Syngenta’s industry-leading plant breeding technology and how it can help humanity grow, was the topic of the keynote speech to key players and influencers in the Australian, New Zealand and Asia agriculture industry, at evokeAG 2023.

Syngenta Group’s head of group strategy, Alexander Tokarz says computer power, data analytics and data-based decision making are revolutionising plant breeding.

These advances have the potential to significantly impact the climate resistance of crops, and achieve significant yield gains that will, in turn, help to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and reduce the environmental impact of the global food chain, while providing enough food, feed and fibre for the world’s growing population.

Mr Tokarz, who was visiting Australia from Syngenta’s head-office in Switzerland, said evokeAG. was the perfect opportunity to discuss how modern plant breeding – which is using genomics and data science to design the characteristics of plants and seeds for the future, is the next step needed to mitigate the increasing challenges from climate change across Australasia and the world.

“Syngenta’s commitment to helping farmers and fighting climate change is relentless, ambitious, and ever-growing. Our plant breeding technology is one of Syngenta’s many projects that aim to achieve our Good Growth Plan to address and reverse climate change, biodiversity loss and drive global economic recovery,” Mr Tokarz said.

Syngenta Australia New Zealand (ANZ) head of business development Brett Hofman also presented a workshop at the event with Pairtree CEO Hamish Munro, providing insights into how Syngenta’s business partnership is enabling Pairtree to expand from tech start-up to commercialisation, in a bid to provide agronomists and growers easy-to-use on-farm sensory information.

Syngenta’s ANZ managing director and country head, Paul Luxton said Syngenta’s partnership with Pairtree is part of Syngenta’s strategy to support the industry’s digital future and add value to the agriculture industry in Australia and New Zealand.

“Syngenta’s collaboration with agtech start-ups and local innovators helps develop bespoke solutions for farmers that provides them the tools, information and support they need to sustainably produce the nutritious food, feed and quality fibre we all rely on.”