German pharmaceutical, biotechnology and crop science company Bayer AG has opened a new maize seed facility in Kabwe, Zambia.
Bayer has invested around $35m in the new facility, which will triple its existing capacity for maize seed production in the country in 2025. The company expects the seed output to further increase in the coming years.
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The new site will create approximately 80 permanent jobs and over 100 seasonal positions. Furthermore, it will generate around 15,000 seasonal on-farm jobs through field operations and contract growers.
Bill Anderson, CEO, emphasised that alleviating severe food insecurity is a key company objective.
“With our new seed facility in Zambia, we want to make a meaningful contribution to that crucial goal”, he added.
Bayer’s new facility aims to combat food insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa by improving access to quality seeds and addressing agronomic and technological gaps.
Debra Mallowah, head of Bayer’s crop science division in Africa said: “Enhanced productivity increases food security while also making a difference for the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.”
Additionally, Bayer’s investment in African seed production capitalises on a rapidly growing market. It plans to double its crop science division by 2030. To achieve this goal, it will invest an additional $38m to expand the seed production network across the region by 2028.
Bayer AG operates in 80 countries and has over 93,000 employees globally. In the past year, it announced investments in Mexico, Spain, and China.
