China emerging as key hub for agricultural innovation, says Syngenta CEO

Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies are reshaping how food is produced, and China is emerging as an increasingly important hub for agricultural innovation and R&D, Syngenta Group Chief Executive Officer Jeff Rowe told Xinhua in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026.

As CEO of Syngenta, a leading agricultural technology company headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Rowe has been a frequent visitor to China over the past decade, allowing him to witness "tremendous progress" in the country's agricultural sector – most strikingly in its steadily rising productivity, improving quality of agricultural output and faster-paced innovation.

Rowe stressed that agriculture is "much more of an innovative industry than most people realize," adding that China is moving quickly to adopt new technologies and build digital solutions that can benefit farmers, consumers and the environment.

In his view, each of China's five-year plans has created new opportunities for advancement, and agriculture has been a consistent priority.

China's upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, he said, signals a continued commitment to strengthening food supply security and boosting overall grain production capacity.

Rowe described the policy direction as "inspiring," saying the sustained, long-term focus on food production and agricultural modernization is "very important to society."

"Artificial intelligence can help China produce more efficiently, help Chinese farmers make better decisions, adopt precision agriculture and it can also help rehabilitate degraded land," Rowe said.

Attributing China's robust R&D environment to long-term investments in education, talent and technology systems, Rowe said Syngenta is expanding its footprint of innovation centers in China and he plans to visit the country again soon for the opening of a new facility.

Rowe voiced a strong interest in partnering with Chinese technology and AI companies. "China is absolutely one of the most important markets for us globally," Rowe said.