Key Takeaways
- Collaborative Effort for Sustainability: BASF and Solidaridad join forces to enhance sustainable farming practices and their impact on biodiversity and pollinator coexistence, particularly in Brazil’s soybean sector.
- Support for Soybean Farmers: Targeted efforts to assist small to mid-sized soybean farmers in Brazil, aimed at increasing both sustainability and productivity.
- Innovative Partnerships: Integration of GeoApis for bee monitoring and Wheatley Young Partners for evaluating the potential of a nature-market in Brazil.
- Exploring a Nature-Market: Investigation into a market model that compensates farmers for contributing to environmental conservation alongside their agricultural activities.
- The Importance of Pollinators: Emphasizing the role of pollinators, such as bees, in potentially boosting soybean yields through effective pollination techniques.
BASF and Solidaridad have initiated a collaborative project in Brazil aimed at exploring the relationship between sustainable farming practices, biodiversity, and the coexistence of agriculture with pollinators like bees. This initiative is notable for its focus on small to mid-sized soybean farmers and is supported by GeoApis and Wheatley Young Partners to assess the practicality of establishing a nature-market in Brazil.
A Multi-Stakeholder Approach
BASF’s Perspective
Sergi Vizoso-Sansano, Senior Vice President of BASF Agricultural Solutions Latin America, elaborated on the project’s innovative approach, stating, “What is new about this project is the multi-stakeholder co-creation approach. We want to jointly develop metrics and practices to favor the creation of a biodiverse environment that are accepted and achievable by all stakeholders – farmers, NGOs, the industry, and other experts.”
Solidaridad’s Commitment
Rodrigo Castro, Country Manager of Solidaridad in Brazil, emphasized the project’s commitment to enhancing farm productivity and environmental sustainability. “We are very excited about this partnership, as the basis of our work is to support farmers to produce better and reduce the environmental impact of food production,” he mentioned. Castro highlighted the planned provision of technical assistance to farmers to foster both resilience and sustainability.
The Significance of Pollinators
The project underscores the importance of pollinators, particularly bees, in the agricultural process. While many soybean varieties do not require pollination, the presence of pollinators has been shown to significantly improve yields by enhancing the seed set. This facet of the project points to a broader interest in integrating biodiversity-enhancing practices with agricultural productivity.
Prospects of a Nature-Market
A key aspect of the initiative is the exploration of a nature-market in Brazil, where farmers would be incentivized to undertake nature-positive projects. This innovative market concept seeks to balance agricultural productivity with environmental conservation, offering a new model for sustainable farming practices.
Vizoso-Sansano further discussed the potential benefits of such a market, “There can be downsides to food production when there is a lack of certainty, value, awareness, and access to the most sustainable practices. In a world where preserving biodiversity is critical for our future, we need to create solutions that integrate enhanced biodiversity on farms with productive agriculture.”
BASF Agricultural Solution Latest News
Growing Home with BASF Returns (2024/02/21)
BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions is inviting Canadian farmers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario to nominate local organizations for a chance to win one of four $25,000 prizes. The Growing Home with BASF program aims to foster growth and positive change in rural farming communities. The program involves public voting to decide the winning organizations, encouraging community engagement and support. The nomination process ends on March 18, with organizations being assessed for their contribution to Canadian agriculture and rural communities. After the nomination phase, 12 finalists will be announced for a public voting period from April 2-15, determining one winner per province.
New Cotton Seed Varieties (2024/01/17)
BASF has added four new varieties to its cotton seed portfolio – FM 765AX, FM 868AXTP, FM 823AXTP, and ST 6000AXTP – for the 2024 growing season. All new varieties feature Axant Flex Technology, providing excellent weed control and native traits for controlling pests and disease tolerance. These varieties are designed for different regions and offer various benefits like high gin turnout potential, storm tolerance, and resistance to bacterial blight and nematodes.
Cotton Marketer of the Year Award (2024/01/11)
BASF’s Latest Products (2024/01/01)
BASF and Bosch’s joint venture, ONE SMART SPRAY, represents an advancement in agricultural technology, addressing the persistent issue of weed-induced crop losses that can exceed 30%. This innovative solution, built upon BASF’s digital agronomic platform, xarvio®, combines hardware and software to offer real-time weed detection and precise treatment in row crops. By incorporating advanced cameras, sensors, and algorithms, it enables a customized herbicide application strategy, optimizing timing, product selection, and dosing for effective weed control. With extensive global testing showcasing its efficacy in various crops and the ability to process vast amounts of data, ONE SMART SPRAY offers the potential to significantly reduce herbicide usage, resulting in economic and environmental benefits for agriculture.
BASF Launch xarvio® SeedSelect (2023/11/14)
BASF’s xarvio® SeedSelect is an advanced seed variety placement technology that evaluates soybean varieties based on their yield-building abilities, offering a deeper understanding of the field characteristics that best support growth. The algorithm behind this technology is developed from extensive plot trial field research, local topographic and soil attributes, and variety-specific yield-building characteristics. The tool allows retail seed professionals to make informed recommendations, ensuring that the best-suited seed variety is selected for each field environment. The technology is part of the broader xarvio FIELD MANAGER platform, offering comprehensive crop optimization and field-specific agronomic recommendations. By providing prescriptive variety selection and field placement, retailers are better equipped to improve growers’ yield potentials from the outset.
BASF Introduces Poncho Votivo Precise Seed Treatment to Combat Nematodes in Soybeans (2023/10/24)
BASF Agricultural Solutions has launched Poncho Votivo Precise, a seed treatment for soybean crops that protects against nematodes. The treatment creates a biological barrier along the plant’s root system to prevent damage from a variety of nematode species, while the insecticidal component offers immediate protection against early-season insects. The treatment also helps address Sudden Death Syndrome in soybeans exacerbated by nematode pressures.
BASF Invests in New Fermentation Plant for Biological Crop Protection Products (2023/10/13)
BASF will invest in a new fermentation plant for biological crop protection products at its Ludwigshafen site. The plant will employ fermentation technology to convert renewable raw materials into biological fungicides, seed treatments, and a novel insecticide called Inscalis®. This aligns with BASF’s commitment to innovative manufacturing processes based on renewable raw materials. The plant is expected to be commissioned in the second half of 2025 and will employ 30 people in production, logistics, engineering, and maintenance roles.
BASF Agricultural Solutions Segment Faces Slight Decline in Q2 2023 (2023/10/09)
BASF’s Agricultural Solutions segment reported sales of €2.2 billion in Q2 2023, marking a 9.3% decline compared to the same period in the prior year. The primary reason for the decline was higher channel inventories in individual core markets and lower agricultural commodity prices. Despite these challenges, the segment implemented price increases, setting it apart from other segments. The overall BASF Group reported a 24.7% decline in sales, amounting to €17.3 billion for the same quarter. BASF has adjusted its outlook for 2023, expecting sales of between €73 billion and €76 billion and an EBIT before special items of between €4.0 billion and €4.4 billion.
BASF Agriculture Solutions Unveils Innovation & Sustainability Strategies in Egypt (2023/09/26)
BASF Agriculture Solutions held a press conference to announce its innovation and sustainability strategies in Egypt. BASF has allocated 900 million Euros for research and development, which has led to the creation of groundbreaking products like Versys™ Insecticide. The company’s sustainability strategy in Egypt is based on three fundamental pillars, one of which is the Container Management Project. The company also offers a Mobile Agricultural Clinic and integrated precision farming technology into its ‘Ardena’ App. By investing in innovation and sustainability, BASF Agriculture Solutions is contributing to Egypt’s agricultural sector and setting a global standard for responsible and sustainable practices.
BASF Enhances Research Capabilities with New Supercomputer Installation (2023/05/26)
BASF, the world’s largest chemical producer, has initiated the operation of a new, considerably more powerful supercomputer at its Ludwigshafen site, replacing the previous one. With a staggering computing power of 3 petaflops, the new supercomputer dwarfs its 1.75-petaflop predecessor.
BASF, Kubota, & ZEN-NOH Partner to Advance Rice Production in Japan (2023/05/18)
BASF and Kubota are collaborating to integrate BASF’s advanced xarvio® FIELD MANAGER crop optimization platform with Kubota’s KSAS operating platform. This integration is aimed at increasing convenience, optimizing fertilizer use, boosting yield, and providing a higher return on investment for farmers. The second phase will assess the performance of the integrated platforms through field trials managed by ZEN-NOH during the 2023 growing season. The fully integrated platform is expected to be commercially available in Japan by spring 2024.
BASF’s Q1 2023 Sales Decline, But EBIT Exceeds Estimates (2023/04/13)
BASF, the world’s largest chemical producer, reported a 13.4% decline in sales to €19,991 million for Q1 2023, due to lower volumes. However, EBIT before special items came to €1,931 million, higher than the expert average. Chemicals, Materials, and Surface Technologies outperformed their respective analyst projections for EBIT before special items. The group’s net income of €1,562 million was much higher than the prior year’s result and the average analyst projection. The company’s preliminary financial data shows that it is coping with the present economic environment and will likely continue to produce impressive results in the future.
BASF Provides Updates On Innovation Pipeline (2023/03/16)
BASF, a leading global chemical company, recently showcased its latest advancements in the agricultural innovation pipeline, focusing on crop protection, seeds and traits, and digital solutions. These advancements provide farmers with much-needed solutions to address local and crop-specific pest pressures, climate challenges, regulatory requirements, and consumer expectations. The company’s robust innovation pipeline has an estimated peak sales potential of over €7.5 billion, driven by products slated for launch within the next decade.
Image provided by BASF
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