Director-General visits Swiss centres of agricultural excellence

Zurich — FAO Director-General QU Dongyu began a three-day trip to Switzerland on Wednesday by visiting centres of agricultural excellence, where he discussed the triple challenges of climate change, food security, and biodiversity during meetings with managers and officials.

Qu toured agricultural technology company Syngenta's research and development centre, which focuses on innovation to protect plants and improve resource efficiency by developing products and practices that reduce the land, water and energy needed to grow crops, as well as strategies to restore the soil.

The Director-General was accompanied by the company's leadership, which included Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rowe, as well as Ambassador Krisztina Bende, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN agencies in Rome, and Jean-Marc Chappuis, Deputy Director General of the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture.

The discussions centred on creating a supportive environment for innovation to assist farmers in addressing these challenges.

The tour included a visit to Syngenta's Stein R&D Centre, where he witnessed demonstrations of its innovations in crop protection, soil health, and digitalization.

During his exchanges, Qu said innovation designed to replenish and restore degraded soils is essential for food security and the environment.

The Director-General also visited the Kemptthal Valley, situated between Zurich and Winterthur. This area has a long history of food seasoning production and today acts as a hub for innovation, development, and the production of food and nutrition.

Here, he visited the food companies Givaudan, Planted, and The Cultured Hub.

During the visits, the Director-General complimented the company's innovative approaches and achievements in responding to consumer demands.

"It is good to see the spark of innovation, which is vital for agrifood systems transformation," he said.