India has the daunting task of feeding 16% of the world’s population using less than 2% of the world’s land. With 190 million gross hectares of land already cultivated, the scope for bringing new areas under cultivation is severely limited. Thus, the growth will have to come from increased productivity. This pressing challenge is driving new partnership and collaboration between DuPont and other Indian agricultural technology companies.

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, a subsidiary of DuPont, is the world's leading developer and supplier of advanced plant genetics for farmers, livestock producers and grain and oilseed processors. In 2007, Pioneer entered into an agreement to work with a new seed-conditioning facility in Medchal, on the outskirts of Hyderabad. This new facility is owned and operated by Prasad Seeds.

The new plant offers much-needed drying and conditioning capacity for substantial increase in production to accommodate the farmers' growing demand for seeds. The facility also has the ability to dry hybrid rice seed and condition, treat and package rice, corn and pearl millet seed.

Along with partnerships like this, Pioneer Seeds is developing a purpose-built research facility to help the company continue to deliver the highest-quality seeds, at the right time to Indian farmers.

Open Science  applies the power of collaboration to transform today’s challenges into tomorrow’s solutions.