Key Takeaways

• Syngenta partners with Groundwork BioAg to market biological products aimed at enhancing crop performance and soil health.
• The initiative targets corn, soy, cereal, and sunflower growers in Latin America and Europe, with plans for broader distribution.
• Farmers may earn carbon credits from improved soil carbon storage, improving their income and resilience against climate challenges.

Strategic Partnership Announcement

Agricultural technology leader Syngenta has teamed up with Israeli bioagriculture firm Groundwork BioAg to market innovative biological products designed to enhance crop performance and promote soil health. The partnership, announced recently, aims to utilize Groundwork’s mycorrhizal fungi technology to support farmers in generating carbon credit revenue.

Under this strategic agreement, Syngenta will handle the commercialization of these products, which include soil carbon solutions, using its established brand. Groundwork BioAg will be responsible for manufacturing and supplying the biological products, as well as providing the necessary digital tools and overseeing the development of the carbon program.

Initially, the partnership will focus on growers of corn, soy, cereal, and sunflowers in Latin America and Europe. However, the companies plan to expand distribution to additional markets in the future. This collaboration merges Syngenta’s extensive international distribution network with Groundwork’s cutting-edge technology, which exploits fungi that form beneficial relationships with plant roots.

These mycorrhizal fungi improve the plants’ capacity to absorb water and nutrients, potentially leading to increased yields that are more resilient to environmental stresses. Moreover, they enhance soil health by contributing to stable organic matter, allowing carbon to remain sequestered for longer periods. Farmers engaged in the program could also benefit from additional income through the carbon credits generated by the increased carbon storage in their soils.

Syngenta Group’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Petra Laux, emphasized that the partnership embodies a more advanced model for carbon farming, promoting resilience, soil restoration, and sustainable carbon management. She stated, “The model we’ve built with Groundwork BioAg goes beyond farming carbon… generating carbon credits from which farmers directly benefit.” This technique of soil carbon sequestration captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and retains it in the soil, resulting in greater soil fertility and improved water retention.

Alon Werber, CEO of Groundwork BioAg, remarked that the agreement serves as commercial validation of their technology, with expectations for significant revenue generation for farmers and for Groundwork in the coming years. He stated, “By combining Syngenta’s market access with our proven mycorrhizal capabilities, we are positioning mycorrhizal fungi as both a valuable agronomic input and a significant pathway for agricultural climate mitigation.”

Furthermore, Syngenta’s Global Head of Seedcare and Biologicals, Emilhano Lima, noted the increasing importance of biological technologies in agriculture, indicating they provide farmers with reliable tools alongside tangible agronomical benefits. Groundwork’s flagship Rootella product line—now used across millions of acres of farmland—shows great promise in the realm of sustainable agriculture.

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