Overview On my visits I also discussed the company’s  new strategy with customers, stakeholders  and employees and was impressed by the  enthusiastic support for the integrated, crop  and grower-centric approach that we are taking.  The new strategy also has the full support of  the Board of Directors who have worked closely  with the Executive team on its development  over the past few years.  The Annual General Meeting in April will mark  the retirement of two Board members, Pierre  Landolt and Rolf Watter. They have both been  members since the creation of Syngenta in  2000 and on behalf of my Board colleagues I  should like to thank them for their wise counsel,  guidance and support over the years. With their  help and the hard work and dedication of its  26,000 employees, Syngenta has grown to  become one of the world’s leading companies  and is at the forefront of addressing one of the  world’s greatest challenges. During the year, I visited many countries and  met numerous growers, both large and small.  I discussed with them the myriad challenges  they face from climatic and environmental issues  to economic and social pressures. My discussions  not only reminded me of the complexity of  growers’ lives but also left me optimistic that  they can overcome these challenges if they  have full access to innovative technologies,  the right collaborations and partnerships, and  a policy framework that encourages investment  in agricultural development and infrastructure.  Lack of access to technology is particularly  damaging to the world’s smallholder farmers.  In order to feed the growing population, their  collective productivity must increase substantially  over the coming years. This will only be achieved  through collaboration, partnership and collective  action between all parties – business, NGOs,  academia and governments – to provide access  to technologies and markets, tools and know- how, as well as investment in infrastructure and  agricultural development. A good example of  the potential of such broad collaboration is in  Tanzania where Syngenta is involved, along  with other partners including the World Economic  Forum and the Tanzanian government, in the  SAGCOT project, a public-private partnership  which is transforming agricultural productivity in  an environmentally sustainable way in the south  of the country.  Martin Taylor  Chairman 3.  Visiting sugar cane  trials in Iacanga,  São Paulo, Brazil.  4.  Discussing tomato  growing; Unica Group  farm in Almeria, Spain. 3. 4. Syngenta Annual Review 2011 05