Improving farm productivity Consumers worldwide want more food with  better quality and greater variety. To meet this  demand, farmers need a variety of tools and  techniques: high-quality seeds, water-efficient  technologies, nutrients, insect and weed  management, and soil conservation. Our  contribution has to go beyond providing  individual products: we must integrate them into  optimized solutions and protocols, and enable  farmers to use them productively and profitably. Large-scale farmers have traditionally been  receptive to new technologies and have had the  resources to invest in them. As a result, they  generate 75 percent  1  of the world’s agricultural  output today. Looking ahead, another step  change in farm productivity will only be achieved  if the small growers who farm nearly  40 percent  2  of the world’s arable land also gain  access to new technologies. We are committed  to continue helping farmers – large and small –  to enhance productivity. New business models that provide tailored  solutions and access to markets and finance  provide one part of the solution. Education and  training provides another. However, to give  smaller farmers more support we need to  be a partner, not just a supplier.  The regulatory environment is tightening.  This poses dilemmas for regulators and for  innovators like Syngenta: if regulation is driven  by political pressures rather than objective  science, there is a risk of denying growers  crucial tools in the drive for food security. Enabling the right choices  We need enabling and transparent regulations  that make safe new technologies available  to all farmers. All chemical products must be  handled with care to ensure environmental and  human safety. Throughout the development  of a chemical product, we work to minimize  its risk profile. Once it has been accepted for  registration and sale, we work with vendors and  growers to help handle, store and use it safely.  The challenge for us is to innovate rapidly and  efficiently – not only to develop new products,  but also to adapt them effectively to the varying  needs of farmers around the world, large and  small. New techniques such as computer- based crop modeling are helping us to  accelerate the pace.  Efficient and fair intellectual property protection  helps to stimulate and incentivize R&D  investment. In return, we recognize a  responsibility to share knowledge and  innovation. In 2011, Syngenta launched the first  system to disseminate our patents on native  traits in vegetables for the goal of improved  plant breeding. Accelerating innovation 1  IAASTD 2008  Agriculture at a Crossroads 2  FAO ResourceSTAT,  faostat.fao.org Growing more on  preserved land I’ve moved from  producing 400 bags  per hectare to 600. I’m  saving money and  producing more thanks to  Syngenta, their products  and advice. More online www.syngenta.com/ar2011 Miguel Gil Potato grower  Boyacá, Colombia 10 Syngenta Annual Review 2011