Food Security

Our agricultural initiatives and products are aimed at making a contribution to one of society’s greatest challenges - food security. Every second, the world’s population increases by another three people. By the year 2050, there will be almost 10 billion humans on this planet. We want to help ensure a safe supply of food, now and in the future. We consider the achievement of this objective to be inextricably linked with sustainable agriculture.

<strong>Agriculture:</strong> through Food Chain Partnerships Bayer is helping farmers worldwide to produce agricultural products of a best possible quality. — **Agriculture:** through Food Chain Partnerships Bayer is helping farmers worldwide to produce agricultural products of a best possible quality.

As we see it, our task is to support farmers in their efforts to increase yields while at the same time protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for farmers and their families.

In concrete terms, we want to drive forward and implement innovations in the areas of seeds, crop protection and services. The amount of arable land available per capita will continue to shrink in the future. The challenge is therefore to produce more from the existing farmland. This is where our hybrid seeds come in: our hybrid varieties of rice, canola and in the future also wheat produce higher yields and more income from the same area of land. Our enhanced, high-quality hybrid varieties have greater vitality and produce optimum results, even when there is too little or too much water, or there are too few nutrients in the soil.

Increasing the Agricultural Productivity of Small-holders

Small-holders are an important factor in securing the food supply for the world. They produce more than 80 percent of the food required by developing countries. We want to help these small-scale farmers increase their agricultural productivity. We are expanding our presence in Africa and Asia and offering solutions that are tailored to the needs of local farmers. For example, we provide improved seed varieties and offer training on topics such as environmental protection and product safety.

The Challenges of Sustainable Agriculture

No Life without Soil

Sustainable agricultural practices mean that more nutrient-rich and affordable food is available. They also protect the environment, promote development in rural areas and improve farmers’ quality of life. However, modern sustainable agriculture cannot offer a one-size-fits-all solution. What is needed is coordinated collaboration between the public and private sectors to introduce agricultural measures that are suitable for the target market in question.