Syngenta Champions AI to Bridge Agriculture's Deepening Digital Divide

DAVOS, Switzerland – January 19, 2026 – As global leaders converge on the snowy peaks of Davos for the World Economic Forum, agricultural sciences giant Syngenta Group is preparing to make a high-stakes case for the future of farming. The company is set to champion artificial intelligence as a critical tool to navigate a sector in crisis, arguing that AI can be a great equalizer for farmers facing unprecedented economic, geopolitical, and environmental pressures. However, this vision hinges on solving a complex challenge: a rapidly widening digital divide that threatens to leave millions of small-scale and older farmers behind.

The Widening Furrow: A Sector in Crisis

The global agricultural landscape is under immense strain. A confluence of climate extremes, market volatility, and rising operational costs has led to a significant contraction in the sector. Active farms are decreasing worldwide as many operators face mounting financial distress. This agricultural turmoil has dire consequences for global stability, directly impacting food supply chains at a time when hunger is on the rise. According to recent global reports, 295.3 million people faced acute food insecurity in 2024, and in 2023, an estimated 733 million people—9.1% of the world's population—were undernourished, a stark increase from pre-pandemic levels.

At the heart of this challenge lies a growing technological schism. A recent study conducted by IPSOS in partnership with Syngenta confirms that while large, commercial farming operations are rapidly adopting advanced AI and digital tools to boost efficiency and yields, smaller and older farmers are at significant risk of being excluded. The research highlights that while younger generations are more inclined to embrace technology, many seasoned farmers perceive AI as overly complex or inaccessible, creating a gap that could exacerbate existing inequalities.

"Farmers today are navigating one of the most complex periods in modern agriculture, facing pressures that demand urgent action and real solutions," said Jeff Rowe, CEO of Syngenta Group, in a statement ahead of the forum. "We have a critical window of opportunity to reverse troubling trends by ensuring every farmer, regardless of farm size or technical background, can access the transformative power of AI and digital tools.”

Syngenta's Digital Arsenal: From Chatbots to Crystal Balls

Syngenta's answer to this crisis is centered on its Cropwise digital platform, a suite of tools designed to democratize access to advanced agronomic insights. The company is already demonstrating tangible results with its Cropwise Grower GenAI Chatbot, which has empowered over 2 million farmers across India. This tool provides 24/7 multilingual support, allowing farmers to send a text, voice note, or a picture of an ailing plant to receive an instant diagnosis and product recommendation with a reported 95% accuracy. By leveraging Natural Language Processing that understands local dialects, the chatbot delivers localized advice that previously required costly in-person field visits, making expert knowledge readily available to smallholders.

Building on this success, Syngenta is preparing to launch a next-generation predictive intelligence system in select markets. This tool will combine real-time scouting data with advanced risk modeling and geospatial AI to forecast the likelihood and geographic spread of pest and disease outbreaks. The goal is to shift farmers from a reactive to a proactive footing, enabling them to take preventative action before their fields are compromised.

“When we combine AI and digital tools with deep agricultural expertise, we unlock genuine potential to revolutionize farming," Rowe explained. "But technology alone isn’t enough. Policymakers and businesses must work together to demonstrate how AI can deliver tangible results, simplify farming operations and dispel misconceptions... We must also work together to build strong foundations of trust – through peer validation, transparency about data usage and outcomes farmers can see and measure in their own fields.”

An Open Field: A Platform Play to Reshape Agritech

Perhaps the most ambitious part of Syngenta's strategy is its move to open the Cropwise platform to third-party developers. Announced in late 2025, this initiative transforms Cropwise from a closed product into an API-driven ecosystem. By allowing other companies and innovators to build their own tools on top of Syngenta's agronomic data and AI models, the company aims to accelerate innovation and dismantle barriers that have slowed the digital transformation of agriculture.

This “ecosystem enabler” approach is a significant strategic pivot, positioning Syngenta not just as a provider of seeds and crop protection, but as a central hub in the agritech landscape. However, such a strategy lives or dies on the basis of trust, particularly concerning data. Syngenta has stressed that its open platform is governed by comprehensive data policies, stating it will not provide access to any individual grower's data without their explicit consent. By placing data control in the hands of farmers, the company hopes to address one of the primary hurdles to technology adoption identified in the IPSOS study and foster an environment of shared innovation.

The Davos Dialogue in a Crowded Field

Syngenta's advocacy at the World Economic Forum is not happening in a vacuum. The entire agricultural industry is racing to integrate digital solutions. Competitors like Bayer, with its extensive Climate FieldView™ platform, and BASF, with its xarvio® Digital Farming Solutions, are also heavily investing in AI to provide farmers with data-driven recommendations. Bayer is piloting its own generative AI tools for agronomists, while BASF's technology focuses on precision herbicide application.

Against this competitive backdrop, Syngenta's emphasis on an open platform and digital equity appears to be its key differentiator. The company's efforts in Davos will culminate in a high-profile roundtable on January 21st, convened in collaboration with The Financial Times. The event will bring together business leaders, senior policymakers, and academics to explore how AI can be applied responsibly across the entire food value chain. The stated goal is to identify clear pathways to transform the immense technological potential of AI into lasting, scalable impact, ensuring that the digital revolution in agriculture lifts all farmers rather than leaving the most vulnerable behind.