Agri Business Review: Specials Magazine

Founded in 2010, Guadalsem has carved a specific market in the European agricultural sector with its dedication to providing the best seed genetics. The company’s commitment to sustainable crop cultivation and increasing farmer incomes has set it apart, especially in the wake of Europe’s food price crises and shortages. Guided by the visionary leadership of Olivier Crassous and sustained without external financial investments, Guadalsem stands as a testament to innovation and resilience in agricultural advancements. Its services can be broadly classified into two main categories—breeding, producing, and marketing premium seeds, along with offering seed production services to multinational corporations. Guadalsem’s journey began with cotton when it launched its flagship K product line, focusing on traits like adaptability, growth cycle, productivity, and fiber quality. In a significant move in 2014, the company partnered with key players in the global cotton market to develop a robust genetic improvement program. This initiative brought forth a portfolio of non-GMO cotton varieties tailored to the agroclimatic conditions of Spain, Greece, and Turkey, providing European farmers with access to world-class genetic advancements in cotton. The company’s foray into cereal breeding, targeting the underrepresented spring species, further exemplifies its commitment to innovation and diversification. This strategic expansion complements its cotton market expertise, ensuring Guadalsem remains at the forefront of agricultural development with a portfolio that responds adeptly to the food industry’s evolving needs. As a mark of quality, Guadalsem’s certification represents a pledge to its cutting-edge breeding practices and influence in shaping the future of global agriculture. The same level of proficiency also extends to its second business line—seed production services, which has solidified its status as a provider of choice for large-scale crops, such as sunflower, rapeseed, and cotton. Its quality and purity standards have garnered the trust of many major global corporations, leading to formidable partnerships. For instance, the company’s fruitful collaborations with prominent international seed corporations such as Bayer AG, Corteva Agriscience, BASF, Lidea, Limagrain, and RAGT have been a driving force behind the continual expansion of Guadalsem’s activities. “Our dedication to sustainability has been recognised with the prestigious ‘Premios Andalucía Excelente’ award in the Sustainability category for two consecutive years, 2021 and 2022,” says Crassous, general manager. These accolades affirm Guadalsem’s role as a catalyst in Europe’s sustainable agricultural endeavours. The European Cotton Renaissance with Guadalsem’s Non-GMO Revolution In an industry predominantly governed by genetically modified organisms, Guadalsem stands apart, securing a specific market in the cultivation of non-GMO cotton within the European market—specifically in Spain, Greece, and Turkey, with the latter being an especially key market. This strategic positioning is significant in a sector where GMOs account for the vast majority of global production. Confronting the decline of non-GMO cotton breeding programs in Europe, a challenge precipitated by the withdrawal of two major U.S. industry entities, Delta Pine and Phytogen, Guadalsem has played a crucial role in safeguarding the cotton industry from potential downturns in productivity and sustainability. With a focused and innovative approach, Guadalsem has benefited from his collaborations of advanced techniques, such as molecular markers and comprehensive data analytics, to enhance both the reliability and productivity of its cotton varieties. This proactive strategy became essential in maintaining and progressing the cotton sector in these targeted regions. Today, the success of the cotton breeding program is instrumental in ensuring the longevity and sustainability of cotton cultivation in Europe. While the market in countries like India, China, or the U.S. vastly overshadows that of Europe, the combined market potential of approximately 450,000 hectares in Turkey, 260,000 in Greece, and 52,000 in Spain is still quite substantial. This specific market presents Guadalsem with a distinct opportunity for growth and success. “We are one of the primary cotton seed producers in Europe, and our superior-quality seeds have yielded considerable success, with sales in Spain accounting for 46 percent of their turnover, while exports to Greece and Turkey comprise 54 percent,” says Crassous.

The dairy industry is undergoing a quiet revolution, thanks to new technologies, like artificial intelligence and the use of Big Data in dairy. Dairy Data Warehouse (DDW) transforms raw farm data into actionable insights through its innovative cloud-based platform, empowering farmers and their advisors-ranging from genetics specialists to feed additive experts-with the tools they need to make smarter, performance-driven decisions. At the core of DDW’s success is its focus on collaboration. The platform allows farmers to securely share their data, creating a seamless ecosystem where advisors can access raw cow data, aggregate herd KPIs and AI-powered and predictive models. This collaborative approach fosters data-driven strategies that enhance productivity, improve sustainability, and maximize profitability for all stakeholders. The introduction of AI is a game-changer for dairy farming. “Other sectors have been leveraging AI for years, but in dairy, AI tools are just beginning to make an impact. At DDW, we are bridging that gap by enabling farmers to unlock the full potential of their existing data, transforming it into actionable, trustworthy insights,” says Fernando Mazeris, managing director. Predicting Cow Health and Preventing Diseases Recognizing cow health is one of the most critical drivers of dairy productivity, DDW prioritizes early disease detection through proactive, predictive measures. Its flagship tool, Predicta GUARDIAN, leverages AI to monitor and evaluate each cow's health. By analyzing key factors such as milk production, reproduction events, health history and other vital parameters, the tool can predict the risk of a cow developing any of six common illnesses during the crucial early months after calving. These insights don’t just flag potential issues-they empower action. Predicta GUARDIAN provides farmers with timely alerts, enabling collaboration with veterinarians to implement targeted, preventive measures. “With Predicta GUARDIAN, farmers can move away from blanket treatment approaches, focusing only on higher-risk cows. This reduces unnecessary treatments, cuts medication costs, and supports overall herd health,” explains Mazeris.