Purdue University and Bayer announced the creation of the Coalition for Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture, a public-private partnership aimed at improving soil health and increasing food production to meet the demands of a growing global population.
The coalition's mission is to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices that restore soil health, boost biodiversity, and enhance the resilience of ecosystems. It will generate real-world data to promote these practices while also focusing on education and outreach to encourage sustainable farming techniques. Bayer will administer the coalition through its innovation center at Purdue’s Convergence at Discovery Park District.
Karen Plaut, Purdue's executive vice president for research, highlighted the importance of supporting farmers as they work to feed a projected global population of 9 billion while preserving the environment. “As a land-grant institution, Purdue is proud to partner with Bayer to find innovative solutions to improve agronomic practices,” Plaut said.
The coalition seeks to accelerate the adoption of agricultural systems that improve soil, water, and wildlife health while making farms more resilient. Bayer’s head of research and development at the Crop Science Division, Bob Reiter, emphasized the importance of scaling regenerative agricultural practices, noting that the partnership with Purdue will help boost productivity while benefiting the environment.
Key Areas of Focus:
- Climate-Smart Agriculture: Integrating technology to adapt to changing weather, improve water management, and optimize resource use.
- Regenerative Practices: Promoting techniques that capture and store carbon, improve soil health, and increase biodiversity.
- Farmer Empowerment: Providing tools, knowledge, and access to premium markets for sustainably produced goods.
- Profitability and Policy Advocacy: Conducting research that supports policies and incentives for sustainable farming.
The coalition will build on Purdue’s existing investments in digital agriculture technologies, such as those at the Purdue Agronomy Center for Research and Education, to create field test sites for sustainable farming. This effort is expected to expand as additional partners from the agricultural sector join the initiative.
This partnership builds on Bayer and Purdue’s ongoing collaboration, following the 2020 opening of Bayer’s innovation space at Purdue. Susana Diaz, head of Bayer’s innovation center at Purdue, emphasized that the coalition will serve as a world-class hub for research in regenerative agriculture, helping farmers produce more while restoring natural ecosystems.
The announcement coincided with Bayer’s Climate Innovation Day, a two-day summit focused on agricultural innovation, climate issues, and food sustainability.
