Syngenta CEO Calls for Holistic Approach to Drive a Step Change in Rice Productivity

Mike Mack speaks at the International Rice Congress in Vietnam, urges collaborations to bring together technology, environment and people to sustainably increase rice productivity.

Nov 9 2010 --- “With over 65 percent of the world’s hungry in Asia, progress in rice productivity is still lagging behind the advancements of other crops,” said Mike Mack, Syngenta CEO, speaking at the International Rice Congress (IRC) in Hanoi, Vietnam. “Technology, the environment and people must be holistically addressed if we want rice to reach its full potential.”

At current consumption levels, the Asia Society and International Rice Research Institute estimates that rice production needs to grow by some four million metric tons each year to meet population growth. “This is a tremendous challenge, especially when you consider how much rice cultivation is being lost to urban expansion and the inherent competing demands for water,” said Mack. “We must ensure farmers have better integrated solutions that include seed improvements and responsible crop protection methods, and more efficient use of land and water to incentivize them to grow crops more productively.”

Mack urged collaborations to be a top priority in developing rice and supporting smallholder farmers. “The extension and transfer of knowledge is vital to improving rice productivity,” said Mack. “Collaborations and partnerships must be embraced more extensively if we want to build a sustainable livelihood in rural economies for the world’s smallholder farmers, including the more than 200 million rice farmers in Asia, while helping to meet food security.”

Rice provides 60 percent of the calorie intake for more than two billion people every day. With 90 percent of the world’s rice grown in Asia, the third International Rice Congress 2010, took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, to emphasize the importance of this key rice producing country. Themed ‘Rice for Future Generations’, Mike Mack joined the event alongside other speakers including Dr. Prabhu Pingali, Deputy Director, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Hans Herren, President, The Millennium Institute, and Norman Uphoff, Cornell University.