Deutsche Bank says the US$7 billion (R120 billion) share price tumble following Corteva Agriscience’s announced intention to unbundle is a market overreaction. The head of Corteva’s seed business in Southern Africa says the unbundling promises significant benefits for regional agriculture.
By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
The flexibilities, more directed focus, more streamlined operations and many other advantages that the proposed unbundling of Corteva Agriscience into standalone seed and crop protection entities hold would most certainly extend to the products and services available to agriculture in Southern Africa.
Nick Goble is head of Corteva South Africa’s seed business. Though there is still much to learn and confirm following the official announcement on 1 October by Corteva’s head office in the United States, from what Goble already knows he and his region’s team are “really excited about the future”.
Goble believes the intended unbundling, which should reportedly be concluded during the second half of 2026, has the potential to bring further cutting-edge technology, proprietary traits, crop health advancements and gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR-Cas to Southern African agriculture.
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“We see the unbundling as an opportunity to provide Southern Africa’s farmers with more options and advanced tools for improving agricultural output. The unbundling would maintain focus on and bring enhanced genetic solutions to key crops like maize, soybean, canola, sorghum and sunflower that are relevant to Southern Africa.”
According to Goble, this would include building on and supporting Corteva’s existing legacy brands and products, like Pannar and Pioneer, in Southern Africa.
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Pannar, Pioneer and much more
“The two-brand strategy of Pioneer and Pannar is already highly successful and central to ensuring continuity and value for farmers. The unbundling will assist with ongoing efforts to address critical issues like food security, climate change and energy transition.”
Specific benefits that Goble anticipates from the unbundling include the use of advanced gene editing to help develop more resilient crops and to potentially expand Corteva’s seed offerings into new areas such as biofuels. This follows Corteva’s global announcement with BP Fuels to move innovation beyond just the food system.
“Research and advancements in genetics and seed traits will enhance crop yields, pest resistance and suitability to local conditions. This will continue to be backed up by our local research and development team collecting more than five million data points in 100 different locations across South Africa to ensure that science and data-driven technology are delivered to South African farmers and consumers.”
Goble explains that more information will be made public as and when it reaches Corteva South Africa and through further global public announcements.
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