Leading-edge genomic and digital tools to be deployed

Embrapa, the research arm of Brazils Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply, and Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, signed an agreement to conduct leading-edge research to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of Brazilian farming.

The research will focus on genomics to improve the pest and drought tolerance of crops, enhance the post-harvest quality of agricultural products and minimize the environmental impact of farming. The latest digital tools will be utilized to support early detection of diseases, and to improve forecasting and modeling capabilities for public and private decision makers.

The four-year agreement was signed by Mauricio A. Lopes, President of Embrapa, and Neal Gutterson, Chief Technology Officer of Corteva Agriscience™, at the Brazil Institutes Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC, as part of a larger program titled "The Agricultural Sector in the Era of Bioeconomy."

Under the terms of the agreement, Corteva Agriscience™ will provide the technology and digital tools and Embrapa will conduct the research.

"Embrapas top priorities are to increase Brazils agricultural sustainability and to enhance the livelihoods and competitiveness of its farmers. Genomics and advanced digital tools are two of the most powerful strategies to do that. That's why we are very excited about the agreement we signed today," said Lopes.

Gutterson added, "Embrapas experience, expertise and commitment to science-based innovation make it the ideal partner for Corteva. We look forward to working together to create a brighter future for Brazilian farmers and a more sustainable environment for their communities."

About Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont
Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), is intended to become an independent, publicly traded company when the previously announced spinoff is complete by June 2019. The division combines the strengths of DuPont Pioneer, DuPont Crop Protection and Dow AgroSciences. Corteva Agriscience™ provides growers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry — including some of the most recognized brands in agriculture: Pioneer®, Encirca®, the newly launched Brevant™ Seeds, as well as award-winning Crop Protection products — while bringing new products to market through our solid pipeline of active chemistry and technologies. More information can be found at http://www.corteva.com.
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About Embrapa
The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) was founded on April 26, 1973, and is under the aegis of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply. Since our foundation, and with our partners from the National Agricultural Research System, we have taken on the challenge to develop a genuinely Brazilian model of tropical agriculture and livestock to overcome the barriers that limited the production of food, fiber, and fuel in our country. This effort has helped to change Brazil. Nowadays, our agriculture is one of the most efficient and sustainable ones in the planet. We have incorporated a wide area of formerly degraded Cerrado lands into our production systems; a region that now accounts for nearly 50% of our grain production. We have quadrupled the beef and pork supply and increased the chicken supply 22-fold. These are some of the achievements that took the country from the condition of basic food importer to one of the world's largest food producers and exporters. Our team consists of 2,444 researchers, 84% of whom have PhD or post-doctoral degrees from universities in Brazil and abroad. Under the Director of Research and Development's guidance, we operate as a network with institutions from the National Agricultural Research System - SNPA and with researchers from various parts of the world.