Syngenta Annual Review 2010 - CEO Water Mandate

Annual Review 2010

Syngenta 

Annual Review 2010 


Syngenta is one of the world’s leading 

companies with more than 26,000 employees 

in over 90 countries dedicated to our purpose: 

Bringing plant potential to life. With our innovation 

in Crop Protection and Seeds, we contribute to 

addressing global challenges. 

Contents 

Overview 

i Strategic imperatives 

ii Group performance 

01 Business highlights 

02 Chairman’s letter 

04 Chief Executive Officer’s letter 

Contributing to 

food security 

07 A global challenge 

08 Sustainable production systems for agriculture 

09 Grow more from less 

10 Better solutions for the farmer of the future 

11 Increasing resource efficiency 

12 Strengthening rural economies 

Our offer 

Addressing 

growers’ needs 

14 Integrated solutions for today’s farmer 

17 Corn 

19 Soybean 

20 Cereals 

21 Rice 

22 Sugar cane 

23 Oilseeds and sugar beet 

24 Vegetables 

25 Lawn and Garden 

Creating our offer 

27 Research and Development 

30 People 

32 Operations 

35 Crop Protection product line performance 

37 Seeds product line performance 

Governance 

and financials 

38 Board of Directors 

40 Executive Committee 

42 Financial information 

50 Corporate Responsibility performance summary 

54 Shareholder information



Strategic imperatives 

i 

Creating superior value 

for our customers 

Integrate 

We are bringing together our world leading 

Crop Protection portfolio and our broad Seeds 

platform to develop a fully integrated offer on a 

global crop basis. 

Engagement 

We aim to create shared value for 

all our stakeholders through fostering 

partnerships and open dialogue. 

Innovate 

We will harness our knowledge of agriculture 

and our understanding of growers to deliver 

game-changing technologies which will drive 

land productivity. 

Business ethics 

Our code of conduct commits us to maintain 

high ethical standards in all business practices, 

and we promote a culture of transparency. 

Outperform 

Our aim is to gain market share across our 

combined businesses and to create value 

for our shareholders by first creating value 

for our customers. 

Health, safety and environment 

We are committed to the highest safety and 

environmental standards for the production, 

handling and disposal of our products, and 

we support our business partners in adopting 

comparable standards. 

Read more about our strategy in the 

Chief Executive Officer’s letter on page 4

Group performance 

and delivering 

strong performance 

Group sales 1 

Crop Protection sales 1,2 

Seeds sales 1 

2010 

11.64 


8.88 


2.80 

2009 

10.99 

2009 

8.49 

2009 

2.56 

2008 

11.62 

$11.6bn +4% (CER) 

2008 

$8.9bn 

9.23 

+3% (CER) 

2008 

$2.8bn 

2.44 

+8% (CER) 

Earnings per share 3 

Free cash flow 4 

Dividend per share 5 


16.44 


1,129 


7.00 

2009 

16.15 

2009 

528 

2009 

6.00 

2008 

$16.44 

16.40 

+2% 

2008 

$1,129m 

729 

+114% 

2008 

CHF7.00 

6.00 

+17% 

Number of farmers trained 

Nationalities in senior management 


4.3 


24 

2009 

3.9 

2009 

24 

2008 

4.3m 

2.4 

2008 

24 

22 

CO2e emissions 


0.66 

2009 

0.76 

2008 

0.75 

0.66 CO2e kg /$EBIT 

Illness and injury rate 6 0.39 


2009 

2008 

0.39 

0.42 

0.50 

1 Growth at constant exchange rates (CER) 

2 Including inter-segment sales 

3 Fully diluted excluding restructuring 

and impairment 

4 For a definition of free cash flow see page 48 

5 Subject to shareholder approval at the Annual 

General Meeting on April 19, 2011 

6 Recordable injury and illness rate (IIR) per 

200,000 hours according to US OHSA definition



Business highlights 

01 

Advancing solutions 

for Brazilian growers 

In April, Syngenta entered into a long-term multi-crop 

partnership with Embrapa, the Brazilian Agricultural 

Research Corporation, to advance solutions for Brazilian 

growers to improve crop quality and yield. The initial 

focus will be on corn, cotton and soybean. 

Isopyrazam – next 

generation fungicide 

Isopyrazam was launched on barley in the UK in March 

and on wheat in New Zealand in July. It is the first in 

a new class of next generation fungicides and sets 

new standards of disease control and yield response. 

Breakthrough corn 

trait technology 

AGRISURE VIPTERA , with a new mode of action 

for broad spectrum insect control, was launched in 

the USA in time for the 2011 growing season. Field 

trials of trait stacks containing AGRISURE VIPTERA 

showed a clear advantage over competing products. 

Substantial dividend 

increase 

In 2010 the company generated record free cash flow 

of $1.1 billion. We are proposing a 17 percent increase 

in the dividend, from CHF6.00 to CHF7.00. 

Record sales 

of AMISTAR ® 

In May we opened new capacity for azoxystrobin, the 

active ingredient used in our leading fungicide AMISTAR ® . 

Immediate demand for the increased production was 

reflected in sales growth for the year of 20 percent (CER). 

Sustainable Agroecosystems 

professorship 

Syngenta announced in November that it will donate 

CHF 10 million to the ETH Zürich Foundation to finance 

a new professorship and associated research staff. 

The professorship aims to advance science, education 

and public dialogue related to sustainable agriculture 

and food security. 

Syngenta celebrates 

10 years 

CEO Mike Mack rang the closing bell on Wall Street on 

November 12 to celebrate the anniversary of Syngenta’s 

creation and of the Company’s first listing on the New York 

Stock Exchange. Over the last 10 years, Syngenta has 

become one of the world’s leading companies with 

a fivefold increase in market capitalization. 

Syngenta Photo 

Prize 2010 

The Syngenta Photo Prize 2010 competition recognized 

outstanding photography with the theme “Bringing plant 

potential to life”. Winners from around the world were 

announced on November 16 at a special exhibition in 

Basel, Switzerland.



Chairman’s letter 

02 

Meeting 

the 

challenge 

“The central facts are these: every year the planet 

has 80 million more mouths to feed; population 

growth is overwhelmingly in the emerging markets; 

and by 2050 over 70 percent of the world’s 

population will live in urban areas.” 

As the dust settled after the financial crisis of 2009, 

it became clear that the economic center of gravity 

had shifted markedly to the so-called developing 

countries of Latin America and Asia. The acceleration 

of this long-term, structural change was particularly 

notable in agriculture where growth in emerging 

markets significantly outpaced the advanced markets 

of North America and Western Europe. Syngenta 

was extremely well placed to capture these growth 

opportunities and capitalized on the investments 

made in these regions over the past few years. 

The inexorable growth in productivity, population 

and prosperity in these countries led, in part, to 

the upward pressure on global commodity prices, 

including staple food crops. In addition, drought in 

Russia led to an export ban on wheat which propelled 

the price significantly higher in the second half of 

the year. Supply concerns in corn and soybean 

compounded the problem such that grain prices 

ended the year some 50 percent higher than they were 

at the end of 2009. This, once again, caused concern 

amongst policy makers and other stakeholders and 

reignited the debate about global food security. 

The central facts are these: every year the planet has 

80 million more mouths to feed; population growth 

is overwhelmingly in the emerging markets; and by 

2050 over 70 percent of the world’s population will 

live in urban areas. The one variable that will not grow, 

however, is the planet’s natural resources – these are 

finite and in some cases actually shrinking. The key 

question, therefore, is how to address this apparently 

insoluble problem? 

The answer lies in innovation and collaboration. 

Innovation in bringing new technologies and business 

models to life, and collaboration between each 

member of the food value chain to bring their skills, 

resources and capabilities to tackle the problem. At 

Syngenta, we believe our unique contribution lies in 

innovation through integrating our technologies. By 

doing so we believe we can discover products that 

have the attributes of enhancing calories produced 

per acre; protecting and maximizing the earth’s natural 

resources and ensuring that rural communities remain 

vibrant and economically viable. 

1. 2. 

1 

Speaking at the UNCTAD 

World Investment Forum 

in Xiamen, China, on 

September 7, 2010, 

involving global leaders 

from many countries 

around the world. 

2 

Touring field trials carried 

out by the Pathumthani Rice 

Research Center. The 

Syngenta team in Thailand 

cooperates closely with 

the Department of Rice on 

rice productivity.



3 

At a Flowers exhibition in the 

young plant production facility 

in De Lier, The Netherlands. 

4 

Visiting a retailer of Syngenta 

products in the Fujian Province, 

China. The retailers are the vital 

link between the local Syngenta 

teams and the growers. 

3. 4. 

03 

This is an integrated approach from which we are 

already seeing tangible results. In Brazil, for example, 

our new solution for sugar cane growers, PLENE , 

will fundamentally change how this crop is planted, 

grown and harvested. With greatly enhanced yield, 

lower water usage and better carbon sequestration 

PLENE ensures a more productive and sustainable 

crop. In addition, through a partnership with industry 

association, Unica, we are helping to provide new, 

safer and better job opportunities for the workers 

who previously toiled in the field in hot and 

dangerous conditions. 

That partnership was one of many that we forged 

during 2010 in order to find novel ways to address 

the many challenges of providing food security. Also 

in Brazil, we signed a ground-breaking agreement with 

Embrapa, the national agricultural research corporation 

to share technologies in corn, soybean and cotton 

and ensure access to growers both large and small. 

In April, we signed a public-private partnership with 

the International Maize and Wheat Improvement 

Center (CIMMYT) to develop and enhance technology 

in wheat. In Asia, we strengthened our partnership 

with the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in 

order to develop the potential of rice across the region. 

Finally, in November, we announced a 10-year 

collaboration with ETH Zurich to fund research into 

sustainable agroecosystems. These agreements point 

the way to our increasingly crop and grower-focused 

approach to our business, as you see reflected in this 

year’s report. 

On my visits this year around the world to see our 

customers I learned more about the increasingly 

complex challenges that they face. My discussions 

with them, and also with many Syngenta employees, 

underpinned my confidence that the Company is 

uniquely placed to offer growers differentiated 

products and solutions that address their challenges 

both today and in the future. 

As well as speaking to our customers, I also met 

with numerous other stakeholders around the world. 

The contribution that Syngenta makes is increasingly 

recognized and our standing and reputation continues 

to grow. Our collective reputation rests with the 

individual actions and conduct of the more than 

26,000 employees around the world. Throughout 

2010, our revised Code of Conduct was further 

embedded in the organization. Compliance with this 

code, in addition to all aspects of legal, ethical, societal 

and environmental matters is overseen by the 

Corporate Responsibility Committee of the Board. 

Ensuring the protection of the Company’s economic, 

physical and reputational assets, along with oversight 

of the strategic direction and financial performance of 

the Company comprise the primary focal points of 

the Board of Directors. I am indebted to my Board 

colleagues for the diligence and enthusiasm with 

which they discharged their duties throughout the year. 

2010 marked the tenth anniversary of Syngenta. 

The Company has achieved a great deal in those 

years. As we look into the future, agriculture has never 

been more central to the world’s social, political and 

economic development. The production of sufficient 

affordable, high quality food is not a given and is reliant 

upon innovation. The production of this food in a more 

sustainable way will require innovation, collaboration 

and a new, holistic way of looking at value creation. 

I am pleased to say that Syngenta is at the forefront 

of these developments and is well placed to be highly 

successful for the next 10 years of its life. 

Martin Taylor 

Chairman



Chief Executive Officer’s letter 

04 

Integrating 

our offer 

“The path Syngenta is now pursuing recognizes 

the imperative of yield gain but also goes beyond 

it, to encompass all the resources involved in 

achieving global food security.” 

1. 

Syngenta’s results for 2010 illustrate the transformation 

in the scale of the Company since its creation ten years 

ago. Sales of $11.6 billion are 84 percent higher and 

earnings per share of $16.44 compared with $2.20 in 

2001. While agricultural markets have certainly 

expanded over the period, these figures also reflect 

steady gains in market share and an outstanding 

record of innovation. In addition, continuing focus on 

operational efficiency has increased profitability while 

creating the headroom for investments in strategic 

growth areas. Most notably we have expanded our 

presence in the emerging markets, which now 

account for almost 50 percent of sales. 

Emerging markets were the main driver of our Crop 

Protection business in 2010, enabling us to achieve 

growth in sales over the previous year. We achieved 

this in the face of a highly competitive pricing 

environment, notably in North America, which led to 

a reduction in group earnings in the first half. This was 

offset by higher operating income in the second half, 

with rapid growth in the emerging markets of Asia 

Pacific and strong demand in the main season in 

Latin America. 

In Latin America, we have been attentive to multiple 

opportunities across crops in the many countries of 

the region, while maintaining our leading position for 

soybean in the key Brazilian market. This reflects the 

success of PRIORI XTRA ® , based on our world 

leading fungicide AMISTAR ® . Global sales of 

AMISTAR ® reached $1.2 billion in 2010 with growth 

of 20 percent (CER) on the previous year, demonstrating 

the excellence in product development which enables 

us to maximize product lifecycles and to maintain high 

margins on blockbuster products. The opening of 

new capacity for AMISTAR ® at Grangemouth, 

2. 

3. 

4.



1 

In discussion with Marc Hillard, 

Transformation Manager, at 

a special exhibition in Basel 

that marked the completion 

of Syngenta’s capacity 

expansion program. 

2 

Andrés Álvarez, Marketing 

Manager Andean, Caribbean & 

Central America discusses 

coffee growing at La Holanda 

plantation in Colombia. 

3 

Examining the roots of a rice 

plant with Huynh Van Thon, 

Chairman of AGPPS (An Giang 

Plant Protection Service), 

Vietnam’s largest distributor. 

4 

Looking at the different seed 

treatment offerings for Flowers 

and Vegetable seeds in 

Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. 

Scotland, in May underpins our expectation of further 

substantial growth in the coming years. 

Seeds registered broad-based growth across all 

product lines and all regions. Vegetables and Diverse 

Field Crops continued to show steady underlying 

growth, supplemented by acquisitions in sugar beet 

and sunflower. Industry-leading profitability in both 

these product lines is testimony to the depth and 

variety of our germplasm pools and to our breeding 

expertise. These strengths are also becoming 

increasingly apparent in the performance of Corn & 

Soybean: in the USA, field trials showed that the 

diversity of our corn genetics is now producing yield 

outperformance against major competitors. Our triple 

stack corn seed reached market penetration levels in 

2010 and will be complemented in the 2011 season 

by the new trait AGRISURE VIPTERA , which delivers 

unrivalled broad lepidoptera control. The advances 

in our portfolio are reflected in a further marked 

improvement in Seeds profitability in 2010. 

The progress made by Seeds, in both financial and 

portfolio terms, gives further impetus to the new 

commercial direction we are now formally implementing 

worldwide. This strategy is founded on three core 

objectives: Integrate, Innovate and Outperform. Our 

aim is to bring together Crop Protection and Seeds 

to develop a fully integrated offer on a global crop 

basis. A first step will be the merging of commercial 

operations globally over the next two years, building on 

models already successfully introduced in our second 

largest market Brazil as well as in a number of smaller 

countries. The commercial integration will be overseen 

on a regional basis by our two Chief Operating 

Officers, who will each have cross-business executive 

responsibility for two regions: John Atkin for Europe, 

Africa and the Middle East and Latin America, and 

Davor Pisk for North America and Asia Pacific. John 

and Davor will continue to guide the Crop Protection 

and Seeds businesses respectively. They will also 

each have global strategic responsibility for four of the 

eight major crops in which we will be focusing our 

investments over the coming years. We shall at the 

same time be investing in our people, to ensure that 

we maximize the wealth of experience and talent 

which gives us a unique capability to address the 

increasing complexity of the challenges facing farmers. 

We define innovation in the broadest sense, signifying 

new markets and ways of reaching customers as well 

as new products. Continuing investment in Research 

and Development is inherent in our company purpose 

of Bringing plant potential to life and will play a key role 

in the delivery of integrated technologies. We are 

establishing common R&D platforms based on the 

understanding of plants which informs both chemical 

and biological solutions. We will increase the return 

on R&D through value-adding partnerships and 

collaborations, such as the agreement with CIMMYT 

signed in April which has as an objective the 

combination of crop protection and seeds to enhance 

plant performance in wheat. Breakthroughs in the 

realization of innovative integrated offers include the 

launch of PLENE on sugar cane in Brazil and the 

development of an integrated rice seedling offer in Asia. 

Our aim is to outperform in both operational and 

financial terms. We believe that the creation of unique 

solutions to meet grower needs will lead to sustained 

market share growth across the business. We will 

measure financial performance by targeting Cash Flow 

Return on Investment in excess of 12 percent and a 

group EBITDA margin in the range of 22 to 24 percent 

by 2015. We will target a continuous increase in the 

dividend with the new higher payout in 2011 as the 

starting point. 

Syngenta’s new commercial strategy is actually the 

culmination of plans and initiatives that have been 

underway in the Company for some time. Over the last 

12 months I have visited operations in many parts of 

the world and have witnessed both the potency of 

our portfolio and the energy of our people in bringing 

a crop-based offer to market. Examples range from 

new technologies for coffee growers in Colombia to 

integrated solutions for vegetables in Vietnam. We are 

taking the concept of customer relationships to a new 

level, by systematically thinking like a grower as he 

considers the increasingly complex set of decisions 

relating to his crop inputs and how best to integrate 

them on the farm to maximize his investment. It is by 

imbuing our entire organization with this mindset that 

we will create competitive advantage in the future. 

The path Syngenta is now pursuing recognizes the 

imperative of yield gain but also goes beyond it, to 

encompass all the resources involved in achieving 

global food security. A recent study by the World 

Business Council for Sustainable Development, which 

I had the honor of co-chairing, looked at the economic 

and resource challenges of sustaining a world population 

of 9 billion in 2050. To enable this number of people to 

live well and within the limits of the planet, agriculture 

must achieve a doubling of world food production 

while conserving water and energy. This can only 

happen through a holistic and long-term vision of the 

way we grow crops. Syngenta is already deploying 

an array of tools and expertise to help make this vision 

a reality. 

On behalf of the Board and the Executive Committee, 

I would like to thank all our employees for making 

Syngenta what it is today and for bringing the 

Company to this exciting stage of its development. 

I know that I can count on their energy, enthusiasm 

and dedication as we work together to forge a 

meaningful contribution to the development of 

agriculture worldwide. 

Michael Mack 

Chief Executive Officer 

05



06 

Contributing 

to food 

security



Scarcity of water, energy and land is expected to define food 

production in the coming decades. This will increase the existing 

pressure on farmers, who are working to meet the world’s needs 

for food, fuel and fiber. Demand for food has long exceeded 

supply in some regions. Every day, almost 1 billion people go 

to bed hungry. With the global population expected to reach 

9 billion by 2050, this figure could rise if action is not taken. 

07 

A global challenge 

“People used the equivalent of 1.5 planets 

in 2007 to support their activities.” 

The Living Planet Report 2010 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) 

The World Food Summit of 1996 defined that food 

security exists “when all people, at all times have 

access to sufficient, safe, nutritious and affordable 

food to maintain a healthy and active life.” To make 

this happen, farmers will need to achieve at least a 

70 percent increase in food production by 2050 1 . 

The journey to food security won’t be easy. Drivers 

of food insecurity range from environmental stress 

and natural disasters to political and trade issues. 

The megatrends of growing population, greater 

affluence and urbanization mean that more people 

want greater amounts of better quality food. 

Yet while demand for food is growing, farmers’ ability 

to increase productivity is challenged as never before. 

In the coming years, they will have to deal with a 

climate that is changing more rapidly; in many areas, 

this will mean higher temperatures and erratic weather 

patterns. They will have to contend with limited 

availability of land and water – already agriculture uses 

40 percent of the world’s land surface and 70 percent 

of all available fresh water 2 . And their agricultural 

practices will need to protect biodiversity through 

increasing productivity without further expanding into 

natural ecosystems. 

While great strides have been made, many regions 

fall short of producing their full potential of local 

crops, and this agricultural yield gap must be closed 

to achieve food security. Worldwide, this represents 

nearly 500 million farms of 2 hectares or less, 

supporting over 2 billion people. Increasing 

productivity in these areas is vital to reaching 

food security. 

Although the challenges ahead are daunting, they are 

by no means insurmountable. Agriculture has a major 

role to play in opening the way for food security while 

protecting precious natural resources and contributing 

to rural economic growth. 

1 FAO, “How to feed the world in 2050” 

2 UNESCO



Contributing to food security 

08 

Sustainable 

production systems 

for agriculture 

In February 2010, Syngenta collaborated with 29 

other businesses and the World Business Council for 

Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to launch “Vision 

2050: The new agenda for business.” This study lays 

out a pathway leading to a global population of some 

9 billion people living well and within the resource limits 

of the planet by 2050. We are contributing to making 

this vision a reality by helping farmers produce enough 

food for a growing population. 

Syngenta takes a system-wide approach to 

sustainable agriculture that focuses on the links 

between technology, land and people. Strong rural 

economies are the keystone of the sustainable 

agricultural system and fundamental to achieving food 

security. Our technology – combined with supporting 

infrastructure, access to markets and financial 

resources – enables better solutions for farmers so they 

can increase productivity and improve farm profitability. 

At the same time, our agricultural solutions can have a 

beneficial impact on water, land and biodiversity by 

allowing more efficient use of basic natural resources. 

Thus, agricultural technologies enable a sustainable 

production system that protects the long-term 

economic and environmental viability of farming. 

Farmers can earn better incomes, live better lives 

and become stewards of the land. 

Find out more 

Preserving the environment 

through agriculture 

Lucas do Rio Verde, a major agricultural 

city of Brazil’s Mato Grosso, is an area 

historically affected by deforestation. 

In 2007, Syngenta, its distributor Fiagril and 

other partners co-created Lucas do Rio 

Verde Legal to raise awareness among local 

governments, farmer associations and the 

broader population that it was possible to 

grow and produce without violating the 

state’s forestry and labor legislation codes. 

Results were so positive that the state 

government of Mato Grosso has since 

expanded the project to all other 

municipalities, and the federal government 

has created a similar initiative. 

www.syngenta.com/ar2010 

“Our region is a major soybean 

producer, so implementing a model 

for environmental conservation 

wasn’t an easy journey. However, it 

turned out to be an overwhelmingly 

positive experience as we had so 

many partners supporting us.” 

Marcos Castro 

Regional Sales Manager at Syngenta 

Featured above: Marcos Castro (left); Marino 

Franz, Mayor of Lucas do Rio Verde municipality 

and owner of Fiagril (middle); and Ivanor Cella, 

farmer and Syngenta customer (right).



Grow more 

from less 

09 

Syngenta believes that farmers can produce enough 

to meet the world’s needs for food, fuel and fiber 

and safeguard the only planet we have for future 

generations – if we take a system-wide approach 

that links technology, land and people. These 

three elements build the foundation for a 

sustainable production system in which 

technology enables better solutions for 

farmers to increase productivity and 

profitability, to increase resource 

efficiency, and help reach food security. 

Better solutions 

Technology 

Resource efficiency 

People 

Land 

Rural economies 


Choices on the farm 

To ensure that farms meet their productivity 

potential, we need enabling and transparent 

regulations, to make safe technologies 

available to farmers. 

Accelerating innovation 

We need mechanisms to share innovation; 

protecting intellectual property helps 

stimulate research and development. 

Sharing knowledge 

Agriculture is based on knowledge supported 

by science; we need new partnerships to 

raise agronomy skills and share expertise. 

Resource efficiency 

Preserving the land 

We need to increase productivity 

on existing farmland. 

High stakes for water 

Forty percent of water used for agriculture is 

wasted; we need solutions that increase 

water efficiency. 

Vitality of biodiversity 

Biodiversity and agriculture depend on 

each other; we need to protect the diversity 

of nature to secure our food supply and 

quality of life. 

Rural economies 

Building markets 

Growing is not enough; farmers need 

supporting infrastructure and access to 

markets, finance and information. 

Valuing farm work 

Rural economies carry the weight of feeding 

the world; farming needs to be worthwhile 

and profitable. 

Community development 

We need agriculture to spur socio-economic 

development of rural communities.




10 


for the farmer of 

the future 

“The task of increasing food availability through 

production on a constant area of land with 

reduced inputs is such an enormous challenge 

that no useful approach or technology 

can be ignored.” 

Reaping the benefits: science and the sustainable intensification 

of global agriculture, 2009 

The Royal Society 

Find out more 

Demonstrating value to 

smallholder rice farmers 

In China, 100 million farmers grow the rice 

that is a staple for 1.3 billion people, yet 

almost all of them are smallholders. 

Demonstrating the value of properly used 

Syngenta solutions to these growers has 

not been easy in the past. 

To show farmers how to reduce the use 

of pesticides while increasing yields, the 

company’s local Crop Protection team 

began collaborating with China’s National 

Agro-Tech Extension Center (NATESC). 

Farmers in each of the 10 major rice 

production provinces were recruited and 

trained on how to calibrate equipment, 

when to spray, and how to use Syngenta 

products that require fewer applications – 

such as VIRTAKO ® and ARMURE ® . 

Now three years old, the program has 

shown that farmers can grow more using 

50 percent less pesticide, and generating 

an additional $300 in yield per hectare 

on average. 

Chinese growers and government 

agencies have taken notice. Syngenta 

not only increased market share, but 

also was honored in 2010 with a prize for 

Outstanding Corporate Social Responsibility 

Performance, from the China Association 

of Enterprises with Foreign Investment 

and the China Charity Federation. 


“I’ve never seen a pesticide rate 

reduction technology generate this 

level of excitement and enthusiasm 

among farmers. The benefit of this 

program is obvious. I am very 

proud to promote it.” 

Prof. Ducai Liu 

Syngenta Technical Manager, 

Yangtzu Business Unit, China 

Featured above: Prof. Ducai Liu (left) and 

Diyun Liang, Ministry of Agriculture. 

Syngenta values farm work – we see the people in 

rural communities as our business partners. As with 

any business, farmers must have the skills and tools 

to prosper. Our contribution goes beyond providing 

technologies: we offer advanced, integrated solutions 

for the challenges facing farmers today and in the 

future. To achieve the best yields under their specific 

conditions, farmers must use high quality seeds, water 

efficient technologies, nutrients, insect and weed 

management, and soil conservation. 

These solutions help farmers meet the needs of their 

customers and successfully compete in global and 

local markets. Consumers all over the world are not 

only demanding more food, but a greater variety 

including meat, dairy, and higher quality fruits and 

vegetables. Syngenta’s training programs enable 

farmers to boost yields sustainably, improve quality 

of produce, and enhance their livelihoods. 

In India, for example, Syngenta has established a “crop 

health center,” called Krishi Shakti, which provides 

agronomy advice and resources to farmers from 

surrounding villages. In parallel, Syngenta started 

operating Krishi Shakti vans to support farmers on 

their farms. These programs provide crop diagnostics, 

soil testing, library facilities, training and education, 

demonstration plots and interactions with scientists. 

As a result, member farmers use Syngenta products 

and have increased yields and quality of their crops. 

In another example, our PLENE technology, being 

launched in 2011, addresses challenges in the sugar 

cane industry in Brazil. With this innovative technology, 

sugar cane segments are treated with seed care 

applications to protect them in early growth stages. 

Since mechanized planting is faster and safer with 

new technology developed in conjunction with leading 

equipment manufacturer John Deere, growers can 

harvest and replant their fields more frequently. This 

eliminates the typical yield degradation of the crop and 

increases overall productivity, leading to a yield gain of 

up to 15 percent.



Operation Pollinator 

13 

Countries in which the 

program is already running. 

Increasing resource 

efficiency 

Syngenta recognizes that better solutions will not 

only address the need for increased productivity, 

but will also help farmers to manage and protect the 

environment: sustainable, intensive farming improves 

resource efficiency. 

A recent study by Stanford University found that an 

area of land larger than Russia has been saved from 

cultivation because farmers in many parts of the world 

have used modern technology to grow more on their 

farms in the last 50 years 1 . In Brazil, for instance, the 

rate of Amazon deforestation plunged to a historic low 

in 2009 – nearly 75 percent below its 2004 peak – 

while productivity increased faster than in any other 

country in the world 2 . Such productivity gains must 

continue, if we are to feed the world without increasing 

the area of cultivated land. 

As fewer virgin areas are cultivated, the biodiversity 

of natural ecosystems is saved from habitat loss. 

Protecting biodiversity is not only important for the 

wellbeing of the planet, but also vital to healthy and 

productive agriculture. This includes crop pollination, 

healthy soil, water and air purification, and the genetic 

diversity of wild plants. 

Syngenta proactively initiates programs to protect 

biodiversity around farms. For example, Operation 

Pollinator 3 works with farmers to create farm borders 

of wild flora for pollinating insects, that depend on 

nectar and pollen for healthy diets. The results show 

a substantial increase in valuable pollinators, including 

bees. The program is already running in 13 countries, 

and is a good example of how good farming practices 

conserve the environment. 

Syngenta’s integrated solutions help farmers produce 

the highest yield from water used. These solutions 

include improved seeds and crop protection products. 

For example, in 2011 we will be the first company to 

market corn hybrids that use available moisture more 

efficiently, giving higher yields on drought stressed 

acres. These hybrids also have the potential to reduce 

water use in irrigated farming and protect plants 

during unexpected drought. 

Herbicides that control weeds and lower the need for 

tillage provide another way to save water. No- or low-till 

farming improves the soil’s ability to absorb water and 

reduces moisture loss. As a result, soil is protected 

against erosion and water runoff. Stopping runoff 

also prevents agricultural chemicals and soil in fields 

from polluting rivers and streams. 

Protecting resources 

Another way to save natural resources is to prevent 

crop loss due to inadequate crop protection. Up to 

50 percent of crops are lost in many parts of the 

world because of weeds, insects, fungi and spoilage. 

Syngenta products reduce crop loss on the field and 

after harvesting which, in turn, protects against the 

waste of water and energy, and loss of income. 

Syngenta has also implemented programs that directly 

help preserve the environment. In southwestern 

Columbia, for example, the Ecoaguas initiative focuses 

on preserving important watersheds. It aims to 

regulate the water cycle through planting indigenous 

trees grown by community nurseries. Over the last 

16 years, more than 760,000 trees have been planted, 

and training has promoted environmental awareness 

and good farming practices. 

11 

Conserving water 

Fresh water is critical to productive agriculture; it must 

be protected and used more efficiently. Yet, up to 

40 percent of the fresh water used in agriculture is 

wasted. A recent study by the 2030 Water Resources 

Group 4 found that existing agricultural technology 

can sustainably increase water use efficiency, at 

reasonable cost and with little investment. 

1 Greenhouse gas mitigation by agricultural intensification. Proceedings 

of the National Academies of Science (2009) 

2 Tollefson J, The global farm. Nature, 466, 554-556, (2010) 

3 www.operationpollinator.com 

4 Charting our water future (2009)




12 

Strengthening 

rural economies 

“Only with sustainable intensification of crop 

production can serious progress be made 

towards achieving the Millennium Development 

Goals on hunger and poverty reduction and 

on ensuring environmental sustainability.” 

Shivaji Pandey 

Director, FAO’s Plant Production and Protection Division, 

keynote speech at the IVth World Congress on Conservation 

Agriculture in New Delhi, 2009 

When rural communities can sustainably grow more 

from less and profitably sell their crops, they can live 

more prosperous lives. But this isn’t easy considering 

the challenges they face. Erratic weather, insects, 

disease and weeds can ruin crops and diminish 

incomes. Farmers must also deal with the risks of 

a volatile market – even with a good crop, prices 

may be low. 

Syngenta recognizes that the world’s farmers need 

more tailored, integrated solutions to make agriculture 

an economically viable and rewarding way of life. 

In developed countries, rural communities have made 

great strides in productivity. The journey to achieve 

sustainable increases in productivity continues in the 

emerging economies, but this is hindered by lack of 

access to modern technologies, knowledge sharing, 

financing and markets. 

Bringing modern technologies to farmers 

Often farmers are unable or unwilling to invest in 

the technologies they need to increase productivity. 

Smallholders face the constant risk that investment 

in better seeds and fertilizer will be lost if drought, 

flooding or disease destroy their crops and wipe 

out the benefits of their purchase. 

But as a result of not using the best inputs, yields 

remain far below their potential. To overcome this 

problem, the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable 

Agriculture (SFSA) offers creative financial solutions 

designed to reduce the risk for farmers investing in 

sustainable increases in productivity. For instance, 

the Agriculture Index Insurance Initiative launched in 

2008 in Kenya aims to develop the potential of microinsurance 

for smallholders. The Syngenta-subsidized 

Kilimo Salama program – “safe farming” in Kiswahili – 

allows smallholders to insure selected farm inputs 

at their local retailer and pay half the premium. If 

there is insufficient rainfall as reported by automated 

weather stations, then farmers are compensated 

for their investment. 

Syngenta Foundation for 

Sustainable Agriculture 

The Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture 

(SFSA) creates value for smallholders in developing 

countries. Through collaborations with local partners, 

including government institutions, private companies and 

non-governmental organizations (NGOs), SFSA provides 

innovations required for sustainable agriculture and eases 

access to markets. 

The Foundation currently runs projects in Africa, Asia and 

Latin America, and it contributes worldwide to the public 

debate on agricultural development. 

In 2010, SFSA started its first projects in Indonesia and 

Vietnam, which focus on improving farmers’ livelihoods 

through extra cash crops. It piloted a project with 

smallholders in the Peruvian Andes, partnering with 

an NGO and the regional division of McDonald’s. And it 

invested in the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund, which buys 

carbon credits in developing countries. 

As well as piloting new activities, SFSA also places strong 

emphasis on successful scale-up. In India, it continued its 

rapid expansion of agricultural extension. The aim is to reach 

200,000 farmers by 2014, up from some 30,000 at the 

start of 2010. In Kenya, SFSA scaled up its weather index 

insurance from 200 smallholders in 2009 to about 12,000 

in 2010. The creation and rapid uptake of this insurance 

have only been possible due to the SFSA’s catalytic lead. 

Pictured left: Njeri Muriuki registering a farmer’s drought insurance 

through her SFSA-enabled cellular phone. 

Find out more 

www.syngentafoundation.org



Camcoa 300 in Cameroon 

Cocoa is one of the most important cash crops grown in 

Cameroon, but often it is difficult for smallholder famers to 

access markets and sell their crop. In 2010, Syngenta set 

up a program to help these farmers through partnerships 

with smallholder cooperatives, government agencies and 

cocoa traders. The program provides agronomy training 

to produce higher yields and better quality cocoa beans. 

“We are also sharing knowledge about entrepreneurship 

accounting and savings so farms can operate as 

successful businesses and not be forced to sell at lower 

prices,” says Aurore Jamet, project manager for Camcoa 

300 . Over 500 growers spanning 1,500 hectares have 

been trained thus far, with a target to reach 25,000 growers. 

13 

“The Camcoa project will help us to 

commercialize our efforts by creating a link 

between traders and farmers. The training 

about savings will enable farmers to invest in 

their cocoa trees, and Syngenta training brings 

us the knowledge we need in order to protect 

our culture.” 

Stephen Nkwen 

Cocoa grower 

Featured left: Stephen Nkwen (right), Aurore Jamet, Syngenta 

in Cameroon (middle); and André Moukam, grower (left). 

Watch video and find out more 


Average subscription 

$0.50 

Weekly cost paid by 

smallholders in India to 

receive timely crop 

information on pest and 

disease management. 

Creative knowledge sharing 

Getting information regularly to the farmers who need 

it requires creative solutions. For instance, we address 

the need for knowledge sharing on a regular basis, 

over large and often remote areas in India, through a 

partnership with Nokia Life Tools. This partnership has 

led to an easy-to-use application for cell phones that 

gives growers access to timely, crop-specific tips on 

pest and disease management. Farmers subscribe 

to the service for a nominal cost of around $0.50 per 

week. By the end of 2010, two million subscribers 

were using the agriculture service, which includes 

information provided by Syngenta. 

Increasing access to markets 

Syngenta also works with local partners to help open 

markets for farmers. The NUCOFFEE initiative in 

Brazil, for example, connects growers, cooperatives, 

and roasters in a transparent business partnership. 

The program helps mitigate the financial risks farmers 

face when investing in inputs with the uncertainty 

of growing and selling a coffee crop. With the right 

agronomy advice and technology, they are able to 

meet demanding international quality standards, sell 

their harvest and become profitable farmers. 

These Syngenta examples demonstrate that global 

agriculture demands a range of approaches that are 

specific to crops, localities, resources and cultures. 

There is no one way to reach food security, but 

integrated solutions that recognize the links between 

technology, land and people can make great strides 

toward this ambition. Syngenta is helping to put into 

the hands of growers innovative technologies and 

knowledge that can enhance yields, improve incomes, 

and protect natural resources.



Our offer 

14 

Integrated 

solutions 

for today’s 

farmer 

Leading in research 

and development 

Conserving natural 

resources 

Global reach 

and experience 

With a $1 billion annual investment in R&D 

and a global network of R&D centers, 

Syngenta leverages scientific insights 

in plant physiology, chemistry, genetics and 

biotechnology to provide comprehensive 

programs that help address growers’ 

diverse and changing needs. 

Syngenta’s high-yielding seeds and innovative 

crop protection products help growers get 

more from existing land, and preserve 

ecosystems. This is complemented by our 

extensive training and stewardship programs 

to promote modern agricultural practice. 

Our teams in over 90 countries use their 

local knowledge and understanding, 

together with the breadth of expertise 

from across the business, to tailor solutions 

that create value for growers. This unique 

insight gives Syngenta a sustainable 

competitive advantage.



Through our world-class science, leading portfolio of 

crop solutions and strong presence in all agricultural 

markets, we are uniquely positioned to help growers 

around the world to grow more from less. 

15 

Access to highquality 

genetics 

Syngenta has industry-leading genetics and 

traits, and we breed high-quality seeds for 

corn, soybean, sunflower and other field 

crops, vegetables and flowers. We use 

conventional breeding techniques as well 

as modern biotechnology to provide growers 

with the best choice for high yields 

and quality. 

Protecting and 

enhancing plant 

performance 

Our broad range of safe and efficient 

products protect crops from planting to 

maturity, guarding them from insects and 

disease, while reducing competition from 

weeds for nutrients and water. They also 

improve plant vigor and help reduce yield 

losses in periods of drought. 

Benefits for 

customers and 

rural communities 

Our innovations and technology benefit 

our customers in many ways. Consumers 

appreciate features such as better taste and 

healthier food. In rural communities, we help 

to improve livelihoods through raising 

agricultural productivity, training and 

stewardship programs.



16 

Addressing 

growers’ 

needs



Syngenta uses its expertise in plant breeding, 

crop protection and seed care to deliver solutions 

designed to bring plant potential to life. Whether they 

grow corn or rice, vegetables or flowers, farmers 

around the world trust Syngenta to help them 

produce healthy, premium crops and minimize 

the use of precious natural resources. 

17 

Sales in Corn 

$m 

Crop Protection 1,290 

Seed Care 240 

Seeds 850 

Total 2,380 

All crop sales in this 

section are based on 

Syngenta estimates. 

Corn 

Around 60 percent of global corn production is 

destined for animal feed. This means that the global 

importance of corn is expanding particularly in 

emerging markets, where growth in meat consumption 

is increasing. Corn growers are also supplying other 

end uses such as sweeteners, plastics and – 

particularly in the US – biofuels. 

Corn is one of the most productive crops: plant one 

seed, and you get over 500 kernels in return. 

Hybridization over many years has allowed enormous 

productivity gains, and this has been complemented in 

the last decade by the development of biotech traits in 

North America, Latin America, Asia and South Africa. 

As a result, the value of corn seed has risen, and seed 

selection has become a key grower decision. In addition, 

to safeguard their substantial investment in seed, 

growers need a range of solutions to protect their 

crop from weeds, insects and environmental stress. 

Leading herbicide range 

These solutions have to evolve to meet new 

challenges. In 2010, the full extent of weed resistance 

to glyphosate became widely acknowledged, with nine 

resistant weeds now identified in the USA. Syngenta 

anticipated this development early on, and in 2005 

launched glyphosate pre-mixes that deal effectively 

with resistant weeds while retaining the convenience 

of glyphosate. Sales of HALEX ® GT have expanded 

rapidly over the last two years, building on the success 

of comprehensive pre- and post-emergence weed 

control programs such as LUMAX ® and LEXAR ® . 

Crop enhancement in corn 

Combinations of our leading crop protection 

chemistries are also driving crop enhancement in corn. 

New fungicide programs including QUILT XCEL ® and 

QUADRIS ® led to a significant increase in adoption 

over the previous year, as growers recognized benefits 

in yield, quality, and ease of harvesting. 

In Seed Care, we have built on the success of 

CRUISER ® insect control with the launch in the 

USA of AVICTA ® , the first nematicide seed treatment. 

Growers had previously not realized the extent of the 

damage caused by nematodes which, by virtue of 

their scattered presence, can be difficult to locate 

and combat. AVICTA ® COMPLETE PAK offers a 

convenient and targeted solution that also includes 

CRUISER ® and the fungicide DYNASTY ® , based on 

the active ingredient azoxystrobin. AVICTA ® has now 

also been launched on soybean where it has 

significant potential. 

Germplasm diversity 

Alongside a world-leading crop protection portfolio 

for corn, Syngenta has a global corn seed business 

founded on research and development platforms that 

leverage diverse germplasm resources. We combine 

these resources with state-of-the-art breeding 

technology and the strength of local breeding 

programs to deliver a continuous flow of highperformance 

products. Our performance in Southeast 

Asia is one example of the success of this strategy: 

development of our proprietary tropical germplasm 

has given us leading market positions in both Vietnam 

and Thailand. And in China, we are broadening our 

portfolio by drawing on resources from both Europe 

and North America.



Addressing growers’ needs 

18 

Germplasm performance underpins the rapid 

progress in our US corn seed business. Following the 

acquisitions of Garst and Golden Harvest in 2004, we 

embarked on a major product overhaul that involved 

pooling and then crossing the acquired germplasm. 

Today, our unique portfolio offers genetic diversity and 

demonstrates advantages over the competition in 

yield performance. 

Innovation in biotechnology 

Syngenta’s germplasm is now accompanied by an 

outstanding suite of biotech traits. The AGRISURE ® 

3000GT triple stack reached market levels of 

penetration in 2010, accounting for around 60 percent 

of the offer. At the end of the year, in time for the 2011 

season, we launched AGRISURE VIPTERA – our first 

distinctive proprietary trait with unparalleled broad 

lepidoptera control. Initial yield data and market 

reception were highly positive. We were also the first 

company to bring to market a water optimization 

solution with the launch of AGRISURE ARTESIAN , 

a native trait offer with the potential for subsequent 

biotech combinations. An output of our deep 

understanding of water use efficiency at the genomics 

level combined with extensive breeding programs, 

AGRISURE ARTESIAN , offers 15 percent yield 

preservation in mid- to high-drought conditions 

without yield drag. 

We are leveraging our traits across borders, with the 

launch of double stack corn in Argentina and of 

VIPTERA in Brazil. Launched initially as a single trait, 

VIPTERA has now become part of the first triple stack 

product to receive approval in Brazil. We are also 

creating stacking possibilities in the Philippines with the 

launch of GA21 herbicide tolerance in addition to our 

existing Bt offer. Our goal is to enable corn growers 

around the world to capture value from the improved 

productivity necessary to sustain economic 

development. We will do this by offering tailored 

solutions that embrace the full range of technologies. 


Towards the perfect 

ear of corn 

Every year in the US, yield and grain quality 

losses add up to an estimated 238 million 

bushels of corn, or $1.1 billion. But like many 

corn growers, Mike Schmidt from De Witt, 

Iowa, had come to accept the significant 

losses that unpredictable and damaging 

pests like the black cutworm and corn 

earworm can cause. These insects do their 

damage unseen, and they are very difficult 

to control using traditional insecticides. 

The USDA approval of AGRISURE 

VIPTERA in April and introduction into 

the market in autumn 2010 generated 

excitement. Nonetheless, growers are 

fairly risk-averse and highly tactical in 

how they evaluate new corn traits, so there 

was some initial skepticism. With a novel 

mode of action controlling more above 

ground pests than any other product 

on the market, Syngenta’s new seed 

trait just sounded too good to be true. 

But after seeing the results on his fields, 

Mike is a believer. 


“In our area we haven’t paid as 

much attention to above-ground 

pest pressure like corn earworm 

and black cutworm before, 

because by the time we had 

noticed the damage, it was too 

late or there was no way to 

effectively control them. 

AGRISURE VIPTERA controls 

these pests well and gives us 

season-long control of these 

above-ground pests, so there 

is no need to worry or scout 

any of these fields.” 

Mike Schmidt 

Farmer, DeWitt, Iowa, USA 

Featured above: Mike Schmidt (left) and 

Rich Lee, Syngenta Field Agronomist.



Soybean 

Multiple ways of protecting high quality seeds 

Soybean has traditionally been perceived as having 

less value than corn. But its potential for yield 

improvement through high-quality germplasm, 

as well as native and biotech traits, is attracting 

increasing attention. 

In the USA, the strong performance of Syngenta’s 

germplasm underpinned the 2010 gain in market 

share. We are building on this advantage by offering 

integrated solutions that include seeds, crop protection 

and seed care. For example, the Aphid Management 

System combines seed varieties bred with genetic 

resistance to aphids with Cruiser Maxx ® seed 

treatment, which also boosts yield and vigor. And highyielding 

varieties with genetic resistance to the 

soybean cyst nematode are now complemented by 

AVICTA ® , the nematicide seed treatment launched for 

corn a year ago and now available also for soybean. 

In Latin America, where we have already combined 

our Crop Protection and Seeds sales forces, integrated 

offers will further expand our footprint. In Brazil, the 

success of VMAX ® soybean, which combines the 

advantages of glyphosate-tolerant technology with 

fast-maturing germplasm, has driven rapid gains 

in market share. In Argentina, the acquisition of SPS 

in 2008 gave us a platform for the introduction of 

new technology. 

We see considerable potential for leverage between our 

North and Latin American businesses, and we are using 

advanced breeding selection tools to increase speed to 

market for high-performing varieties. 

Sales in Soybean 

$m 

19 

Protein meal for animals accounts for around 70 percent 

of global soybean production, and demand from 

emerging markets is increasing. Most of the world’s 

production – more than 80 percent – is concentrated 

in the USA, Brazil and Argentina. Productivity is vital to 

growers in these countries as they compete to satisfy 

increasing demand for imports, especially from China. 

Latin American growers have made enormous strides 

in productivity despite soybean rust, an endemic and 

devastating disease. Effective treatment of the disease 

has enabled the expansion of soybean production – 

the market for related crop protection products is now 

over $1 billion. Syngenta plays a leading role with a 

one-third share of the market. This reflects the success 

of the mixture product PRIORI XTRA ® , particularly in 

areas of high disease pressure. 

Managing weed resistance 

US growers have become accustomed to managing 

crops more easily since glyphosate was introduced in 

the mid-1990s. But the emergence of glyphosateresistant 

weeds over the last five years has made it 

imperative to adopt a more differentiated approach. 

Syngenta’s portfolio of selective herbicides for soybean – 

now marketed in the form of glyphosate pre-mixes – has 

provided a cost-effective and convenient solution. 


Seed Care 170 

Seeds 430 

Total 1,890 

Breakthrough seed treatment technology 

In 2010, we were able offer soybeans to Argentine growers 

that are fully protected from insects and diseases. The 

technology brings together Syngenta’s leading seed care 

products Cruiser ® and Avicta ® with a long lasting 

inoculant that increases soybeans’ ability to resist diseases. 

This integrated technology protects the seeds from 

the moment of planting – the stage at which they are 

particularly vulnerable – and also helps the young plants 

withstand adverse climatic conditions. 

Field trials have shown very encouraging results and first 

sales have already reached $3 million. The product is being 

produced at three sites in Argentina and has excellent 

potential for long-term growth. 

“Achieving good seed distribution and 

germination is the key for us to obtain the 

best yields. We have decided to use Syngenta 

technology because sprouting is almost 

100 percent.” 

Jorge Sunino 

Soybean grower, Argentina 

Find out more 


Pictured left: Jorge Sunino (right) and Pablo Rugeroni, 

Technical Services Engineer at Syngenta.




20 

Cereals 

By developing new varieties of wheat seeds alongside 

our crop protection and seed treatment programs, 

Syngenta can target productivity improvements 

at many levels. We are the world leader in cereals 

seeds, with cutting-edge breeding technologies 

that include marker-assisted breeding and doublehaploid 

technology. 

In April 2010, we announced an agreement with the 

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center 

(CIMMYT). This public-private partnership will lead to 

joint research and development – in the areas of traits, 

hybrid wheat, and the combination of seeds and crop 

protection – to accelerate plant yield performance. It 

will allow Syngenta to take advantage of its genetic 

marker technology and traits platform to improve 

wheat productivity in emerging markets. 

Sales in Cereals 

$m 

Wheat is the world’s largest crop, planted on some 

225 million hectares. With bread and pasta as staples 

in Western diets and increasing in popularity elsewhere, 

it is vital to have a plentiful supply as well as a wide 

range of top-quality varieties with different taste and 

milling characteristics. And, as consumption in emerging 

markets increases due to changing diets, meeting the 

additional demand means that the average global yield 

of three tons per hectare must rise. There is no doubt 

about the potential: growers in some Western European 

countries already achieve more than three times 

this figure. 

But in the summer of 2010, world wheat production 

suffered a setback from devastating fires in Russia. 

In recent years, Russia has not only expanded its 

domestic wheat supply, but has also become a major 

exporter. So the cut in production caused world wheat 

prices to rise sharply. These events highlight the need 

for sustained productivity increases that enable 

markets to better withstand future supply shocks. 


Seed Care 170 

Seeds 60 

Total 1,380 

Expanding the offer in Eastern Europe 

An immediate priority for Syngenta is to work with 

growers in Russia and across Eastern Europe to 

increase their long-term output and profitability. 

Expanding the crop protection range is key to this. For 

example, despite difficult market conditions in 2010, 

sales in the region for our new cereal herbicide AXIAL ® 

grew by over 50 percent. The fungicide AMISTAR ® also 

expanded rapidly and is starting to take the place of 

older competitor chemistry. And use of CRUISER ® 

seed treatment on wheat is resulting in increased vigor, 

particularly in cold conditions, and enabling growers 

to plant their crop earlier. 

Integrated growing systems for cereals 

Globally, solutions like CRUISER ® show the potential 

for crop enhancement in wheat. The plant growth 

regulator MODDUS ® , in addition to its benefits in 

creating a shorter, stronger plant, increases root mass, 

resulting in improved water and nutrient uptake and 

better tolerance to drought and heat. In 2010, we 

launched the next-generation fungicide isopyrazam 

on barley in the UK and on wheat in New Zealand. 

Isopyrazam has a new mode of action, and controls 

a wide range of diseases while delivering higher yields. 

In barley it is a key element of a new integrated growing 

system that enables growers to increase productivity 

by treating their crop more systematically, as they 

already do for wheat. 

Find out more 

Braving the weather 

Sandy Norrie is Arable Manager at the 

A J Duncan farm at Muirden in North East 

Scotland. The farm has been involved with 

hybrid barley since 2003, when Syngenta 

launched Colossus, the world’s first hybrid 

winter barley variety. Sandy also has a lot of 

experience with Syngenta spring barley 

varieties including Optic and, more recently, 

Waggon and Forensic. 

As a participant of a new hybrid barley 

case study in 2010, A J Duncan profiled 

Boost, Volume and Element hybrid barley 

varieties. The farm saw yield improvements 

of 10 percent and more, compared with 

standard varieties. Combined with 

Syngenta’s leading crop protection 

products and expert know-how, the new 

innovative hybrid barley varieties come 

with major benefits. They can be grown 

under challenging weather conditions, 

and they deliver an improved grain quality, 

helping the grower to get the most from 

every hectare. 


“The new varieties truly show an 

improved performance. Not only 

do we see higher yields and 

better grain quality, the crops 

are hardier too.” 

Sandy Norrie 

Arable Manager, A J Duncan farm, 

Muirden, Scotland 

Featured above: Sandy Norrie (left) and 

Tom Mitchell, Business Manager at Syngenta.



Rice 

Rice plays a more crucial role in human food 

consumption than any other major field crop. It 

provides 60 percent of the calorie intake for more than 

two billion people every day. In Asia, where 90 percent 

of the world’s rice is grown, average per capita 

consumption is more than one kilogram a week. 

And yet progress in rice productivity still lags behind 

the advances made in other crops. Governments 

in the emerging markets of Asia are increasingly 

responding to this challenge with support and 

incentives to help modernize farming practices. 

Syngenta is participating in the process of 

modernization by expanding the range of products 

and services available to rice growers. Our goal is 

to achieve a step change in yield while improving 

rice quality. 

Water efficiency 

Traditional rice cultivation relies heavily on the availability 

of water, and reduced water input during any part of 

the growing cycle has an impact on plant growth and 

yield. Syngenta is breeding hybrid rice varieties with 

short and medium maturities and correspondingly 

lower water needs. Because rice growers face variable 

conditions – for example, flash flooding that can also 

damage the crop – we are developing native traits that 

can better withstand temporary submergence. 

Bringing technology to smallholders 

In Asia alone, there are more than 200 million rice 

farmers for whom the extension and transfer of 

knowledge will play a vital role in securing a sustainable 

livelihood. Syngenta’s locally based teams are focused 

on providing not only products but also the necessary 

tools, support and training to enable smallholder 

farmers to achieve this. 

Sales in Rice 

$m 

Crop Protection 530 

Seed Care 30 

Seeds 10 

Total 570 

21 

Expanding chemical solutions 

Until now, chemical usage in rice has focused mainly 

on herbicides and older insecticides. With the 

expansion of the new insecticide VIRTAKO ® , part of the 

DURIVO ® range, Syngenta is delivering a new mode of 

action offering both insect control and increased plant 

vigor. We are developing new markets for broadspectrum 

disease control with ARMURE ® , and we 

see an increasing opportunity for AMISTAR ® which, 

following the expansion of our production capacity, 

we can now start to capture. 

Doubling yield potential 

Seed Care is another example of the ways in which 

Asian rice growers are adopting new technology. 

The combination of CRUISER ® with high-yielding 

hybrids and complete crop protection programs is 

delivering benefits to growers in high potential areas. 

We are further expanding our integrated offer with the 

introduction in India of TEGRA , a solution for smallscale 

rice growers. The solution consists of planting 

high quality seed coated with seed treatment, followed 

by a new system of mechanical transplanting for the 

seedlings to reduce labor input. A crop care protocol 

is applied during the growth period and, in total, 

TEGRA increases yields by an average 30 percent. 

Find out more 

Growing more rice, more easily 

In Asia, rice is life: more than two billion 

people depend on the crop for their daily 

calorie intake. Productivity currently ranges 

from two to eight tons per hectare across 

the continent. 

In developed Asia, productivity is high and 

planting has been standardized through 

mechanization for over 15 years. By contrast, 

in developing Asia, productivity remains 

low and planting is mainly done by hand. 

Syngenta launched a project to look at 

proven technologies in rice farming and 

identify the best ways to make them 

accessible to farmers in developing 

markets, regardless of the scale of 

operation. Our combined expertise in 

seeds, plant care, growing media, and 

crop protection means we are ideally 

placed to deliver an end-to-end solution 

for these growers. 


The result is TEGRA : a new seedling 

technology, adapted for each unique rice 

ecosystem, delivering proprietary products, 

mechanically transplanted and supported 

by Syngenta’s comprehensive agronomy 

consultation services. 

“I like the way the Syngenta 

agronomist helps me to take good 

care of my crop, and to overcome 

problems with insects and diseases. 

Transplanting is much easier and 

the crop stays healthier over the 

whole season.” 

Nukala Janaki Rami Reddy 

Rice grower in India 

Featured above: Nukala Reddy (right) with 

Hari Gopal, CTP Manager at Syngenta.




22 

A planting revolution for sugar cane 

Production of sugar cane is under pressure, as global 

demand for sugar and ethanol rapidly outpaces the abilities 

of a largely manual industry to keep up. So Syngenta 

established a team to focus on technology that would 

simplify operations and ensure sustainability. 

The result is revolutionary. In 2011 in Brazil, Syngenta will 

introduce PLENE , an innovative technology that allows more 

frequent re-planting and therefore higher yields and less 

impact on the environment. 

PLENE simplifies production by providing sugar cane 

cuttings treated with seed care to protect against disease 

and insects for healthier crops. The cuttings are only 4cm 

long – the plant cuttings of conventional systems are 

10 times that length. Because of the smaller size, John Deere 

was able to develop planting equipment designed especially 

for PLENE that is lighter on the soil and uses less fuel. 

“Thanks to the radical simplification it offers, 

PLENE is a true game changer. The benefits I 

will get in terms of improved convenience and 

reduced cost are truly really exciting.” 

Gustavo Villa Gomes 

Miller, Brazil 

Featured left: Gustavo Villa Gomes (right) and Alexandre Peres, 

Syngenta Sales Representative New Technologies Cane. 



Sales in Sugar cane 

$m 


Seed Care 0 

Seeds 0 

Total 150 

Sugar cane 

Sugar cane meets 70 percent of global sugar needs 

and is the most cost-effective feedstock for plantderived 

ethanol. But traditionally, this crop has 

attracted little technology investment and yields are 

well below what they could be. In order to release 

this potential, Syngenta has been making significant 

investments in sugar cane. We are now the first 

company to market integrated solutions that offer 

improved yield and quality to cane growers and millers. 

Crop enhancement combined with pest control 

In Brazil, which accounts for over 50 percent of global 

sugar cane production, our Crop Protection portfolio 

is already delivering broad benefits to growers. 

The insecticide ACTARA ® is used to control sucking 

and chewing pests, and delivers an additional vigor 

effect that results in a 10 percent yield advantage. 

The plant growth regulator MODDUS ® allows growers 

to control the timing of the harvest to achieve 

maximum sugar yield; it also enhances root 

development in the growing cane, making uptake 

of water and nutrients more efficient. 

In 2010, we launched ENGEO ® , a chemical solution for 

termite control. Unlike existing products on the market, 

ENGEO ® does not persist in the environment or harm 

beneficial termites that break down cane residues after 

harvesting. PRIORI XTRA ® , a fungicide widely used 

in Brazil to combat soybean rust, became the first 

product to be authorized for orange rust in sugar cane. 

Integrated technology 

PLENE is a breakthrough technology in sugar cane 

planting, combining chemistry, plant genetics and 

application technology to provide a truly integrated 

solution. We will offer top commercial cane varieties in 

small cuttings coated with proprietary seed treatment. 

A shift from manual to mechanical planting will improve 

safety and address the issue of labor shortage. 

Growers will now be able to re-plant cane more 

frequently, with younger plants producing higher yields. 

Broader benefits include the more effective use of 

natural resources.



Oilseeds and 

sugar beet 

Sugar beet: capturing value for growers 

Sugar beet is an industrial crop used in food 

processing, as well as in biogas and ethanol 

production. For growers in Western and Central 

Europe, it is already a high value crop. But in Eastern 

Europe, while acreage and volumes are high, there 

is substantial scope to increase seed quality. 

In 2010, Syngenta consolidated its European business 

through the acquisition of the Maribo ® brand, sold in 

35 countries, together with its seed production and 

sales activities. 

The size of the sugar beet market in the USA has 

doubled in value since 2008, following the introduction 

of glyphosate-tolerant sugar beet and the expansion of 

seed treatment. Growers’ rapid adoption of glyphosate 

tolerance, which in 2010 represented 95 percent of 

the market, demonstrates the ability of biotechnology 

to transform the economics of growing a crop. 

Sales in Oilseeds and 

sugar beet $m 

23 

While food security is a critical concern in many 

emerging markets, consumers in developed countries 

have the luxury of favoring products that further benefit 

their health. Vegetable oils made from sunflower and 

oilseed rape are preferred because they are relatively 

high in unsaturated fats. High consumer demand 

makes these plants attractive for growers, as does 

their yield stability under adverse growing conditions 

and benefits to the entire production system, 

particularly in rotation with cereals. 


Seed Care 100 

Seeds 460 

Total 850 

Oilseeds: improving yield and oil content 

In recent years, cultivation of sunflower in emerging 

markets has flourished – these markets now account 

for 75 percent of global output. Often, growers’ first 

impulse is to expand acreage. But to maximize the 

sustainability of the crop, they need to focus on the 

type and quality of seed used. Syngenta has made 

significant emerging market investments in this crop 

over the last decade. We are driving the shift towards 

high-performing hybrid varieties through the introduction 

of best-in-class genetics adapted to local conditions. 

Superior germplasm leads to enhanced stability under 

stress and to yield increases that are further accelerated 

by applying our leading Seed Care products. In addition, 

we regularly launch varieties with specific native traits 

such as high oleic acid composition and disease 

resistance. 

Selected acquisitions have augmented our world 

leadership in sunflowers. Acquired in 2008, SPS has 

broadened our reach by establishing our presence in 

the mid-value segment in Argentina. Our acquisition of 

Monsanto’s global sunflower business was concluded 

at the end of 2010 and complements our existing 

germplasm strength in a number of markets. 

Syngenta operates a global network of sunflower 

breeding stations that target all aspects of yield 

improvement, as well as traits to address stress 

tolerance and fatty acid composition. 

In Northern Europe, oilseed rape is grown to serve 

both the edible oil and biodiesel markets. Hybridization 

is driving growth in value, and Syngenta is providing 

high-performing hybrids with seed care combinations 

for strong crop establishment. In Canada, where 

oilseed rape is grown as canola, Syngenta sells a 

range of crop protection chemicals for application 

throughout the season. 

Find out more 

A healthy growth forecast 

Due in part to diets high in saturated fats, 

life expectancy in Russia continues to lag 

behind that in other parts of Europe. At the 

same time, the country is the world’s 

largest market for sunflower seed, and 

while the number of hectares devoted to 

sunflowers has been growing, yield 

growth has not kept up. 

Oil from a high oleic sunflower hybrid – 

which has a healthy fatty acid composition 

and can lower cholesterol as effectively 

as more expensive olive oils – could 

have a big impact on this market and 

on overall health. 

“From grower to processor to 

consumer, our high oleic sunflower 

varieties add value. 18,000 units of 

high oleic seeds were sold in 2010, 

more than five times the 2008 

figure. Given the need to provide 

more healthy oil products to the 

Russian people, we are perfectly 

positioned to gain market share.” 

Hachares Babiyan 

Syngenta Territory Sales Manager 

Rostov, Russia 

Featured left: Hachares Babiyan (left) and 

Alexander Sapronov, Chief Agronomist, 

Manitek Farm. 


To make this happen, Syngenta combined 

product innovation with a commitment 

to distribution across the country and 

to forging a strong chain from grower 

to consumer. 

It also sought out a partnership with 

a significant oil producer, and found one 

in ASTON, a Russian food processor. 

The result was Zateya Gold sunflower 

oil, now available in supermarkets 

across Russia.




24 

Vegetables 

Global resources, local offer 

Syngenta has a global R&D presence that provides 

economies of scale and a broad germplasm base. 

We leverage this alongside our expertise in genetics to 

develop seed varieties tailored to meet local needs. 

In emerging markets, the focus is on improving quality 

and productivity. In Brazil, for example, we are the only 

company driving the rapid expansion of the processed 

sweet corn market. We owe our success to a focus on 

product features that matter to consumers – tenderness 

and taste – as well as on efficiency for processors. We 

have pioneered a shift from feed corn into sweet corn 

and have developed high-quality tropical varieties that 

are opening up new export markets for our customers. 

We are now developing our breeding program to 

enable expansion into the fresh sweet corn market. 

In India, we have a broad offer across a large number 

of high-value crops. We have differentiated our 

technology by adapting it to the local market, offering 

solutions such as native traits for disease resistance 

in tomatoes. Our offer increases the reliability and 

abundance of the harvest for growers whose livelihood 

often depends on a single crop. 

Sales in Vegetables 

$m 

The global vegetable seeds market is worth over 

$4 billion and continues to grow, driven by consumer 

demand for fresh produce. Technology is playing an 

increasing role in meeting multiple requirements that go 

beyond consumer priorities of taste and convenience. 

Vegetable growers focus on yield, cost and resistance 

to disease, while retailers demand attractive 

appearance, consistency of supply and long shelf life. 

Global growth, rapid emerging market expansion 

Vegetable consumption in developed markets 

continues to rise, reflecting increased awareness of 

the link between health and diet. Yet the fastest growth 

rates are found in emerging markets: while increased 

meat consumption is often highlighted, growing 

prosperity brings a desire for better quality and more 

varied vegetables, facilitated by the expansion of 

retailer channels. Sales of Syngenta vegetable seeds 

in these markets have risen by a compound average 

of 21 percent over the last five years. 


Seed Care 60 

Seeds 660 

Total 1,620 

Integrated technology 

Globally, we have augmented consistent increases 

in vegetable seeds sales with strategic acquisitions 

to broaden our diverse germplasm base. Through 

advanced breeding and new native traits, we are 

continuously delivering new benefits across the 

value chain. We complement our seeds offer with 

our range of fungicides and insecticides, which we 

have adapted to meet the rigorous quality demands 

of both consumers and retailers. The roll-out of our 

new fungicide REVUS ® in 14 additional countries 

in 2010 has further reinforced our position. 

Examples of our integrated offer include the 

combination of clubroot resistance and insecticide 

treatment for cauliflower. New disease-resistant seed 

varieties are coated with FarMore ® Seed Care 

technology with two components: fungicides to 

protect against soil and airborne fungal diseases and 

an insecticide treatment to replace field-applied 

products in an environmentally favorable way. 

Find out more 

A winning combination 

A few seasons ago, Syngenta introduced 

new baby plum tomato Angelle to a 

selected group of growers in the UK. It 

was also introduced at Marks & Spencer, 

a retailer known for its high quality 

products. Today, Angelle is grown in 

several European countries, and is 

available all year round thanks to the 

unique partnership between Syngenta 

and integrated growers and retailers. 

Leading Angelle grower Juan Romera from 

Almeria, Spain, has always believed in the 

value of technology. Supported by technical 

experts from his local cooperative, SAT 

Acrena, he has been keen to grow new 

varieties and implement the most 

demanding crop protocols. His production 

techniques are recognized by export 

markets, and leading retailers are happy 

to work with him as a supplier. 


“I truly enjoy our partnership: it’s 

based on expertise, trust, honesty 

and dedication. One great example 

is the beneficial insects from 

Syngenta Bioline that I use to both 

protect my crop from pests and to 

provide consumers with healthy 

products. With Angelle, Syngenta 

bred a distinctive product that 

meets the needs of retailers and 

consumers, as well as my own 

standards as a grower.” 

Juan Romera 

Grower, Spain 

Featured above: Juan Romera (right) and David 

Murcia, Tomato Product Manager at Syngenta.



Lawn and Garden 

Demand for lawn and garden products is closely linked 

to consumer spending. Golf courses represent a major 

source of demand for turf products – the more rounds 

of golf played, the greater the scope for investment 

by golf course superintendents. Demand for flowers 

reflects how much consumers are prepared to invest 

in their gardens, as well as how much risk retailers are 

willing to undertake in terms of inventory. Here, efficient 

logistics are vital to minimize waste and ensure quality. 

Broad approach to turf market 

In the golf market, high quality playability and 

aesthetics are key priorities. Purchasing decisions 

are still influenced by cost, but the industry is 

increasingly moving beyond pest control to solutions 

that take environmental issues into account – 

including water usage and biodiversity. A collaborative 

effort by Syngenta and Marriott Golf has resulted in a 

new tool for golf course superintendents in the ongoing 

effort to promote sustainability, foster environmental 

stewardship and reduce the carbon footprint of golf 

course operations. 

Sales in Lawn and 

Garden $m 


Seed Care 0 

Seeds 340 

Total 810 

25 

Solutions for growers and their customers 

Syngenta combines its genetics, controls and growing 

media to provide a comprehensive and integrated offer 

to professional ornamental growers. This ensures 

healthy plant growth and, together with best-in-class 

logistics, aligns plant flowering time with display by 

retailers. Only through this level of service can demand 

at peak periods be met – for example, with 140 million 

poinsettias delivered in time for Christmas. 

Our new QMAX technology represents a more efficient 

way of growing pelargonium and other crops. Plants 

are grown in the dark under sterile conditions, resulting 

in an increased growth rate compared with tissue 

culture. Now being implemented in Guatemala, the 

technology offers lower costs for pelargonium cuttings, 

with greater flexibility and reliability. 

Consumers want variety and convenience. Over the 

past few years, Syngenta has significantly expanded 

its range of flowers through several acquisitions. 

At the same time, we have gained leading positions 

in key crops such as pansy and pelargonium, giving 

us an unrivaled ability to refresh and adapt the range 

using our large germplasm base. This allows us to 

meet consumer demand for plants that are easy to 

grow and maintain. 

We are also meeting consumer needs with the 

expansion of our chemical controls business at 

the retail level. We have achieved this through the 

establishment of partnerships with leading branded 

manufacturers to supply major garden centers and 

home improvement outlets. 

Find out more 

Maintaining the Home of Golf 

St Andrews Links on the east coast of 

Scotland is acknowledged as the Home 

of Golf, where the game has been nurtured 

and developed for over 600 years. 

The Old Course, home of the 2010 

Open Championship, is renowned 

as the pinnacle of links golf. 

St Andrews Links Trust Director of 

Greenkeeping, Gordon Moir, and his 

greenkeeping teams on the seven 

outstanding courses managed by the 

Trust, employ a range of traditional turf 

management techniques to maintain the 

most prestigious golf playing surfaces. 

This includes using the Syngenta products 

RESCUE ® and HERITAGE ® . 

The Old Course at St Andrews Links 

remains a public course, open to golfers 

from around the world to test their 

prowess under conditions that challenge 

the world’s greatest. 


“We have been impressed with the 

Syngenta products and believe 

they have helped us maintain the 

playing surfaces more consistently 

and economically.” 

Gordon Moir 

Director of Greenkeeping, 

St Andrews Links Trust, Scotland



26 

Creating 

our offer



From the fridge to the field 

When Syngenta Research Scientist Greg Warren took a 

sample of sour milk to the lab, he probably didn’t expect 

that the bacteria species he isolated would lead to a 

revolutionary insecticide – one that takes pest control 

in corn and cotton to a new level. 

Named Vip3A (Vegetative Insecticidal Protein 3A), the new 

protein is active against a wide range of insect pests and 

can help prolong the life of other related insect control 

technologies. The Vip3A-based AGRISURE VIPTERA 3111 

and VipCot products deliver unparalleled broad spectrum 

efficacy against corn and cotton insect pests. And 

opportunities with other crops like soybean and rice look 

very promising. 

27 

“While the discovery of Vip3A might sound like 

sheer coincidence, it is the result of a very 

orderly scientific approach. Our scientists were 

deliberately testing a wide variety of materials 

that might harbor bacteria with novel toxins. The 

fact that the ‘winner’ protein happened to come 

from Greg’s fridge was lucky in one sense, but 

also the well-deserved reward for the innovative 

and diligent work his team had done.” 

Eric Chen 

Principal Research Scientist at Syngenta 

Featured left: Eric Chen (left) and Greg Warren, now a Patent 

Attorney at Syngenta. 

Find out more 


R&D investment 2010 

$1,032m 

$952m 1 2009 

Research and 

Development 

Syngenta scientists around the world help meet 

growers’ needs by developing new ways to increase 

crop yields and quality in a sustainable way. We are 

uniquely positioned to develop integrated solutions 

for our customers by combining our expertise in 

bioscience, chemistry, crop genetics and agronomy. 

Research and development (R&D) investment in 2010 

was over $1 billion, reinforcing our industry-leading 

position. We employ nearly 5,000 people at R&D 

centers and field stations around the world, and 

continue to invest in the development of our people, 

technical capabilities and external partnerships. 

Global strength 

We have an integrated R&D organization that exploits 

the power of our knowledge, capabilities and 

resources to solve growers’ problems through the 

combination of seeds genetics, traits and chemistry. 

Our global product safety and regulatory platforms 

enable us to discover, develop and register new 

products faster and more efficiently. We are 

increasingly working in networks to advance 

knowledge on important topics, tapping into the 

expertise and ideas of all our scientists. 

In Europe, recent investments in Syngenta’s major 

Crop Protection research facilities at Jealott’s Hill, UK, 

and Stein, Switzerland, have created internationally 

renowned centers of excellence. For growers and 

stakeholders, these sites are a great place to 

experience first-hand the strength of our product 

offering and the importance of our technology in 

meeting food security challenges. 

As our business grows rapidly in emerging markets, 

we recognize a wealth of potential opportunities. 

1 After effect of accounting policy 

change for post-employment 

benefits described in Note 2 to 

the Syngenta Group consolidated 

financial statements in the 

Financial Report 2010, which 

is available on our website at 

www.syngenta.com/ir




28 

Through expansion of R&D activities and partnerships 

in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, we can tap 

into local scientific expertise and gain useful insights 

for future growth. 

Our site in Goa, India, is at the center of our efforts to 

accelerate new product development through closer 

interaction between research and process chemists. 

We completed the expansion of the facility there at the 

end of 2010. We are also building up our biotechnology 

center in Beijing, China, which focuses on early-stage 

evaluation of genetically modified traits. In Singapore, 

we opened a new center for formulation development 

and marker-assisted breeding technology. 

Integrated solutions for specific needs 

We introduced a number of innovative technologies 

in 2010. This included our new insect control trait 

technology in corn, AGRISURE VIPTERA , which was 

launched in the US and received a prestigious Agrow 

Award in the Best Novel Agricultural Biotechnology 

category. And a new mode of action cereal fungicide, 

isopyrazam, was launched in the UK for use in winter 

and spring barley. 

Syngenta scientists are committed to delivering new 

solutions that can transform the productivity of world 

agriculture, and meeting the stringent criteria of our 

industry's regulatory environment. Our main focus is the 

discovery and development of high value, high quality, 

integrated products that address growers’ needs. For 

example, we are developing complementary solutions 

based on genetics, crop enhancement chemistry and 

improved agronomic practice to improve water use 

efficiency. This is a key area of concern for growers, 

as competition for water resources will increase with 

population growth, urbanization and through the 

effects of climate change. 

We have launched our first drought tolerant corn 

variety in the US – AGRISURE ARTESIAN . Created 

through a native traits breeding approach, it is the first 

product to come from our crop genetics research that 

focuses on both genetically modified (GM) and non-GM 

approaches to protecting yield under water stress. 

In wheat, programs using our crop enhancing 

MODDUS ® have shown a 15–25 percent yield 

increase, with 15 percent less requirement for 

irrigation. The vigor effect on soybean treated with 

CRUISER ® seed treatments leads to yield increase 

through increased roots and faster development of 

the crop canopy. The active ingredient in CRUISER ® , 

thiamethoxam, activates plant processes that make 

crops more resilient under a variety of abiotic stress, 

such as drought. 

Our pipelines encompass a broad range of chemical 

and biotechnology solutions, which we will 

progressively merge to reflect our holistic approach 

by crop. The current Crop Protection pipeline, with 

peak sales potential of over $2 billion, covers all 

our main product lines. In 2011, we expect the first 

registration of Sedaxane, a broad spectrum seed 

treatment fungicide that can protect against diseases 

that are difficult to control in a number of crops. 

Crop Protection pipeline 

Target 

launch 

Lab 

research 

Early 

development 

Late 

development 

Peak 

sales 

2011–2014 

PLENE 

Sedaxane 

Bicyclopyrone 

Cyantraniliprole 

SYN 192 

Invinsa 1 

Post 2014 

Herbicide 

Fungicide 

Insecticide 

New crop enhancer 

Stress tolerance 

Fungicide 

Herbicide 

Insecticide 

Seed Care fungicide 

>$1.7bn >$0.5bn 

Peak sales percentage split: Corn Soybean Cereals Vegetables Rice Sugar cane Speciality Other crops 

1 Invisa , a trademark of AgroFresh Inc., a subsidiary of DAS



Our pipeline for Corn seeds has a peak sales potential 

of more than $2 billion. It covers a broad range of 

biotech and native traits, which will be accompanied 

by ongoing genetic improvements. At the end of 2011, 

subject to regulatory approval, we plan to start 

launching refuge stack options in corn. We have 

applied for deregulation of our second generation 

corn rootworm trait scheduled for launch in 2014, 

which has a novel mode of action and is showing 

outstanding field trial results. 

People and partners 

The knowledge and passion of our people is a 

tremendous asset, and we recognize the value in 

personal development for all our employees. As an 

innovation leader, we attract top scientists from around 

the world and our focus on people is increasingly 

recognized externally. In the “2010 Top Employer” 

survey by “Science” magazine and the American 

Association for the Advancement of Science, 

Syngenta was voted seventh out of 575 companies. 

Innovation is vital to grow our business. We look 

outwards to find new opportunities and complement 

our in-house capabilities. Syngenta has a variety of 

individual collaborations with universities and major 

agricultural institutes worldwide. For example, we have 

established a University Innovation Center at Imperial 

College, London, UK, as a hub for collaboration on 

systems biology, with initial projects focusing on 

predictive toxicology as well as tomato quality and flavor. 

We recently established a public-private partnership 

with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement 

Center (CIMMYT) to advance the development of new 

technologies in cereals. Similarly, with the International 

Rice Research Institute (IRRI), we are working to 

reduce constraints on rice productivity. These 

examples show our commitment to delivering effective 

solutions to improve global food security. 

29 

Corn seeds pipeline 

Early 

development 

Late 

development 

Initial 

launches 

Peak 

sales 

Launched 2010 

AVICTA ® COMPLETE CORN 



AGRISURE VIPTERA 2012 

AGRISURE ARTESIAN 


Biotic stress 

AGRISURE E-Z Refuge 

AGRISURE next generation RW 

Abiotic stress 

Water opt., nitrogen use efficiency 

Output traits 

2014 

Post 2015 

2011 

>$2.0bn 

ENOGEN 

CarbYield 

Post 2015




People 

30 Employees 

Our “Taking Root” induction program welcomes new 

employees and ensures they have a good business 

and cultural understanding of the company as a whole, 

26,179 

from a local and global perspective. The program aims 

to provide a richer, more in-depth approach than 

25,925 2009 

typical induction programs. 

Syngenta Awards 

1,100 

Entries submitted in 2010. 

Every day, employees across the world live 

Syngenta’s purpose: Bringing plant potential to life. 

Their determination, focus and teamwork enables us 

to realize our growth ambitions. The foundations for 

our people processes, systems and programs are 

driven by the needs of our businesses, providing 

opportunities for personal growth, and recognizing 

the contribution of each of our employees. 

Delivering business excellence 

We strive to attract, develop and retain the right global 

pool of diverse talent to deliver on commitments to our 

stakeholders. We operate in a dynamic world, and our 

goal is to ensure that our people are equipped to 

deliver the integrated solutions our customers need. 

To meet these requirements, Syngenta must have a 

scalable, responsive organization that anticipates 

new opportunities. 

The employee value proposition 

Syngenta is committed to providing opportunities 

for both professional and personal development. 

Through our leadership approach, engagement 

programs and people processes, we recognize the 

contributions our employees make to our success. 

Growth and recognition are the basis of our employee 

value proposition. 

Graduates are an important group for developing our 

leadership pipeline. We have well-established general 

management programs such as “Grow in Syngenta”, 

a 4-5 year program geared towards broad and fast 

development of MBA graduates. 

We also run local, specialist trainee programs, such 

as the Syngenta R&D training program at our Takfah 

station in Thailand where agriculture students learn 

about our corn breeding, commercial seed production 

and farm management. In Brazil, our trainees gain 

business experience by working in sales, marketing, 

R&D and supply areas across our Crop Protection and 

Seeds business. 

Syngenta invests in a variety of learning and 

development approaches. These include formal, 

classroom-based learning events, e-learning, and 

project-based development opportunities. We are 

developing mentoring and peer-to-peer coaching 

programs that facilitate the sharing of knowledge and 

experience. We have a world-class Marketing and 

Sales Excellence (MaSE) program, developed and 

run in partnership with INSEAD. This long established 

program has enabled us consistently to grow market 

share and has recently introduced MaSE Masters, an 

accreditation scheme to recognize top Marketing and 

Sales professionals. Through this scheme, Masters 

can practice their skills internationally, develop new 

capabilities and share knowledge with colleagues.



Recognizing contribution 

Recognizing the efforts of employees is central to our 

culture. In 2010, we continued to run our successful 

internal recognition program, the Syngenta Awards. 

In 2010, around 10,000 employees from over 50 

countries entered nearly 1,100 stories. The stories 

exemplify Syngenta’s four values: innovation, intensity, 

health and performance. We also recognize entries 

that demonstrate particular ways of working that will 

help shape the future of our company, such as working 

in partnership with customers and stakeholders. 

In November, we honored the regional finalists and 

winners at our global Syngenta Awards ceremony. 

31 

We have received a number of awards from external 

bodies that recognize the achievements of our 

employees. For the second year in a row, Syngenta 

was among the top biotechnology and pharmaceutical 

employers in a poll by “Science” magazine; ranking 

seventh in a field of 575 companies. In Switzerland, 

Syngenta was awarded second place at the Swiss 

HR Award 2010 for Best Practice in Human 

Resource Management. 

Looking forward 

While celebrating our first ten years, we look forward 

to our future with confidence. Over the past decade, 

there have been many changes within Syngenta 

and the world in which we operate. We firmly believe 

that our unique culture plays a key role in anchoring 

our organization during times of change and growth. 

We are proud of the contribution Syngenta employees 

make to living our purpose and values, thereby 

ensuring that we are able to help the world address 

the global agricultural challenges it faces now and in 

the future. 

Find out more 

Charting clear paths for 

career development 


Syngenta’s continued success hinges not just on unlocking 

the potential of plants, but also on unlocking the potential 

of its many talented professionals. Bruno Frei, Head 

Capability and Career Management, knows what it means 

to have an exciting career path at Syngenta. When he 

started as a research chemist for a predecessor company 

25 years ago, he never would have guessed that he would 

be running strategic talent management projects for 

Human Resources one day. 

In 2009, Bruno became one of the “founders” of myCareer, 

a program, which was first designed and launched as part 

of the Marketing and Sales Excellence initiative (MaSE) to 

help people better manage their careers and develop their 

skills. In the meantime myCareer has also been developed 

in other functions and is rapidly becoming adopted as a 

global standard across Syngenta. 

“Our myCareer tools help employees to 

understand and visualize their potential 

career paths. As a result, Syngenta can deliver 

targeted learning and development based on 

individual needs, as well as the needs of the 

organization overall.” 

Bruno Frei 

Head Capability and Career Development at Syngenta 

Featured above: Bruno Frei (right) with Scott McKinnon, 

Commercial Support Group Lead at Syngenta.




32 

Operations 

The way we do business is central to our success as 

a company. This covers our people – where and how 

they work – our policies, our processes and our 

production. Moreover, it applies not only to our own 

activities, but also to those of our suppliers and 

partners too. We challenge ourselves to meet the 

highest standards. 

Excelling in production and supply chain 

Syngenta manufactures active ingredients for its 

crop protection products at eight manufacturing sites 

around the world – in the USA, UK, Switzerland, China 

and India – and a further 18 facilities produce and 

package the finished products. Our seeds are 

produced both on Syngenta sites and by thousands 

of contract growers worldwide. 

In 2010, Syngenta was ranked as the number one 

chemical manufacturer in AMR’s renowned Supply 

Chain report. The primary source for the report is the 

Fortune Global 500 companies. Expert and peer 

panels looked not only at our financial performance, 

but also at our strategic agenda, our connections to 

customers, and how we handle the volatility of the 

supply market. 

In May 2010, we marked the completion of our 

largest ever single investment program. Designed to 

expand production capacity for key active ingredients, 

the program involved a capital investment of over 

$400 million. Much of this was concentrated in five 

locations: Monthey in Switzerland; Grangemouth in 

the UK; Goa in India; Omaha in the US; and Paulinia 

in Brazil. As a result of this investment, we are able 

to bring key products to market more quickly 

and efficiently. 

We offer suppliers an audit program and help them 

achieve higher HSE standards. We also provide 

technical support to help suppliers be more efficient 

and reduce their variable costs. As a result, Syngenta 

receives higher quality supplies on time, and suppliers, 

in turn, build a longer-term relationship with an 

important customer. Our efforts were recognized in 

2010 when we won the global Procurement Leaders 

Award for Innovation, which recognizes excellence and 

leadership in global procurement and supply chain. 

Integrating processes 

In 2009, we established Syngenta Business Services 

to integrate and standardize our transactional services 

across the organization. Today, the new function is 

in place across 27 countries. It is already delivering 

business services in the areas of finance, procurement 

and information systems, all based on common, 

scalable tools and processes. It is now moving forward 

with a similar approach for human resources. 

Health, safety and environment 

Protecting the health and safety of our people, 

our customers and the environment is of the utmost 

importance to Syngenta. This principle is embedded 

in Our Code of Conduct, and our Health, Safety and 

Environment (HSE) Policy and Standards. 

Our global standards for suppliers harmonize existing 

local requirements on HSE and ethical behavior with 

our Code of Conduct. We have developed a system 

to monitor labor standards that focuses on four key 

areas: awareness of the Syngenta Code of Conduct 

among suppliers, health and safety, wages and 

benefits, and child labor. 

Syngenta only employs individuals over the age of 16, 

unless it is permitted by law and under circumstances 

that protect their welfare. Our contracts with seed 

producers clearly forbid the use of child labor and 

make clear that we will terminate their contracts if they 

use children as workers. We work with the Fair Labor 

Association (FLA) to set and monitor labor standards 

in the seed supply chain. 

We monitor the HSE and quality performance 

of suppliers manufacturing crop protection products. 

Originally these assessments focused on suppliers 

in China and India, but we extended them to cover 

new contracts in Europe. In 2010, a total of 

70 assessments have been completed. 

Our HSE Policy and Standards guide our employees 

around the world. Strong HSE practices are central 

to the way we operate, so meeting the Syngenta 

HSE Standards is a core responsibility of every leader 

in the company. We measure health and safety 

through the global injury and illness rate (IIR, per 

200,000 hours worked). We aim to maintain a low 

IIR of 0.5 or below. In 2010, the rate was 0.39, which 

is a seven percent decrease compared to 2009. 

Syngenta is committed to reducing the environmental 

impacts of its operations, particularly the greenhouse 

gas emissions that contribute to climate change. 

In 2010, our CO2-equivalent emissions totaled 

1.30 million metric tonnes. We measure our carbon 

efficiency based on kilograms of CO2 equivalents per 

dollar of operational income (kg CO2e/$EBIT). In 2010, 

we emitted 0.66 kg CO2e/$EBIT. Our target is to 

reduce this figure to 0.56 by 2012, a 40 percent 

reduction compared with the 2006 baseline.



Intellectual property 

The protection of intellectual property (IP) is essential 

to any research-based business with long-term 

investment. An efficient and fair IP system helps to 

balance the interests of the inventor and society by 

helping to pay for research costs and contributing to 

sharing knowledge which stimulates further research 

and innovation. 

It is our policy not to execute our patent rights where 

agriculture is undertaken for subsistence purposes 

and we do not enforce patents and applications in 

seeds or biotechnology in Least Developed Countries 

(LDCs) for private and non-commercial use. 

CO2e emissions 

0.66 

CO2e kg /$EBIT 

Illness and injury rate 1 

0.39 

0.42 2009 

33 


Improving working 

conditions in India 

For many children in rural India, the need to 

work to help provide food for their families 

is a reality. As a result, they never get the 

education that could help them break the 

cycle of poverty. 

Syngenta first started partnering with the 

Fair Labor Association (FLA) to develop a 

new approach to the issue of child labor in 

2004. In 2009, it launched the “me & mine” 

program nationwide in collaboration with 

the FLA. 

“me & mine” established a code of 

acceptable labor standards for seed farms 

supplying Syngenta. It prohibits the use of 

child labor, while it also reaches out to 

adults locally – especially women – to 

create awareness and provide incentives. 

These efforts are now bearing fruit. To 

date, “me & mine” has reached out to 

nearly 13,000 growers and their families, 

and has monitored 13,000 farms with 

nearly 40,000 laborers. 


“Over the years, Syngenta has 

continued to refine its Corporate 

Responsibility policy to address 

issues that emerged in the seed 

supply chain. With the involvement 

of all stakeholders, the company 

has already brought about 

significant changes in working 

conditions in what is a socially 

challenging environment. And 

I am confident that with time and 

persistence, it will continue to 

make a difference here.” 

Pramod Kulkarni 

Regional Production Manager, Syngenta India 

Featured above: participants in the “me & mine” 

program: Sk. Hassina, Technical Farm Laborer 

(left); Mathurabai Shankar Wagh, Farm Owner 

(middle); and Mangalabal Sonavane, Technical 

Farm Laborer (right). 

1 Recordable injury and illness rate 

(IIR) per 200,000 hours according to 

US OHSA definition




34 

Stewardship 

For Syngenta, the responsible and ethical management 

of all our products – from discovery through to use and 

ultimate disposal or discontinuation – is a top priority. 

For example, over the past nine years, the Small 

Farmer Syngenta (PAS) Program has been making 

an impact in the Andean, Caribbean and Central 

American (ACC) region. In collaboration with local 

authorities, it has provided over 270,000 small potato 

and vegetable farmers with basic training in obtaining 

and sowing the best seeds, using crop protection 

products safely and effectively, and adopting better 

agricultural practices. 

In June 2010, we collaborated on a training session 

for medical staff in Laikipia East – a district in Kenya 

with 60,000 farmers. Conducted by the Head of the 

National Poison Center, the session was supported 

by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture 

through the Agriculture Agri-chemicals Association 

of Kenya and the Government of Kenya National 

Poison Centre (Ministry of Health). 

The Seeds business actively applies the Excellence 

Through Stewardship (ETS) program to our operations. 

The program promotes responsible management of 

plant biotechnology, primarily by developing and 

implementing stewardship practices across the entire 

life cycle of a product and educating the public about 

these practices. Syngenta is a founding member of 

ETS and on the board of directors. 

Beyond the safe handling of our products, Syngenta 

stewardship encompasses making agriculture more 

sustainable by investing in the environment. We lead 

many projects that help protect biodiversity and 

precious natural resources such as water and soil. We 

comply with all government requirements regarding 

the management and use of our products, including 

the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution 

and Use of Pesticides 

Another important area of stewardship is application 

technology, where product safety and the preservation 

of the environment remain top priorities. To prevent 

potential problems with application, customers need 

to know as much as possible about the interaction 

between our products, plants, the application devices, 

and environmental factors like temperature, humidity 

and wind. We have begun to integrate our expertise 

into product and service strategies. And we are working 

closely with many external partners, including spray 

equipment manufacturers, universities and distributors. 

Compliance and risk management 

Compliance and risk management are at the heart 

of protecting the ongoing value of our business and 

the safety of our people, our business partners and 

the communities in which we operate. Syngenta has 

a formal, coordinated process for actively identifying, 

mapping, monitoring and controlling risk – whether it is 

financial, operational, or strategic. 

The Syngenta Code of Conduct sets our commitment 

to ethical, legal, social and environmental responsibility. 

It outlines our commitment to build and maintain trust 

in Syngenta, and to integrate our responsibilities in 

everything we do. We comply with all laws, as well 

as national and international codes and conventions, 

and uphold the principles set out in the Universal 

Declaration of Human Rights and the International 

Labor Organization’s Core Conventions. 

Compliance and risk management are everybody’s 

responsibility. We have established processes to train 

and support our employees on compliance matters. 

Employees are encouraged to report any suspected 

breaches. Local laws and regulations govern our 

social and environmental behavior. We set the highest 

standards for compliance, which are overseen by 

the Compliance and Risk Management Committee. 

Engaging with stakeholders 

We are committed to meeting the expectations we have 

set for ourselves, as well as delivering on what society 

expects of us. It matters that our employees and other 

stakeholders have confidence in us as a worthy 

partner that can genuinely make a difference by 

contributing to rural economies and food security. 

Syngenta aims to create value with our stakeholders. 

From a business perspective, we believe that our 

success depends on honest, open dialogue and 

collaboration – with other companies, with research 

institutions, with governments and NGOs. 

Most people today agree on the issues around 

agriculture; the debate centers around the solutions. 

Syngenta is actively engaged in this debate, both 

internally and externally, on the way food is produced, 

stored, processed, distributed and accessed. 

We believe that clarity and frank discussion – even 

around difficult questions – is key to affecting change. 

We are members of the Sustainability Consortium 

and the Keystone Field to Market Initiative, as well as 

a range of other sustainability round tables. We are also 

a member of the World Economic Forum and we 

actively participate in its work groups for the “New 

Vision for Agriculture,” and the “Water Initiative.” As a 

global science-based company, we are increasingly 

engaged in international forums related to food 

security, resource efficiency, and the development 

of rural economies.



Product line performance 

Crop Protection 

Non-selective Herbicides 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

987 

1,141 

1,329 

35 

Selective Herbicides 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

2,308 

2,221 

2,412 

Major brands 

AXIAL ® , CALLISTO ® family, DUAL ® /BICEP ® MAGNUM, 

FUSILADE ® MAX, TOPIK ® 

Volume growth was driven in particular by corn 

herbicides and more than offset lower prices. The 

CALLISTO ® family of products showed growth in all 

regions, with the main contribution coming from the 

USA, where early purchases in advance of the 

2011 season were testimony to our strong market 

position. Soybean herbicides also showed a good 

performance, reflecting their value in combating 

glyphosate-resistant weeds. 

Major brands 

GRAMOXONE ® , TOUCHDOWN ® 

Sales were lower mainly due to lower prices for 

TOUCHDOWN ® , in line with developments in the 

glyphosate market. TOUCHDOWN ® volumes, while 

slightly lower for the full year, recovered sharply in the 

second half with strong demand in Latin America. 

GRAMOXONE ® volumes also improved in the second 

half with good growth in Asia Pacific. 

Fungicides 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

2,662 

2,442 

2,620 

Major brands 

ALTO ® , AMISTAR ® , BRAVO ® , REVUS ® , RIDOMIL 

GOLD ® , SCORE ® , TILT ® , UNIX ® 

Growth in fungicides was driven by AMISTAR ® , up 

20 percent on the previous year. The main driver 

was Latin America, where applications on soybean 

increased. Our market share in Latin America was 

reinforced with the opening of new azoxystrobin 

capacity allowing us to satisfy growing demand. In 

Asia Pacific AMISTAR ® sales exceeded $100 million 

for the first time, with significant further potential as 

the product’s yield and vigor benefit are increasingly 

recognized. Strong volume growth in North America 

almost offset lower prices in the region.



Product line performance 

36 

Insecticides 

Sales 

$m 

Professional Products 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

1,475 

1,312 

1,423 


2009 

2008 

470 

458 

527 

Major brands 

ACTARA ® , DURIVO ® , FORCE ® , KARATE ® , 

PROCLAIM ® , VERTIMEC ® 

The broad spectrum insecticide ACTARA ® , used on 

multiple crops worldwide, continues to grow ten years 

after its launch; sales in 2010 increased by 25 percent. 

Sales of the new product DURIVO ® more than doubled 

with its expansion on rice and vegetables in a number 

of Asian markets and a successful launch on corn and 

soybean in Brazil. 

Major brands 

FAFARD ® , HERITAGE ® , ICON ® 

Improving consumer demand led to a recovery in 

the garden and ornamentals segments with new 

registrations in Europe also contributing to a strong 

performance in the region. Turf sales were lower in 

a competitive North American market. 

Seed Care 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

838 

821 

830 

Major brands 

AVICTA ® , CRUISER ® , DIVIDEND ® , MAXIM ® 

Seed Care showed strong volume growth particularly 

in emerging markets, where adoption of the 

technology is increasing. Sales were lower in North 

America, where high channel inventories of treated 

seed and a competitive environment affected 

CRUISER ® and MAXIM ® . This was offset by the 

introduction of AVICTA ® on corn in the USA and 

by growth in Brazil.



Seeds 

Vegetables 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

663 

594 

603 

37 

Corn and Soybean 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

1,281 

1,210 

1,040 

Major brands 

AGRISURE ® , GARST ® , GOLDEN HARVEST ® , NK ® 

Corn and soybean sales were up by 16 percent 

adjusting for the impact of advanced sales in the fourth 

quarter of 2009. Fourth quarter growth, which was on 

a comparable basis, reflects strong early orders in the 

USA. Evidence of Syngenta’s product performance 

and innovation is boosting growth in a buoyant market. 

Full year sales expanded in all other regions, with 

particularly strong performances in Eastern Europe 

and Asia Pacific. 

Diverse Field Crops 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

524 

429 

462 

Major brands 

NK ® oilseeds, HILLESHÖG ® sugar beet 

Diverse Field Crop sales increased significantly on 

good underlying growth supplemented by acquisitions, 

which added nine percent to sales. Growth was 

particularly strong in Eastern Europe, with expansion 

in Russia and Ukraine on higher sunflower acreage. 

Major brands 

DULCINEA ® , ROGERS ® , S&G ® , Zeraim Gedera 

A strong start to the year accelerated in the second 

half, with all regions showing double digit growth. In 

Europe, the expansion of fresh vegetable sales more 

than offset a decline in the processing market. Growth 

in emerging markets was broad based, reflecting the 

breadth of the portfolio and increased demand for high 

quality produce. 

Flowers 

Sales 

$m 


2009 

2008 

Major brands 

GoldFisch ® , Goldsmith Seeds, Yoder ® 

Flowers showed moderate growth in the two main 

regions of Europe and North America. This reflected 

advances in genetics as well as some improvement 

in the economic environment. 

337 

331 

337



Board of Directors 

at December 31, 2010 

38 

From left to right 

Peggy Bruzelius, Jacques 

Vincent, Peter Thompson, 

Martin Taylor, Felix Weber, 

Michael Mack, Pierre Landolt, 

Jürg Witmer, David Lawrence, 

Rolf Watter and Stefan Borgas 

at Syngenta’s global R&D center 

for flowers and vegetables in 

Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. 

Membership and qualification 

Syngenta is led by a strong and experienced Board. The Board 

includes representatives from six nationalities, drawn from broad 

international business and scientific backgrounds. Its members 

bring diversity in expertise and perspective to the leadership of a 

complex, highly regulated, global business. 

Martin Taylor 

Chairman of the Board, non-executive Director. Chairman of 

the Chairman’s Committee and the Corporate Responsibility 

Committee, and member of the Compensation Committee. 

He is also Chairman of the Syngenta Foundation for 

Sustainable Agriculture 

Age: 58. Nationality: British. Appointed: 2000. Term of office: 2011. 

Martin Taylor is currently Vice Chairman of RTL Group SA. 

Previously he was an Advisor to Goldman Sachs International 

(1999–2005), Chairman of WHSmith plc (1999–2003), and Chief 

Executive Officer of Barclays plc (1993–1998) and Courtaulds 

Textiles (1990–1993). He is a member of the British government’s 

Independent Banking Commission. 

Martin Taylor has a degree in oriental languages from Oxford University. 

Michael Mack 

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), executive Director. Member of 

the Chairman’s Committee and the Corporate Responsibility 

Committee 

Age: 50. Nationality: American. Appointed: 2008. Term of office: 2013. 

Michael Mack was Chief Operating Officer of Seeds (2004–2007) 

and Head of Crop Protection, NAFTA Region (2002–2004) for 

Syngenta. Prior to this, he was President of the Global Paper 

Division of Imerys SA, a French mining and pigments concern, 

from the time of its merger in 1999 with English China Clays Ltd., 

where he was Executive Vice President, Americas and Pacific 

Region, in addition to being an executive Director of the Board. 

From 1987 to 1996 he held various roles with Mead Corporation. 

Michael Mack is also Chairman of the Board of the Swiss-American 

Chamber of Commerce. 

Michael Mack has a degree in economics from Kalamazoo College 

in Michigan, studied at the University of Strasbourg, and has an 

MBA from Harvard University. 

Jürg Witmer 

Vice Chairman, non-executive Director. Member of the 

Chairman’s Committee and of the Compensation Committee 

Age: 62. Nationality: Swiss. Appointed: 2006. Term of office: 2012. 

Jürg Witmer is currently Chairman of Givaudan SA and Clariant AG. 

He joined Roche (1978) in the legal department and subsequently 

held a number of positions including Assistant to the CEO, General 

Manager of Roche Far East based in Hong Kong, Head of 

Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at Roche 

headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and General Manager of 

Roche Austria. He became CEO of Givaudan Roure (1999) and 

then Chairman of the Board of Directors of Givaudan (2005). 

Jürg Witmer has a doctorate in law from the University of Zurich, 

as well as a degree in international studies from the University 

of Geneva. 

Stefan Borgas 

Non-executive Director. Member of the Audit Committee 

Age: 46. Nationality: German. Appointed: 2009. Term of office: 2012. 

Stefan Borgas has been President and Chief Executive Officer of 

Lonza since June 2004. Prior to joining Lonza, he spent 14 years 

with BASF Group where he held various leadership positions in 

Fine Chemicals and Engineering Plastics in the USA, Germany, 

Ireland and China. 

Stefan Borgas holds a degree in Business Administration from the 

University of Saarbrücken and a Master of Business Administration 

from the University of St. Gallen. He is member of the Board of 

SGCI Chemie Pharma Schweiz, the association of Swiss chemical 

and pharmaceutical industries, of the Swiss-American Chamber of 

Commerce and of the Swiss Management Gesellschaft (SMG).



Peggy Bruzelius 

Non-executive Director. Chairman of the Audit Committee 

Age: 61. Nationality: Swedish. Appointed: 2000. Term of 

office: 2012. 

Peggy Bruzelius is currently Chairman of Lancelot Holding AB. 

In addition she serves as Vice Chairman of Electrolux AB and as a 

Director of Husqvarna AB, Akzo Nobel NV, Axfood AB and Diageo 

plc. Peggy Bruzelius is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy 

of Engineering Sciences. In addition she is a member of the Board 

of Trustees of the Stockholm School of Economics. Previously she 

was Executive Vice President of SEB-bank (1997–1998) and 

Chief Executive Officer of ABB Financial Services (1991–1997). 

Peggy Bruzelius holds a Master of Science from the Stockholm 

School of Economics and an Honorary Doctorate from the 

same university. 

Pierre Landolt 

Non-executive Director. Member of the Corporate 

Responsibility Committee. He is also a member of the Board 

of the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture 


Pierre Landolt is currently Chairman of the Sandoz Family 

Foundation and a Director of Novartis AG. He is also a partner with 

unlimited liabilities of the private bank Landolt & Cie. Pierre Landolt 

serves, in Brazil, as President of the Instituto Fazenda Tamanduá, 

of the Instituto Estrela de Fomento ao Microcrédito, of AxialPar Ltda 

and Moco Agropecuaria Ltda, and, in Switzerland, as Chairman of 

Emasan AG and Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier SA, and as Vice 

Chairman of Parmigiani Fleurier SA. He is a Director of EcoCarbone 

SAS, France, and Amazentis SA, Switzerland. He is also Vice 

Chairman of the Montreux Jazz Festival Foundation. 

Pierre Landolt graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the 

University of Paris Assas. 

David Lawrence 

Non-executive Director. Member of the Corporate 

Responsibility Committee and Chairman of the Science 

and Technology Advisory Board 

Age: 61. Nationality: British. Appointed: 2009. Term of office: 2012. 

David Lawrence was Head of Research & Development at 

Syngenta from September 1, 2002 until the end of September, 

2008. Prior to this role, David Lawrence was Head Research & 

Technology Projects (2000–2002) for Syngenta. Prior to this, he 

was Head International R&D Projects for Zeneca Agrochemicals, 

having previously held several senior scientific roles. He is also a 

member of the BBSRC Council and a Board member for 

Rothamsted Research, Plastid AS and the UK Biosciences 

Knowledge Transfer Network for which he chairs the Industrial 

Biotechnology Group. He is a member of the UK Foresight Lead 

Expert Group on Food and Farming, and of the UK Industrial 

Biotechnology Leadership Team. 

David Lawrence graduated in chemistry from Oxford University 

with an MA and DPhil in chemical pharmacology. 

Peter Thompson 

Non-executive Director. Member of the Audit Committee 

Age: 64. Nationality: American. Appointed: 2000. Term of 

office: 2011. 

Peter Thompson is currently a Director of Sodexo SA. Previously 

he was President and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo 

Beverages International (1996–2004), President of PepsiCo Foods 

International’s Europe, Middle East and Africa Division (1995–1996) 

and of Walkers Snack Foods in the UK (1994–1995). Before joining 

PepsiCo he held various senior management roles with Grand 

Metropolitan plc, including President and Chief Executive Officer of 

GrandMet Foods Europe (1992–1994), Vice Chairman of The 

Pillsbury Company (1990–1992), and President and Chief Executive 

Officer of The Paddington Corporation (1984–1990). He is also 

Chairman of the Vero Beach Museum of Art. 

Peter Thompson has a degree in modern languages from Oxford 

University and an MBA from Columbia University. 

Jacques Vincent 

Non-executive Director. Member of the 

Compensation Committee 

Age: 64. Nationality: French. Appointed: 2005. Term of office: 2013. 

Jacques Vincent has been Vice Chairman and Chief Operating 

Officer of the Danone Group, Paris, from 1998 until 2008. He 

retired from this company in 2010 and sits on the board of various 

companies, among them Danone, Yakult, Cereplast and 

Mediaperformance. He began his career with Danone in 1970 and 

has since held various financial and overall management positions 

within this group. 

Jacques Vincent is a graduate engineer of the Ecole Centrale, 

Paris. He holds a bachelor in Economics from Paris University and 

a Master of Science from Stanford University. 

Rolf Watter 

Non-executive Director. Member of the Chairman’s Committee 


Rolf Watter has been a partner in the law firm Bär & Karrer in Zurich 

since 1994. He was a member of its executive board and later an 

executive Director from 2000 until 2009. He is a non-executive 

Director of Zurich Financial Services (and its subsidiary Zurich 

Insurance Company), of Nobel Biocare Holding AG, of UBS 

Alternative Portfolio AG and A.W. Faber-Castell (Holding) AG. 

He was formerly non-executive Chairman of Cablecom Holding 

(2003–2008), a Director of Centerpulse AG (2002–2003), of Forbo 

Holding AG (1999–2005) and of Feldschlösschen Getränke AG 

(2001–2004). In addition, Rolf Watter is a part-time professor at the 

Law School of the University of Zurich and a member of the SIX 

Swiss Exchange Regulatory Board and its Disclosure Commission 

of Experts. 

Rolf Watter graduated from the University of Zurich with a doctorate 

in law and holds an LLM degree from Georgetown University; he is 

admitted to the Bar of Zurich. 

Felix A. Weber 

Non-executive Director. Chairman of the Compensation 

Committee 


Felix A. Weber is currently Executive Committee Co-Chairman of 

Nomura Switzerland and a Managing Director of Nomura 

International Ltd. Previously, he was a Director of Publigroupe 

(2005–2009), a Director of Valora (2006–2008), a Director of Glacier 

Holdings GP SA and Glacier Holdings S.C.A (former parent entities 

of Cablecom GmbH) (2003–2005), a Director of Cablecom GmbH 

(2004–2005), Managing Director of Lehman Brothers Ltd. 

(2006–2008), Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 

of Adecco SA (1998–2004), Associate Project Manager and 

Principal of McKinsey & Company in Zurich (1989–1997), and Chief 

Executive Officer of Alusuisse South Africa (1982–1984). 

Felix A. Weber graduated from the University of St. Gallen with an 

MBA in operations research and finance and a PhD in marketing. 

39



Executive Committee 

at December 31, 2010 

40 

Members of the 

Executive Committee 

Under the direction of the 

Chief Executive Officer, 

the Executive Committee is 

responsible for the operational 

management of the Company. 

It consists of the Chief Executive 

Officer (CEO), the Chief 

Operating Officers (COO) of 

Crop Protection and Seeds, 

the Chief Financial Officer 

(CFO), the Head of Research 

& Development, the Head of 

Global Operations, the Head 

of Business Development and 

the Head of Legal & Taxes.



Michael Mack 

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), executive Director. Member 

of the Chairman’s Committee and the Corporate 

Responsibility Committee 

Age: 50. Nationality: American. Appointed: 2008. 

Michael Mack was Chief Operating Officer of Seeds (2004–2007) 

and Head of Crop Protection, NAFTA Region (2002–2004) for 

Syngenta. Prior to this, he was President of the Global Paper 

Division of Imerys SA, a French mining and pigments concern, 

from the time of its merger in 1999 with English China Clays Ltd., 

where he was Executive Vice President, Americas and Pacific 

Region, in addition to being an executive Director of the Board. 

From 1987 to 1996 he held various roles with Mead Corporation. 

Michael Mack is also Chairman of the Board of the Swiss- 

American Chamber of Commerce. 

Michael Mack has a degree in economics from Kalamazoo 

College in Michigan, studied at the University of Strasbourg, 

and has an MBA from Harvard University. 

Alejandro Aruffo 

Head of Research & Development 

Age: 51. Nationality: Italian/American. Appointed: 2008. 

Alejandro Aruffo was Vice President Global Pharmaceutical 

Development, Abbott (2005–2008), President Abbott 

Bioresearch Center and Vice President Abbott Immunology 

Research and Development (2003–2005), President Abbott 

Bioresearch Center and Divisional Vice President Abbott 

Immunology Research (2002–2003), Vice President 

Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Drug Discovery 

(2001–2002), and Vice President Immunology Drug Discovery 

(1998–2001) for Bristol-Myers Squibb. Prior to these roles he 

held various positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb. 

He graduated from the University of Washington with BSc 

degrees in chemistry and mathematics and from Harvard 

University with a PhD in biophysics. 

John Atkin 

Chief Operating Officer Crop Protection 

Age: 57. Nationality: British. Appointed: 2000. 

John Atkin was Chief Executive Officer (1999–2000), Chief 

Operating Officer (1999), Head of Product Portfolio Management 

(1998), and Head of Insecticides and Patron for Asia (1997–1998) 

of Novartis Crop Protection. Prior to 1998 he was General 

Manager of Sandoz Agro France (1995–1997) and Head of 

Sandoz Agro Northern Europe (1993–1995). In 2008 he was 

appointed Visiting Professor at the Institute for Research on 

Environment and Sustainability (IRES) at the University of 

Newcastle upon Tyne. He is also Chairman of CropLife’s Crop 

Protection Strategy Council (global industry association). 

He graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne with 

a PhD and a BSc degree in agricultural zoology. 

Robert Berendes 

Head of Business Development 

Age: 45. Nationality: German. Appointed: 2007. 

Robert Berendes was Head of Diverse Field Crops (2005–2006) 

and Head of Strategy, Planning and M&A (2002–2005) for 

Syngenta. Prior to this, he was a partner and co-leader of the 

European chemical practice at McKinsey & Company. 

He graduated from the University of Cologne with a diploma in 

chemistry and has a PhD in biophysics from the Max-Planck- 

Institute for Biochemistry/Technical University of Munich. 

Christoph Mäder 

Head of Legal & Taxes and Company Secretary 

Age: 51. Nationality: Swiss. Appointed: 2000. 

Christoph Mäder was Head of Legal & Public Affairs for Novartis 

Crop Protection (1999–2000) and Senior Corporate Counsel for 

Novartis International AG (1992–1998). He is Chairman of SGCI 

Chemie Pharma Schweiz, the association of Swiss chemical and 

pharmaceutical industries. He is also a member of the Executive 

Committee of the Board of economiesuisse, the main umbrella 

organization representing the Swiss economy and of the 

Executive Board of the Business and Industry Advisory 

Committee (BIAC) to the Organization for Economic Cooperation 

and Development (OECD). 

He graduated from Basel University Law School, and is admitted 

to the Bar in Switzerland. 

Mark Peacock 

Head of Global Operations 


Mark Peacock was previously Head of Global Supply 

(2003–2006) and Regional Supply Manager for Asia Pacific 

(2000–2003) for Syngenta. Prior to this he was a Product 

Manager in Zeneca Agrochemicals and General Manager of 

the Electrophotography Business in Zeneca Specialties. 

He has a degree in chemical engineering from Imperial College, 

London, and a Masters in international management from McGill 

University in Montreal. 

Davor Pisk 

Chief Operating Officer Seeds 


Davor Pisk was Region Head Crop Protection Asia Pacific 

(2003–2007) for Syngenta and Region Head Asia for Zeneca 

Agrochemicals (1998–2001). Prior to 1998, he was Head of 

Herbicides for Zeneca (1993–1997) and General Manager of 

ICI Czechoslovakia (1991–1993). 

He has a BA in Economics and Politics from Exeter University, 

UK, and an MA in Political Science from the University of 

California, USA. 

John Ramsay 

Chief Financial Officer 


John Ramsay was Group Financial Controller (2000–2007) for 

Syngenta. Prior to that, he was Zeneca Agrochemicals Finance 

Head Asia Pacific (1994–1999), Financial Controller ICI Malaysia 

(1990–1993), and ICI Plant Protection Regional Controller Latin 

America (1987–1990). Before joining ICI in 1984, he worked in 

Audit and Tax at KPMG. 

He is a Chartered Accountant and also holds an honors degree 

in finance and accounting. 

41



Financial information 

42 

A summary of Syngenta’s consolidated financial statements is provided on pages 42 to 49. For full details and analysis of the Group’s audited financial 

results, prepared in accordance with IFRS, please refer to our comprehensive Financial Report which is available on request or on our website 

www.syngenta.com/ir 

References to EBITDA in the following financial information excludes the impact of restructuring, impairment and discontinued operations 1 . 

Summarized financial information 2010 and 2009 

Excluding restructuring 

and impairment 1 

Restructuring and 

impairment As reported under IFRS 

For the year ended December 31 ($m, except per share amounts) 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 

Sales 11,641 10,992 – – 11,641 10,992 

Gross profit 5,793 5,437 (18) (17) 5,775 5,420 

Marketing and distribution (1,892) (1,805) – – (1,892) (1,805) 

Research and development (1,032) (952) – – (1,032) (952) 

General and administrative (899) (714) – – (899) (714) 

Restructuring and impairment – – (159) (130) (159) (130) 

Operating income 1,970 1,966 (177) (147) 1,793 1,819 

Income before taxes 1,855 1,843 (178) (149) 1,677 1,694 

Income tax expense (317) (325) 42 42 (275) (283) 

Net income 1,538 1,518 (136) (107) 1,402 1,411 

Attributable to minority interests (5) (3) – – (5) (3) 

Attributable to Syngenta AG shareholders: 1,533 1,515 (136) (107) 1,397 1,408 

Earnings/(loss) per share ($) 2 

– Basic 16.54 16.26 (1.47) (1.15) 15.07 15.11 

– Diluted 16.44 16.15 (1.45) (1.14) 14.99 15.01 

2010 2009 


CER 3 

Gross profit margin excluding restructuring and impairment 49.8% 49.5% 49.7% 

EBITDA 4 2,505 2,427 

EBITDA margin 21.5% 22.1% 21.9% 

Tax rate on results excluding restructuring and impairment 17.1% 17.6% 

Free cash flow 5 1,129 528 

Trade working capital as a percentage of 12-month sales 33% 36% 

Debt/Equity gearing 6 20% 28% 

Net debt 6 1,473 1,802 

Cash flow return on investment 7 13% 13% 

1 For further discussion of restructuring and impairment charges, see page 48. Net income and earnings per share excluding restructuring and impairment are provided as additional information 

and not as an alternative to net income and earnings per share determined in accordance with IFRS 

2 The weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue used to calculate the earnings per share were as follows: For 2010 basic EPS 92,687,903 and diluted 93,225,303; for 2009 basic EPS 

93,154,537 and diluted 93,760,196 

3 For a description of CER, see page 48 

4 EBITDA is defined on page 48 

5 2009 free cash flow has been restated to reflect the change in definition of free cash flow implemented by Syngenta during 2010. For a description of free cash flow and details of the change in 

definition, page 48 

6 For a description of net debt and the calculation of debt/equity gearing, see page 48 

7 Syngenta has implemented the cash flow return on investment measure for the first time in 2010. For a description of the calculation, see page 48



Full year product line and regional sales 

43 

Year ended December 31 


Crop Protection 8,878 8,491 +5 +3 

Seeds 2,805 2,564 +9 +8 

Business Development 23 8 +197 +197 

Inter-segment elimination (65) (71) n/a n/a 

Third Party Sales 11,641 10,992 +6 +4 

Crop Protection 

Product line 

Selective Herbicides 2,308 2,221 +4 +1 

Non-selective Herbicides 987 1,141 -13 -16 

Fungicides 2,662 2,442 +9 +7 

Insecticides 1,475 1,312 +12 +11 

Seed Care 838 821 +2 +2 

Professional Products 470 458 +3 – 

Others 138 96 +43 +43 

Total 8,878 8,491 +5 +3 

Regional 

Europe, Africa and Middle East 2,649 2,667 -1 -1 

NAFTA 2,383 2,567 -7 -10 

Latin America 2,300 1,907 +21 +21 

Asia Pacific 1,546 1,350 +15 +8 

Total 8,878 8,491 +5 +3 

Seeds 

Product line 

Corn and Soybean 1,281 1,210 +6 +4 

Diverse Field Crops 524 429 +22 +18 

Vegetables 663 594 +12 +11 

Flowers 337 331 +2 +2 

Total 2,805 2,564 +9 +8 

Regional 

Europe, Africa and Middle East 1,047 933 +12 +10 

NAFTA 1,234 1,187 +4 +3 

Latin America 275 243 +13 +13 

Asia Pacific 249 201 +24 +18 

Total 2,805 2,564 +9 +8 


$m 

2009 

$m 

Actual 

% 

CER 1 

% 

1 For a description of CER, see page 48




44 

Condensed consolidated income statement 

Year ended December 31 ($m, except share and per share amounts) 2010 2009 1 

Sales 11,641 10,992 

Cost of goods sold (5,866) (5,572) 

Gross profit 5,775 5,420 

Marketing and distribution (1,892) (1,805) 

Research and development (1,032) (952) 

General and administrative (899) (714) 

Restructuring and impairment (159) (130) 

Operating income 1,793 1,819 

Income/(loss) from associates and joint ventures 25 (3) 

Financial expenses, net (141) (122) 

Income before taxes 1,677 1,694 

Income tax expense (275) (283) 

Net income 1,402 1,411 

Attributable to: 

– Minority interests 5 3 

– Syngenta AG shareholders 1,397 1,408 

Net income 1,402 1,411 

Earnings per share (US$): 

– Basic 15.07 15.11 

– Diluted 14.99 15.01 

Weighted average number of shares: 

– Basic 92,687,903 93,154,537 

– Diluted 93,225,303 93,760,196 

1 After effect of accounting policy change for post-employment benefits described in Note 2 to the Syngenta Group consolidated financial statements in the Financial Report 2010, which is 

available on our website at www.syngenta.com/ir 

All amounts relate to continuing operations



Restructuring and impairment before taxes 

45 

Year ended December 31 ($m) 2010 2009 

Cash costs: 

Operational efficiency programs 101 98 

Integration and acquisition costs 19 28 

Other restructuring costs 14 – 

134 126 

Non-cash restructuring and impairment, net 44 23 

Total restructuring and impairment before taxes 1 178 149 

1 $18 million (2009: $17 million) is included within cost of goods sold and $1 million (2009: $2 million) is included within income/(loss) from associates and joint ventures




46 

Condensed consolidated balance sheet 

At December 31 ($m) 2010 2009 1 

Assets 

Current assets: 

Cash and cash equivalents 1,967 1,552 

Trade receivables 2,554 2,506 

Other accounts receivable 626 558 

Inventories 3,844 3,922 

Derivative and other financial assets 502 156 

Other current assets 223 200 

Total current assets 9,716 8,894 

Non-current assets: 

Property, plant and equipment 2,964 2,738 

Intangible assets 3,087 3,102 

Deferred tax assets 824 747 

Derivative financial assets 176 248 

Other non-current financial assets 518 400 

Total non-current assets 7,569 7,235 

Total assets 17,285 16,129 

Liabilities and equity 

Current liabilities: 

Trade accounts payable (2,590) (2,468) 

Current financial debt (992) (281) 

Income taxes payable (406) (376) 

Derivative financial liabilities (291) (145) 

Other current liabilities (846) (827) 

Provisions (228) (214) 

Total current liabilities (5,353) (4,311) 

Non-current liabilities: 

Financial debt and other non-current liabilities (2,786) (3,527) 

Deferred tax liabilities (813) (688) 

Provisions (884) (1,116) 

Total non-current liabilities (4,483) (5,331) 

Total liabilities (9,836) (9,642) 

Equity: 

Shareholders’ equity (7,439) (6,473) 

Minority interests (10) (14) 

Total equity (7,449) (6,487) 

Total liabilities and equity (17,285) (16,129) 


available on our website at www.syngenta.com/ir



Condensed consolidated cash flow statement 

47 

Year ended December 31 ($m) 2010 2009 1 

Income before taxes 1,677 1,694 

Reversal of non-cash items 805 615 

Cash (paid)/received in respect of: 

Interest and other financial receipts 144 96 

Interest and other financial payments (308) (380) 

Income taxes (268) (165) 

Restructuring costs (38) (79) 

Contributions to pension plans, excluding restructuring costs (335) (125) 

Other provisions (95) (81) 

Cash flow before change in net working capital 1,582 1,575 

Change in net working capital: 

Change in inventories 108 (178) 

Change in trade and other accounts receivable and other net current assets (129) 55 

Change in trade and other accounts payable 146 (33) 

Cash flow from operating activities 1,707 1,419 

Additions to property, plant and equipment (396) (652) 

Proceeds from disposals of property, plant and equipment 13 33 

Purchases of intangible assets (118) (97) 

Purchases of investments in associates and other financial assets (12) (22) 

Proceeds from disposals of financial assets 42 87 

Net cash flows from (purchases)/disposals of marketable securities 31 (41) 

Acquisitions and divestments (10) (188) 

Cash flow used for investing activities (450) (880) 

Increases in third party interest-bearing debt 139 926 

Repayments of third party interest-bearing debt (165) (183) 

Sale/(purchase) of treasury shares and options over own shares (246) (79) 

Acquisitions of non-controlling interests (48) – 

Dividends paid (524) (494) 

Cash flow from financing activities (844) 170 

Net effect of currency translation on cash and cash equivalents 2 40 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents 415 749 

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 1,552 803 

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year 1,967 1,552 


available on our website at www.syngenta.com/ir 

Free cash flow 

Year ended December 31 ($m) 2010 2009 

Cash flow from operating activities 1,707 1,419 

Cash flow used for investing activities (450) (880) 

Cash flow (from)/used for marketable securities (31) 41 

Cash flow used for acquisitions of non-controlling interests (48) – 

Cash flow from foreign exchange movements and settlement of hedges of inter-company loans (49) (52) 

Free cash flow 1,129 528




48 

Constant exchange rates (CER) 

Results in this report from one period to another period are, where 

appropriate, compared using constant exchange rates (CER). To present 

that information, current period results for entities reporting in currencies 

other than US dollars are converted into US dollars at the prior period’s 

exchange rates, rather than at the exchange rates for the current year. 

CER margin percentages for gross profit and EBITDA are calculated by 

the ratio of these measures to sales after restating the measures and 

sales at prior period exchange rates. The CER presentation indicates 

the underlying business performance before taking into account 

currency exchange fluctuations. 

EBITDA 

EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, tax, minority interests, 

depreciation, amortization, restructuring and impairment. Information 

concerning EBITDA has been included as it is used by management and 

by investors as a supplementary measure of operating performance and is 

used by Syngenta as the basis of part of its employee incentive schemes. 

Management excludes restructuring from EBITDA in order to focus on 

results excluding items affecting comparability from one period to the next. 

EBITDA is not a measure of cash liquidity or financial performance under 

generally accepted accounting principles and the EBITDA measures used 

by Syngenta may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of 

other companies. EBITDA should not be construed as an alternative to 

operating income or cash flow as determined in accordance with generally 

accepted accounting principles. 

Restructuring and impairment before taxes 

Restructuring represents the effect on reported performance of initiating 

business changes which are considered major and which, in the opinion 

of management, will have a material effect on the nature and focus of 

Syngenta’s operations, and therefore requires separate disclosure to 

provide a more thorough understanding of business performance. 

Restructuring includes the effects of completing and integrating significant 

business combinations and divestments. Restructuring and impairment 

includes the impairment costs associated with major restructuring and also 

impairment losses and reversals of impairment losses resulting from major 

changes in the markets in which a reported segment operates. 

The incidence of these business changes may be periodic and the effect 

on reported performance of initiating them will vary from period to period. 

Because each such business change is different in nature and scope, 

there will be little continuity in the detailed composition and size of the 

reported amounts which affect performance in successive periods. 

Separate disclosure of these amounts facilitates the understanding of 

performance including and excluding items affecting comparability. 

Reported performance before restructuring and impairment is one 

of the measures used in Syngenta’s short-term employee incentive 

compensation plans. Syngenta’s definition of restructuring and impairment 

may not be comparable to similarly titled line items in financial statements 

of other companies. 

Free cash flow 

Free cash flow comprises cash flow from operating and investing activities: 

excluding investments in and proceeds from marketable securities, which 

are included in investing activities; excluding cash flows from and used for 

foreign exchange movements and settlement of related hedges on 

inter-company loans, which are included in operating activities; and 

including cash flows from acquisitions of non-controlling interests, which 

are included in financing activities. 

During 2010, Syngenta changed its definition of free cash flow to exclude 

cash flows from or used for foreign exchange movements and settlement 

of hedges of inter-company loans because it believes this revised free cash 

flow measure is more independent of a group’s internal funding structure 

and therefore more easily comparable with that of companies with less 

centralized funding structures than Syngenta’s. 2009 free cash flow has 

been restated. 

Free cash flow is not a measure of financial performance under generally 

accepted accounting principles and the free cash flow measure used by 

Syngenta may not be identical to similarly titled measures of other 

companies. Free cash flow has been included as it is used by many 

investors as a useful supplementary measure of cash generation. 

Net debt reconciliation 

Net debt comprises total debt net of related hedging derivatives, cash 

and cash equivalents and marketable securities. Net debt is not a 

measure of financial position under generally accepted accounting 

principles and the net debt measure used by Syngenta may not be 

comparable to the similarly titled measure of other companies. Net debt 

has been included as it is used by many investors as a useful measure 

of financial position and risk. The following table presents the derivation 

of the debt/equity gearing ratio: 

($m) 2010 2009 

Net debt 1,473 1,802 

Shareholders’ equity 7,439 6,473 

Debt/equity gearing ratio (%) 20% 28% 

Cash flow return on investment 

Cash flow return on investment is a new measure implemented by 

Syngenta in 2010 in order to compare cash returns to average invested 

capital. Gross cash flow comprises cash flow before change in net 

working capital, excluding interest and other financial receipts and 

payments. In 2010, the accelerated contributions to the defined benefit 

pension plans of US$200 million were also excluded. Invested capital 

comprises: total current assets, excluding cash and derivative and other 

financial assets; total non-current assets, excluding non-current derivative 

and other financial assets and defined benefit pension assets, and 

adjusted to reflect gross book values of property, plant and equipment 

and intangible assets; total current liabilities, excluding derivative financial 

liabilities and current financial debt; and deferred tax liabilities.



Full year segmental results excluding restructuring and impairment 

49 

Crop 

Protection 

Business 

Development 

Inter-segment 

elimination 

Full year 


Year ended December 31, 2010 ($m) 

Seeds 

Sales 8,878 2,805 23 (65) 11,641 

Gross profit 4,382 1,373 12 26 5,793 

Marketing and distribution (1,321) (559) (12) – (1,892) 

Research and development (555) (410) (67) – (1,032) 

General and administrative (667) (217) (15) – (899) 

Operating income 1,839 187 (82) 26 1,970 

EBITDA 2,194 357 (72) 26 2,505 

EBITDA (%) 24.7 12.7 n/a – 21.5 

Crop 

Protection 

Business 

Development 

Inter-segment 

elimination 

Year ended December 31, 2009 ($m) 

Seeds 

Sales 8,491 2,564 8 (71) 10,992 

Gross profit 4,229 1,220 (7) (5) 5,437 

Marketing and distribution (1,255) (540) (10) – (1,805) 

Research and development (508) (364) (80) – (952) 

General and administrative (496) (199) (19) – (714) 

Operating income 1,970 117 (116) (5) 1,966 

EBITDA 2,282 256 (106) (5) 2,427 

EBITDA (%) 26.9 10.0 n/a – 22.1 

Full year 

2009 

Reconciliation of segment EBITDA to segment operating income excluding restructuring and impairment 

Crop 

Protection 

Business 

Development 

Inter-segment 

elimination 

Year ended December 31, 2010 ($m) 

Seeds 

Total 

EBITDA 2,194 357 (72) 26 2,505 

Depreciation, amortization and impairment (348) (151) (10) – (509) 

Income from associates and joint ventures (7) (19) – – (26) 

Operating income excluding restructuring and impairment 1,839 187 (82) 26 1,970 

Crop 

Protection 

Business 

Development 

Inter-segment 

elimination 

Year ended December 31, 2009 ($m) 

Seeds 

Total 

EBITDA 2,282 256 (106) (5) 2,427 

Depreciation, amortization and impairment (321) (131) (10) – (462) 

Income from associates and joint ventures 9 (8) – – 1 

Operating income excluding restructuring and impairment 1,970 117 (116) (5) 1,966



Corporate Responsibility performance summary 

50 

A summary of Syngenta’s performance in the areas of resource efficiency, stewardship, people, environment and compliance is presented on 

pages 50–53. The environmental performance numbers have been normalized to $EBIT 1 to better relate our performance in these areas to value 

creation. To view a more detailed report, please visit the Annual Report website www.syngenta.com/ar2010 

Resource efficient 

programs 

Our programs teach 

growers how to use 

sustainable agriculture 

techniques for managing 

natural resources in 

the most efficient and 

responsible way, 

e.g. reducing the 

water needed for crop 

cultivation, minimizing 

soil erosion and improving 

productivity for efficient 

land use. 

Soil, water, biodiversity, IPM/ICM, safe use 2 2010 2009 2008 

Total investment ($m) 7.57 7.03 8.13 

EAME 41.5% 29.0% 40.6% 

NAFTA 20.7% 24.8% 29.0% 

LATAM 19.5% 26.8% 16.8% 

APAC 18.3% 19.4% 13.6% 

Active programs 182 177 163 

Read more about resource efficient programs 


Stewardship 

Syngenta aims to 

maximize benefits and 

minimize negative impacts 

throughout the lifecycle 

of its products. 

We adopt strict measures 

to ensure the safety of our 

chemical products and 

biotechnology, and we 

audit suppliers to ensure 

they meet our HSE and 

labor standards. Training 

on the safe and effective 

use of our products helps 

growers get the most 

benefit from them. 

Product stewardship 2010 2009 2008 

Number of people trained (m) 3 4.27 3.94 2.39 

EAME 0.5% 0.4% 1.6% 

NAFTA 0.1% 0.0% 0.2% 

LATAM 4.0% 8.3% 23.2% 

APAC 95.4% 91.3% 75.0% 

Active training programs 90 129 119 

Number of countries participating in adverse health incident 

management system 84 50 45 

Product stewardship – biotechnology and regulatory compliance 

Number of employees completing regulatory compliance training 1,593 1,177 782 

Number of trial locations requiring a permit 435 471 420 

Number of trial inspections performed by Syngenta 237 189 168 

Read more about stewardship 


1 Excluding restructuring and impairment 

2 Starting 2009, reporting year October 1 to September 30 

3 In 2010 1.1 million (2009: 1.7 million) from farmer contest televised training



People 

Syngenta operates 

around the globe, 

and has a rich mix 

of employees from 

backgrounds that reflect 

our diverse markets. 

We believe this diversity 

is an asset to the 

Company, and we have 

programs to ensure all 

employees are given 

an equal opportunity. 

The safety of our staff 

is a priority. We provide 

a healthy and motivating 

work environment and 

offer competitive rewards, 

which help attract and 

retain the most talented 

individuals. To help them 

achieve their career 

aspirations, employees 

are encouraged to 

fulfill their potential with 

training/development 

programs, and 

regular discussions 

with line managers. 

Responding to feedback 

from employees helps 

us improve our business 

and, in turn, ensures 

they are proud to work 

for Syngenta. Sites 

respond to employee 

feedback through local 

programs and share 

best practices through 

our online database. 

People retention 2010 2009 2008 

Employees as of December 31 1 26,179 25,925 24,148 

EAME 12,466 12,565 11,471 

NAFTA 5,022 5,214 5,076 

LATAM 4,004 3,782 3,610 

APAC 4,687 4,364 3,991 

Part-time employees 850 763 716 

Turnover rate 9.5% 9.3% 9.8% 

Turnover rate 50 years 2.2% 3.0% 2.0% 

Employees entitled to participate in Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) 16,262 15,829 13,821 

Entitled employees participating in ESPP 46% 48% 49% 

Employees participating in Long-term Incentive (LTI) plan 1,031 1,016 886 

Diversity 

Female employees 32% 30% 28% 

In management roles 20% 20% 19% 

In senior management 11% 11% 12% 

Proportion of senior management from each region 

Number of senior managers 196 196 190 

EAME 2 63% 64% 64% 

NAFTA 19% 20% 22% 

LATAM 8% 7% 6% 

APAC 10% 9% 9% 

Number of nationalities in senior management 24 24 22 

Employee development 

Total training investment ($m) 29.0 24.9 27.2 

EAME 2 18.4 16.3 16.6 

NAFTA 4.1 2.5 3.4 

LATAM 3.3 3.1 3.6 

APAC 3.1 3.0 3.6 

Training investment per employee (US$) 1,109 962 1,126 

Health and safety 

Recordable injury and illness rate (IIR) per 200,000 hours 3 0.39 0.42 0.50 

Recordable injury rate per 200,000 hours 3 0.37 0.38 0.47 

EAME 0.43 0.47 0.46 

NAFTA 0.66 0.58 0.98 

LATAM 0.22 0.19 0.19 

APAC 0.18 0.19 0.24 

Recordable occupational illness rate per 200,000 hours 3 0.02 0.03 0.03 

EAME 0.01 0.05 0.04 

NAFTA 0.06 0.06 0.03 

LATAM 0 0.03 0.06 

APAC 0.01 0 0 

First aid cases 820 712 421 

Economic value shared 

Corporate community investment ($m) 4 16.7 17.5 10.8 

Salaries ($m) 5 2,305 2,176 2,157 

Read more about people 


51 

1 Permanent full-time equivalent (FTE) 

2 Including Headquarters (Switzerland) 

3 According to US OHSA definition for injuries and illness 

4 $0.8 million from resource efficient programs 

5 After effect of accounting policy change for post-employment benefits described in Note 2 to the Syngenta Group consolidated financial statements 

in the Financial Report 2010, which is available on our website at www.syngenta.com



Corporate Responsibility performance summary 

52 

Environment 

Managing the 

environmental impacts 

of our operations is a 

key element of our health, 

safety and environment 

(HSE) strategy. The 

global coordination of 

our program is supported 

by local initiatives to 

minimize the impact of 

our operations on climate 

change, air quality and 

water resources. 

We monitor energy use 

to identify opportunities 

to improve efficiency. 

Our energy strategy 

encourages local teams 

to select the best ways 

to reduce energy at local 

sites. By 2012, we aim 

to decrease global 

greenhouse gas 

emissions by 40 percent 

relative to EBIT from the 

2006 baseline. 

Sites also have programs 

to cut water use and 

minimize generation of 

effluent and waste. Local 

targets aim to increase 

recycling and cut the 

amount of waste sent 

to landfill. 

The environmental 

performance reporting 

system was updated 

in 2010. For more 

information visit 


Energy 2010 2009 2008 

Energy (TJ) 8,031 8,334 8,653 

MJ/$EBIT 4.08 4.36 4.19 

Gas (TJ) 3,851 3,675 4,074 

Electricity (TJ) 1,963 2,096 2,262 

Steam (TJ) 935 1,153 1,076 

Others (TJ) 652 775 940 

Oil (TJ) 631 635 301 

Number of sites setting energy targets 22 19 20 

Greenhouse gases 

Total CO2e emissions (000’s tonnes) 1,304 1,452 1,542 

kg /$EBIT 0.66 0.76 0.75 

Within direct control: 

CO2e emissions from own operations (000’s tonnes) 616 641 701 

of which: CO2 (000’s tonnes) 329 426 467 

CO2 emissions from company vehicles (000’s tonnes) 68 65 54 

Within indirect control: 

CO2e emissions from purchased energy (000’s tonnes) 301 418 426 

CO2 emissions from business trips (000’s tonnes) 20 25 32 

CO2 emissions from distribution (000’s tonnes) 299 303 329 

Other air emissions 1 

Total other air emissions (tonnes) 1,269 980 1,100 

g/$EBIT 0.64 0.51 0.53 

NOx (tonnes) 404 416 644 

Non-halogenated VOCs (tonnes) 440 415 308 

Halogenated VOCs (tonnes) 48 49 23 

Particulates (tonnes) 123 63 82 

SO2 (tonnes) 208 20 20 

NH3 (tonnes) 23 7 8 

HCL (tonnes) 23 10 15 

Water 

Water consumption (million cubic meters) 28.8 32.0 31.1 

liters/$EBIT 14.6 16.7 15.1 

Cooling (million cubic meters) 18.6 21.0 19.5 

Processing and washing (million cubic meters) 8.0 7.1 8.1 

Others (million cubic meters) 0.9 2.0 1.5 

Product ingredient (million cubic meters) 0.2 0.2 0.3 

Sewage and sanitary (million cubic meters) 1.1 1.7 1.7 

Read more about environment 


1 Starting 2010, all ‘other air emissions’ numbers are based on measurements



Environment continued 

Waste water effluents 2010 2009 2008 

Total industrial waste water discharge (million cubic meters) 8.8 10 10.6 

liters/$EBIT 4.5 5.2 5.1 

of which: total organic carbon (TOC) (tonnes) 769 783 725 

chemical oxygen demand (COD) (tonnes) 2,336 2,677 2,358 

biological oxygen demand (BOD) (tonnes) 240 234 225 

total suspended solids (tonnes) 393 303 262 

soluble salts discharged (000’s tonnes) 114 123 132 

Direct discharge of uncontaminated cooling water (million cubic meters) 18.5 20.8 19.3 

Waste 

Hazardous waste (000’s tonnes) 198.7 173.9 153.3 

kg/$EBIT 0.10 0.09 0.07 

of which: recycled/re-used (000’s tonnes) 64.0 51.4 47.5 

incinerated (000’s tonnes) 124.0 97.1 84.3 

landfill (000’s tonnes) 0.4 0.7 1.5 

other (000’s tonnes) 10.3 24.7 20.0 

Non-hazardouse waste (000’s tonnes) 133.7 124.0 120.2 

kg/$EBIT 0.07 0.06 0.06 

of which: recycled/re-used (000’s tonnes) 76.6 66.4 72.1 

incinerated (000’s tonnes) 18.0 25.2 19.3 

landfill (000’s tonnes) 28.7 15.5 22.8 

other (000’s tonnes) 10.4 16.9 6.0 

Number of sites with reduction programs 19 19 19 

Environmental compliance 

Significant unplanned releases 1 0 0 2 

Read more about environment 


53 

Compliance 

The Syngenta Code 

of Conduct sets our 

commitment to ethical, 

social and environmental 

responsibility, including 

human rights and fair 

labor practices. Employees 

are encouraged to report 

any suspected breaches. 

Local laws and 

regulations govern our 

environmental behavior, 

and we have stringent 

HSE management 

systems to ensure 

compliance. We set 

high standards for 

animal welfare and 

audit compliance. 

Corporate conduct 2010 2009 2008 

Cases reported through the compliance helpline 78 76 31 

EAME 28% 17% 19% 

NAFTA 13% 26% 19% 

LATAM 5% 15% 23% 

APAC 54% 42% 39% 

Health, safety, environment and social compliance in supply 

Number of seed supply farms included in Syngenta/FLA monitoring 12,395 8,169 2,312 

Number of HSEQ assessments at chemical suppliers 70 65 59 

Animal welfare 

Number of audits performed in contract laboratories 6 3 6 

Number of instances of non-compliance found 0 0 0 

Read more about compliance 


1 Releases that escape beyond the site boundary and that cause either environmental impact and/or concern from neighbors, regulators, etc



Shareholder information 

54 

Syngenta shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and 

on the New York Stock Exchange, where the shares are 

traded as ADS (American Depositary Shares). 1 

Trading symbols 

SIX Swiss 

Exchange 

New York Stock 

Exchange 

Shares SYNN SYT 

Shares in issue 

At December 31, 2010 

Number of shares 

Total shares in issue 94,599,849 

of which treasury shares 2,392,751 

Share price and market capitalization 2 

At December 31, 2010 

Share price (CHF) 273.50 

Share price (USD) (ADS) 58.78 

Market capitalization (CHF million) 25,219 

Market capitalization (USD million) 26,916 

Dividend history 

Dividend 

CHF 

2006 3.80 

2007 4.80 

2008 6.00 

2009 6.00 

2010 3 7.00 

% 

2006 40.7 

2007 29.4 

2008 –29.5 

2009 48.6 

2010 –3.9 

1 1 share = 5 ADS 

2 For the purposes of calculating market capitalization the number of shares 

stood at 92.207 million 

3 To be submitted for shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting 

on April 19, 2011 

4 Calculated as return on ordinary shares plus reinvested dividends 

Syngenta share price performance December 31, 2007 – December 31, 2010 

30 

20 

10 

0 

–10 

–20 

–30 

–40 

–50 

–60 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

–10 

–20 

–30 

–40 

–50 

–60 

CHF 200.40 

CHF 290.70 

Dec 31, 2010 

CHF 273.50 

Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec 

2007 2008 2009 2010 


SMI 

Eurotop 300 

Syngenta ADS price performance December 31, 2007 – December 31, 2010 

USD 39.14 

USD 56.27 

Dec 31, 2010 

USD 58.78 

Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec 

2007 2008 2009 2010 

Syngenta ADS 

Dow Jones 

S&P 500 

Reporting dates 

First quarter trading statement April 15, 2011 

Annual General Meeting April 19, 2011 

Half-year results July 22, 2011 

Third quarter trading statement October 14, 2011 

A full form 20-F is accessible at: www.syngenta.com/ir 

Investors can subscribe to Financial Releases via RSS at: www.syngenta.com/ir 

The full-year results press release can be viewed up to six months after the event at: 

www.syngenta.com/fyr2010



Independent Assurance Report on the 

Syngenta Corporate Responsibility Reporting 

To the Head of Legal and Taxes, Syngenta 

International AG, Basel (‘Syngenta’): 

We have performed assurance procedures to provide 

assurance on the following aspects of the 2010 

Corporate Responsibility (CR) reporting of Syngenta. 

Subject matter 

Data and information disclosed with the CR reporting 

of Syngenta and its consolidated subsidiaries, for the 

financial year ended December 31, 2010 on the 

following aspects: 

– The application of the Syngenta internal Health, 

Safety and Environment (HSE) and Corporate 

Community Investment (CCI) reporting guidelines to 

the CR reporting; 

– The internal reporting system and procedures, 

including the control environment, to collect and 

aggregate CR data; and 

– The CR Performance Summary disclosed on pages 

50 to 53 of the Syngenta Annual Review 2010. 

Our assurance procedures do not cover the indicator 

on Salaries in the Performance Summary on page 51 

of the Annual Review. 

Criteria 

– The Syngenta internal Health, Safety and 

Environment (HSE) and Corporate Community 

Investment (CCI) reporting guidelines; and 

– The defined procedures by which the CR data are 

gathered, collated and aggregated internally. 

Responsibility and Methodology 

The accuracy and completeness of CR performance 

indicators are subject to inherent limitations given their 

nature and methods for determining, calculating and 

estimating such data. Our assurance report should 

therefore be read in connection with Syngenta’s 

internal guidelines, definitions and procedures on 

the reporting of its CR performance. 

The Board of Directors of Syngenta is responsible 

for both the subject matter and the criteria. Our 

responsibility is to provide a conclusion on the subject 

matter based on our assurance procedures in 

accordance with the International Standard on 

Assurance Engagements (ISAE) 3000. 

Main Assurance Procedures 

Our assurance procedures included the following work: 

– Evaluation of the application of group guidelines 

Reviewing the application of the Syngenta internal 

HSE and CCI reporting guidelines; 

– Site visits 

Visiting the regional site of Syngenta’s Crop 

Protection and Seeds Business Units in Singapore 

and two selected sites of Syngenta’s Seeds 

Business Unit in Thailand. The selection was based 

on quantitative and qualitative criteria; 

Interviewing personnel responsible for internal 

reporting and data collection at the sites we visited 

and at the Group level; 

– Assessment of the performance indicators 

Performing tests on a sample basis of evidence 

supporting the CR Performance Summary relative to 

completeness, accuracy, adequacy and consistency; 

– Review of the documentation 

Reviewing the relevant documentation on a sample 

basis, including management and reporting 

structures and documentation; 

– Assessment of the processes and data consolidation 

Reviewing the appropriateness of the management 

and reporting processes for CR reporting; and 

Assessing the consolidation process of data at the 

Group level. 

Conclusions 

In our opinion 

– The internal HSE and CCI guidelines are being 

applied properly; and 

– The internal reporting system and procedures to 

collect and aggregate CR data are functioning as 

designed and provide an appropriate basis for its 

disclosure. 

Based on our work described in this report, nothing 

has come to our attention that causes us to believe 

that the data and information mentioned in the subject 

matter and disclosed with the Corporate Responsibility 

reporting in the Syngenta Annual Review 2010 does 

not give a fair picture of Syngenta’s performance in the 

area of Corporate Responsibility. 

55 

PricewaterhouseCoopers AG 

Zurich, February 11, 2011 

Dr. Thomas Scheiwiller 

David Pritchett

Switzerland 

Investor Relations 

T +41 61 323 5883 

F +41 61 323 5880 

E global.investor_relations@syngenta.com 

Media Relations 

T +41 61 323 2323 

F +41 61 323 2424 

E media.relations@syngenta.com 

Share Register 

T +41 58 399 6133 

F +41 58 499 6193 

E syngenta.aktienregister@sag.ch 

Shareholder Services 

T +41 61 323 9492 

F +41 61 568 4146 

E shareholder.services@syngenta.com 

Ordering of publications 

T +41 58 399 6133 

E syngenta.aktienregister@sag.ch 

Syngenta switchboard 

T +41 61 323 1111 

F +41 61 323 1212 

E global.webmaster@syngenta.com 

USA 

Investor Relations 

T +1 202 737 6520 

T +1 202 737 6521 

E global.investor_relations@syngenta.com 

Media Relations 

T +1 202 628 2372 

F +1 202 347 8758 

E media.relations_us@syngenta.com 

Contacts for ADS holders 

T +1 866 253 7068 – from within the USA 

T +1 201 680 6825 – from outside the USA 

Syngenta International AG 

Corporate Affairs 

Schwarzwaldallee 215 

P.O. Box 

CH-4002 Basel 

Switzerland 

www.syngenta.com 

For the business year 2010, Syngenta has 

published three reports: Annual Review 

(incorporating the Corporate Responsibility 

Report), Financial Report and Corporate 

Governance and Compensation Report. 

All documents were originally published in 

English. The Annual Review 2010 and the 

Corporate Governance and Compensation 

Report 2010 are also available in German. 

These publications are also available on the 

Internet: www.syngenta.com 

Syngenta International AG, Basel, Switzerland. 

All rights reserved. 

Editorial completion: February 2011. 

Design and production: 

Radley Yeldar, London, UK 

Printing: NZZ Fretz AG, Zürich, Switzerland 

Printed on Hello Silk, made with wood fiber 

from managed forests and manufactured at 

a mill that has achieved the ISO14001 and 

EMAS environmental management standards. 

® Registered trademarks of a Syngenta 

Group Company 

Trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company 

The SYNGENTA Wordmark, BRINGING 

PLANT POTENTIAL TO LIFE and the Purpose 

icon device are trademarks or registered 

trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. 

Cautionary statement regarding forwardlooking 

statements: This document contains 

forward-looking statements, which can be 

identified by terminology such as “expect”, 

“would”, “will”, “potential”, “plans”, “prospects”, 

“estimated”, “aiming”, “on track” and similar 

expressions. Such statements may be subject 

to risks and uncertainties that could cause 

the actual results to differ materially from 

these statements. 

We refer you to Syngenta’s publicly available 

filings with the US Securities and Exchange 

Commission for information about these and 

other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta 

assumes no obligation to update forwardlooking 

statements to reflect actual results, 

changed assumptions or other factors. 

This document does not constitute, or form 

part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, 

or any solicitation of any offer, to purchase or 

subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta 

AG, or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the 

basis of, or be relied on in connection with, 

any contract therefor. 

Article number 016841.040

Syngenta Annual Review 2010 - CEO Water Mandate

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