As farmers worldwide grapple with mounting economic, geopolitical, and environmental pressures, the global agricultural sector is undergoing a period of significant stress marked by shrinking farm numbers and rising financial uncertainty. Against this backdrop, Syngenta Group is set to highlight the critical role of innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital technologies in building a more resilient and sustainable global food system at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026.
Addressing the challenges confronting modern agriculture, Syngenta Group Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rowe said farmers are operating in one of the most complex periods in recent history. He stressed that ensuring equitable access to advanced digital tools is essential to reversing negative trends in the sector. According to Rowe, AI and data-driven solutions have the potential to transform farming outcomes, but their success depends on close collaboration between technology providers, policymakers, and the agricultural community.
Syngenta emphasised that the real value of digital agriculture lies in combining advanced technologies with deep agronomic expertise. Beyond innovation, building farmer trust through transparency, clear data governance, and demonstrable field-level results remains a central priority. The company underlined that digital tools must simplify farm operations rather than add complexity, particularly for smallholder and older farmers.
Recent research conducted by IPSOS in partnership with Syngenta points to a widening digital divide within agriculture. While large-scale farms are rapidly adopting AI-driven solutions, many smaller farmers risk being excluded. The study identifies this gap not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity to make agricultural technology more inclusive and impactful across diverse farming systems.
Syngenta’s Cropwise digital platform is already supporting millions of farmers globally. In India alone, the Cropwise Grower GenAI chatbot provides round-the-clock, multilingual agronomic guidance to more than two million farmers. Using voice, text, and image-based inputs, the system delivers location-specific advice, crop diagnostics, and management recommendations with high accuracy.
Looking ahead, Syngenta is developing predictive intelligence systems for pest and disease outbreaks that combine real-time field data with geospatial AI and risk modelling. These tools aim to enable early intervention and preventive action, reducing crop losses and improving farm productivity.
At WEF 2026, Syngenta is advocating for collaborative policy frameworks that expand access to digital agriculture and promote responsible AI adoption across the food value chain. As part of this effort, a high-level roundtable hosted with the Financial Times will bring together global leaders to explore pathways for translating technological innovation into long-term, scalable impact for sustainable agriculture worldwide.
By
