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Gustavo Palerosi Canerio, Vice President of Agricultural Solutions at BASF, joined Conference Producer Louise Crauet for a Q&A ahead of the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London. They explored how BASF is working to support farmers in Europe through innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices, while addressing the urgent challenges of climate change, regulatory hurdles, and food security.

Europe is navigating a complex landscape of climate ambition, geopolitical tension, and economic pressure. From your perspective at BASF, what are the most urgent priorities to ensure food security without compromising farmer viability?

Without a doubt climate change is having a significant impact on food security. Heatwaves, drought, flooding and other extreme weather events are regularly robbing farmers of yields. There are short and long-term priorities to consider in mitigating agriculture’s impact on climate and building agriculture’s resilience to extreme weather, so we can ensure farmers have an adequate toolbox and are profitable. Too often we see solutions being taken from the industry with no alternatives. This leaves farmers exposed in an environment which is significantly more challenging in terms of market prices and needed crop quality to fulfil consumer needs.

Our priority is to continue to invest in research and development, offering farmers sustainable solutions. Europe remains a key strategic region for us, and a focus for innovation. We are convinced that innovation will come from crop protection, seeds & traits, machinery, digital, sustainability and biological solutions, where all work hand-in-hand with emerging sustainable agronomic practices. This more integrated approach will help create resilient farming systems and ensure they are capable of withstanding environmental conservation requirements.

Despite a wave of promising agri-tech and biological innovations, adoption remains slow. What are the key barriers to scaling these solutions across Europe, and how is BASF working to make innovation more accessible and practical for farmers of all sizes?

It is important to recognise that farmers are open and expecting innovation, more then we think they are given credit for. However, several new technologies that are readily available in other parts of the world are simply not available or allowed yet in EU countries, affecting farming competitiveness in the global market.

For instance, regulatory hurdles significantly impact the approval of seeds and emerging technologies like New Genetic Techniques (NGTs). EU growers would jump at the chance to have access to seed solutions that are available in the North American market, but they simply are not allowed, and in turn that impacts the investment in seed technology specifically suited to European climate, crops and growing practices.

In other cases, the challenge lies in funding technological advancements, such as digital farming solutions. As we encourage growers to adopt new agronomic practices, we sometimes neglect the reality that this comes with an initial cost and complexity. A fundamental principle of regenerative agriculture is to disturb the soil as little as possible – this can mean a significant investment in new machinery, with no immediate return on investment. On the flip side, when farmers are simply trying to survive each season because of the growing challenges, these long-term investment decisions are often deprioritized.

As Europe moves toward greater food sovereignty and regional supply chains, what types of public-private partnerships or infrastructure investments do you believe are essential to build long-term resilience in the agri-food system?

We need a shared vision where the commitment to food sovereignty serves as a key driver for our industry. This entails a comprehensive understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships inherent in key decisions that impact farming productivity. It’s vital that all stakeholders, including manufacturers, policymakers, regulators, and NGOs, collaborate closely to ensure that critical decisions regarding available innovations are informed by scientific data and robust analysis. The new Vision for Agriculture and Food led by EU commission has broad ambitions and certainly drives us together to the right direction.

One of the positive changes in our industry is the growing strength of relationships among farmers, manufacturers, and the broader food value chain. This collaboration is essential for advancing our mission to produce food sustainably at every stage of the food system. By fostering these partnerships, we can ensure that the technologies developed create transparency and allow for the reporting of sustainable practices throughout the production process. Together, we can ensure that in the EU we live sustainability in its full form, balancing environmental protection, social equity and economic profitability.

At BASF, we are collaborating with value chain partners worldwide on projects aimed at decarbonizing the food supply chain. By leveraging our scientific expertise and engaging with credible digital carbon frameworks, we are helping businesses to track and enhance their sustainability initiatives. This approach not only fosters long-term resilience but also contributes to making agriculture more sustainable.

Join the Conversation in London

Hear more at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London, September 22–23, where Gustavo will speak on the opening panel alongside leaders from Bayer Crop Science, Yara International and more to discuss 'What’s Next for Food Security in Europe?'.

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