Corteva Commits To Help Rice Farmers Through The AcreNext Next Generation Rice Farming Program

Corteva Agriscience introduces farmers to direct seeded rice for increased productivity and faster, better results, while being less water and labor intensive

Global agriculture company Corteva Agriscience today announced the AcreNext next generation rice farming program to engage with rice farmers before the sowing season commences in Punjab and Haryana. The program is aimed at enhancing the understanding and knowledge on the benefits of adopting direct seeded rice – a resource-efficient technology that overcomes limitations of traditional cultivation techniques and improves the productivity and profitability of rice farming.

Most farmers in India follow traditional cultivation methods for growing rice varieties, including transplanting established seedlings into rice paddies and flooding fields to control weeds. These methods require more water and labor resources. Corteva understands these constraints farmers operate under and aims to transform farming practices by providing farmers with access to more comprehensive and sustainable technologies.

AcreNext is an integrated direct seeded rice program meaning hybrid rice seed is planted directly into the rice main field. The hybrid seed has better yield, can be planted using mechanized sowing services and is compatible with a highly efficient crop protection solutions that does not require fields to be flooded. This comprehensive offering will help rice farmers produce healthier rice crops that mature faster with increased yields, while being less water and labor intensive. The AcreNext program includes hands-on training and is currently offered to rice farmers in Punjab and Haryana and will soon be offered to farmers in other rice growing regions.

Dr. KV Subbarao, Managing Director, South Asia, said, “Corteva Agriscience is committed to helping farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices. Direct seeded rice consumes less water and enables rice farming in control of the grower. Sowing with direct seeded rice is easier and crop establishment is faster. Through our AcreNext program, we provide farmers with training in better farming practices and access to an integrated solution which delivers the right product for the right acreage that maximizes productivity and profitability.”

Rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s population. To meet this growing demand, rice production needs to dramatically increase by 25 percent over the next 25 years. However, the process of growing rice is complex and requires more care compared to other crops. Hence, a holistic agronomic and crop protection campaign by Corteva on direct seeded rice becomes even more relevant.

About Corteva Agriscience
Corteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry - including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent public company on June 1, 2019 and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. For more information, visit www.corteva.in.