Syngenta contribution to sustainable agriculture (PDF 7.0MB)

Examples of stewardship and community engagement

Syngenta contribution to sustainableagriculture

Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture

Stewardship is the responsible and ethical management of our solutions throughout their life-cycle. This has always been a theme at Syngenta but now it is embedded in the way that we select our new offers to the market and the way in which we manage the products that are already on sale. During the development of new ideas and before their release to first sales, stewardship assessments are made and approval must be gained before commercialization can happen. After placing them on the market, we continue to monitor the performance of our solutions and will make any necessary modifications to ensure that they continue to make a sustainable contribution to global agricultural production.

The challenge to increase the quality and quantity of agricultural output has never been higher but now is the time that we must be most vigilant in making sure that the technologies and solutions that we deploy are sustainable and do not degrade our ability to feed the world in the future. Our global stewardship network allows us to take the messages concerning the safety of our solutions to people and the environment directly to those people in the field who are growing the food. Each year we train around 3 million such growers world-wide and we are assessing how well they understand and implement this information.

This is a long-term, research-based business. It can take seven to ten years to bring a new product to the market and over the course of this time more than 120 safety studies will be conducted. It is in Syngenta’s interests to protect this investment by ensuring that the products are managed sustainably and this in turn helps to meet the sustainability goals of growers, the authorities and stakeholders in agricultural production. This booklet outlines some of the ways in which we are perusing stewardship in Syngenta and some of the successes that we have had. I am grateful for the dedication and skill of our regional and country-based stewardship managers who have helped us to achieve an industry-leading position in this important endeavor.

Richard Brown Global Stewardship Lead

01

01 Letter from Senior Management02 Introduction

Contents Letter from Senior Management

Syngenta contribution to sustainable agriculture

28 Safe use of our products30 Collaborative effort benefits ACC farmers32 Stewardship Powerhouse delivers improved food safety in China32 Know-how grows productivity for Australia’s farmers33 A one-stop resource for environmental stewardship34 Helping doctors offer first-line assistance35 Distributors work to achieve sales and safety35 Working together to promote safe and effective use36 Training the trainers36 S-PROTEC®: a collaborative effort for improved safety37 Working closely to create a medical support network38 Teaming up to tackle the problem of throwaways38 Turning farmers’ input into improved training39 Partnering with NACAA for stewardship education

14 Preserving the environment through agriculture16 OPERATION POLLINATOR® – Buzzing all over the world18 Helping to protect Louisiana’s marshlands19 Finding an equitable ecological balance20 Farming for wildlife21 Fighting deforestation with Lucas do Rio Verde Legal22 Conservation tillage safeguards valuable resources in Colombia23 Preventing soil erosion in Vietnam and Philippines24 HELIOSEC® – Harnessing sun and wind for safer waste water disposal25 Multifunctional field margins deliver results25 PROWADIS – united effort reduces pesticide contamination in EU26 Improving water quality and grower profitability with WRASP27 A community approach to improving streams and wetlands

04 Engagement with communities06 Smallholder project improves quality of life in Kenya08 INTERRA® Farm Network: Sustainable agriculture in action09 Syngenta supports CURES mission to inform and protect09 Improving working conditions in India10 Learning from Colombian farmers 11 Learning a new method for pest-free schools11 Building responsible rural communities in Indonesia12 Working with and for the community13 A family-based approach to sustainable farming

40 Providing consumers with healthy, high quality food42 Quality crops open doors to global market43 Collaborating with all players in the value chain44 Safeguarding the food chain45 Strengthening the link between growers and the food chain45 Sharing the facts on food safety46 Sustainable agricultural training boost Thai farmers’ success47 Helping cocoa farmers grow better crops – and profits

2 3 Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture

Introduction

healthier, earn better incomes, and improve their quality of life. With this, farmers are better able to conserve the environment through agriculture. Syngenta stewardship shares knowledge and best practices with farmers about managing agriculture –sustainable, intensive farming improves resource efficiency. As a result, farmers are better able to meet the demands of consumers for healthy, high quality food.

Great strides have been made in agriculture over the last 50 years but there is much more to do. Agriculture has a major role to play in opening the way for food security and Syngenta is committed to making this a reality.

The greatest challenge of the 21st century is clear: how do we feed a growing world population without going beyond ecological limits and ensuring that farming communities thrive?

This means our commitment begins with product conception, when we closely examine the potential consequences of the use of our products to people and the environment. Through research and development and rigorous lab and field testing, we gain detailed knowledge of a product. All internal standards and legislative and regulatory requirements are met or exceeded. We are committed to reporting all failures in meeting these standards.

Only when we are confident about the risks and benefits of a product and it has received regulatory approval, will we go to market with the support of our world-wide stewardship teams.

The Syngenta Code of Conduct commits us to the highest quality and safety of our products and services. This includes comprehensive training for our customers on the safe and responsible use of our products throughout the product life-cycle. Syngenta works closely with stakeholders to most effectively implement programs locally.

We continuously assess and monitor the risks associated with the use of our products and make sure that customers are fully informed. If necessary, the product or its placement on the market is re-designed with the appropriate modifications for its use.

Challenges to achieving food security To achieve food security by 2050, farmers will have to increase food production by at least 70 percent to feed a predicted 9 billion people. The journey to food security is further complicated by the megatrends of greater affluence and increasing urbanization. Not only are more people demanding more food, but they want greater variety, including meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables. All this is putting greater stress on natural resources.

While the need for food is growing, the ability to increase productivity is challenged as never before. Farmers will have to contend with competing demands for land and water. Already agriculture uses 40 percent of the world’s land surface and 70 percent of all available fresh water. And now it is facing soil erosion, aquifer depletion, the loss of cropland to urbanization, and the diversion of irrigation water to cities and industry. Crop production is further impacted by changing climate that has increased temperatures in many areas and caused erratic weather patterns including devastating floods and droughts.

Farmers are the principal managers of the world’s productive land and water and will shape the surface of the Earth in coming decades. Large-scale and smallholder growers will need technological breakthroughs, support and new incentives to ensure the sustainability of agriculture and ecosystems as we strive to meet the demands of improving yields without compromising environmental integrity and safe working conditions.

Our technological innovations unlock the potential of plants to help farmers grow more using less water and land. Farmers reap the greatest benefits when knowledge sharing builds agronomy skills and contributes to an integrated approach using better seeds, pest and weed management, nutrients, water efficient technologies and soil conservation.

Our stewardship is built to support the farmer. We provide new solutions and technologies through engagement with rural communities so they can sustainably and safely produce healthy, high quality food and contribute to achieving food security.

How Syngenta stewardship contributes to food securityStewardship is the responsible and ethical management of Syngenta solutions from their discovery and development through to their use and ultimate disposal.

Left Syngenta takes a system wide approach to sustainable agriculture that focuses on the links between technology, land and people.

Left Harvesting of romaine lettuce in China.

Right Women rice growers in India.

Below Cocoa smallholder with Syngenta expert in Cameroon.

Sustainable production systemSyngenta believes that farmers can produce enough to meet the world’s demand for food, feed, fiber, and fuel while safeguarding the env ironment for future generations – if we take a holistic approach that links technology, land, and people. These three elements are the foundation for a sustainable production system, in which our agricultural solutions help build strong rural economies and increase resource efficiency.

Syngenta values farm work and sees the people in rural communities as our business partners. So, we approach agriculture through the eyes of the grower to create tailored solutions suited to their specific challenges and needs. Our ambition is to bring greater food security in an environmentally sustainable way to an increasingly populous and prosperous world by creating a worldwide step-change in farm productivity.

Actions speak louder than wordsSyngenta Stewardship outlines our commitment to helping farmers meet the challenges they face and ensuring a safe and sustainable future for food production. In the following pages you will discover what Syngenta does in practical terms to bring this commitment to life in communities around the world.

Syngenta trains farmers in the safe use of our products so they can responsibly use agricultural technologies to their greatest benefit without harming human health and the environment. Beyond supporting our agricultural solutions, our engagement with communities helps farmers be

Syngenta is committed to the International Code of Conduct for the Distribution and Sale of Pesticide Products (2002) which states that the pesticide industry should provide full product stewardship support to customers and give transparent reports on its activities.

Strong rural economies are a keystone and fundamental to achieving food security, farmers can earn better incomes, live better lives and become stewards of the land.

Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture 54

Large and small rural communities all over the world are dealing with the same issues – shortage of natural resources, improving cash flow, obtaining the best price for their produce, overcoming constraints on productivity, and adaptation to climate change. Though the risks they take are high, very often their returns are too low. Unreliable weather, pests, diseases, and weeds can ruin crops and destroy incomes. Farmers also have to deal with the risks of volatile commodity markets: even if yields are high, prices can be low.

As a result, more than three-quarters of poor people live in rural areas, often with little access to adequate healthcare and networks of social support. Syngenta recognizes that the world’s farmers need more tailored, integrated solutions to make agriculture an economically viable and rewarding way of life. Through partnerships with local organizations, Syngenta is engaging with rural communities around the world to help overcome problems that threaten their development and prosperity.

Engagement with communitiesWhen rural communities can grow more from less sustainably and sell their crops profitably, they can live more prosperous lives. But this isn’t easy considering the challenges they face.

Engagement with communities


Declining, unreliable crop yields in the arid area of Laikipia in Kenya are threatening the livelihood of smallholder farmers who depend on agriculture to survive. Syngenta has developed a holistic training program to help these farmers boost yields and sustain their livelihoods.

Since 2006, Syngenta has worked closely with Kenya’s Centre for Training and Integrated Research (CETRAD) and the Agricultural College of Switzerland to develop a joint conservation agriculture and crop protection stewardship program. In 2009, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture launched the Smallholder Development Project, which provides training to small farmers across the country. Currently, this project reached over 5000 farmers in the Laikipia area and its goal is to train up to 50,000 farmers across Kenya in the next three years.

They are learning how sustainable agricultural practices can increase their crop production and income while minimizing environmental impact. The project focuses on knowledge sharing about conservation farming, water and soil management, the correct use of pesticides, and more profitable contacts between farmers and their customers.

The project includes hands-on learning sessions at 44 model farms. Farmers participate in field days and receive detailed instruction on the correct use of chemicals at demonstration sites. This training has considerably reduced cases of chemical poisoning in the area. Farmers are motivated to use the individual and community waste pesticide disposal facilities – 35 have already been constructed, with more planned.

The success of the training program is best measured by the impact on farmers’ livelihoods. Crop yields for produce such as snow peas and potatoes have increased by up to 50 percent. Production of corn – a staple food in Kenya – has increased from four bags to six bags per hectare. The amount of crops rejected by the distributor as sub-standard also fell from 50 percent to less than 5 percent. The combination of yield increases and higher quality product is enabling families to feed themselves better and improve their health.

Increased profits from their harvests are helping smallholders to reach other important milestones, such as the ability to open a bank account. Additional income also enables them to invest in important areas such as school fees and to improve their overall quality of life.

The Smallholder Development Project is providing the catalyst for Kenyan farmers to benefit from sustainable agriculture while preserving the natural resources of their unique ecosystem.

Left Ilustration of minimum tillage in Kalalu farm in Kenya.

Below Conservation tillage training session.

Above Corn farmers in Kenya.

Middle Label interpretation training session.

Below Farmer reading the product label before use in Laikipia.

“The program has accelerated the adoption of safe use practices and conservation agriculture farming”John Kimathi, Agronomist of CETRAD, Kenya

Smallholder project

improves quality

of life in Kenya

A Cultivations D Herbicide & applicationB Seed & planting E WeedingC Fertilizer F Harvesting

Syngenta

A B C D E F

Comparision costs of producing a mixed crop of maize and beans on one hectare plot between trained and not trained farmers.In Kenyan shillings

12,000

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

0

TrainedNot trained



In 2009, Syngenta and the FLA launched the “me and mine” initiative nationwide to increase awareness about better working conditions in rural communities with Syngenta supply farms. The program established a Code of acceptable labor standards, which includes prohibiting child labor, reasonable working hours, and better wages. Beyond the Code, the program reaches out to adults, especially women, to increase awareness about health, safety, and education.

Incentives were created for farmers to adopt the code, as well as training for those farms that failed to meet the standards. The program also provides protective equipment, training for workers, and computers for schools.

More than 80% of the workforce on the seed farms is made up of women, and they are actively involved in the labor compliance program. Their efforts and enthusiasm are achieving impressive results: the “me and mine” program has connected with 12,844 growers and their families, assisted some 13,000 seeds production farms, and improved the lives of over 40,000 workers. Ten schools, four agencies, and several government bodies are participating in the campaign.

Based on the success of the “me and mine” program, this model will be used to address child labor in seed processing units, research and development farms, and the field crop sector.

The INTERRA® Farm Network (a network of working farms owned by farmers) is demonstrating that productive agriculture is compatible with the protection and enhancement of natural resources and biodiversity. This Syngenta stewardship project is in the process of being rolled out across Europe. The farms will be used as centers of expertise as training sites to give local farmers the latest information on a full range of sustainable agricultural practices, product stewardship, and best management practices. Other visitors, such as researchers, schoolchildren, and policymakers can gain first-hand information about what sustainable agriculture really means on the farms.

INTERRA® Farm Network: Sustainable agriculture in action

The INTERRA Farm Network focuses on enhancing biodiversity in farm environments, enabling farmers to produce profitable yields while supporting a wide diversity of species and ecosystems. The program establishes areas on the farm which provide habitat and food to increase populations of pollinators and birds, as well as mammals and aquatic species, by establishing habitat and food sources. Pollinator strips have already been implemented to attract and provide food and habitat for various pollinating insects and are increasing their populations on farms.

Special programs for birds include cultivating seed-bearing plants and developing habitats for nesting.

Scientific protocols will be used to monitor and assess the project’s progress on an ongoing basis. Surveys of the various plant species on the farms are now being conducted, leading to recommendations for surrounding hedges, trees or flowering species.

INTERRA has an aquatic biodiversity project in collaboration with Ponds Conservation in the UK. This is a practical, low-cost concept to introduce water onto farms. Creating small, shallow ponds in rural areas is vital for the maintenance and stability of regional biodiversity. Ponds attract aquatic birds, plants, amphibians, and invertebrates with their rich abundance of aquatic plants.

The farms also feature field margin management based on Syngenta’s MARGINS (Managing Agricultural Runoff Generation in to Surface Water) project. MARGINS involves a dual approach to combating soil erosion

and water run-off. Farmers use conservation tillage, plus other soil and crop management practices, to reduce erosion and minimize soil nutrient losses. They also plant vegetative buffer strips to reduce water run-off from fields.

The INTERRA farms will help to position sustainable intensive agriculture as the gold standard for productive agriculture in Europe.

CURES holds meetings for farmers on general and product-specific stewardship topics, often in partnership with commodity groups, state agencies, and pesticide registrants. Syngenta and CURES continuously sponsor educational outreach on a range of topics on health, safety, and environment ranging from protecting surface water quality when using pesticides to understanding new respirator regulations. Other topics cover the importance of reading and following pesticide labels and directions and using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for a holistic approach to pest control.

CURES, Syngenta, and Bayer recently collaborated on publishing an updated edition of “Pollinators and Pesticide Stewardship”. This brochure provides guidelines for using pesticides when pollinators are present on a farm or urban landscape area. Farmers are advised to understand local ordinances on pollinators, to determine if a particular pesticide may be harmful to pollinators before using it, and to recognize signs of toxicity if bees are accidentally exposed to the chemicals.

The content of the pollinator brochure is applicable throughout North America and has been distributed to Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) coordinators, California agricultural commissioners, pest control advisors, county agents and various farm bureaus.

The latest collaboration between Syngenta and CURES is a series of novel educational quizzes

and self-assessment tools on comprehensive pesticide stewardship topics. The quizzes will teach and reinforce proper stewardship relating to pesticide storage, handling, disposal, recordkeeping, equipment calibration, drift prevention, protection of surface and groundwater, spill containment, and resistance management. Self-assessment tools on the same topics will enable rural and urban pesticide users to assess and get feedback on their own stewardship efforts on the farm and at home. Such hands-on tools are known to be more effective in helping applicators and farmers understand and implement best practices. The quizzes and self-assessment tools will be used for both online and live training sessions and will be placed on a variety of stewardship websites.

Not only has the CURES/Syngenta partnership been clearly productive in reaching farmers throughout the US, it has also enabled Syngenta to work with other partners on common stewardship goals.

Syngenta supports CURES mission to inform and protect

Syngenta has sponsored the Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES) since its founding in 1997 and supported many of its educational efforts for agricultural and urban communities. This US-based non-profit organization creates and delivers science-based solutions and education to ensure that tools to control pests and grow plants are used in ways that protect people and the environment. The long relationship between Syngenta and CURES is built on the common goal of proactive pesticide stewardship.

Improving working conditions in India

For many children in rural India, the need to work to help provide food for their families is a reality. As a result, they never get the education that could help them break the complex cycle of poverty. Syngenta first started partnering with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) in 2004 to develop a new approach to overcome the issue of child labor and improve overall working conditions on seed supply farms in India. But some things cannot be achieved by working with our supply farmers only. To catalyze real change requires community involvement and support.

“With the involvement of all stakeholders, Syngenta has already brought significant changes in working conditions in what is a socially challenging environment. With time and persistence, it will continue to make a difference here”

Pramod Kulkarni, Corporate & Social Responsibility Manager, Syngenta India.

Ponds are important for aquatic biodiversity on farms.

Pollinators and Pesticide Stewardship brochure, an important stewardship outreach tool.

Flower strip beside wheat field.

Indian woman working on a greenhouse in India.

The INTERRA Farm will serve as a platform for open discussions about sustainable agriculture with Syngenta’s many stakeholders.

“The INTERRA Farm Network is about thinking like a farmer. Through the work of local farmers, it demonstrates how sustainable intensive agriculture is compatible with the protection of natural resources and biodiversity. In the INTERRA Farm Network, seeing is believing”

Bernard Vivier, Sustainable Agriculture and Stewardship Manager, EAME



Proper application technique is a crucial element of the outdoor training session. Instructors explain key points for safe and efficient sprayer operation so users can minimize their exposure to chemicals: equipment calibration, effective spray coverage, and ways to minimize drift.

Beyond product use, the program includes healthcare workers who demonstrate the importance of health and safety. Syngenta invites local doctors and paramedics to provide general information and relevant health services, including free medical checkups and medicines, if necessary.

Syngenta has developed an awareness-raising program to draw attention to environmental issues and our company’s increasing efforts to combat the rising tide of dangerous counterfeit products. Farmers receive training on how to perform a triple-rinse of empty containers in an environmentally responsible way. The containers are then collected and transported to a waste processing facility for final disposal. This process

ensures that the containers are properly handled and not re-used. For every ten empty containers collected, Syngenta offers the farmers a tree seedling as both a reward and an ecological incentive.

Working as a committed partner, Syngenta is helping farmers and communities in Indonesia to live and work safely and in harmony with nature.

Understanding farmers’ perceptions about the use of pesticides and the cultural context of these beliefs is vital to effective communication with them. Toward this goal, Syngenta, the Swiss Institute of Technology Zürich, and the University of Zürich conducted a study in Vereda la Hoya, a rural region in the Tunja district in Colombia. Here, farming potatoes is the primary source of income on a small farm, averaging about seven hectares. The results of the study are helping Syngenta take a holistic approach to our risk communication and to tailor our stewardship training programs to reflect local traditions and cultural beliefs.

Pesticides are necessary tools for controlling pests, but must always be applied carefully and judiciously. In the past, many school systems applied pesticides on a strict schedule, regardless of pest levels and without consideration of other practices that were promoting these pests. However, this is changing, as many schools have begun adopting Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies.

Increasing education and awareness within rural communities helps farmers be safer and decrease their impact on the environment. Syngenta’s “Training for Growers and Smallholders” is a community-based outreach project in Indonesia that provides farmers and key members of the local farming community – such as retailers, doctors, and agriculture officials – with practical information on the proper handling of crop protection products.

The first session takes place in a classroom setting and explains the proper use of pesticides to maintain crops and improve yield. Then a practical session is held outdoors and outlines the “Five Golden Rules” for the safe use of our products; crop solutions and product knowledge; sprayer maintenance; and mastering application techniques.

Successful IPM leverages all pest control options, including biological, chemical, cultural, genetic and mechanical means. It combines effective techniques that achieve pest control at a reasonable cost, while protecting the environment through good stewardship practices Using IPM also means there is less likelihood of pests developing a resistance to pesticides.

In the United States, the state of North Carolina has been a leader in adopting IPM in schools. As of October 2011, state law

requires that school districts must adopt an IPM policy, develop a pest management plan, and designate an IPM coordinator. In North Carolina, fire ants, weeds, and rodents are serious outdoor pests, and major indoor pests include nuisance ants, rodents, and cockroaches.

North Carolina State University (NSCU) has a key role in promoting the implementation of IPM programs in the state’s schools, and Syngenta is an active partner in this endeavor. From 2006 to 2009, Syngenta co-

sponsored monetary awards for the best school IPM programs in North Carolina. In 2010, Syngenta provided IPM educational materials for all 115 school systems. NCSU is developing a school IPM kit that includes these and other materials in order to help IPM coordinators effectively conduct training and outreach programs.

The next step is to expand IPM to North Carolina’s daycare centers. Syngenta looks forward to its continued partnership with North Carolina State University to help spread the important principles of IPM.

Learning from Colombian farmers

Learning a new method for pest-free schools

Building responsible rural communities in Indonesia

Farmers were asked to describe their beliefs on pesticide-related risk factors, how they learned about pesticide management, and how they applied this knowledge. Their answers were compared with feedback from local agricultural experts. The research revealed significant differences between how the farmers viewed pesticide management versus the experts.

Culture and tradition, particularly religion, have a major influence on the farmers’ understanding of risk perception. For example, the farmers strongly believe that their devotion to God, expressed in prayers, can protect them from the health and environmental risks related to pesticides. The farmers’ parents are the main source of information regarding farming practices, and these traditions are passed on from generation to generation.

Trust and credibility are very important to farmers, and these factors influence how farmers understand and apply pesticide management information. The farmers trust pesticide producers and place a greater value on the

information they supply, compared to the technical assistance provided by governmental experts. One possible explanation is that farmers have a high level of cooperative contact with representatives of pesticide producers.

The study also examined how farmers defined the toxicity and risk factors of products. The farmers use a combination of intuitive toxicology (i.e., bad smell), experimental knowledge (i.e., their personal experience with the effectiveness of a product), and the information they receive from the person who introduces or promotes a product to them.

The study results clearly indicate that risk communication is more effective if it is part of a holistic approach that addresses all factors that impact a farmer’s life. The research findings are also helping us to create easier-to-understand pesticide product labeling and toxicity information.

As Syngenta is dedicated to learning the “language” of farmers, we are using the study results to incorporate cultural viewpoints and traditions into our training programs.

Left Some IPM education material provided by Syngenta.

Farmer training on the proper handling of crop protection products.

Left Vereda la Hoya in Colombia, where the study took place.

Below Farmer interview.



Another study is trying to determine the effect of securing pesticides in individual locked storage boxes and limiting access to a designated key holder. This is being tested on individual farms in Andhra Pradesh, where some 1000 secure boxes have been installed and monitored in three villages.

In southern Sri Lanka, Syngenta, IASP, and a local NGO called Sri Lanka Sumithrayo, which runs a volunteer suicide prevention helpline, cooperated on a pilot project with promising results. Farmers were given lockable metal boxes for pesticide storage, and local monitoring committees explained how to use the boxes and how to safely dispose of empty pesticide containers.

They also provided basic emotional support to villagers. Active community engagement played an important role in the success of this project.

In addition, Syngenta has sponsored IASP workshops gathering participants from over 40 countries to develop ways to prevent deliberate self-harm. Working together, we are searching for optimal solutions that safeguard human life while providing access to pesticides.

Sharing knowledge with farmers around the globe must go beyond a sales pitch or lecture about products if they are to truly adopt sustainable agricultural practices. Syngenta realizes that genuine knowledge transfer must be tailored to local challenges and culture. In Bangladesh, for instance, wives participate in daily life on the farm and influence their husbands’ decisions. Syngenta broke with tradition by arranging meetings for farmers and their wives. To respect social convention, Syngenta hired female market developers, “farmer’s sisters,” to communicate directly with the wives.

Since 2008, farmer’s sisters visit wives in their communities and explain how the farmers can increase productivity, incomes, and farm more sustainably. The meetings focus on better solutions for the challenges they face and information about the safe use of modern agricultural technologies: for example, how selective herbicides could help the farmers spend less time in the fields. Demonstration fields in the local villages also play a key role in showing the successful results of using best practices.

In Bangladesh, currently, 62 farmer’s sisters work with Syngenta and have reached 500,000 farmers. The goal is to reach 750,000 farmers by the end of 2010. In 2011, 38 new farmer’s sisters will be hired to work in the vegetable and niche markets.

In 2007, Syngenta supported a national review on pesticide-related suicide in India that was organized by a local NGO called SNEHA, which runs a volunteer suicide prevention helpline, and the Centre for Suicide Research at the University of Oxford. Key stakeholders, agriculturalists, mental health professionals, and members of the community examined possible ways to prevent pesticide-related suicide based on data from farming regions in India.

Farmers are reaping the benefits of improved productivity and profitability, while securing a positive future for their families by practicing sustainable agriculture.

Preliminary research suggests that controlling access to agricultural chemicals through centralized storage and regulated access could reduce the rate of suicide where the act is the result of a short-term problem or feeling of despair. In response, Syngenta is funding secured access projects in India, China, Suriname and Sri Lanka. At one ongoing study in the Tamil Nadu district in India, pesticides are stored at an access-restricted central location in the community. So far the study has passed a major hurdle – gaining support from the local farmers.

A family-based approach to sustainable farming

Working with and for

the community

Main picture The feminine touch. The female market developer team is strengthening relationships with Bangladeshi farmers.

Left Farmer meeting in Bangladesh.

Syngenta takes public health issue with agrochemicals very seriously and is working to prevent the misuse of our products. We are partnering with the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), World Health Organization (WHO), government agencies, academic institutions, and community-based suicide prevention and women’s groups to address the serious issues. The reasons behind the tragic choice to harm oneself are complex and not clearly understood, but preventive action and increased awareness is helping reduce incidences of suicide with pesticides in rural areas, especially in developing countries. Syngenta also supports the WHO’s secure storage initiative for pesticides and respective guidance to countries.

This is a dynamic and respectful way to communicate across cultures, while ensuring a solid understanding about the effective and responsible use of our tools.

“Today, I have come to appreciate Syngenta’s sincere commitment to a global stewardship that speaks volumes about its commitment to people, communities and the environment”

Prof. Mort Silverman of the University of Chicago in the International Association for Suicide Prevention Symposium in Singapore.

Community monitoring committee discussion on their farm visits in Sri Lanka.

Monitoring committee of Sri Lanka.

Sustainable intensification is now widely recognized as the only way in which farmers can meet the global demand for food while protecting land, water, and biodiversity. Productivity gains need to be based on sustainable practices in order to make a lasting contribution. Techniques must be used that conserve the fertility and structure of the soil and protect surface and groundwater water resources.

Solutions that increase productivity for every drop of water used will be important also. In addition, research has shown that careful management of field margins not only contributes to water protection, but can also increase biodiversity. This section details some of the ways that Syngenta is contributing to soil, water, and biodiversity conservation through sustainable intensification of agriculture.

Preserving the environment through agriculture Even if we convert all remaining land to cropland, we will not meet the future demand for food without increasing agricultural productivity. But many countries fall short of their full potential and closing the yield gap will be critical to meeting our future food needs.

Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture14 15

Preserving the environment through agriculture


Pollinators, such as bumblebees, honeybees, solitary bees and butterflies, are essential for food production, as they help a majority of food crops to flower and reproduce. These include many fruits and vegetables we eat every day. No wonder then that the provided value of the services pollinators to the global ecosystem is estimated at €153 billion per year. To boost the number of pollinating insects on farmland, Syngenta successfully launched the biodiversity project OPERATION POLLINATOR® across Europe and United States.

The program gained international recognition and has been presented in the European Parliament as a successful example of a simple method for increasing biodiversity on agricultural land in the debate on managing public goods and the new reform of the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

From 2001 to 2004 in UK, Syngenta collaborated with the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in the scientific BUZZ PROJECT to determine best methods to implement high quality habitats for pollinating insects on commercial

farms. By 2005, the first roll-out was ready with OPERATION BUMBLE BEE®. The project was a big success, and after only three years 570 growers implemented about 1,000 hectares of high quality habitat for pollinators.

OPERATION POLLINATOR creates essential habitat and food sources for pollinating insects. Growers are provided with

targeted seed mixtures and innovative crop protection use practices along with agronomic advice designed to benefit pollinators. This enables growers to cultivate pollen and nectar rich field margins on their commercial farms. The field margins implementation on the farm is practical, cost-effective and maintains farmer’s profitability. Additionally careful site planning and management of OPERATION POLLINATOR field margins can reduce soil erosion and protect valuable water resources. The project is based on independent scientific research and the progress is assessed annually by an independent scientific auditor.

OPERATION POLLINATOR importantly demonstrates that environmental sustainability and modern farming can coexist and benefit from each other, which is critical for doubling global food production by 2050. Instigated by Syngenta, OPERATION POLLINATOR is supported by multiple stakeholders, such as governmental bodies, Academia, NGO’s, food producers, beekeepers and last but not least growers.

In Europe, OPERATION POLLINATOR is already launched in 14 countries and improved biodiversity on more than 2500 farms.

Today, there are over 1,000 growers participating in OPERATION POLLINATOR, and with the linkage into the environmental stewardship subsidy scheme, growers can receive direct payments.

Italy was another early adopter of OPERATION POLLINATOR. A successful collaboration with the University of Perugia, local beekeeper associations and the Umbrian Agency for Farming Development and Innovation (ARUSIA) lead to the integration in

the rural development plan for Umbria. Since 2010, local growers receive subsidies for field margins that are planted with wildflowers and managed according to strict protocols. Training workshops and outreach programs are engaging growers, produce distributors, and growers’ associations who want to differentiate their products by participating in OPERATION POLLINATOR.

The program in Germany – known as Syngenta Bienenweide – has been taken up enthusiastically by over 900 participating growers within the first year. Bienenweide is the catalyst for forming local partnerships between beekeepers and growers, as it includes a commitment to listen to each other’s concerns and monitor the production of honey and agricultural produce. Naturschutzbund, a national environmental association, has increased positive public awareness of the project.

In France, collaboration with leading melon growers is looking at tailored habitats to attract solitary bees to improve pollination. Initial results have revealed interesting insights on how to use habitats to increase crop yield.

In Spain and in Greece, growers are planting field margins on the border of olive groves. The objective is not only

to increase landscape biodiversity and create habitat for pollinators, but also to attract beneficial arthropods.

In the US, Syngenta is collaborating with the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (Washington, DC) to expand OPERATION POLLINATOR to key horticultural areas, particularly in California, Florida, and Michigan. The aim is to improve pollination efficiency, fruit yield and quality, and the grower’s bottom line by establishing on-farm habitats for wild pollinators who will provide “free” pollination services.

Syngenta is sponsoring university research trials in the United States to evaluate region-specific native plants for pollinator preference, plant availability, maintenance requirement, longevity of plants, and grower economics. The next phase of the project, developed in cooperation with government and NGO partners such as the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation will include grower workshops and training on how to establish and maintain nectar-rich seed mixtures on farms. Outreach and education is another critical component in the program which has been championed by the National FFA (formerly Future Growers of America).

Opposite page Operation Pollinator training in Spain.

Left This seemingly simple action, performed countless times every day, is absolutely essential to agricultural production.

Below left In Germany, farmers are eager to post signs in fields that show their participation in Syngenta Bienenweide (Operation Pollinator).

Below right In Italy, articles about Operation Pollinator were placed in leading newspapers on Biodiversity Day.

OPERATIONPOLLINATOR® – Buzzing all over the world

“OPERATION POLLINATOR shows how environmental management and modern farming can be beneficial to each other to produce healthy, safe, and affordable food. We support growers with practical advice and demonstrate thought leadership towards the development of a more sustainable farming system”

Patrick Weiss, Stewardship and Sustainable Agriculture Manager

“Once the program moves to the farm, we are going to be ‘boots on the ground’, working to support the grower. We want this program to flourish and show that agriculture and biodiversity can coexist. Jeff Peters, Sustainability Technical Manager.



Syngenta’s donation funded research and restoration projects to help protect Louisiana’s coastline now and in the future, while ensuring the long-term viability of the region. Our company has been operating in the area for the past 40 years, and many Syngenta employees and their families enjoy the recreational activities along the coastline.

Scientists at the AgCenter have been developing plants and improving native species that can be established along the coast to help restore land eroded by natural events such as hurricanes. In areas of the coast damaged by the 2010 oil spill, new plant varieties will help replenish lost vegetation.

Increased saltwater intrusion is another serious problem which has led to a tremendous loss of buffering coastal marshes along the Louisiana coast. This threatens both surface and subsurface freshwater supplies of agricultural irrigation

The Fondation de la faune du Québec was created by the government of Québec to preserve wetlands and to fight land and aquatic degradation. In 2005, the Fondation initiated a project aimed at improving farm management practices to achieve better water quality and ecological biodiversity. To ensure success of the program, the regional agricultural federation and union of farmers and growers were involved in the collective effort.

The program established ten individual projects that focused on more than 500 farmers and the 650 kilometers of river running through their land. Experts analyzed the land, developed individual

water and community water supplies. The technologies being developed through the LSU AgCenter’s coastal plants program are helping to restore eroding coastlines. They are also improving the marsh saltwater buffering benefits that are so critically needed to sustain freshwater supplies to farmers.

The LSU AGCenter focused its efforts on developing new varieties of sea oat, smooth cordgrass, and bulrush. The cordgrass, for example, reproduces vegetatively rather than by seeds, and creates a strong root system that can stand up to high concentrations of salt and the pounding

of the tide. Supporting the restoration of Louisiana’s coastline is one of the ways Syngenta has contributed to preserving the quality of life in the communities which have welcomed Syngenta for many years.

farm management plans to mitigate erosion, built structures to increase fish habitat, and grew bankside strips. In addition, the project has launched extensive communication efforts via the media, newsletters and posters, educational projects for schools, and farm site tours to help spread the word about its activities. In 2011, Syngenta has also committed to an additional five-year extension of the program to help expand Foundation’s initial accomplishments. Since 2011, 30 conservation organizations have received a financial help to realize 45 projects on farmlands.

Helping to protect Louisiana’s

marshlands

Finding an equitable

ecological balance Often the best solutions come from open communication. This has proven true for a five-year biodiversity project launched by the Fondation de la faune du Québec and Syngenta which has improved dialog between farmers and wildlife profesionnals in the Canadian province of Québec. As a result, the rivers, fish, and farmlands in this region have benefited from being part of a more balanced ecosystem.

Collecting first year seed production from experimental poly cross pond.

Researchers within the LSU AgCenter Coastal Plants Program collecting Bullwhip Seed.

Left Bankside strips of Saint-Pierre region in Québec improve water quality and provide wetland habitat for wildlife.

Below The conservation of wetlands provides habitat for many species of plants, birds, mammals, fish, amphibians and numerous other life forms that rely on these habitat types for all or part of their life cycle requirements.

“This project is a good fit with our stewardship approach to environmental protection. We believe the right stewardship efforts can help prevent further damage and speed up the recovery from recent natural disasters” Ralph Caddell, Syngenta St. Gabriel Plant Manager

Protecting natural ecosystems around the world is an important part of Syngenta stewardship initiatives. In the United States, we have supported the Louisiana State University (LSU) AgCenter’s efforts to restore and protect Louisiana’s coastal marshes. These wetlands act as the state’s first line of defense against hurricanes and other disasters such as oil spills.

“We believe the program really changed ways of thinking in both the agriculture and environmental sectors in Québec. It forced these two communities to expand their dialog around a common goal to improving water quality. It’s a powerful sign when fish return to streams they abandoned long ago”

Claude Grondin, Director of Assistance Programs, Fondation de la faune du Québec.



In Europe, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has investigated recently the benefits of conservation tillage method for farmland birds as a part of the Syngenta Soil and Water Protection project (SOWAP). Using this method, weeds are controlled without plowing, leaving residue from the previous crop on the surface of the soil. This improves the availability of food, both by encouraging populations of invertebrates in the soil, and on the surface by increasing the supply of seeds from the previous harvest. The consequences are that bird populations often increase with reduced tillage because they feed on the invertebrates, rodents, weeds and weed seeds in the stubble and the soil.

Forestry regulations in Brazil specify that 20 percent to 80 percent of forestland must be maintained in relation to cultivated farmland in the same watershed. However, in the Midwest Cerrado and Amazon regions, deforestation resulted in export restrictions on grain produced on farms situated within the regions that have experienced extensive deforestation. The economic impact of the ban hurt farmers’ livelihoods, and deforestation remained an ecological challenge despite the ban.

The project members successfully negotiated a compromise with the local government. Farmers who were not following the forestry regulations could voluntarily present their

The SOWAP project showed that in Hungary, starlings and skylarks are attracted to stubble prior to spring planting in the fields, and in the UK, populations of skylarks are more abundant in winter wheat crops designated for conservation tillage. Studies have observed that their nesting period begins earlier and their breeding season lasts longer than in previous years.

In Brazil, Syngenta studies have observed that the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) is thriving in no-till corn and wheat fields. These birds nest in holes in the ground that are easily destroyed by plowing. The burrowing owl feeds on beetles and grasshoppers during the day and hunts for rodents at night.

case to the government Forestry Department. They would be given a reasonable amount of time to make their farming practices conform to forestry regulations without being penalized. In order to help farmers to resolve some of their compliance issues, Syngenta is supporting the farmers with safe use trainings and education programs. The Lucas do Rio Verde Legal Project has received environmental awards and serves as a model that is being expanded to other areas of Brazil. The positive momentum to educate farmers about deforestation is continuing – the Mato Grosso state government has put in place a similar initiative, the Mato Grosso Legal Project.

Farming for

Wildlife

Fighting deforestationwith Lucas do Rio Verde Legal

Lucas do Rio Verde, a major agricultural city of Mato Grosso state in Brazil, is an area historically affected by deforestation. In 2007, Syngenta and the Nature Conservancy (TNC), a non-government organization, co-created Lucas do Rio Verde Legal to raise awareness among local governments, farmer associations and the broader population that it is possible to grow and produce without violating the state’s forestry and labor legislation codes.

Burrowing owls are thriving in no-till fields in Brazil

Productive agriculture to feed a growing world population is critical to food security but it should not be at the expense of biodiversity. During the last few decades, wild bird populations have suffered from loss of natural habitats due to urbanization and increased crop production. Syngenta is working to reverse this trend through initiatives designed to help restore habitat and bird populations.

The results have attracted worldwide attention, and interested parties from the agriculture and economic sectors in the US, Europe, and Africa have visited the area.

Plowed

12

4

Conservationtillage

Number of Skylarks recorded per 100 hectars in UK

SOWAP Project

Left The first step of the project was the mapping of the entire Lucas do Rio Verde region. Based on the mapping, the best options for preservation of natural areas are settled.

Below Tree planting in the Brazilian Cerrado

In addition to these advantages of no-till farming for biodiversity, this approach also helps in improving soil structure and quality, besides reducing soil erosion, which is linked to improving water quality.

They also bring animal dung into their holes to attract their favorite food, dung beetles. Without no-till, this species would be restricted to the uncultivated field margins and any remaining grassland.

Examples around the world show that agricultural biodiversity can benefit through no-till farming.



Conservation tillage is a farming method that leaves some crop residue on the surface of the soil. A new crop is then planted into this stubble. This slows down the movement of water and helps the soil absorb more moisture thus reducing run off and decreasing soil erosion.

The Conservation Tillage program teaches farmers the benefits of minimum tillage as a good alternative to conventional farming methods. This practice has the advantage of reducing agricultural impact on hillside fields. The program also provides stewardship training and workshops on how to safely and effectively use crop protection products.

In a recent audit, Syngenta found that some 30% of the farmers have adopted conservation tillage. The program has received official recognition in Colombia for its contributions to environmental best practice.

To support these training efforts and make lasting contributions to agricultural stewardship in Colombia, Syngenta formed alliances several years ago with two academies as well as the Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (University of Applied and Environmental Sciences) and the Universidad del Bosque. These collaborations are working to develop new technologies which will allow producers to manage their soils in more sustainable ways.

Conservation tillage

safeguardsvaluable resourcesin Colombia

In several potato-growing regions in Colombia, erosion and environmental damage have serious impacts on the lives of thousands of families who depend on agriculture for their livelihood. To help these farmers, Syngenta is working with local partners on a Conservation Tillage Program to protect water and soil resources in the region.

Above Conservation tillage is an alternative to the traditional way of food production, which, through good practices, provides adequate soil treatment while helping to preserve resources and improve growers’ incomes.

Left Farmer community in Colombia.

Above We support the development of conservation tillage for small farmers, providing them with tools for self-care and how to proper use the natural resources.

Thanks to the program, an average of 1,400 farmers and their families are trained and certified every year in Good Agricultural Practices and the responsible handling of chemical farm products.

No-till farming is a way of growing crops without disturbing the soil. When a herbicide is used to efficiently control weeds, the weeds’ root structure stays in the soil, limiting the run-off of rainwater and soil. This helps reduce soil erosion, improve soil fertility, and reduce labor and fuel costs.

In Northern Vietnam, no-till farming has been used for growing corn on slopes. This has resulted in lower costs, higher crop yields, and increased income for local farmers.

In the Philippines, Syngenta is conducting a five-year study on the production of corn, rice, potatoes, and cabbage on five sites. Farmers’ traditional methods of hand or mechanical weed control are being compared to using no-till farming with herbicide use.

On the three sites where traditional farming methods are used, data over a four-year period shows an average loss of more than 100 tons per hectare of topsoil. In addition, the sites using traditional methods generated lower crop yields, on average.

These studies are providing evidence that no-till methods, combined with the safe and responsible use of farm chemicals, can help growers to sustainably protect the soil they farm.

Preventing soil erosion in Vietnam and Philippines

The age-old practice of turning the soil before planting a new crop is a primary cause of farmland degradation, which can lead farmers to abandon their land. Traditional tillage tools such as ploughs compact the soil surface, increasing rainfall run-off and reducing root growth. Other factors that affect soil erosion include gradient, surface residue, and soil texture. Syngenta is studying the benefit of no-till systems and the use of the herbicide GRAMOXONE® to prevent this devastating problem in Vietnam and the Philippines.

Main pictureSloping fields are susceptible to serious soil erosion.

Insert No-till farming trials in Philippines. Traditional methods are being compared to using paraquat in no-till farming.

A QuezonB BatangasC Benguet

A B C

Accumulated soil losses at three sites in Philippines over four years for both systems In tonnes/ha

Gramoxone

Traditional

103

39

82

31

110

56

Syngenta



TOPPS-prowadis explores the effectiveness of vegetative buffer strips to reduce pesticide levels in run-off; how to promote spray drift reduction technology; and how to diagnose water catchment vulnerability to surface run-off.

Vital to the success of the program is local demonstrations and training on where and when to use Best Management Practices, linking scientific research with practical advice for farmers.

The TOPPS-prowadis project is supported by a network of partners in seven European Union member states (Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, and Poland), who also cooperate in outreach efforts. The outputs of the project will help to meet EU goals for environmental protection and the provision of public goods in agro-ecological landscapes.

The HELIOSEC equipment is easily installed and managed with the help of a software program. Once it is securely in place, farmers can simply drain unused spray solution and sprayer washings into the collection receptacle. The safety enclosure around the tank prevents unwanted contact with animals or people.

Thanks to the natural action of the sun and wind, the water from the HELIOSEC waste tank evaporates over time, leaving only solid residues in a plastic liner. The software provides estimates on the approximate amount of time required for the water to evaporate under local weather conditions. The liner and residues can then be safely collected and transported to a hazardous waste disposal site.

With widespread use, farmers can reduce point source contamination which accounts for over 50% of water contamination from agrochemicals. Farmers like this concept because it is simple to install, easy to maintain and offers a pragmatic solution to a real problem. It also gives farmers a sense of acting responsibly and protecting the environment.

Protecting the quality of surface and groundwater is critical to the sustainability of farming around the world. One of the challenges farmers face is the proper disposal of residual pesticide from spray tank mixes and washings. To help farmers address this need, Syngenta France designed HELIOSEC®, a waste water collection system which offers a simple, cost-effective, and long-term solution to point source water contamination from pesticide waste water.

Agricultural practice plays a pivotal role in enhancing biodiversity and protecting natural resources in the countryside. To help farmers work toward this goal, Syngenta initiated the MARGINS (Managing Agricultural Runoff Generation into Surface Water) project which demonstrates how the field margins on farms can go from unused strips of land to thriving ecosystems.

The European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) is expanding its water stewardship activities beyond the successful TOPPS project which was completed in 2009. The new project is called TOPPS-prowadis (Protect Water from Diffuse Sources). It is a three-year initiative that started in 2011 and focuses on reducing contamination of surface water by run-off and spray drift from crop protection products. Syngenta plays a leading role in the project.

In the Lake Balaton region of Hungary field trials are combining different field margins with conventional and conservation tillage methods. The initial results of these trials show the effectiveness of field margins in reducing soil erosion, protecting waterways, and increasing biodiversity.

Vegetative field margins offer an innovative and simple way to comply with the EU’s agricultural policies

to protect clean water. The ease of implementation is a big advantage – no large investments in new equipment are required.

Beyond protecting water ways, vegetative buffer strips increase the populations of bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects; attract beneficial predators such as spiders; and provide birds with insects as a food source. When field margins are planted correctly, they

can also provide corridors of movement for mammals, preventing negative effects on gene pools when small groups of animals are isolated. Finally, with coordination and planning with local authorities, field margins can often be sited next to existing networks of hiking trails, which helps raise awareness of the general public about how care for the countryside and agricultural productivity can work together.

Multifunctional field margins deliver results

TOPPS-prowadis – united effort reduces pesticide contamination in EU

This simple but effective solution uses the sun and wind to evaporate wastewater.

The MARGINS site showing soils and water collection tanks at the field study site.

HELIOSEC has been approved by the French authorities and is being widely distributed to farms across France. Other countries, such as UK, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, and Greece are rolling out the solution in pilot projects

“Proactive management of field margins can enhance biodiversity and protect the natural resources of soil and water. This approach also allows farmers to maintain a sustainable and competitive farming system”

Romano DeVivo, Head of Sustainable Agriculture and Stewardship, EAME

SunlightEvaporation

Wind

The action of the sun and wind create the evaporation effect which is the principle of this simple tool

Good practice: no visible spray drift.

HELIOSEC® – Harnessing sun and

wind for safer waste water disposal

“It is really important to lead and engage in projects with the rest of industry and other partners, particularly those providing agricultural advisory services related to water protection. We all have a common goal: to make continuous improvements to how products are used”

Philippe Costrop, Head of Product Stewardship, Sustainable Agriculture and Stewardship, EAME

“HELIOSEC is a great tool to raise awareness with farmers about point source contamination of water from using pesticides. With this awareness, farmers gain knowledge about how to change practices. In short, farmers want tools to turn the principles of Sustainable Intensive Agriculture into practice.”

Jeremy Dyson, Sustainable Agriculture and Stewardship Manager, EAME



In the United States, Syngenta has worked for over a decade with the conservation organization Trees Forever to establish nearly 6,000 acres of buffer zones along streams in the Midwestern states of Illinois and Iowa. The Illinois Buffer Partnership launched in 2007 aims to improve water quality by establishing buffers of trees, shrubs, and grasses along streams and in wetlands in Illinois.

Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC), located in the town of Godfrey, has been one of the participants. The college developed a multi-phase Living Laboratory project to control soil erosion and protect water quality.

A small creek winds through the campus before emptying into a tributary of the Mississippi River.

The creek carries a significant amount of run-off from the campus parking lots and adjacent lawn. LCCC installed a retention pond, removed invasive species from the creek and established a small forest along the edge of the pond. The college also planted vegetation that is rooted and growing below or above the surface of the water to assist in stopping run-off.

Lewis and Clark Community College’s Living Laboratory project serves as a model for other communities to develop ways of protecting local waterways. It provides an unique learning experience about aquatic and terrestrial environments, and best practices to restore, manage, and sustain these ecosystems.

A community approach to

improving streams

and wetlands

Right Soil is added around base of transplant for extra support.

Left Worker prepares to plant young trees along the water.

Syngenta knows that protecting water quality is vital to life and works with multiple stakeholders around the world to help farmers achieve this. In the United States, Syngenta worked with the Missouri Corn Growers Association, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources on the Watershed Research Assessment and Stewardship Project (WRASP). The project aimed to improve water quality while increasing growers’ profitability.

WRASP gathered water run-off data on nutrients and pesticides at field and stream levels and determined best management practices for specific lakes in Missouri. These included grass buffer strips, split applications of crop protection products, and no-till farming tailored to specific topographies and soil types. Corn growers voluntarily adopted these best management practices, which were developed through sound science, common sense, and public outreach. As a result, run-off and soil erosion were reduced, and water quality was improved.

The project was concluded in 2005, but it continues to positively influence how the state’s corn crops are grown. Retailers, who are responsible for a large portion of pesticide application in Missouri, help educate growers on best practices and other proactive measures.

At a governmental level, both the bipartisan Missouri House Interim Committee on Water Quality and the White House Conference on

Cooperative Conservation have recognized WRASP for its unique collaborative approach to environmental stewardship.

The project has made a significant imprint on Missouri agriculture by giving growers and retailers the tools needed to develop environmentally responsible farming practices through compliance, not enforcement.

Above Sampling water runoff data.

Middle The Environmental Ressources Coalition project coordinator, measuring steamside data.

Below Elk Creek in Missouri, a popular stream for floating and fishing.

Improving water quality and grower profitability with WRASP

“Farmers will always do what’s best voluntarily, as long as they understand how. We’re trying to help them take the next step by providing a positive example for agriculture in their communities”

Rex Martin, Syngenta Head of Industry Relations

MORE THAN:

468 projects and demonstration sites

7,918 acres of riparian buffers and conservation plantings

158 miles of streams protected

1,746,995 trees and shrubs planted

3,017 landowners and volunteers involved

59,167 volunteer hours recorded


We carry out regular assessments of how farmers around the world are using our products and use this information to create safety training courses. We work with local partners to offer these courses to farmers and to trainers who will multiply the messages. In 2010, 4.3 million farmers were trained by Syngenta in safe use practices,

in addition to 3.9 million in 2009, and 2.4 million in 2008. In order make our up-to-date safety training materials available to as many people as possible, the materials are offered free of charge in both high and low bandwidth versions on our website (www.stewardshipcommunity.com).

Safe use of our productsThose who apply pesticides have the greatest potential exposure to them. If the products are used according to their instructions, exposure of the applicators will remain within safe limits. But how can we make sure that this happens?

Safe use of our products


“Pequeño Agricultor Syngenta” (PAS), or the “ Syngenta Small Farmer” program, was launched in 2001 by Syngenta to provide training support for farmers across the Latin America North (LAN) region. The PAS program is a collaborative effort between Syngenta, government entities, NGOs, and labor associations.

During the development phase of PAS, Syngenta gathered input from farmers to better understand their needs. Farmers in this region are dependent on growing subsistence crops such as potatoes, which are an important source of income as well as a mainstay of farmers’ daily diet. Farmers are receptive to learning about new tools and practices to increase their crop yields and improve their livelihoods.

Based on this research, Syngenta created a training curriculum that explains the social, economic, health, and environmental benefits of using sustainable agriculture. Farmers receive basic training on obtaining and sowing the best seeds, safe and effective use of crop protection products, better agricultural practices, and proper commercialization of harvests. PAS also teaches the safe and responsible use of pest control products, so that both farmers and the environment are well protected.

All PAS training personnel have received certification and endorsement from local authorities. In Colombia, PAS fully complies with legislation on crop protection products, and the program team actively cooperates with local authorities.

Annual audits are performed by institutions of higher learning to examine the adoption rate and overall effectiveness of PAS. This audit process helps to measure the social and economic benefits of adopting good agricultural practices. Syngenta is the first company in ACC to measure the impact of its outreach efforts on technology transfer, training on crop issues, and good agricultural practice.

The audits show a positive 70% adoption rate for PAS in the LAN region. The annual audits provide valuable feedback about the impact and penetration rate of PAS, and also build credibility about the program with authorities and within farming communities.

From 2001 to 2011, PAS has provided training in agricultural practices for more than 350,000 farmers in LAN.

Main image PPE demonstration for potatoes farmers in Andean region.

Below left Syngenta working together with potatoes growers in Ecuador.

Below right Training growers during the PAS program in Colombia.

Collaborative effort

benefits LAN farmers

A Guatemala E PeruB Nicaragua F VenezuelaC Costa Rica G ColombiaD Ecuador

A Guatemala D EcuadorB Nicaragua E PeruC Costa Rica F Colombia

A B C D E F

Number of farmers currently participating in the program

31,778

G

151,000

4,889

11,582

15,144

89,246

50,318

A B C D E F

Number of farmers currently participating in the program

160,000

20,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

0

Syngenta

“We have had a partnership with Syngenta for a number of years. When business, government, and institutions of higher learning work together, the whole country benefits”Luis Arias, Secretary of Agriculture, Department of Boyacá, Colombia



Product Plus provides a variety of learning tools, from detailed technical manuals to special workshops, to help farmers learn how to buy tools such as the right nozzles and to use them safely and efficiently.

Correct application of pesticides is crucial to ensuring personal safety and achieving high-yield, marketable crops. The SPRAY AWARDS competition is open to all growers and applicators that use best spraying practices, regardless of the size of their operation or the methods they use to spray.

After reviewing the award entries and creating a shortlist of finalists, the SPRAY AWARDS judges conduct on-farm visits. They base their decision on application techniques, record keeping and storage practices, and demonstrated understanding of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles. The winners receive a study trip to the UK to build their knowledge and to meet with global experts.

Armed with the right tools and information, farmers are making the best choices to ensure good agricultural practice.

The local stewardship team assists the National Agro-Tech Extension Service Center of Ministry of Agriculture (NATESC) with training projects in over 20 provinces. Some 200 million farmers have received training since the program was launched in 2000. Close to 10,000 guides, 8,000 sets of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and over 5,000 safe use posters are distributed annually.

The stewardship program also provides Adverse Health Incidents (AHI) monitoring via third party agencies. Specialists in poisoning treatment share their knowledge with rural doctors. They identify potential problems, document products involved in health incidents, prevent misuse of crop protection products, and

Rapid population growth in China, accompanied by a greater attention to healthy eating within an increasingly affluent society, has prompted the Chinese government to make food safety a top priority. Syngenta supports this goal with its “Stewardship Powerhouse” initiative, which educates farmers on the effective, responsible, and safe use of crop protection products.

To achieve abundant, healthy crops, farmers must choose the right tools and understand how to correctly use them. Product Plus is a Syngenta initiative to help Australian farmers make well-informed purchasing decisions. It includes an annual program called the SPRAY AWARDS® to promote best spraying practices.

A one-stop resource for environmental stewardship

Stewardship Powerhouse delivers improved food safety in China

Know-how grows productivity for Australia’s farmers

Insert Farmer using PPE after understanding what are its benefits in the training sessions.

Main image Improved practices of trained farmers also help protect the environment.

The 2009 winner Darren Schreurs and his Housham Self Propelled Spray Rig.

The Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM) was established in the US state of North Carolina in 1991 as part of the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program. Syngenta’s sustaining industry membership helped establish the Center in 1991, and our relationship with CIPM continues to be strong.

CIPM fosters the development and implementation of pest management programs based on a high level of knowledge of pest biology coupled with pest monitoring tools and pest control technology. CIPM focuses on the evaluation of emerging technologies, information management and dissemination, environmental stewardship, the estimation of economic consequences, and resistance management tools and systems.

In 2004, Syngenta approached CIPM with an idea for a national pesticide environmental stewardship website. CIPM has managed this project through years of partnership building and content development, culminating in the public release of the Pesticide Environment Stewardship (PES) website in 2010 (http://pesticidestewardship.org). Syngenta has been a major partner in providing technical and financial support.

The ultimate goal of PES is to be a one-stop site for basic pesticide stewardship information, educational quizzes, and self-assessment tools, to help foster critical thinking and develop decision-making skills in an Integrated Pest Management framework.

PES content development is coordinated by Wayne Buhler of North Carolina State University and other Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinators from around the US. The project is supported by a

growing list of partners that includes universities, government agencies, companies, professional societies, and organizations that specialize in some aspect of stewardship. The site has continued to expand with topics such as Resistance Management, Worker Protection, and Transportation, as well as learning tools.

determine the best treatment in case of accidents. Thanks to the stewardship program, more than 7,000 doctors have been trained.

The Powerhouse members collaborate with the Center for Agri-food Quality & Safety to train food safety auditors and improve safe use and good agriculture practice. To date, over 3,000 food safety auditors have participated in the sessions.

The governmental project “Direct Farm to Supermarket” seeks to improve the food safety of fresh products in supermarkets. Syngenta is providing Integrated Pest Management training to suppliers of major fresh food retailers.

Syngenta China has been leading and working closely with the stewardship committee of CropLife China. Since 2003, this association has initiated numerous stewardship projects around topics such as pest management and empty container disposal. CropLife China and Syngenta are also involved in an ongoing secure storage education project with NATESC and the World Health Organization. To date, over 2,500 farmers have received this training.

In 2010, the model of the Stewardship Powerhouse is recognized by CropLife Asia as the best practical model on stewardship activities. The stewardship committee, which is led by Syngenta in CropLife China, singled it out as one of the two best models in the region.

“Quality product is just the first step to good results. Product Plus provides applicators with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to optimize their spray performance while minimizing potential risks”

Jason Sabeeney, Solutions Development Manager and lead judge for the Syngenta SPRAY Awards

www.pesticidestewardship.org

“It is important to teach basic pesticide stewardship skills to everyone, regardless of what company’s product is being used”

Carol Somody, Senior Stewardship Manager and PES Industry Coordinator.


35 Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture34

Helping doctorsoffer first-line assistance

Left Felipe Imhoff, a toxicologist from TAS.

Below The TAS team.

One of the main objectives of Syngenta’s stewardship practice is to ensure that pest control products are safely and responsibly used to prevent poisoning. In the case of accidental mishandling, it is crucial to have response measures in place, and Syngenta has developed training programs to help local doctors effectively respond to pesticide poisoning. In Argentina, Syngenta’s Product Stewardship team discovered a serious lack of medical support for pesticide poisoning and no national reporting structure for tracking these cases. They responded with an action plan that involved local partners.

Despite the widespread availability of PPE in Brazil and research that clearly showed the benefits of using PPE, there are still farmers who do not realize the safety benefits of using it in their daily work. To further increase the use of PPE, Syngenta Brazil launched an awareness-building project in 2009.

The key to success was motivating the distributors to increase their outreach efforts around PPE. Distributors play a key role in providing safe handling information and promoting the safety benefits of PPE. Therefore, when Syngenta agreed yearly sales targets for agrochemical products

Distributors work to achieve sales and safety

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) acts as a helpful barrier between a chemical product, such as a pesticide, and the person who is handling or applying it. Syngenta promotes the use of PPE in its stewardship initiatives for safe and responsible use of agrochemical products. In 1989, Syngenta developed some new PPE made with tropical cotton as a solution for farmers who work in Brazil’s hot and humid climate. This PPE has been sold by Syngenta´s distributors in Brazil as well as other Brazilian agrochemical companies and is also used in other parts of the world. The goal of the site (www.

stewardshipcommunity.com) is to promote the effective and efficient use of pesticides for the improvement of agricultural production and the wellbeing of farmers and the environment.

The site provides a forum for farmers, growers, government agencies, non-governmental organizations, agronomists, agricultural trainers, researchers, professionals, industry, and media and comprises different sections that seed discussion and learning on agricultural practice.

The most popular section has been “Best Spraying Practices” which offers practical, how-to information on safely using pesticides, proper sprayer and nozzle maintenance, and the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Its popularity has prompted the development of a satellite site to deal specifically with matters of pesticide use by smallholder growers. As well as offering traditional content sections, the new site, “Pesticidewise” will support the user as she interprets her pesticide label, makes decisions and acts on the information. It will explain how her actions will make a difference to the environment, provide tools to enable her to calculate her mixing quantities, select the right nozzle size and calibrate her knapsack sprayer. Videos will show her how to spray and what spray

distributions to achieve and much more. The site aims to take each person at the level of their expertise in knapsack spraying practices and move them at least one step forward.

The Pesticidewise site will be optimized to be user-friendly and equivalent content will be delivered depending on the combination of the screen size and bandwidth of the equipment used to access it. With the development of a personalized area, our user will be able to log into her own records whether working in the field, in the home or elsewhere; providing a convenient way to access her information on pesticide use or instantly access the weather and spray conditions in her region.

The Stewardship Community team is looking into developing further sites under the Stewardship Community umbrella which might include horticultural spraying and seed treatment. The team aspires that as well as being a tool in which to discuss stewardship, the site will also become a set of extremely valuable tools through which to conduct Stewardship.

Working together to promote safe and effective use

To encourage the safe and effective use of crop protection products, Syngenta has developed a Stewardship Community website in collaboration with the Inter Region Economic Network (IREN), a leading African think tank that promotes ideas and strategies geared towards improving living standards in Africa.

www.stewardship-community.com

with its distributors, the parties also agreed sales targets for PPE. In addition, the Syngenta sales teams and the distributors received training about the importance of PPE and instructions on how it should be used by farmers. Equipped with training and motivated by sales targets, the distributors took a proactive approach to educate their customers. The message that PPE offers an easy-to-use way to safely apply agrochemical products is well received by farmers who increasingly purchase PPE simultaneously with buying agrochemical products.

Environment, and Quality (HSEQ) recording system that allows doctors to record each case and add specific details about the incident. Doctors and Syngenta can monitor pesticide poisoning and continue to improve this stewardship endeavor.

Syngenta has implemented similar medical training programs in China, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. The response from local medical communities is positive. In Thailand, doctors from 44 hospitals attended the training sessions. In China, more than 3,500 doctors have been trained throughout the country.

The Stewardship team contacted the Centro Toxicológico de Rosario (TAS), a specialized toxicology center, and collaborated to create a medical training program. TAS was enthusiastic about the project and provided experts to conduct the training sessions. They also created a tracking system that enables doctors to record and monitor poisoning cases.

The courses focus on the safe use of chemicals, poisoning symptoms, the causes and consequences of poisoning, as well as useful toxicology information. Over the past seven years, over 2000 doctors in 18 provinces have completed the training courses.

For ongoing tracking of poisoning cases, there is a special form on the Syngenta global Health, Safety,

“The training project covers appropriate medical practice, which will help to reduce the number and severity of incidents over time” Francisco Aphalo, Manager, Centro Toxicológico de Rosario TAS, Argentina

PPE – Personal Protective Equipment made of Cotton, fundamental for tropical climates.



Thousands of small farmers in the countries of Latin America North (LAN) rely on Syngenta’s crop protection products. In 2001, “Stewardship for Life”, an educational outreach and medical assistance program, was launched in the LAN region. Working with a network of collaborative partners, Syngenta is helping farmers to safely and responsibly use its products for sustainable agriculture.

During the planning phase of the program, two major challenges needed to be addressed. The first one was how to reach farmers in remote locations and maintain continuous communication at both national and international levels. The second was making sure the program addressed the wide range of socio-cultural characteristics of the farmers in the LAN region.

To develop a program that is ideally suited to the farmers’ needs, Syngenta formed cooperative alliances with ministries of health, educational institutions, and medical personnel throughout LAN. These trusted

partnerships have enabled our specialists to provide follow-up assistance

that is culturally appropriate and easily accessible, despite great geographical distances.

Part of the program is the Syngenta Medical Network, a 24-hour telephone hotline staffed by medical specialists, providing instruction on first aid and follow-up treatment. They also give support through toxicological centers located throughout LAN, which provide free toxicological care, 24 hours a day.

To ensure coverage throughout the LAN countries, over 11,000 physicians and paramedics at more than 4,000 hospitals and medical centers have received toxicology training. The Stewardship for Life program has trained over 360,000 farmers in the safe handling of pest control products.

Working closely to create a medical support network

stewardship for life medical network in LAN region

Team from University of Antioquia, a collaborative partner.

Customer input played an important role in developing S- PROTEC. Syngenta tested protective materials and found that polyethylene was the most resistant material for all major classes of products (insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides) and formulation types. A specialist manufacturer of professional aprons produced the first prototypes, and these were evaluated by farmers. The aprons’ manufacturing and product specifications strictly complied with all regulatory requirements.

S- PROTEC is linked to a broader Syngenta safe product handling initiative. The improved ergonomic design of S-PAC® containers help to reduce exposure to agrochemicals. A hard-to-remove seal was eliminated and an “anti-glug” mechanism (think of the sound of liquids being poured from a full container) was invented to prevent splashing during pouring.

Syngenta has tried to make this PPE as affordable as possible. In most markets, it is offered at a bottom-range price. There is also a seven-minute training DVD that explains important potential points of exposure to agrochemicals (eyes, mouth, skin, and respiratory tract) and how S- PROTEC helps to minimize risks during the mixing and loading phase. Proactive collaboration with distributors is essential to the success of S- PROTEC, as distributors have direct contact with farmers and influence how they work on a daily basis.

ChemCert trains around 10,000 growers and chemical users each year in the safe and responsible handling of crop protection products. Well-trained operators are able to more effectively control pests and reduce any adverse effects to people or the environment.

Syngenta works closely with ChemCert to make sure that their trainers have the most up-to-date information about its products and good agricultural practice. SPRAY.SEED®, one of Syngenta’s herbicide products, is included in the training course for growers. SPRAY.SEED has specific storage, handling, and spraying requirements, so ChemCert’s instructors must have a solid understanding of the product so they can thoroughly explain its use.

Peter Arkle, Stewardship Manager Syngenta Australia and Trevor Klein, a technical expert, provide training workshops on SPRAY.SEED to members of the ChemCert training team. These “training for trainers” sessions offer a practical and technical overview of the product. The ChemCert trainers are instructed in the safe handling, use, and storage of SPRAY.SEED, as well as effective resistance management strategies. The workshop includes discussion periods where participants ask questions and learn how to best explain the product.

At the end of the session, the ChemCert trainers are well prepared to educate others about SPRAY.SEED. They integrate this know-how in their training certification classes, so every student who is trained by ChemCert will learn how to use SPRAY.SEED.

Syngenta’s partnership with ChemCert has created a “ripple effect” of learning that is proving to be a successful way to broadly communicate safe handling practices to Australia’s agricultural sector.

Training the trainers S-protec®: a collaborative effort for improved safety

Fifteen minutes. That’s about how long it takes growers to mix and load plant protection products into their equipment for spraying the fields. Yet during this brief period, growers potentially have a high risk of exposure because they are working with undiluted, concentrated agrochemicals. In response, Syngenta developed S- PROTEC®, a reusable polyethylene apron with long sleeves that covers the front of the body and is open at the back. This Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) offers an effective and affordable way for farmers to safely use our products.

ChemCert Australia, an industry training and accreditation organization, is a key partner in Syngenta’s stewardship initiatives to inform growers about the correct use of crop protection products. The ChemCert training programs provide participants with the knowledge and skills to achieve established national industry competencies, ensuring that chemical products are used safely, accurately, and efficiently.

“Syngenta is always working to improve safety, and our R&D has resulted in better crop protection products with a better profile for the environment and personal safety”

Isabelle Delpuech, Stewardship Manager for Operator Safety, France

Central America Andean Caribbean

The participants are encouraged to write their questions on sticky notes.

A farmer in France demonstrates the use of the S-protec apron, gloves and face shield.

“The Syngenta Medical Network is a tool that allows us to communicate and provide care in specific toxicological cases, as well as update case management standards.” Myriam Gutiérrez, Director of Toxicology Department of the National University of Colombia



Always read and follow label directions before buying or using a pesticide. Follow all appropriate federal, state, and local regulations.

50 Ways to Treat Your PesticideWhether herbicide, fungicide, or insecticide,

make sure you know the basics.Every year, millions of farmers receive training from Syngenta in stewardship and responsible use of our products. To be sure this training has a lasting impact, and to improve our stewardship programs, Syngenta conducted a survey to understand better the results of our stewardship efforts on the safe use of Crop Protection Products (CPP).

Syngenta partnered with a market research firm to conduct a survey that targeted smallholder farmers who spray CPPs. They were questioned about the training they received, how they used CPPs, any related health issues, and their understanding of the benefits of CPPs. Over a five-year period, 13,111 farmers were interviewed in 33 countries.

The good news: the majority (over 70 percent) of all respondents did not have adverse health effects from using CPPs manufactured by Syngenta or its competitors.

Proper disposal of empty pesticide containers is an important part of the product lifecycle, but farmers are often unaware of the related risks to themselves and the environment. What does it take to build awareness about the safe disposal of throwaways?

Syngenta Turkey discovered that it requires careful planning, partnering with distributors... and meetings at the local coffee shop. Despite EU safety directives being translated to Turkish, farmers routinely throw away, bury or burn empty plastic pesticide containers.

The foundation of the waste package collection program in Turkey was education. Working with packaging distributors, Syngenta organized information sessions in coffee shops, where farmers tend to congregate at the end of the day. Over a three-and- a-half month period, the Syngenta team made presentations to 10,000 tobacco growers. They explained how to dispose of empty containers, general operator safety, and environmental responsibility.

The team created a pilot collection program for 15 villages in a tobacco-growing region. Empty pesticide containers were gathered from small, family-run farms and brought to collection points. A specially-certified company incinerated the waste. Over 8,000 empty containers were collected from 1,000 participating growers.

The program is welcomed by local agents for large purchasers of tobacco, who want residue-free tobacco, and are eager to demonstrate environmental responsibility.

In Greece, Syngenta’s Regulatory Affairs and Stewardship team saw that packaging disposal needed to be improved. They saw this as an opportunity for good stewardship to support newly adopted regulations for sustainable use. They found the right partner for a pilot program: the product distributor Signia, which has strong relationships with

local authorities and farmers, including an enthusiastic group of 150 kiwi growers.

Education was an important first step. The farmers expressed real interest in Syngenta’s waste package collection program and how it is linked to product stewardship and sustainable agriculture. Close cooperation with local mayors was essential to the program’s success. They supported the initiative, let Syngenta use their facilities for training sessions, and helped select the best locations for the collection bins.

Over 150 kilos of plastic containers were collected, and after a triple-rinsing technique to remove residues, the plastic was recycled. The program is being expanded to other regions with more distributors participating.

Partnering with NACAA for stewardship education

Teaming up to tackle the problem of throwaways

Turning farmers’ input into improved training

To expand our educational outreach on pesticide stewardship in the United States, Syngenta partners with the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA), a professional improvement association for county agents who are employed by the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) throughout the country. CES is a partnership of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, an agency within the US Department of Agriculture, the 109 land-grant universities, and more than 3,000 county offices.

The value of CES is well- known throughout in the US and provides practical, research-based information to agricultural producers, business owners, and consumers. Syngenta supports professional development efforts for county agents through NACAA and recognizes the key role of county agents in a wide variety of educational efforts, including promoting good stewardship. CES is very successful because it operates at the local level. County agents provide educational outreach on topics ranging from agriculture, home gardening, and natural resource conservation, to the 4-H youth development program (Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, with more than 6 million participating youth).

“Reputation is important in Turkey – growers and distributors want to partner with an environmentally responsible company. It feels good to be part of the team helping them”Necdet Ongen, Registration and Government Relations, Turkey

To emphasize the importance of the safe and responsible use of pesticides by both rural and urban pesticide users, Syngenta and NACAA partnered in 2010 on a pesticide stewardship education brochure. “50 Ways to Treat Your Pesticide” describes general principles of pesticide stewardship, from purchase through use and disposal, regardless of whether of the pesticide is an herbicide, fungicide, or insecticide. Since the brochure is not specific to a particular company, product, or region, it can be used for widespread training on basic principles.

The brochure is being used for pesticide stewardship education in the US by county agents, departments of agriculture, Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinators, Syngenta employees, and non-profit stewardship organizations. Target audiences range from commercial growers of agronomic and horticultural crops, to homeowners applying pesticides to their lawns and vegetable gardens.

The brochure can be downloaded in English or Spanish from three websites:

National Association of County Agricultural Agents: www.nacaa.com

Syngenta Environmental Stewardship: www.syngentacropprotection.com/ Env_Stewardship

Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (PES): www.pesticidestewardship.org

Some additional findings from the study:

• not wearing Pesticide Protective Equipment (PPE) was NOT a strong indicator of adverse incidents;

• confident, well-trained sprayers were less likely to have an adverse incident; and

• the vast majority of incidents were minor, with only about 2 percent of all incidents falling in the category of “very serious”.

Syngenta found that farmers value the training and that it has a positive impact on safe behavior. Farmers with recent training reported fewer health incidents, and they used the information in their daily activities. For example,

• 98 percent of Bangladeshi sprayers said they took a shower after spraying; and

• 83 percent remembered to keep pesticides away from children.

Most respondents were using best practices such as washing after spraying, not using leaky equipment or pouring CPPs into other containers, and properly cleaning nozzles.

The survey also helped identify areas for improvement in different countries. For example, there was minimal use of foot protection in rice-growing countries. Syngenta will use this input to expand and revise its stewardship training programs.

“Overall, most small-scale users of pesticides had a working knowledge of the requirements of safe use and a high proportion of them were able to achieve this as indicated by the low numbers of incidents affecting their health”

Dr. Graham Mathews, Emeritus Professor of Pest Management at Imperial College London

Countries where survey was conducted

The Greek collection bin for empty pesticide containers.

Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture40 41

Exhaustive testing shows that none of our products, when used as recommended, pose a threat to consumers. Stringent trading standards are set and tested for. The residue levels in these standards reflect the normal use of our products in the crop and are orders of magnitude below any levels that could cause negative effects.

We train farmers around the world and work with food processors to make sure that agreed-upon quality standards are met, so that consumers receive healthy and wholesome food. This also opens markets for farmers in developing rural areas since they are able to meet the quality standards of buyers.

Providing consumers with

healthy, high quality foodNot only is the demand for a variety of quality foods growing, but consumers want to be assured about the safety of what they consume. How can we assure them that their food is safe and wholesome?

Providing consumers with healthy, high quality food

42 Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture Syngenta contribution to responsible agriculture 43

Quality crops open doors to global market

Using crop protection products ensures healthy, high quality crops, but may also result in trace amounts of residues on food. To ensure consumer safety, regulatory bodies set Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs), the maximum amount of residue legally permitted to remain on a food. These limits are based on tested values on crops grown under local farming conditions. However, MRLs may vary in different countries for a particular crop, depending on where it is grown and local disease and pest factors. For growers in some regions, the difference between the MRLs of where the crop is grown and where the crop is consumed can create trade barriers for their produce.

Using grapes destined for wine production as a pilot project, Syngenta partnered with local grape growers in Piedmont, the well-known Fontanafredda vineyard, and Torino University to develop an integrated farm management project in Fontanafredda. This included a wide range of sustainable management practices such as Integrated Pest Management, waste disposal, and application technologies. One of the outcomes of the collaboration was the Vignetico protocol.

Protocols are guidelines established by supermarkets and other organizations to guide growers on which crop protection treatments can be applied, and when. For example, they lay out an integrated and sustainable approach to producing quality produce with low or no detectable agrochemical residues in the final product. Protocols are popular with consumers and distribution partners because they provide an assurance of food quality and safety.

Grapes grown using the Vignetico protocol are sold at a price 20 percent above average, providing an attractive incentive for growers. Wine producers are also able to brand their products as Vignetico-certified, allowing them to stand out in the marketplace.

The local Syngenta team is further strengthening relationships with Eataly and Slow Foods’ University of Gastronomic Science through open dialogue. The University, founded in 2004,is an international research and education center focusing on renewing traditional farming methods, protecting biodiversity, and building an organic relationship between gastronomy and agricultural science. Recently, students visited Syngenta’s facility in Stein, Switzerland and there are future plans for a joint workshop on sustainable agriculture.

By collaborating with all the players in the value chain – from growers to processors to distributors – this innovative approach is differentiating Syngenta from generic competition and helping to build important partnerships.

Collaborating with all players in the value chain

Inspired by the “Slow Food” movement, which promotes traditional and regional sustainable agriculture, entrepreneurs in Piedmont launched a gourmet chain of supermarkets in Italy and abroad known as “Eataly”. The idea was to unite small scale producers to sell quality fruits, vegetables, pasta, wine, and other foods at fair prices. The local Syngenta Crop Protection team recognized the need for a fresh solution that could combine traditional agriculture with new technologies to provide the quantity and quality in demand.

Right Italian Application Technology Team in Fontanafredda measuring the quality of crop protection application with Tracer, which is a Syngenta technology.

Above Farmer and Syngenta expert in a coffee field.

Left Coffee berries, which contain the coffee seed.

Value of coffee export from Brazil in 2009

$0.8 billionGermany

21%

World$3.8 billion

100%

$0.3 billionJapan

8%

$0.7 billionUSA

18%

UN Comtrade

Brazil is a major exporter of coffee to countries such as Germany, the US, and Japan, all of which have strict MRLs on coffee beans. Thanks to Syngenta, Brazilian farmers are well informed about these limits and are using our best practice recommendations to cultivate coffee beans that meet the required high standards for quality and safety.

“We appreciate the openness of the Syngenta team in sharing knowledge and experience”A. Grasso, agronomist, Farmer Production Director of Fontanafredda vineyards

Syngenta is helping Brazilian farmers to meet the global market high standards in different crops such as coffee.

To help open markets for growers, Syngenta has a worldwide team working to align residue recommendations and MRLs. Residues are measured in samples taken from supervised trials that simulate the recommended use of a crop protection product for a specific crop based on the number and timing of applications and the crop’s harvest schedule. Pest and disease patterns vary around the world, and this is factored into spraying and pest control recommendations as well.

The MRL data is provided to growers, along with best practice recommendations on the effective and responsible use of farm chemicals. This information is helping farmers to use pesticides in a manner consistent with residue regulations, while gaining better access for their produce in the global market.



Today’s quality-conscious consumers choose food according to taste and appearance, but they also place a high priority on safety issues. One of the greatest threats to global food safety is mycotoxins. These toxic contaminates are produced by molds and fungal infections in crops and may affect up to 25 percent of all grains.

Safeguarding the food chain

QUALIMETRE has been used to accurately forecast mycotoxins levels in 4.5 million hectares of wheat and corn prior to harvest.

To minimize the risk from mycotoxins to consumers, Syngenta has developed strategies employing Good Agricultural Practice, Integrated Pest Management, crop rotation, and safe storage. Syngenta has also designed a crop assessment tool to help farmers determine the safety of their produce.

Stringent regulations ensure that mycotoxins in fresh and processed food supplies are limited to safe levels. However, few reliable analytical methods for predicting if a crop is susceptible to mycotoxins contamination exist.

Syngenta’s QUALIMETRE® system is an easy to use, online tool which enables farmers to predict the risk of mycotoxins affecting their corn and wheat. This tool is current running in France and Italy.

QUALIMETRE assesses risk based on local agronomic data and extended weather information and forecasts. Predictions enable farmers to effectively choose the products and time of the application for fungicides on wheat and to anticipate the corn harvest if mycotoxins levels are predicted high.

A recent monitoring report published by European Food Safety Authorities (EFSA) showed that consumer exposure to pesticide residues is very low. Of 70,000 analyzed samples, 60 percent had no detectable residues (at an analytical detection limit of 0.01mg/kg). Only 3,5 percent of the samples exceeded the Maximum Residue Level (MRL), the amount of residue legally permitted to remain on a crop following the use of a crop protection chemical according to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP). MRLs are set to ensure safety of consumers, but they are not safety limits since an MRL exceedance does not imply that there is a risk to consumers.

Syngenta’s initiative focuses on supporting GAP at the grower level, to make sure farmers understand the importance of following pesticide label requirements. Farmers also learn how to use proper spraying techniques for better coverage and to minimize drift, as well as how to apply disease prediction

models and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to reduce the use of chemical treatments without increasing the risk of resistance development.

Syngenta has a number of tools that it uses to help growers including websites with summaries of its residue trials data for key products, MRL information and trade statistics. This information helps growers understand how they can meet food distributors’ secondary standards and be aware of the MRLs of potential export markets. As a result, consumers have access to a variety of healthy, safe foods while growers are able to earn a better living from agriculture.

Strengthening the link between growers and the food chain

The food industry reacted to consumer concerns about food safety by establishing secondary standards on pesticide residues in agricultural commodities. These requirements on residue levels are well below the existing legal levels, but growers must comply with them if they wish to supply these food companies with produce. Yet farmers also need to use crop protection to produce reliable quantities of healthy, marketable food. Syngenta is developing a responsible residue management program to align the food chains’ standards with growers’ crop protection needs.

Syngenta’s educational outreach effort focuses on building understanding about Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). This is the amount of residue legally permitted to remain on a particular food that has been treated with a crop protection chemical

according to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP). Many pesticides leave no trace in food—around 70 percent of our food is completely free of detectable residues. Where they do occur, the Government’s regulatory systems ensure that they do not pose a risk to health. MRLs function as enforcable standards which facilitate international trade.

The Syngenta team in Poland brainstormed to develop a conference that gathered company experts from the EAME (Europe, Africa, and the Middle East) region and Syngenta’s Research and Development center in the UK. Their role was to provide a comprehensive explanation of MRLs and to answer questions from the conference participants, which included members of the food processing industry and journalists from the agricultural press.

This educational approach has been well received, and will help food processing stakeholders and the media to provide consumers with a clearer understanding of MRLs and food safety. Syngenta is continuing these efforts to share accurate information that enables people to feel well informed and safe about the food they eat.

Sharing the facts on food safety

Consumers worldwide are increasingly concerned about food safety and quality. Some of this concern is focused on the possibility of residues from crop protection products lingering on food. This impacts the entire food chain, from growers to retailers. Syngenta is responding with awareness-building efforts to transparently address the issue of food safety both within the company and among external stakeholders and the media.

Syngenta is helping growers to meet the challenge of the food chain industry secondary standards.

Wheat plantation

Syngenta MRL’s team

“The idea behind the conference was excellent. Syngenta is the first company that addressed the topic of MRLs in a comprehensive way”

Emilia Mochort, Farm Frites, Poland

00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

Generic decline curve from the residue reduction

1

PHI (days)3 7 14

Syngenta

French states, where the mycotoxin prediction for wheat and maize is been covered.



Cocoa is one of the most important cash crops grown in Cameroon, predominantly by smallholder farmers. Despite global demand, it is often difficult for them to earn decent incomes. Pest and disease cause 40 percent of yield loss in cocoa farms in Cameroon. Too often the crop that is harvested is of low quality and cannot be sold to cocoa traders. Other times the market price is low, which decreases profits.

Identifying an opportunity to help, Syngenta launched the CAMCOA 300® program in Cameroon in 2010. To be most effective, Syngenta partnered with smallholder cooperatives, government agencies, and cocoa traders and NGO’s to train farmers in good agricultural practices so they can improve the quality and quantity of cocoa beans they grow. This is an important step in providing better quality cocoa to consumers.

Education is a key part of the program. The CAMCOA team shares information about pest and disease control, maintenance of farms and care of cocoa beans after harvesting. Another aspect of the project shares knowledge about entrepreneurship, accounting, and savings, so farmers can operate as successful businesses. Thanks to local research organization, Syngenta will distribute pods to cooperatives in order to create nurseries and improve the renewal of cocoa field.

Syngenta also helps farmers build stronger links with the supply chain so farmers are able to sell their crop. Equally important is proper storage and handling of cocoa before it is sold. Infrastructure, such as warehouses, ensures that farmers can sell their crop at the best market prices.

To date, over 2000 growers have participated in the workshops, and a total of 6,000 growers are scheduled to complete training by end-2013. CAMCOA is on-track with the aim of increasing farmers’ yields by 40 percent and producing consistently high quality cocoa beans. The ability to produce and sell quality cocoa is improving farmers’ financial security and way of life.

Helping cocoa farmers grow better crops – and profits

Crop protection products play a vital role in securing a stable and reliable supply of food, fuel, fiber, and feed but they must be used sustainably to safeguard the environment and consumers. Syngenta launched the “Safe and Sustainable Production in Horticultural Crops” project to provide farmers with safe use training and practical advice on sustainable agriculture. Farmers learn how to safely and effectively use chemical products on the farm by participating in training sessions, field days, and demonstrations. This has helped farmers avoid overtreatment of crops due to poor application practices or over use of pesticides. It also helps farmers recognize the dangers of using substandard products.

The training is organized into three modules covering a full range of topics, from waste container management to Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs), application technology and Pre Harvest Intervals (PHIs). Each session is limited to 30 farmers to ensure a quality learning experience, where people can ask questions and discuss topics in sufficient detail. Participants receive personal protective equipment, such as gloves and masks, as well as handbooks on the safe use of pesticides.

Syngenta has partnered with Kasetsart University’s Research and Development Institute to assess the training and conduct pre and post-training surveys and observation. The Institute is a leading partner in the development of Thailand’s GAP systems and standards, and Syngenta’s training protocol adheres to these GAP principles. Farmers who receive the training can benefit from greater access to export opportunities and the higher income that comes from global sales of their produce.

Above Okra farmers engrossed in Syngenta’s sustainable agriculture and safe use training.

Middle Syngenta’s project in Thailand helps bridge the gap towards GAP compliance.

Below National Thai GAP standard under development.

Cocoa is grown in several areas but production is concentrated in West Africa, specifically Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon, which together represent more than 70 percent of world cocoa production.

Sustainable agricultural training boost Thai farmers’ success

To date, farmers growing okra and asparagus have participated in this project. Based on farmers’ positive response to the program, the sustainable agricultural training will now be extended to farmers growing sweet corn.

“The CAMCOA project will help us to commercialize our efforts by creating a link between traders and farmers. The training about savings will enable farmers to invest in their cocoa trees, and Syngenta training brings us the knowledge we need in order to protect our culture”

Stephen Nkwen, a cocoa grower.





Project spanning multiple countries

Project with global reach

Project spanning multiple European countries

Project spanning Central America, Andean and Caribbean countries


Our contribution to Responsible Agriculture around the world

All the stewardship and community engagement case studies featured in this brochure are illustrated on the map. The map shows the location and topic area of each case study (engagement with communities, preserving the environment through agriculture, safe use of our products and providing consumers with healthy, high quality food).

© 2013 Syngenta International AG, Global Stewardship, Basel, Switzerland. All rights reserved.

Edition: April, 2013

The SYNGENTA logo, BRINGING PLANT POTENTIAL TO LIFE and the PURPOSE ICON are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.

® Registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company

www.syngenta.com

Article number: 016855.40

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