Syngenta opens Africa’s first Seedcare facility

On Tuesday, 6 May, Syngenta opened its 11th Seedcare Institute, and the first in Africa, in the town of Brits in the North West Province of South Africa.

The South African facility forms part of Syngenta’s Global Seedcare Institute Network that currently consists of the Global Seedcare Institute in Stein, Switzerland, and 10 other services centers across the globe (USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, China AND South Africa)

In Syngenta language, Seedcare refers to a portfolio of Syngenta technologies that protects and enhances the performance of field crop, vegetable and ornamental seeds. The portfolio contains also products that stimulate growth and protect emerging crops from environmental stresses, such as drought, flooding or cold, and help the seedlings to process nutrients and water more efficiently.

The institute in Stein is Syngenta’s global centre of Seedcare excellence where the bulk of its seed-related R&D work is carried out. The regional and local facilities provide local product support and technical services to seed companies.

Marc Bonfils, EAME Seedcare Technology Lead, says the South African facility is a strategic fit with Syngenta’s emerging market focus and its sustainable growth objectives. “Syngenta announced two years ago that it would invest $500 million in Africa to advance food security. From the Brits facility we can provide support to growers in South Africa and across the continent. In addition, the African headquarters of all our many seed company customers, such as Monsanto, Pioneer, Pannar, and SeedCo are all located in South Africa area. It just makes sense for Syngenta to make our expertise more readily available to them.”

Located at Syngenta’s formulation, fill and packaging (FF&P) plant in Brits, the Africa Middle East (AME) Seedcare Institute started operating at the end of April this year. According to Wayne van Rensburg, AME technology manager Seedcare, the development of seed treatment application recipes and their test on seed are services offered by Syngenta to its partners. “Our work here is to set up the best local application quality of the active ingredients developed at the Global Institute in Switzerland, given our customers’ specific requirements.”

The facility’ services include seed safety testing, seed preparations for trials, the analysis of treated seeds, recipe development and application and plant ability testing.

Previously, all seed tests had to be done in Switzerland. The opening of the local facility now places that expertise at the fingertips of the South African, African and Middle Eastern agricultural industries.

Antonie Delport, MD of Syngenta South Africa, points out that the direct treatment of seed has been proven to be the best way to improve plant growth, prevent damage caused by pathogens and pests, and achieve higher yields. “Seeds are the foundation of the world’s food supply,” he adds. “Our seed specialists work with small holder and large commercial growers, as well as seed companies, to develop applications that mitigate risks and improve yields. Faced with the growing challenge of producing more food with less resources and increasing concern for the environment, growers need the best quality seed possible.”

Seed treatment is the fastest growing segment of the global crop protection market. Currently valued at approximately $2,5 billion it is expected to reach $4,5 billion by 2018. Responding to growing customer demand, Syngenta plans to open Seedcare institutes in Singapore and Mexico this year, and another five on other parts of the world in 2015 and 2016.

For more information about the Seedcare Institute in Africa please contact Wayne Jansen van Rensburg, Technology Manager Seedcare (AME) at wayne.jansen_van_rensburg@syngenta.com