JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, March 31, 2021– Corteva Agriscience facilitated a training programme on the responsible use of crop protection products to promote safe methods of pesticide usage and application.
The Corteva Agriscience Africa and Middle East Stewardship team devoted two days in Kirkwood, Eastern Cape, using the training programme to educate spray operators, farm managers, farm owners and agents on the proper usage of crop protection products. To ensure that the spray applicators understood this message and training, the training was conducted in multiple languages in English, Afrikaans and in the IsiXhosa language. This project was a collaboration between Corteva Agriscience and its business collaborators, InteliGro and Laeveld Agrochem, about safe handling of pesticides on citrus farms in the Eastern Cape.
The two-day session included presentations and in-field demonstrations to create awareness of practical stewardship, focusing on the safe handling of pesticides, with demonstrations including Corteva citrus portfolio products.
Attendees learned about the proper use of crop protection products, and how that supports Corteva’s sustainability goals. Earlier this year, Corteva unveiled its 10-year commitments to advance sustainability throughout the global food chain system. Goals include providing training for 25 million growers on soil health, nutrient and water stewardship, productivity best practices, and improving soil health on 30 million hectares of global agricultural land by 2030.
“Stewardship is at the heart of our farmer-focused business and this training project is part of our broader strategy to advance sustainability throughout the food system,” says Kolli, Venkata Subbarao, President, Africa Middle East at Corteva Agriscience. “We collaborate with farmer customers to understand their business, advise on the best seeds and crop protection solutions for their operation, and help optimise land and resource management.”
The company’s stewardship efforts encompass the needs of those who produce and those who consume. Corteva is dedicated to executing strategies and delivering innovations to provide safe and reliable food, as well as continuing efforts to protect the environment for generations to come.
According to Dr Nolwazi Mkize, Product Stewardship Lead at Corteva Agriscience in Africa Middle East, the region will promote stewardship throughout its product range, from product manufacture through to its final use.
“We believe that stewardship supports sustainable agriculture, helps to maintain the environment and safeguards user and public health. Correctly using the right products at the right time helps ensure farmer success while stewarding the land and our natural resources.”
The programme will build the foundation of farm safety among farmers and farm workers, ensuring that they embrace the need for safety and product stewardship. More training on the safe and responsible use of crop protection products will be rolled out in other parts of the continent.
Click on the links below to view the training videos:
1 - Safe Handling of Pesticides - for Workers
2 - Training Awareness for Industry Partners - Safe Handling of Pesticides
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. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.
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03/31/21
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Contact
Barbra Muzata
Corteva Agriscience
+27838092424