Integrating crop productivity and biodiversity conservation pilot initiatives developed by Bayer CropScience

Wildlife habitat loss driven by human activities, including conversion of land to agriculture, represents a major threat to biodiversity. Agricultural technologies, for example, irrigation, mechanization, enhanced seeds, crop protection and nutrition products contribute to productivity increases on land already cultivated and, therefore, play a role in preventing further land conversion to agriculture. However, such technologies must be adapted and employed within the context of locally appropriate land management strategies that take an integrated approach to achieving agricultural production, rural livelihoods and biodiversity conservation goals.This paper was developed for presentation at a workshop on ‘Conservation Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture’, held during the 4th International Weed Society Congress, [4th International Weed Society Congress, Durban, South Africa, 19–25 June 2004.http://www.olemiss.edu/orgs/iws/4intlweedcong.htm>.], It highlights the potential roles a plant science company can play in addressing the challenge of jointly achieving crop productivity and biodiversity conservation objectives. These relate to activities that integrate biodiversity conservation objectives into technology research and development (R&D) of crop protection products and into land management approaches. Three pilot initiatives developed by Bayer CropScience in Brazil, Guatemala and the UK in collaboration with a variety of local stakeholders illustrate how conservation objectives can be embedded in land management practices that sustainably enhance agricultural productivity and profitability, simultaneously addressing food security and biodiversity conservation challenges.Bayer CropScience, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, is a market leader in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology. The company has a global workforce of about 19,000 and is represented in more than 120 countries.