A brighter future begins with a resilience revolution

In a world where almost half of potential crop production is lost due to diseases, pests, and extreme weather, addressing the challenges of food security and sustainable agriculture has never been more urgent. Millions of people still go to bed hungry every day, while the demand for a diverse food supply continues to rise. To make the most of farmland potential, the agricultural sector must embrace courage, collaboration, and, most importantly, resilience.

As part of the 'Resilience Revolution' topic, we spoke with Prof. Martin Kropff, former Managing Director for Resilient Agri-food Systems at CGIAR (an international agricultural research organisation) and emeritus Rector Magnificus at Wageningen University. 

Martin Kropff:

"In the entire agricultural sector, but especially in the area of potatoes, people have always been focused on resilience. My father-in-law, who used to breed potatoes at ZPC as a hobby, was always searching for better varieties, ideally with resistance to potato blight, of course. I learned a lot from him during the selection process."

Resilience is all about having the right systems in place. These days, there are plenty of potato varieties with Phytophthora resistance, but that doesn’t mean the problem has been completely resolved. One reason is that these varieties aren’t grown everywhere yet, another reason is that the bar has been raised. Sustainability is important now, which is why varieties with only a single resistance gene were phased out several years ago.

Although this decision has made breeding more challenging, the investments made in the research programme are now starting to pay off. Robust varieties are absolutely essential when it comes to resilience, but there’s more to it than just that. According to Martin, resilience is also about having the right systems in place, where good varieties can reach their full potential.

This summer, Martin realised a long-held dream and sailed with his wife for two months from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea. 

Martin Kropff:

"When you’re sailing on the North Sea in wind force seven, you really have to know what you’re doing. You have to take the wind direction and choppy seas into account, reef the sails, and keep your distance from the big cargo ships. Safety comes first! You need to be resilient and have solutions ready in case things go wrong, like a life raft."

"It’s the same with crops. Nature can be relentless, with diseases, pests, and extreme weather, and climate change is only making things worse. This is particularly acute in Africa and South Asia, where crop yields are dropping because of higher temperatures and, above all, long periods of extreme drought. And don’t forget, we’re going to have two billion more people in the coming years, mostly in the very same regions."

 We should not become dogmatic How can we turn the tide?

Martin Kropff:

"These days, lots of new ideas about the future of farming are being floated; regenerative agriculture, conservation agriculture, agroecology, and nature-positive farming, alongside the sustainable practices we’ve already been focusing on. It’s great that we keep exploring ways to make farming more sustainable with minimal environmental impact, and new solutions are always welcome."

"But it’s important that we don’t become dogmatic, and allow one solution to be seen as the ultimate truth or the only way forward. If everything suddenly has to follow one set of principles, that can cause problems."

"For example, if someone suggests mixed crops, but you can’t manage that in the Netherlands with existing planting and harvesting machines, you’ve got a problem. What’s important are system adjustments that work locally. That means modifications to mechanisation practices. These systems need to make sure that you’re prepared for events that are very likely to happen. Otherwise, we’ll be too late."

Martin experienced this firsthand in Africa when he was Director General of CIMMYT, part of CGIAR (the international research institute for maize and wheat development, headquartered in Mexico). Financial help from donors to tackle the maize-destroying fall armyworm only became available when African farmers were already in deep trouble.

A quarter of the wheat yield was lost

Martin Kropff:

"No one knows exactly what the future holds, but looking at things in terms of entire systems prepares us better to find faster solutions. Look at recent events in Bangladesh. The then Minister of Agriculture, a woman of almost 90 years old - talk about resilience - asked CIMMYT for help."

"25% of the wheat yield had been lost due to wheat blast (a pathogen called Pyricularia graminis-tritici), a disease that hadn’t been seen there before. Fortunately, the CIMMYT already had experience with this disease in Bolivia. We had a more resistant variety on hand, and after speeding up the approval process, we worked with the National System in Bangladesh to successfully distribute the resistant variety. The problem was solved after three years."

 Impossible to cultivate maize for three years

In Kenya, Martin saw how a public-private partnership found a quick solution to the lethal necrosis issue affecting maize. This combination of two viruses had prevented farmers from being able to grow maize for three years, despite the fact that maize was the only crop keeping them going in those tough conditions.

Martin Kropff:

"Thanks to collaboration with governments and other partners, and with the help of our gene bank and breeders, African farmers had access to resistant varieties some years later. This success was partly due to a joint quarantine farm we set up with Kenya's National Research System (KALRO), where we could test varieties for virus sensitivity. It’s a great practical example that also highlights the importance of a strong network."

 When it comes to system solutions, everyone has a role to play. 

Martin Kropff:

"That includes consumers and retailers. Potatoes and wheat cultivation uses way less water than rice, but you hardly ever see them promoted in supermarkets. Meanwhile, groundwater levels in India, where a lot of rice is grown, are dropping by about a metre every year. It’s only sustainable to grow rice when there’s too much water (during the monsoon) because no other crop can cope with such conditions."

"This is the time to start discussing what could happen."

 It took us twenty years

Martin predicts that some areas will probably get even drier in the future, while others may get much wetter.

Martin Kropff:

"In Africa, we started developing drought resistant maize varieties years ago, but it took us twenty years to get there. It’s amazing that we succeeded. Drought-tolerant potato varieties were also developed at our Potato Research Centre (CIP), which took a lot of time. But time isn’t always on our side. I recently saw a farmer on TV saying they had so much water in the fields that they had to pump it out."

"Potatoes can’t survive being underwater for more than 24 hours. This is where water management comes into play, and farmers can find themselves stuck. That’s why we need to start talking now about what might happen. We need to think about both the varieties and managing the system."

 We need to focus on resilience together

Martin Kropff:

"The focus should be on the long term, which is something politicians also need to take into account. In recent years, we’ve had cabinets come and go in the Netherlands, sometimes falling apart after just two years, and then everything gets turned upside down again. This is the very time that the agrifood sector is craving clear policies, both globally and especially in the Netherlands. In my opinion, resilience is about having a long-term vision and system solutions. That will allow is to tackle a lot of challenges together, something we’re going to need that in the near future."

 HZPC wants to play its part in a resilience revolution

Martin Kropff:

"We’re convinced that the potato has everything it takes to make a meaningful contribution to global food security. Recent years have shown us that seed potato cultivation can be challenging and unpredictable, with factors such as climate, geopolitical dynamics, and regulations all playing a role. At the same time, our industry holds great potential for the future, as long as we, as a supply chain, are willing to adapt and embrace the changes coming our way."

 Spreading like wildfire

Martin Kropff:

"We need to change too, by leading with good examples and opening doors to new opportunities and collaborations. That’s why, as Royal HZPC Group, we’re partnering with everyone who brings value to our industry. Together, we’re sparking a Resilience Revolution, starting with our own farmers in the Future-Proof Seed Potato project."

"In this initiative, fourteen farmers are trying out alternatives to conventional crop protection methods, such as straw mulching, reducing nitrogen emissions, using mesh covers, and strip cropping. It’s spreading fast; this year alone, 54 farmers have adopted straw mulching."

 Speeding up progress through collaboration

Martin Kropff:

"We’re also teaming up with the International Potato Center (CIP) in Kenya and Peru. One great example is the AGUAPAN Association, where we work with Peruvian farmers to preserve traditional potato varieties, helping protect biodiversity at the same time. Alongside the CIP and the Syngenta Foundation, we’re also developing potato varieties suited to tropical climates in Vietnam. By joining forces, we’re speeding up progress, and the first promising variety from this collaboration is a reality."

 Tracking CO2 emissions

Martin Kropff:

"To better understand the total CO2 emissions from seed potato farming, we’re working with competitors Agrico and Meijer to create a standardised method for measuring greenhouse gases. This will help us prove the positive impact of new varieties on CO2 emissions, such as lower fertiliser requirements."

 Building resilient crops together

CropXR, a Dutch institute, focuses on developing resilient crops using 'smart breeding' techniques. Royal HZPC Group is part of the Holland Innovative Potato consortium within CropXR Potato, where we’re researching ways to make potatoes more resilient in terms of drought and nitrogen.

European research project ADAPT

In collaboration with Wageningen University & Research and Utrecht University, we’re involved in the European ADAPT research project. This project is bundling the expertise of universities and industry players, including breeders, to study how potatoes respond to stress factors like heat, drought, and floods. The results will stimulate our research programme, helping us speed up and improve the development of new, more resilient potato varieties. 

Interested in finding out more about the Resilience Revolution?