushcow, President and Chief Executive Officer at Smart Earth Carmelina Corp. “We believe Bayer is the ideal party to scale camelina production to a level that drives meaningful advancements in sustainable agriculture and significantly reduces global CO2 emissions.”

2025 is set to be a transformative year for Bayer in establishing new renewable fuel value chains to deliver fuel with lower carbon intensity than traditional fuel sources. This includes the introduction of camelina to farmers as a profitable alternative oilseed option.

Smart Earth Camelina is headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, and is a leading supplier of camelina-based Omega 3 products for the companion animal and equestrian market. The company will continue to operate and grow this established business.

The companies have closed a deal where

Agribusiness, Biofuel industry, Collaborations, Company News, Oilseeds, Sustainable Energy, World

Bayer will work with Neste, the value chain, and farmers to introduce winter canola as a biomass-based feedstock that delivers fuel with lower carbon intensity.

Bayer and Neste, a leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel, today announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly scale winter canola as a biomass-based feedstock for renewable products like biofuels. Within the collaboration, the companies are going to develop a winter canola ecosystem in the Southern Great Plains of the US, including product development and additional collaborations to enable Bayer to enter this market.

“Renewable fuels are playing an important role in the decarbonization of transportation and energy while global targets continue to shape biofuel markets and accelerate demand for biomass-based feedstocks going forward,” said Frank Terhorst, Head of Strategy & Sustainability for Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “We are committed to supporting farmers’ ability to deliver low-carbon feedstocks on demand, through investments in new crops like winter canola and advancements in sustainable cropping systems.”

Bayer aims to launch hybrid TruFlex winter canola in 2027. It offers many benefits to farmers as it includes Roundup Ready and pod shatter resistance technology, delivering excellent product stability and performance. Used as a new alternative rotational crop, winter canola helps sequester carbon in the soil and can improve soil health by increasing its organic matter content and water-holding capacity, leading to enhanced soil fertility and productivity.

“We are excited to partner with Neste to enable profitable new crop options for farmers, while delivering on the unmet demand for renewable fuel,” said Jennifer Ozimkiewicz, Head of Crop Strategy Soy & Biofuels at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “We believe our next generation TruFlex products will provide farmers a new profitable rotational crop option, while offering potential sustainability benefits such as increased biodiversity, soil health and agronomic rotation to reduce pest, disease and weed pressure. Bayer is committed to continue to lead the way with alternative biomass-based feedstocks and regenerative agricultural solutions.”

Leading up to launch, Bayer will work with Neste, the value chain, and farmers to introduce winter canola as a biomass-based feedstock that delivers fuel with lower carbon intensity than traditional fuel sources. Bayer and Neste expect to finalize a definitive agreement in 2025.

“This collaboration with Bayer strengthens our strategy to develop together with value chain partners regenerative agriculture concepts that can be scaled up and can play an important role in diversifying and growing the raw materials pool for all of our renewable products,” said Artturi Mikkola, Senior Vice President Feedstock Sourcing & Trading at Neste. “We believe winter canola can bring environmental benefits to cropping systems and result in lower carbon intensity feedstocks that help replace fossil resources with renewable raw materials.”

Renewable fuels play a key role in decarbonizing the transportation sector as electrification will take time in the hard-to-abate sectors, such as aviation. Renewable fuels have a lower carbon intensity than fossil fuels and can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the life cycle compared to traditional fossil fuels, playing a key role in mitigating climate change. On top, they can provide farmers with new revenue streams through the cultivation of biomass-based feedstocks.

Bayer will work with Neste, the value

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Collaborations, Company News, Digital Technologies, Fruits, Vegetables, World

Starting with synergetic digital offerings for horticulture, the two companies aim to combine strengths in agronomy, irrigation, digital platforms and data modelling to benefit growers.

 Orbia’s Precision Agriculture business Netafim and Bayer announced an expansion of their strategic collaboration, starting with new digital farming solutions for fruit and vegetable growers. By simplifying primary data collection and delivering a system that can generate tailored recommendations from that data, the new solutions aim to help growers maximise crop production and optimise their use of resources, thus minimizing the impact on the environment.

While adoption of digital tools has increased in recent years, those currently available in horticulture are not addressing growers’ needs holistically. Many vegetable and fruit growers experience challenges when switching between multiple software applications, and the siloed nature of today’s solutions are adding complexity to daily activities, rather than simplifying them. As part of the companies’ expanded collaboration, Bayer has developed a new digital platform called HortiView to simplify primary data collection and sharing for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, enabling growers to benefit from an ecosystem of connected agronomic services that support data-driven decisions and market access.

At the same time, Orbia Netafim has developed irrigation insights to be available through HortiView’s platform. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, these tailored irrigation recommendations are generated uniquely for each grower, based on the primary data they provide in HortiView. The collaboration will also expand to include connectivity to GrowSphere™, Orbia Netafim’s all-in-one irrigation operating system, which features optimized irrigation, crop protection, and fertigation applications.

“Digital technology offers tremendous value in horticulture, but those digital tools rarely work together, and it’s been extremely difficult for growers to use their own data in data models that can help them optimize crop production use,” said Chris Pienaar, Fruit & Vegetable Digital New Value Lead for Bayer’s Crop Science division. “Bayer and Orbia Netafim can address these pain points and provide growers with a platform that can generate tailored recommendations specific to their unique environments, cultivation practices, and crops.”

A small group of grower advisors are currently using the new solutions and providing feedback to inform broader availability in the future. By combining their respective strengths, Orbia Netafim and Bayer aim to benefit horticultural customers with insights powered by primary data, helping them optimize decision-making, maximize crop production, save on agricultural inputs, and drive operational efficiency.

The expanded collaboration builds on a longstanding relationship between Orbia Netafim and Bayer, with a history of successful collaboration on various activities including the Better Life Farming initiative, a crop protection solution for U.S. almond growers and joint projects to support the EU’s Farm2Fork initiative.

On top of their long history and most recent efforts to serve fruit and vegetable growers through digital solutions, Bayer and Orbia Netafim will continue to explore how they can work together to drive better digital connectivity across all types of agriculture and connected value chains.

Ofer Oveed, SVP Technology and Crops, Orbia Precision Agriculture (Netafim) added: “Acting at the forefront of our respective agricultural fields in irrigation, crop protection, agronomy, and digital platforms, we’re delighted to be collaborating with Bayer on combining our agronomic and technological expertise to maximize efforts and help farmers globally tackle today’s challenges, from climate change to rising input costs. By leading the digital farming revolution together, we can deliver food security through sustainable agriculture.”

Starting with synergetic digital offerings for horticulture,

Agribusiness, Collaborations, Company News, India, Inputs, Start ups

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Bayer and Samunnati aim to provide Indian farmers with access to quality agri-inputs through FPO Agri-input Retail Stores.

 Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and agriculture, announced its partnership with Samunnati, a leading agri value chain enabler company, dedicated to empowering smallholder farmers, to usher farmers of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) with access to premium products with the goal to deliver optimal solutions to smallholder farmers.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Bayer and Samunnati aim to provide Indian farmers with access to quality agri-inputs through FPO Agri-input Retail Stores. As part of the association, FPO farmers will be able to leverage the strength of collectivization, facilitating farmers with ample opportunities to become key stakeholders in the ag value chain.

Samunnati will support in aggregating demand from the FPOs, while Bayer will, once purchase orders are placed by FPOs, fulfill the orders through their distributors, ensure timely and efficient delivery of customized products and solutions. To facilitate easy access to quality inputs, agronomic support, and encourage agri-technology knowledge transfer, Bayer will leverage its field force to actively engage with farmers in the field, thereby supporting the FPOs to build a successful business model.

Together, both parties are committed to empowering farmers with the resources, knowledge and market access they need to thrive. The association aims to create a sustainable and farmer-centric ecosystem for farmers in India, ensuring theyfind reliable markets for their produce, ultimately contributing to their growth and prosperity.

Speaking on the partnership, Mohan Babu, Chief Operating Officer Bayer Crop Science India, Bangladesh & Sri Lanka, said, “FPOs have come a long way in India to become successful entities supporting farmers with aggregating input demand and produce supply. We are glad to join forces with Samunnati who bring in their vast network of FPOs and enable credit to kick-start the FPOs input business, so that their farmers can benefit from Bayer’s high-quality products and agronomy knowledge.”

Commenting on the MoU, Anil Kumar SG, Founder and CEO of Samunnati, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Bayer Crop Science to further empower Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by improving access to quality inputs and agronomic expertise. This collaboration strengthens Samunnati’s mission to create a resilient agricultural ecosystem that enables smallholder farmers to thrive, improving both their productivity and profitability. By combining Bayer’s expertise in high-quality inputs with Samunnati’s deep-rooted connections in the farming community, we are offering a holistic solution that addresses the key challenges faced by farmers today”

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Bayer

Agribusiness, Carbon Farming, Collaborations, Company News, Environment, India, Sustainability

The alliance is empowering farmers to adopt climate-smart practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) to generate carbon reductions across 9 Indian states.

The Good Rice Alliance (TGRA), formerly known as the Sustainable Rice Carbon Programme, which is focused on advancing sustainable rice farming practices in India, has thus far enrolled more than 10,000 farmers in the program, covering over 25,000 hectares of farmland. It will reduce approximately 100,000+ tCO2e of methane emissions from rice cultivation, annually.

TGRA now aims to expand the program by adding nearly 8,500 hectares, streamlining the scientific measurement of GHG emissions from rice paddies and strengthening the farmer handholding and support system. The program will explore scale-up based on the experiences of the first two years of implementation. Currently, TGRA covers major rice-producing states in the country, like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Through TGRA, Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of agriculture and healthcare, in collaboration with GenZero, a Temasek-owned investment platform company dedicated to accelerating decarbonization globally, Shell Energy India Private Limited, a subsidiary of Shell Plc and investor in nature-based solutions and Mitsubishi Corporation, a global integrated business enterprise that develops and operates businesses which span numerous industrial sectors, are committed to reducing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions through sustainable agricultural practices in rice cultivation.

The program has also managed to reduce cost of cultivation of the majority of the enrolled farmers. In the first year, a scientific GHG measurement study was carried out in six different locations in the country.

Projections indicate that demand will continue to rise, reaching between 330 million and 1.5 billion tCO2e by 2030. The carbon offset platform industry in India is projected to grow at an impressive rate of 28 per cent annually, reaching a market value of US$ 68.5 million by 2033.

Simon Wiebusch, President, Bayer South Asia said, “At Bayer, our mission is to increase agricultural productivity with fewer resources while restoring ecological balance. At The Good Rice Alliance (TGRA) we emphasize that quality is the cornerstone of our mission, which aims to revolutionize rice cultivation practices. With most of the farmers experiencing tangible benefits from adopting regenerative practices, we are hopeful that our collaborative efforts will lead to the widespread adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices, fostering thriving communities of smallholder farmers nationwide.”

TGRA is armed with a Quality Management System, a farmer training, support and hand holding mechanism and a Monitoring, Report and Verification (MRV) mechanism which are in place to help maintain program integrity.

Through use of Total Quality Management (TQM) tools all plots are monitored at least thrice a month, to ensure real reduction in emissions is achieved. The alliance prioritizes high-quality implementation to deliver credibility benefits to farmers and is committed to incentivizing farmers financially while safeguarding the environment and improving farmer livelihoods. The program undergoes regular systemic checks, internal audits, and independent verification to ensure genuine emissions reduction.

Suhas Joshi, India Carbon Initiative lead at Bayer said “Increased scrutiny of voluntary carbon markets has highlighted the need for robust, high-quality projects. Achieving excellence requires more than inspiration. It demands perspiration, hard work, attention to detail, and a willingness to tackle the unglamorous tasks. At TGRA, we’re doubling down on the fundamentals of Total Quality Management.”

The alliance is empowering farmers to adopt

Agrotech, Climate, Company News, Industry Reports / Analysis, Inputs, Sustainability, World

2024 Farmer Voice survey, a study among 2,000 farmers across Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States, conducted by global market research firm Kynetec on behalf of Bayer.

75 per cent of farmers are already impacted by climate change or worried about its impacts, and 71 percent of them report reduced yields as a major concern. 6 out of 10 have already experienced significant revenue loss due to weather events out of the norm recently. As part of the solution, farmers count on innovation: 75 percent are open to implementing new technologies to better cope with climate change. Desire for better yields, resilient farms, and protected livelihoods are driving interest and adoption of more regenerative and technological approaches to farming.

These are some of the key findings from the 2024 Farmer Voice survey, a study among 2,000 farmers across Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States, conducted by global market research firm Kynetec on behalf of Bayer. It reveals the challenges, aspirations, and needs of farmers in times of climate change, digitalization, and economic and political volatility.

Rodrigo Santos, Member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and President of the Crop Science Division, said: “The Farmer Voice study underlines that farmers continue to face accelerating economic and environmental challenges in their important work – providing food to the world. They want innovation to help them do their jobs better, and an environment in which they can increasingly turn towards regenerative practices making food systems more resilient – to the benefit of the planet, food security, and their livelihoods alike.”

In addition to the global Farmer Voice research, a separate survey was fielded with 1,450 smallholder farmers in India and Indonesia by Q&Q Research Insights, based on a similar questionnaire. The data from that study reveals that farmers in both countries are grappling with input costs, while also facing growing challenges posed by climate change. For Indian smallholders, an increased threat of crop damage from pests, diseases and weeds is their most cited near-term challenge (41 per cent). For Indonesian smallholders, fertilizer costs ranked as their top challenge (73 per cent).

Farmers in both countries are employing some regenerative agricultural practices so far, with about 80 percent of respondents indicating that they use at least one regenerative practice on their farms. Indian farmers use on average between 4 and 5 such practices, while Indonesian farmers are using between 2 and 3 on average. In both countries, a lack of knowledge as well as financial resources are cited among the main barriers to adopt more regenerative practices, although there is strong interest to do so.

Despite all challenges smallholder farmers in India and Indonesia maintain a positive mindset. 89 percent in India and 91 percent in Indonesia consider farming to be a valuable career, taking pride in their role in ensuring food security.

2024 Farmer Voice survey, a study among

Agribusiness, Company News, Sustainability

Spread over 18 hectares, the Bayer ForwardFarm in India is unique as it introduces a convergence of innovative technologies and sustainable interventions specifically designed for smallholder farmers.

Bayer has launched its global initiative, ‘Bayer ForwardFarming’, in India. This is the newest of 29 ForwardFarms worldwide. Each ForwardFarm serves as a beacon of sustainable agricultural practices, providing a platform for farmers, researchers, and stakeholders to collaborate and share knowledge. The Bayer ForwardFarm in India will demonstrate innovative farming techniques tailored to the needs of 150 million smallholder farmers in the country, with a particular focus on sustainable rice cultivation, thus promoting the transition towards regenerative agriculture.

Natasha Santos, Head of Sustainability & Strategic Engagements at Bayer, stated, “Creating value for farmers is at the heart of what we do. We are excited to bring Bayer ForwardFarming to India, a country that is pivotal to global food security. By supporting and empowering local farmers, we aim to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability, increasing food security for all.”

Tailored Solutions for Indian Agriculture

Ved Prakash Saini, the first Bayer ForwardFarm partner in India, expressed his optimism about the partnership: “I am hopeful that the regenerative agricultural practices introduced through Bayer ForwardFarming will lead to significant improvements in my yield and livelihood while making farming more sustainable. Techniques like Direct Seeded Rice and advanced technologies have the potential to enhance crop health, reduce water usage, and increase efficiency. I look forward to witnessing these benefits firsthand as we work together to build a resilient and prosperous future for farming.”

Spread over 18 hectares, the Bayer ForwardFarm in India is unique as it introduces a convergence of innovative technologies and sustainable interventions specifically designed for smallholder farmers. The farm integrates the following practices:

Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) Cropping System: A sustainable alternative to traditional rice cultivation that minimizes soil disturbance, reduces water consumption, and enhances soil health.

Innovative Weed Management: Advanced weed control strategies that reduce reliance on chemical herbicides while maintaining crop health.

Customized Agronomy Systems: Tailored solutions for diverse climatic conditions and soil types, enhancing crop yields and soil health.

Carbon Farming: Practices aimed at capturing and storing carbon in the soil, contributing to climate change mitigation and soil fertility improvement.

Nutrition and Water Management: Advanced techniques to optimize nutrient use and water efficiency, boosting farm productivity while reducing environmental impact.

Vermicompost and IoT: Use of vermicompost to enhance soil health, coupled with IoT technologies for precise monitoring and management of agricultural processes.

Irrigation and Drone Technology: Innovative irrigation techniques and drone technology for optimized water use and precise crop management.

Simon Wiebusch, President, Bayer South Asia mentioned, “At Bayer, we envision a regenerative farming future that restores and enhances the environment. The launch of Bayer ForwardFarming in India is a part of it. By providing farmers with tailored solutions, modern tools and practices, proactive stewardship measures, and strategic partnerships, we aim to boost productivity, improve quality and yields, all while preserving the environment. We are dedicated to empowering farmers to adopt sustainable practices that build a resilient and thriving agricultural sector in India.”

Spread over 18 hectares, the Bayer ForwardFarm

Agribusiness, Company News, R&D, Start ups, World

Within the new Golden Ticket program of Bayer, Genvor to receive fully funded access to lab space and equipment in California

Bayer today announced that the company has selected Genvor Inc., a US-based crop protection business, as the recipient of its first Golden Ticket award. Genvor will receive year-long access to lab space and equipment at Bayer’s LifeHub California @AgStart, one of the premier U.S. AgriFoodTech innovation ecosystems. This will allow Genvor to connect with Bayer mentors and experts in Bayer’s global innovator network.

In addition to their work with biological sprays, Genvor is working with antimicrobial peptide (AMP) technology to make small changes within a genome that could amplify disease resistance and enhance nutrition, from seed to sprout. These seed traits are another way that Genvor is working to provide increased disease resistance and nutrition for crops.

“We’re excited that Genvor has been selected as the winner of our Golden Ticket program, and that we will be working with them to scale and grow their innovations,” said Phil Taylor, Director of Open Innovation and Outreach for Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “Genvor’s proprietary use of antimicrobial peptide technology takes advantage of pathways built-in to crops and has the potential to deliver broad spectrum biological sprays for effective controls of many plant diseases.”

The Golden Ticket program is one of the many ways that Bayer is working with start-ups from around the world to accelerate the delivery of agricultural innovation to farmers. In its first year, it focuses on areas of regenerative agriculture, novel crop protection and efficiency approaches, advanced breeding technologies, and applications of synthetic biology. From a broad field of applicants representing 34 cutting edge technologies and approaches, Genvor was selected to receive the award for their ground-breaking approach to crop protection. Through Bayer’s LifeHub California @AgStart, Genvor will also gain access to excellent equipment, resources, and mentorship as they bring their technologies to market.

“Receiving Bayer’s Golden Ticket is a pivotal moment for us, propelling our pioneering peptide design innovations in crop protection,” said Chad Pawlak, CEO of Genvor. “This support will accelerate our journey towards commercialization, enhancing agricultural sustainability and delivering tangible benefits for farmers and the environment globally.”

Bayer’s global network of LifeHubs is located in hotspots of innovation including Monheim, Lyon, Barcelona, California, and Bangalore. In support of the Crop Science mission, they focus on areas of critical innovation in agriculture such as solutions for smallholder farmers, transparency, and sustainability.

Bayer’s LifeHub California @AgStart focuses on innovations within food production systems, including bringing food to market and new technologies. As a part of the larger AgStart facility which hosts the largest wet-lab incubator for startup companies in California’s Central Valley region, the LifeHub also connects the knowledge and experience of Bayer scientists to the leading innovators of the area to assist in developing new technologies.

Within the new Golden Ticket program of

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Collaborations, Company News, India, Seeds

Agreement focuses on commercialisation and distribution of disease-free, high-quality starting material to smallholder farmers in Kenya and India.

Bayer and Solynta have reached an agreement to collaborate on the commercialisation and distribution of true potato seeds in Kenyan and Indian markets. This partnership marks the entry of Bayer into the 20 million hectares global potato market, and its first collaboration with Solynta, a Dutch company focused on developing robust hybrid potato varieties for the world’s fourth largest crop by global production volume, and one of the most cultivated horticultural crops worldwide.

The collaboration will center around Solynta’s expert knowledge of potato breeding with the development of new robust potato varieties that will thrive in key potato growing geographies. This innovation will allow growers to plant potatoes from true seeds rather than the traditional planting of tubers. Growers will only need 25 grams of clean and disease-free true potato seeds per hectare to start a potato crop, compared to the 2500 kgs of perishable seed tubers previously required. Bayer will utilise its strong presence and distribution channels in the field to commercialize the varieties that are most suitable for these regions. The new hybrid potato varieties will be distributed in the form of true seeds by Bayer to potato growers in the most remote areas of Kenya and India.

 Benefits of True Potato Seeds

The ability to grow potato crops from true potato seeds, instead of from seed tubers, offers significant advantages to the potato industry. Seed tubers are more likely to carry disease or spoil in transit and are more expensive to transport and store. True potato seeds, on the other hand, are clean and disease-free, offering many advantages to the traditional starting materials used in potato growing. True potato seeds also have a shelf life of many years, are much smaller and economical efficient to transport and store. Additionally, true potato seeds are available year-round. Through hybrid breeding, true potato seeds can also be bred with additional beneficial traits, including disease resistances and climate resilience.

For Bayer, the addition of true potato seeds to its portfolio is in line with its regenerative agriculture strategy, focused on building more resilient and sustainable food systems. ‘We are excited to enter the collaboration with Solynta and to further support smallholder farmers,” said Frank Terhorst, Head of Strategy & Sustainability at Bayer’s Crop Science Division “Seed innovation is one of our key focus areas. We expect these true potato seeds to have a positive impact on local communities and on food and nutritional security in Kenya and India.”

“The addition of true potato seeds to our portfolio is a natural progression of the work our team continues to do to support smallholder growers and offer the latest innovations,” said Inci Dannenberg, President, Global Vegetable Seeds, Bayer. “We will utilise our already well-established distribution networks in India and Kenya to get true potato seeds into the hands of growers.”

Peter Poortinga, CEO of Solynta, pointed out that the true potato seeds are the result of almost two decades of work on hybrid potato breeding technology at Solynta. “Hybrid breeding is a proven technology in many existing food crops, which allows fast development of new varieties with desirable traits, such as disease resistances. As a company, we are delighted to join forces with Bayer on the introduction and distribution of our true potato seeds to these markets”, he concluded.

One of the largest challenges facing smallholders in both regions is the lack of high-quality starting material with suitable genetics to grow potatoes to feed their communities and improve their financial position. In both geographies, the need for quality starting materials to grow potatoes exceeds the availability. In Kenya, potato is the number two staple crop, and its growers are dependent on a limited supply of seed tubers which are often carriers of potato diseases.

India is the second largest market for potato in the world. With a fast-growing population and various climate zones within the country, there is a high demand for new robust potato varieties that can withstand potato diseases and are easy to transport. By using Solynta’s true potato seeds, smallholder farmers in both markets will benefit by gaining access to high quality starting material to grow their potatoes and feed their communities.

Agreement focuses on commercialisation and distribution of

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Each blockbuster is expected to contribute more than 500 million euros of the over 32-billion-euros peak sales potential in the R&D pipeline – unparalleled across the global agricultural industry.

 Bayer aims to launch ten blockbuster products in the next ten years to support farmers worldwide, the company announced at its 2024 Crop Science innovation update in Chicago. Each blockbuster is expected to contribute more than 500 million euros of the over 32-billion-euros peak sales potential in the R&D pipeline – unparalleled across the global agricultural industry. Farmers will benefit from new technologies that will help them produce more while restoring nature through innovations that power regenerative agriculture.

Unparalleled R&D pipeline with over 32 billion euros peak sales potential includes transformative technologies like the new broad-acre herbicide Icafolin, the biotech version of the Preceon Smart Corn System, fourth-generation corn rootworm technology, fourth- and fifth-generation soybean herbicide tolerance traits as well as third- and fourth-generation insect protection traits. Promoting and scaling regenerative agricultural practices are key to producing more while restoring nature – with R&D and digital technologies being key enablers . As the global innovation leader for agriculture, Bayer is demonstrating how its solutions can support food security and mitigation of climate change

Bayer is on its way to scale regenerative agriculture on more than 400 million acres globally by the middle of the next decade. The company considers regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based production model, with improving soil health as a key component, leading to increased resilience. Other key aspects include increased productivity; adaption and mitigation of climate change through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; increased carbon sequestration in the soil; maintaining, preserving or restoring on-farm biodiversity; conserving water resources through improved water retention, reduction in water run-off, as well as improved social and economic well-being of farmers and their communities. In addition, Bayer is capitalizing on the opportunity to double its accessible market to more than 200 billion euros, driven by global market growth and investments into ag-adjacent spaces like biofuels, crop fertility, as well as digital platforms and marketplaces.

“Agriculture needs to change for the better, there’s no relying on what has been working in the past. We deliver a combination of unmatched innovation that goes hand in hand with key regenerative practices to help address two of the biggest challenges of our time: ensuring food security for a growing population and fighting climate change,” said Frank Terhorst, Head of Strategy and Sustainability at Bayer’s Crop Science Division.

Bob Reiter, Head of R&D, added: “The age of single and isolated technologies is over. We are focusing on closely connected agricultural systems that combine seeds, traits, crop protection and digital solutions in a smart way to benefit the farmers and the environment. To this end, we are leveraging key technology platforms like gene editing, precision breeding, small molecules and biologicals to deliver products that farmers need to make agriculture more productive while reducing the carbon footprint and fostering biodiversity at a global scale.”

Each blockbuster is expected to contribute more

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The license includes commercialisation rights for the varieties developed by Pairwise and rights to develop new varieties.

The importance of Bayer’s strategic open innovation approach has already been proven, now most recently through a new licensing agreement with US-based pioneering food and agtech startup Pairwise. Bayer has acquired a license from Pairwise that grants rights to work with and commercialise Pairwise’s genome edited mustard greens. These are a mix of colourful leafy greens with a unique, fresh flavour and higher nutrition compared to lettuce, achieved through genome editing. They were the first gene-edited food introduced to the North American market.

“This agreement and its focus on genome-edited produce made a substantial contribution to our open innovation approach. We’re excited to partner with Pairwise on their innovative leafy greens, which deliver a new, great-tasting salad option with high nutrition value,” said JD Rossouw. “The latest deal creates value beyond just selling a product, as it also comes with rights to use the knowledge, intellectual property, and technology going forward.” The license includes commercialisation rights for the varieties developed by Pairwise and rights to develop new varieties.

Open innovation platform for genome editing in vegetables

The collaborations with G+FLAS and Pairwise are an example of a crucial part of Bayer’s innovation strategy: combining Bayer’s leading Research & Development capabilities with knowledge and ingenuity from experts outside the company. As part of this, Bayer has now started another open innovation platform with a focus on genome editing in fruits and vegetables.

“Great innovations need great minds and the power of many. This is why we are seeking to partner with academic researchers and companies to develop new fruit and vegetable products that have increased nutritional content, positive environmental impact, or enhanced consumer appeal by harnessing the speed and precision of genome editing and new breeding techniques,” said JD Rossouw.

The license includes commercialisation rights for the