Croda brings industry leaders together to explore AIs role in agricultural innovation

28 September 2026: Croda, together with customers and partners, has published a new white paper exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming agricultural innovation. Drawing on expertise from its seed enhancement business, Incotec, and its Crop Protection business, Croda Agriculture, the publication examines how AI can accelerate the development of more productive, resilient and sustainable solutions for growers worldwide. 
 
The publication, How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Agricultural Innovation, brings together insights from leading experts across agriculture, life sciences, academia and artificial intelligence. Contributors include experts from BASF, Rijk Zwaan, Dotmatics and the University of Amsterdam Business School. 
 
The report explores how AI is reshaping research and development by helping scientists identify promising opportunities more quickly, unlock value from historical data and improve decision-making throughout the innovation process. It also examines the organisational capabilities required to translate AI's potential into meaningful business and industry outcomes.  
 
A central theme of the report is the importance of collaboration. Contributors highlight how future advances in agricultural innovation will increasingly depend on trusted partnerships that connect expertise, data and insights across the value chain, from researchers and suppliers to manufacturers, customers and growers.  
 
Thomas Riermeier, President, Life Sciences said: "The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will influence agricultural innovation. It is already transforming the way our industry discovers, develops and delivers solutions to some of agriculture's biggest challenges. Unlocking its full potential will require more than algorithms and technology. 
 
“Success depends on bringing together scientific expertise, trusted data and strong partnerships across the agricultural ecosystem. By gathering perspectives from industry, academia and technology, this white paper provides practical insight into how organisations can build the capabilities needed to unlock AI's potential and accelerate innovation for growers worldwide." 
 
Among the applications explored in the report is work being undertaken by Croda Agriculture's seed enhancement business, Incotec, where AI and X-ray imaging are being used to support tomato seed quality assessment. By combining imaging technology with historical germination data, researchers can identify patterns linked to seed performance and make more informed decisions about treatment and quality selection. 
 
Finn Bauer, Vice President of R&D, Life Sciences added: "AI is already helping researchers uncover insights from complex scientific data and identify promising opportunities more quickly. The greatest impact will come when we combine these emerging capabilities with deep scientific expertise and closer collaboration across the agricultural value chain." 

The report concludes that while AI offers significant opportunities, success will depend not only on technological advances, but also on organisations' ability to build robust data foundations, develop new skills and ways of working, and foster collaboration across the agricultural innovation ecosystem.  

Download the white paper here: New Whitepaper: Artificial Intelligence

ENDS


Notes to editors

For more information, please contact:
Mariana Wood, Croda Press Office
07780 987136
media.enquiries@croda.com

About Croda 
Croda International Plc is a specialty chemicals company that creates high-performance ingredients and solutions principally for Consumer Care and Life Sciences markets. 

Established in 1925 and headquartered in the UK, Croda is a FTSE 100 company with over 5,900 employees across 91 locations in 36 countries. Revenues in 2025 were £1.7 billion.  

As the name behind some of the world’s most successful brands, Croda combines knowledge, passion and entrepreneurial spirit to develop and supply innovative ingredients relied on by industries and consumers worldwide. Its smart science is found in everyday products ranging from sun protection to life-saving pharmaceuticals and crop-enhancing formulations. 

With a shared Purpose to use Smart science to improve lives™, and with the majority of its organic raw materials already derived from bio-based sources, Croda is committed to becoming Climate, Nature and People Positive by 2030. 

About Incotec 
Incotec, part of Croda International plc, is a leading international seed enhancement company founded in 1968. 
Croda’s purpose is ‘Smart Science to Improve Lives’. Incotec contributes to feeding the world sustainably by providing key solutions for the seed industry. 

Incotec provides products and services like seed coating, pelleting, seed enhancement and analytical services for genetic analysis and quality inspection. Incotec is headquartered in the Netherlands and has facilities in the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, South Africa, India and China. 

For more information go to www.incotec.com