Regenerative agriculture is not just a ‘buzzword’ for Bayer, but a means of creating a more sustainable food system with the capacity to feed the world’s growing population, while using less water and land, and with a smaller environmental impact.
This was according to Rodrigo Santos, president of Bayer’s CropScience division, who spoke at the recent Bayer CropScience Innovation Summit streamed from New York, US.
Jeremy Williams, Bayer’s head of commercial ecosystems and digital farming solutions of the CropScience division, said that Bayer wanted to define, reshape and increase the area under regenerative agriculture to over 162 million hectares. He said this would contribute to the company’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its crop protection solutions and the greenhouse gas emissions of the cropping systems it served by 30%, as well as improve the livelihoods of more than 100 million smallholder farmers by 2030. The company also aimed to reduce the water used to produce certain crops, such as rice, by 25% over this time.
Williams envisioned that Bayer could access more than €100 billion (about R2 trillion) in markets servicing regenerative agriculture, which would double the division’s potential market, which currently stood at more than €100 billion for its core portfolio alone.
Several Bayer CropScience leaders and scientists spoke about the way in which the company would be able to boost regenerative agriculture through five innovation platforms, namely breeding, biotechnology, chemistry, biologicals and data science.
Robert Reiter, head of research and development at the CropScience division, said Bayer was well positioned to cash in on this market, as it was already a market leader.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
Syngenta's ambition is to enable their customers' investments to grow in healthy soil from treated seeds to young plants through innovation and collaboration, writes Magda du Toit.
Agri workers shine at Western Cape awards
Lindie-Alet van Staden, a garden and olive orchard manager at L’Ormarins Wine Estate in Franschhoek, was crowned as the Western Cape Prestige Agri-Worker of 2024 at a gala event recently held near Paarl.
Small and large farmers recognised at grain awards
The annual Grain SA/Syngenta awards ceremony bears testimony to the quality of farmers in the grain industry.
Growing partnerships: Fedgroup's flexible and innovative approach
Janine Ryan spoke to Warren Winchester, general manager of impact investing at Fedgroup, about why the company became involved in agriculture, and what it offers farmers and their immediate communities.
Why fish farms fail, and how to avoid becoming a statistic
The popularity of launching fish farms is not matched by their success. Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner of Aquaculture Solutions, explores the factors that cause most of these businesses to go under.
Where history and modernity meet in a luxurious setting
Brian Berkman kept his eyes peeled for ghosts in the oldest continuously run hotel in South Africa, but all he found was a fabulous two-night stay.
THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
Zunel van Eeden explains why understanding the ecological interplay between cutworms and weeds is crucial for effective pest management. Producers should disrupt the life cycle of cutworms to minimise crop damage.
Does high-density grazing mimic grazing patterns of game?
In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
