Small onion farmers team up to make impact in Asia-Pacific
Increasing quality and yield
More than 70% of the world's 450 million smallholder farmers are located in the Asia-Pacific region. With limited access to knowledge, tools and opportunities, farmers' yields remain low and without the right skills and resources, they are challenged to progress beyond subsistence agriculture. As part of Syngenta's Good Growth Plan they are working with partners in the region to make a deep, lasting and positive impact on the farmers and rural communities who provide the world's food security and the long-term sustainability of our planet. One such partner is South Korea's CJ Corporation, which recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Syngenta to improve sustainable agriculture across the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo right: Onion growers in South Korea's Gyeongnam province increased yield by 20%.)
Access to technologies and the marketplace
Last year, in South Korea's Gyeongnam province, growers faced a severely cold winter and an unusually early start to spring. But the early warm temperatures brought an attack of downy mildew on the onion crop, stunting sizes and reducing yield. In partnership with CJ Corporation, Syngenta worked to train smallholders on how to detect the cause of the mildew and treat it properly. In doing so, growers were able to increase yield by 20%. Additionally, they increased the average size of their onions, making them more marketable and profitable. (Photo right: A pilot project with CJ Corporation works with hot pepper growers in Vietnam.)
Through the partnership with CJ Corporation, Syngenta will work with a network of smallholder farmers to help educate them on the safe use of agricultural products and responsible production methods to advance food safety standards and improve environmental performance on the farm. In addition, the CJ contracted farmers will be able to bring their high quality products to the market through CJ's food chain subsidiaries. "Our collaboration with CJ Corporation is part of our ambition to help more farmers across the Asia-Pacific region grow high-yielding and better quality produce in a sustainable way," said Shinohara Toshiaki, Territory Head of North East Asia, Syngenta. Syngenta and CJ Corporation will continue to explore further opportunities to expand their collaboration into other countries across Asia Pacific.
Please visit syngenta.com for more information.