Swiss crop protection firm Syngenta Group Chief Sustainability Officer Petra Laux in her recent statement said that Indian government must incentivise sustainable farming to support smallholder farmers of India, as they face intensifying climate challenges like erratic monsoons, droughts, and floods. Smallholder farmers in India account for 80 per cent of the agricultural sector. Laux said that, though agriculture contributes up to 25 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the sector receives only 5 percent of climate transition funding and subsidies. She further stated that rewarding climate-smart practices is critical to driving change.
In her interview with PTI, Laux said that uncertain crop prices are the big road blockers and discourage smallholders from using sustainable methods of farming. The lack of premiums for climate-smart crops, unlike niche organic markets, limits progress. Globally, consumer reluctance to pay more hinders adoption, and scaling emission reduction projects, like Syngenta’s methane-focused initiative near Delhi for export markets, face challenges.
Syngenta Group Chief Sustainability Officer Petra Laux added that “There’s no premium for sustainably grown crops or reduced emissions. It’s global, and one reason for this is that the consumer in the supermarket doesn’t want to pay more,” she said. India’s young and digitally skilled farmers are poised to adopt sustainable practices, but policy must reward them. The government policies must subsidise the “more responsible farmers”. “Policy linking sustainability to farm resilience is key for future soil health,” the executive asserted.
“All technologies are crucial for sustainability,” Laux said, adding that “regenerative practices ensure long-term soil health and farm resilience”.