50 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM B y 2050, the world’s population is expected to increase to almost 10 billion. That’s more than two-and-a-half billion additional human beings requiring nutrition. This colossal growth in people, combined with a lack of arable land and water shortages, means that food production will have to increase by 50 per cent. At the same time, we know that climate change will place food crop yields under unprecedented pressure in the years to come. A fundamental transformation of today’s global food system is required, with innovation, new technologies, visionary thinking and collaboration at the core. Investment in sound science, and the acceptance and use of innovative technologies will drive the changes we need to ensure resource-effi- cient, nutrient-rich food for all in the years to come. At Bayer, we are passionate about tackling major societal challenges through innovation, sci- ence and responsibility. Innovation is deeply rooted in our DNA. We take great pride in the investments we make in research and development. And we work hard to bring new solutions to farmers. But true innovation, the type that spurs the kinds of changes that solve generational problems, starts in local communities. Farmers and scientists have been at the forefront of meeting these global chal- lenges in the past and it is important that they con- tinue to do so in the future. Science and technology have revolutionized today’s agriculture. In industrialized countries very few people are needed to work the land precisely because of these advances. But in the developing world, hundreds of millions of smallholder farmers must work a field to survive and many of them suffer from poverty. We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revo- lution. The reality is clear: new technologies must be developed so farmers can become even more efficient and more sustainable on their current farms, to meet the demands of a growing global population. New technologies and breakthrough innovations will rev- olutionize farming and ensure customized solutions for growers, large and small, so that they can produce more food from less land and fewer resources. These possibilities excite us as a company, as we do our very best to work alongside farmers across the globe to truly shape the future of farming. Innovation is a great buzzword, but it isn’t simply a switch we can turn on and off. It requires commitment, investment, nurturing and a long-term vision for the future; not unlike the requirements for ensuring a successful crop and a sustainable farm operation. From digitalization to plant traits, from high-yielding seed varieties to crop protection solutions, in particular seed treatment - innovation is helping growers to achieve increasingly sustain- able agriculture. This for us was the big motivator to come together with Monsanto. By putting together the expertise from two companies in seeds, chemicals and biologicals, we believe we have a good chance to create sustainable and innovative solutions quicker. In 2015, our pro forma investment in R&D was EUR 2.5 billion. Both companies have attractive, complemen- tary pipelines in the short, medium and long term with potential for further incremental innovation to address key challenges in agriculture in a new way. The combination will allow more effective innovation, delivering more choice, quality and food security. NEW TECHNOLOGIES ACCELERATE INNOVATION IN PLANT BREEDING A new report recently released by PG Economics, Dorchester, UK found that over the last 20 years, crop biotechnology has significantly reduced agri- culture’s environmental impact and stimulated economic growth in the 26 countries where the technology is used. Innovation, Technologies and Collaboration are Critical for Sustainable Agriculture THE SYNERGY BEHIND THE BAYER MONSANTO PAIRING. BY: DIEGO ANGELO Diego Angelo, Bayer SAS, Crop Science Division, Seeds EMEA Region Head (Europe, Middle East, Africa)