Syngenta Seeds

In 2003, issues relating to child labor and unjust working conditions on farms in India producing cotton seeds were highlighted by the international press and various studies. This prompted Syngenta Seeds Inc. to take action with other companies, collaborate with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and join together with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to address the child labor problem in a more comprehensive manner.

In response to Syngenta’s request, the FLA commissioned two independent studies to assess the risks of child labor in Syngenta's Indian seed supply chain. Based on the results of these studies, a new approach to internal and external monitoring of labor standards was developed. In addition to the issue of child labor, the studies also revealed problems with wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and health.

As part of the collaboration between Syngenta and the FLA, the FLA undertook in 2004 a Task and Risk Mapping Study of Syngenta’s cotton seed production to assess the ground realities. When Syngenta made a business decision to sell its cotton seed division worldwide, the project was transitioned to vegetable seed production in the Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka states starting in 2006. Subsequent to a Task Mapping and Risk Mapping Study of vegetable seed production, Syngenta developed internal tools for collecting and analyzing compliance data and creating an internal monitoring methodology. This was integrated with core production activities, and the production staff, organizers, and supervisors were trained during the second half of 2006.

In late 2006, the FLA and the seed division of Syngenta Ltd. held a multi-stakeholder forum in Hyderabad, India dedicated to identifying and developing a consensus around priority issues for monitoring in the vegetable seed production sector. Participants identified code awareness, health and safety, wages and benefits, and child labor as the four priority issues to address in the agricultural sector. To read more about the forum, click here for the summary report.

The first phase of the plan entails the collection of compliance data from 5% of small seed farms and 20% of large seed farms producing for Syngenta by the end of 2006. This percentage of monitored farms will progressively increase to 100% by the conclusion of the third year of the project implementation period ending in 2009.

In consultation with the FLA, Syngenta has developed and submitted to the FLA its Farm Lists, Farm Access letter, and Seed Production Practices (Code of Conduct). The FLA developed the Independent External Monitoring (IEM) tools and methodology for needs and impact assessment and reporting on the progress of remediation by Syngenta. An integral part of this methodology is to involve a range of stakeholders and draw on their experiences, knowledge, and skills to strengthen the monitoring program and improve social conditions for workers in farms. 

For the FLA, the Syngenta Seeds Project was an innovation and the first instance that its methodology was applied to the agricultural sector. Working with Syngenta has confirmed that all the components of the FLA system (adopting a code, collecting compliance information, and addressing compliance issues) are as valid to compliance work on farms as in facotries, albeit with a few key adjustments. The FLA has worked with Syngenta to develop standards and benchmarks against which monitors can measure the level of compliance on farms and has trained Syngenta staff to collect compliance information. In place of a conventional compliance checklist, task-mapping and risk assessment tools have been developed to identify compliance risks and remedial priorities.

In addition, it is clear that the new FLA 3.0 methodology, which emphasizes local stakeholder involvement in defining and addressing compliance issues, is applicable to the agricultural sector, where the direct involvement of farmers, their families, and local communities makes it necessary to adopt an inclusive strategy.
 

Syngenta Project Reports

2007-2008 Project Report
2008 Consultation Report
2006 Consultation Report
2006 Project Report

Syngenta Audit Reports and Corrective Action Plans

Gujarat
Karnataka
Maharashtra

Agriculture Project Newsletters

July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
 
For more information about the Syngenta Seed Project, please contact Richa Mittal at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .