Impact the lives of 2'000'000 pre-commercial smallholder farmers in 20 countries
Around the world, our Foundation does whatever it takes — every day — to create a sustainable future for smallholders – one in which their incomes and living standards rise so that current and future generations see smallholding as viable and attractive – will be key to feeding the world's growing population. Learn about the places we work, the challenges they face and the results we achieve.
Explore Our Programs Around the World
*In numbers, the total of smallholders reached in 2021 in each of our programs.
(For recent overviews of local performance, see our Reports page)
AFRICA
Ethiopia *
Tef is the national cereal of Ethiopia. However, yields of this crucial crop are far below their potential. See how an international team is improving tef - for smallholders and the whole country. We have supported this work from the beginning.
Seeds2B: technical assistance to seed companies and product development
Kenya
Since 2009, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) has worked with partners to improve the crop yields and income of Kenyan smallholders. The work has focused on modern agricultural knowledge, soil management practices, and facilitating access to markets. Our Kenyan team helps, for example, to train farmers in conservation agriculture. It also supports them in the proper use of crop protection products, and in access to appropriate technology in a market-led extension service.
SFSA is also helping to tackle a huge threat to East African harvests: Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease (MLND). In 2017, Kenya's The Sower magazine reported on our two initiatives against MLND. In June 2018, our partners at CIMMYT announced a further round ofphenotyping at the artificial inoculation screening site in Naivasha. "The main challenge now", says our Chief Science Advisor Mike Robinson, "is urgently to get the resistance genetics into suitable varieties. Our PPP approach enables that possibility."
Nigeria is one of the most recent additions to our country portfolio. Work there so far concentrates on Seeds2B and Agriservices. Here is a 2019 interview with Isaiah Gabriel from our team there.
Agriservices: 14 000
Seeds2B: 17 500
Mali
Beginning in 1981, Mali was the first country with which the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) engaged in activities focused on improving the lives and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. SFSA initiated the PRECAD (Projet de Renforcement des Capacités pour une Agriculture Durable) project in 2006, with the aim of helping farmers to become more professional and to achieve higher yields and income.
The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) has been active in the Senegal River Valley since 2014. Rice production is a major focus of activities.
The MandiPlus project: The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) have developed a seed stake processing and treatment system that enables farmers to use significantly shorter planting pieces. Following very successful first trials in Brazil, the approach has been replicated under African conditions, in collaboration with the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Uganda. The funds for this project were provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition to assessing agronomic aspects (e.g. the impact of different treatments on crop germination and yields), the project team aimed to test the economic viability and stakeholder acceptance and develop a scale-up strategy. The project started towards the end of 2016 and finished the end of 2018. Learn more about this project
Seeds2B: technical assistance to seed companies and product development
Seeds2B: technical assistance to seed companies and product development (not in Sudan) and AIS (only in Sudan): 8200
ASIA
Bangladesh
SFSA Bangladesh is the country office of Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) in Bangladesh, operates as an “International NGO” under the registration from NGO Affairs Bureau of Bangladesh. Since 2011, SFSA Bangladesh has been implementing several cutting-edge climate-smart resilient agriculture, nutrition and food systems, and economic development projects in the country for smallholder farming and livelihood improvement. It manages the country program portfolios, partnerships, and liaisons with the public, private, and research organizations and representation of SFSA in the host country.
The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) is working on a research project with the University of Sydney in collaboration with the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The research project is about finding solutions for Sustainable Intensification and Diversification in the Lowland Rice System in Northwest Cambodia. The project’s components intersect and build on each other to create a sustainable whole-of-community intervention that will improve the knowledge, practices, productivity, and profitability of lowland rain-fed farms.
Seeds2B: technical assistance to seed companies, product development
China
An agricultural program in Gansu province was initiated in 2018. The goal is to increase agricultural productivity and quality, and income opportunities of small-scale farmers in project locations. In 2019, we continue to support relevant activities on potato, vegetable and goji-berry crops in Gansu province. We plan to launch a new project focusing on improving kiwi fruit production and market linkages in Sichuan province.
We established the Syngenta Foundation India (SFI) as an independent not-for-profit organization in 2005. From the outset, SFI’s mission was to have small and marginal farmers participate in agricultural development by improving their access to better seeds and other inputs, increasing their knowledge of agronomic practices, establishing ease of access to credit and providing systematic market linkages.
The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) - locally now YASI - aims to create value for Indonesian smallholders through innovation in sustainable agriculture and the activation of value chains. Farmers are introduced to new, affordable agricultural technology and trained in their use, based on local need. Examples include our Agriservices projects
AIS: 117
Agriservices: 127 000
Seeds2B: 8 250
Myanmar
Myanmar (formerly Burma) is another recent addition to our countries of operation. Myanmar is one of the nations most at risk from climate change. Agricultural insurance provides a new way of spreading the burden of weather risk. Among other inputs, Burmese smallholders also need access to a greater range of seeds. (Update February & March 2021: Our team in Myanmar is safe and sound, and continues to work as best it can. We are monitoring the situation).
AIS: new programs
Seeds2B: technical assistance to seed companies, product development
Vietnam
In Vietnam, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture focuses on poverty reduction and food security in the Provinces of Hoa Binh and Ha Noi. Activities concentrate on vegetables, with additional work proposed in rice, bananas, and corn, depending on the site. The aim is to support smallholders in producing safe, high-quality vegetables for sale to supermarkets, thus increasing their income.
