Syngenta announces new crop innovation center in Shanghai

On February 19, 2025, Syngenta Group revealed plans to establish its third global crop protection innovation center in Shanghai’s Jinshan district. This center will join its existing facilities in Stein, Switzerland, and Jealott’s Hill, United Kingdom. This initiative marks a significant enhancement in the Basel-based conglomerate’s research and development footprint in China and worldwide.

Jeff Rowe, the CEO of Syngenta Group, highlighted the strategic importance of the Shanghai center, describing it as “the largest investment in R&D since the formation of Syngenta Group.” The conglomerate, which was established in 2020 through the merger of Syngenta, Adama, and the agricultural arm of Sinochem Holdings, aims to bolster its innovation capabilities with this new establishment.

The Shanghai center will focus on developing advanced crop protection products, formulation technologies, and integrated pest management solutions, with a special emphasis on rice, a staple food crucial for China’s food security.

The new center will include research laboratories, scientific greenhouses, and climate-controlled chambers and is expected to start operations by 2028. It will be designed to serve as an open innovation platform, collaborating with Chinese universities, research institutions, and industry partners. The center is projected to house about 300 researchers from China and abroad.

Discussing the integration of artificial intelligence in agriculture, Rowe shared that Syngenta extensively uses AI and machine learning in its crop protection research. He emphasized the potential of AI to enhance data analysis and decision-making processes in agriculture, thereby accelerating the adoption of innovative solutions among farmers.

Rowe also touched on the challenges faced by the agricultural sector, including falling commodity prices and extreme weather conditions. However, he remains optimistic about the role of innovation in overcoming these hurdles. “Innovation plays a critical role,” Rowe stated. “The ability to bring innovation to farmers faster and more efficiently is essential because the challenges are not going to get easier.”

Syngenta’s commitment to expanding its Modern Agriculture Platform (MAP) centers in China is another step toward digital transformation, aiming to boost farmers’ incomes by 8% compared to those not served by the centers. Rowe concluded by stressing the importance of Syngenta’s role in bridging geopolitical divides, particularly between the US and China, and its commitment to enhancing food security as a human right. He emphasized the crucial role of continuous innovation in securing a sustainable and productive future for global agriculture.