Conservation congress prioritizes sustainable food security

Syngenta CEO discusses with the international environment community an approach to sustainable food security combining land, people and technology

10 September 2012

One of the world’s largest and most respected environmental conservation events has for the first time focused on the crucial role of agriculture in achieving global food security, while preserving the natural environment.

The slogan of the 2012 International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress is ‘‘Nature+’’. This reflects nature’s fundamental importance to humanity and its inherent link to every aspect of life for individuals, governments and corporations alike. A core objective of the congress is to find solutions that protect and enhance the resilience of nature in a changing and uncertain world.

Held every four years, the 2012 Congress began on September 6 in Jeju, South Korea. It offers a platform for around 6,000 attendees – from government, NGOs, science, civil society and the private sector – to discuss and agree on solutions to humanity’s most pressing challenges. In this context, the program for the first time included key themes around food security and agricultural sustainability.

Syngenta CEO Mike Mack joined the world leaders’ dialogue to discuss “Nature + food security: Can we feed the world sustainably?”

Mike said: “To feed the world, while safeguarding the only planet we have, we need highly productive agricultural systems. We can achieve a step change in productivity through integrated crop solutions that make agriculture both economically dynamic and environmentally sound.”

To achieve this objective, Mike called for the adoption of a system-wide approach combining land, people and technology. “These elements build the foundation for a production system in which strong rural economies and resource efficiency are fundamental to achieving food security in an environmentally friendly way.”

Syngenta participated in a range of workshops to share insights and gather feedback on our integrated crop solutions which focus on resource efficiency, including:

• The TEGRA® rice growing program
• Initiatives to mitigate climate change, through new and improved soil management practices, such as SOWAP and ProTerra
• Programs for rural development to increase food security, through greater inclusion of smallholder farmers, agriculture extension, training services, and better information sharing such as the Rice Bowl Index.

Syngenta was one of only six companies supporting the congress via the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.