Safely feeding the world, taking care of it

Syngenta aims to be the most trusted and collaborative partner in agriculture

Editor's Note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up. China Daily interviewed top executives of well-known multinational companies for their views on the country's socioeconomic development.

Please use three phrases to describe China's changes in the past 40 years.

Innovation-driven development, strong global engagement and driving toward sustainable agriculture.

What are the biggest achievements in China since the adoption of the reform and opening-up policy 40 years ago?

In the past 40 years, China has achieved a great deal economically, environmentally and socially. One of the most outstanding achievements has been ensuring food security for China, feeding 20 percent of the world's population with just 7 percent of the world's agricultural land. This has been possible through improvements in agricultural productivity, the adoption of new technology and the opening of markets to support free trade in agricultural commodities.

How has your company benefited from the country's reform and opening-up policy?

Since our establishment in China as a company in 2000, we have invested more than $360 million into our business and operations here to help bring better products and innovative technology to Chinese farmers, to help them improve their productivity and profitability.

In 2008, in Beijing we established the first foreign-owned biotechnology R&D facility in China. Now known as the Beijing Innovation Center, it is focused on world-leading genome editing research to support advanced plant breeding technologies for future farming.

In a strong sign of the government's commitment to modernization and opening-up, we were acquired by ChemChina in 2017. As a result we now have an owner who understands the strategic importance of agriculture in China and globally, and who takes the long-term view. The transaction was the largest ever by a Chinese company overseas and is a tremendous display of confidence in agriculture and in our company.

Has competition intensified between your company and Chinese companies?

We are a Chinese-owned multinational company and we welcome competition both globally and in the crucial Chinese market. Chinese companies, whether by acquisition or through smart investment and growth, are becoming more competitive here and globally. And competition is a good thing－it drives innovation and better customer service, and it drives adoption of new technologies.

Our goal both here in China and around the world is to safely feed the world and take care of the planet. We do this through our purpose, which is "Bringing Plant Potential to Life", and through our ambition, which is to be the most trusted and collaborative partner in agriculture.

How do you view China's role in the world today?

China plays a central role in the world today, and is recognized as a responsible power. China strives to enhance global innovation, improve dialogue, support open trade and technology exchange. China is also taking a leading role in addressing the major challenges the world faces today, including climate change.

So in our sector it is no surprise that China is committed to introducing better and more effective agricultural technology, including crop chemicals, seed varieties and traits. China is also increasingly playing a role in driving agricultural innovation across the world, for example in the development of hybrid rice and vegetable seeds. China is the second-largest seed market in the world and this provides a great opportunity for international seed companies as well as agriculture cooperation both here in China and globally.

Could China's experiences and practices be used to solve global problems?

While every country's challenges and experiences are somewhat unique to the circumstances of that country, as a global leader and as one of the largest economies in the world, China can share its valuable experience with others.

For example, China's efforts toward green growth can provide valuable experience for other countries. China has taken substantial steps to deliver on its green commitments, including targets to achieve zero growth in the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and through encouraging resource-efficient, soil conservation and eco-friendly farming systems. As President Xi Jinping has said, "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets".

What measures are needed if China wants to deepen reforms?

China's commitment to reform and opening-up has delivered significant benefits to the agricultural sector and rural communities through sensible and widespread reform. We do believe there is still more that can be done, particularly in the areas of intellectual property protection and administration, and in the consistent application of the rule of law to protect and encourage innovation and investment.

Apart from economic development, what progress in other fields have you witnessed in China in the past 40 years?

In the past 40 years, China has made great progress in all areas. Innovation in technology has been central in all of this, which includes agriculture. For example, basic research, breeding technology, biotechnology and cultivation solutions have all made tremendous progress. This progress has resulted in the development of globally competitive varieties with strong yield and quality characteristics.

More recently, we have also seen China put sustainability and the well-being of social communities at the center of its development agenda, which is great news for China and for the world. This has helped to alleviate rural poverty and to address some of the environmental impacts from agriculture and food production, and has helped to spur rural revitalization. We have played a small part in this through supporting farmers and rural communities with the transfer of technology and knowledge, which are cornerstones of rural development.

What is the most unforgettable experience you have had in China?

China is full of unforgettable experiences. My first visit to Heilongjiang province many years ago was unforgettable because most of the world thinks that China has only small-holder farmers. This is true for much of China, however seeing the wide open corn fields that use modern technology to produce yields similar to the world's best was an eye-opener. It also demonstrated the huge potential that existed to improve crop yields with the right technology and partnerships.

CV

Name: Andrew Guthrie

Age: 53

Nationality: Australia

Career:

2016 onwards: President of Syngenta China

2014-16: Regional director for Syngenta Europe, Africa and Middle East

2008-13: Regional director for Syngenta Asia-Pacific

2002-08: Various leadership roles at Syngenta in the Asia-Pacific region

Education:

1983-87 Bachelor of Agricultural Science, La Trobe University Melbourne