Addressing these intricate challenges doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution. Bayer is actively exploring various avenues to support smallholders, whether it’s through innovative breeding methods, enhanced crop protection products, or strategic partnerships like our collaboration with Better Life Farming. It’s evident that farmers are in search of multiple innovations to thrive, and we’re committed to delivering those solutions.
Here are three such innovations:
Enhancing Crop Resilience Crop losses often arise from factors like pests and adverse weather conditions, which impact farms differently worldwide. However, these field challenges are just part of the puzzle; smallholders also require innovations to reduce food wastage during transportation.
Innovation Illustration: Cucumber Hybrids
- Cucumbers can spend 5-7 days in transit, sometimes covering over 250 miles a day.
- In countries like India, where crop quality can deteriorate due to heat, early maturation and extended shelf life are crucial as farmers race against time to bring their produce to market.
- Our two Seminis cucumber hybrids, Malini and SV7298, provide an ideal solution. Thanks to advancements in breeding, these high-yield hybrid cucumbers mature early and offer a prolonged shelf life of 10-12 days, enabling farmers to reach the market sooner and reduce post-harvest losses. Additionally, their uniform fruit quality appeals to consumers and allows growers to command higher prices for their crops.
Innovation Example: Sustainable Drip Irrigation
- Reliable access to water and efficient irrigation techniques can significantly boost crop yields, with irrigated land being twice as productive as rain-fed land.
- In India, the Better Life Farming (BLF) Alliance ensures that rural smallholder communities have access to high-quality agricultural inputs through a “last mile delivery” model. Through collaborations, BLF seeks to empower farmers to maximize their farming potential. Bayer offers high-quality seeds, including the aforementioned cucumber hybrids and others, as well as crop protection products. Netafim, a specialist in drip irrigation, provides water management tools.
- Through the combined offerings of our portfolio within the alliance, BLF empowers smallholders to irrigate their high-yield crops in the most efficient manner, boosting productivity while preserving water resources. This approach is particularly effective for solanum crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants.
Illustration of Innovation: BayG.A.P. Initiative
- The initiative offers training, personalized farm advice, and verification support on Good Agricultural Practices (G.A.P.) to farmers both in person and through an innovative online training program. Since its launch in 2017, over 13,500 farmers around the world have implemented the knowledge gained from field training, and more than 360,000 have benefited from participating in BayG.A.P. digital training sessions.
- In Thailand, BayG.A.P. training serves as a critical stepping stone for over 1,700 farmers in the Chanthaburee region to acquire overseas export certifications for their durian fruit. This market access not only prevents local food waste but also enables G.A.P.-certified growers to sell their produce throughout the entire food supply chain.
- In Ecuador, where the aggressive Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4) fungus poses a threat to banana plantations, special BayG.A.P. training sessions are disseminated through local radio stations and YouTube to educate farmers on the most effective methods to control the spread of the disease. Leveraging a mix of traditional and social media, the BayG.A.P. team has shared best practices with an impressive 4.2 million people. Live YouTube training sessions with BayG.A.P. TR4 experts have garnered substantial participation, with more than 21,000 farmers completing the video sessions.
