Agricultural company's journey toward sustainability

The company was founded on the rich heritage of DuPont Crop Protection (1802), Dow AgroSciences (1897) and Pioneer (1926) - three of the world’s leading agricultural companies.

Over the past 200 years, these three companies have produced many groundbreaking and sustainable solutions in insect, weed and pest control and pioneered research and development of hybrid rice and corn varieties, helping farmers improve the yield and quality of crops around the world.

Vietnamese agriculture has strongly participated in globalization and integration via free trade agreements, creating both opportinities and challenges for domestic companies.

Since the Doi Moi period, agriculture has witnessed growth in GDP, export turnover and the number of products, becoming a mainstay of the economy.

However, limitations in product quality, sustainability, creativity and development methods have forced the industry to make new breakthroughs.

Vietnam Development Report 2016 by World Bank (WB) pointed out the limitations in quality, sustainability and development methods of Vietnamese agriculture. Among those factors, sustainability is considered a prerequisite and the foundation for agricultural development. It requires improvements in productivity, quality and efficiency of production based on rational use of natural resources and proper dealing with social problems associated with ecological environment protection.

After its establishment on June 1, 2019, Corteva made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange and officially became a standalone agricultural company with the goal of becoming a leader in seed technology, crop protection solutions and digital service, with a mission to enrich the lives ofproducers and consumers , ensuring progress for generations to come.

In Vietnam, DuPont Vietnam Co., Ltd. officially changed its name to Corteva Agriscience Vietnam Co., Ltd. in May 2021.

In recent years, Corteva Agriscience has researched and continuously introduced to the market new active ingredients like Pyraxalt, Rinskor, Zorvec, which have all been honored with prestigious environmental awards. Especially, Rinskor active in the Xevelo product earned the Green Chemistry Challenge Award from American Chemical Society.

Xevelo Launching event in DongThap in Nov 2020. Photo by Corteva Agriscience.

Pioneering seed technology, crop protection solutions and digital service, Corteva Agriscience has constantly provided outstanding products trusted by farmers across Vietnam like Pexena™ 106SC new generation insecticide to control brown planthoppers,

Xevelo 120EC post-emergent herbicide, Zorvec Encantia 330SE downy mildew control solution, BEAM 75 WP blast control, Radiant 60SC biological insecticide, Aproach 250SC fungicide, different types of hybrid corn like Pioneer P4311, P4554, and P4124; and hybrid rice 27P53 and 27P31.

These products are highly praised by experts for providing Vietnamese farmers with high-quality and high-yield hybrids that are resistant to unfavorable weather conditions and diseases, along with effective weed and pest control solutions, aimed toward using pesticides properly to ensure plant safety, while treating the environment and natural enemies gently, leaving few to no impacts on human health, in line with the aim of building sustainable agriculture.

Sustainable business

While researching and producing effective plant protection solutions, helping farmers improve their incomes, Corteva has also focused on raising awareness among farmers for the safe and proper use of crop protection solutions.

The Product Stewardship Day program, which has been organized annually by Corteva in provinces and cities across Vietnam and attracted a large number of participants, is a typical example. The program is a connection activity, which helps farmers draw closer to Corteva’s scientists and engineers to be updated on more new farming knowledge, raising awareness among farmers and stakeholders on principles of pesticide use, contributing to health and economic benefits, and creating a stepping stone for sustainable agriculture.

Product Stewardship Day 2018. Photo by Corteva Agriscience.

In addition, the "Corteva - Chap canh bay xa" (Wings for you to fly high) program gave away thousands of school bags and supplies to children in Vietnam’s northern mountainous provinces in 2019. Corteva also promptly supported people severely affected by the historic flood in the central region in 2020 with meaningful gifts. In 2021 and 2022, Corteva has planned to cooperate with strategic partners to implement a training program for farmers on how to produce sustainable rice, as well as for female farmers on sustainable farming practices and dealing with other problems they have to face in their daily life.

Corteva engineer shares practical experience with farmers. Photo by Corteva Agriscience.

"With the main focus on farmers, Corteva has been constantly producing the most effective plant protection solutions, with the least impact on health and the environment, step by step joining hands with Vietnamese farmers to grow sustainable agriculture with community responsibility," a representative said.