Crop Science

Man in a striped shirt smiling with arms crossed, standing next to a red tractor.

We’re committed to a world where biodiversity thrives in harmony with humankind. Where hunger and climate change are terms relegated to history books. Where farms are more sustainable, with plants that are more adaptive and resilient, to help improve life for families and communities. In short, where agriculture is part of the solution.

As a leader in the agriculture sector, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to grasp this moment. In the face of changing climate, limited natural resources and a growing population, there has never been a greater need for innovation in agriculture. At Bayer, we’re a responsible, global team working to shape agriculture through breakthrough innovation for the benefit of farmers, consumers and our planet.

In India, our Crop Science division works with more than 30 million smallholder farmers. As market leaders in crop protection and with businesses in seeds, traits, biologicals and digital farming, we are committed to advancing Indian agriculture & promoting India as a key provider of agricultural solutions globally. Our key crop segments in India include rice, corn, cotton, fruits and vegetables that are suited for various geographic & agri-climatic zones across the country.

Small Farms with a Large Impact

More than 500 million smallholder farmers feed the growing population in Asia, Africa, and South America. Owning small plots of land where they can typically only harvest one or two crops, smallholders often lack the resources needed to move from subsistence farming to commercial farming. These farmers face unique challenges that require tailored solutions. At Bayer, our objective remains to empower more than a 100 million smallholder farmers in developing countries around the world by providing increased access to sustainable agricultural solutions. We aim to empower them through collaborative partnerships and innovative solutions that expand agricultural know-how to address their most challenging issues.

Better Life Farming Alliance

In India, the Better Life Farming Alliance is a long-term partnership between Bayer, IFC (International Finance Corporation), Netafim, Yara, DeHaat, Agri Bazaar and Big Basket. It aims at enabling smallholder farmers to unlock their full farming potential. With knowledge of good agricultural practices and access to the latest technologies, smallholder farmers can increase their crop yields, crop quality and achieve higher farm incomes, thus creating a better life for their families. In 2018, the Better Life Farming (BLF) alliance introduced an Agri-entrepreneurship model. This model empowers rural youth to run BLF centers where they provide technical know-how on the latest technologies in seeds, crop protection, crop nutrition, drip irrigation, soil management, financial literacy, etc. to other smallholder farmers. They also deliver services such as market linkages, access to inputs and crop advisory. Each center covers a group of 500 farmers from five to six nearby villages. By 2025, the alliance aims to serve 2.5 million smallholder farmers across India. To learn more about our global projects under Better Life Farming, visit www.betterlifefarming.com

Food Chain Partnerships

Food Chain Partnership is an innovative business model developed by Bayer in 2007 to serve the needs of the global food industry. This initiative focuses on collaboration between farmers, processors, traders and retailers to meet consumer demand for sustainable production of healthy, high-quality and affordable food. With its Food Chain Partnership projects, Bayer provides farmers with innovative crop protection products, seeds and services, as well as advice on the optimal use of products and application technologies. Bayer also helps farmers get certified and gain relevant knowledge and skills to successfully market their produce in local, regional and international markets. Globally, there are 365 Food Value Chain Partnerships across 39 countries in 64 different crops, In India, Bayer has 78 Food Chain Partnerships covering 16 crops and benefitting 115,000 farmers (as of December 2023). In 19, Bayer conducted 29 BayG.A.P. training programs for 1,031 Indian farmers to help them learn good agricultural practices and get certified for exporting their produce. To learn more, visit: http://www.foodchainpartnership.com

Farmer Producer Organization

To encourage sustainable growth, it is imperative to provide farmers with improved technology, credit, and better market access. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) play a pivotal role in aggregating small farmers, enhancing their economic strength, and connecting them to markets. Bayer recognizes FPOs as an effective model, supporting farmers economic and social well-being while benefiting the agriculture value chain.

Collaborating with the Small Farmers Agri-Business Consortium (SFAC), Bayer has established 50 specialized FPOs across 10 states, aiming to strengthen grower collectivization. Currently engaged with 3000+ FPOs reaching nearly 12 lakh farmers and with plans to expand, Bayer seeks to positively impact the lives of smallholder farmers by fostering collective action and providing access to resources and markets.

Sahbhaagi

Sahbhaagi is a rural micro-entrepreneurship development model which empowers farmers, women and rural youth to become an advisor and recommend right solutions to smallholder growers. The program currently has more than 4000 Sahbhaagis across India, who in turn support over 35,000 smallholder farmers with crop & product advisory and purchase of Bayer’s agri-inputs. The Sahbhaagis have been trained and equipped to recommend the right solutions to smallholder farmers as per local farm conditions. This initiative creates unique opportunities for rural entrepreneurs to partner with Bayer, explore alternate demand generation routes and enhance Bayer’s reach to farmers. Sahbhaagi program is currently active in 24 states, across more than 470 districts and 1980 sub-districts. Bayer has further set up a toll-free number 18001204049 to provide more details to the rural population and facilitate enrollment in the program.