Syngenta has announced a plan to address the global food security challenge.
The Swiss agrochemical company says its "Good Growth Plan" has "specific, ambitious and measurable targets which focus on boosting resource efficiency, rejuvenating ecosystems and strengthening rural communities."
"Delivering on these commitments won't be easy given the conflicting views of society on agriculture and food production," said CEO Mike Mack at a Sept. 19 event in Washington.
"The Good Growth Plan represents our collective commitment as a company to do things differently and better," Mack said. "We know we can't solve the challenges alone which is why we are bringing together stakeholders from across the world to share our intent and to benefit from their input."
In the plan Syngenta committed itself to:
* Increase average productivity of the world's major crops by 20 percent without using more land, water or inputs;
* Improve the fertility of 10 million hectares of farmland on the brink of degradation;
* Enhance biodiversity on 5 million hectares of farmland;
* Help 20 million smallholders farmers to increase productivity by 50 percent.
Source: www.syngenta.com