Joost Kos is Head of Research and Development Flowers at breeder Syngenta Seeds. Last year the seed breeder and agricultural chemical giant Syngenta announced that they would change course. The company is investing $ 2 billion dollars to counter the effects of climate change. In doing so, it aims to bring at least two technological breakthroughs to the market each year that reduce agriculture's contribution to climate change and help keep agriculture within the planet's capacity.
"The move towards sustainability has been going on within Syngenta for some time," says Kos. “But since last year we have set a strong ambition and goals. All steps we take are intended to reduce the use of chemical agents. That is also in our interest. For example, we already apply it in our own seed production. It's not for nothing that our revenue model is shifting from selling crop protection products to selling solutions. We prefer to develop, perhaps to everyone's surprise, varieties that require no or fewer chemicals. This is convincing proof to me that it is not – or not just - about selling plant protection products, but about selling a complete package of solutions."
“Our transition is not easy; just like others, we are also looking for alternatives. We dare to say that out loud. All our efforts must ultimately lead to improved soil health, resource efficiency and habitat protection in key agricultural areas worldwide. A practical example: we invest in limiting spray drift (fanning out resources to places they are not intended for, ed.). Our investment policy goes much further. While previously there was little support for investments in, for example, sustainable energy if the payback time was too long, there must now be a sustainable component in all investments that we as a company undertake worldwide and the payback time no longer plays the leading role. Syngenta has also developed a reward system for employees who provide innovative ideas.”