Archive · 10 Sep 2026
Bayer CEO urges technology access and crop diversification for India
Simon Wiebusch leads Bayer Crop Science in India.
He said farmers should be able to use useful technologies, including some types of genetically modified crops.
He believes unclear approval timelines can make companies hesitant to invest.
He also said Indian farming could use less water and become more profitable.
One idea is to use direct-seeded rice instead of some traditional methods.
Farmers could also grow more pulses and corn alongside rice.
Bayer supports farmers through Better Life Farming centers that offer advice and connections to buyers.
The company is also developing hybrid seeds designed to handle conditions such as limited water.
Simon Wiebusch said India’s GM-crop regulatory process is effective but unpredictable, making investment decisions difficult.
He argued Indian farmers should have access to technologies that can improve productivity, including advances in cotton.
Wiebusch advocated direct-seeded rice, pulses, corn and improved fertilizer use to reduce water consumption and diversify cropping systems.
Bayer’s Better Life Farming network provides farmers with agronomy, finance and value-chain support through about 1,600 centers in India.
Bayer plans to focus on hybrid seeds, including new hybrid rice varieties developed through precision breeding techniques.
- Who
- Simon Wiebusch, managing director and CEO of Bayer Crop Science, and Bayer’s farming programs and seed business.
- What
- Wiebusch discussed agricultural regulation, crop diversification, farmer support and Bayer’s plans for hybrid seeds in India.
- When
- The interview date is not specified in the article; Better Life Farming was launched in 2018.
- Where
- India, including Punjab and eastern states such as Odisha, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
- Why
- The stated aim is to improve farm incomes and productivity while reducing water use and strengthening links to food value chains.
- Bayer’s farmer reach
- The company is associated with more than 30 million smallholder farmers.
- Better Life Farming centers
- Bayer has about 1,600 centers in India.
- Program launch
- The Better Life Farming alliance was launched in 2018.
- Alliance partners
- Bayer, International Finance Corporation, Netafim and Yara.
- Current center locations
- The centers operate primarily in Odisha, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
- Hybrid rice share
- Hybrid rice accounts for about 7-8% of India’s total rice-growing area.
- Seed strategy
- Bayer is focusing on hybrid seeds and is launching the first hybrid from its newer precision-breeding pipeline.