From Market, For Market: How Grower Feedback Drives Innovation

The ag industry has experienced unprecedented growth. Driven by advancements in technology, increased food production and evolving markets, this expansion marks a significant achievement for the sector. Yet as agriculture grows, it also must grapple with an evolving set of challenges: climate change, supply chain complexities and a tighter regulatory framework.

For growers, this means higher operating costs, tighter profit margins and added pressure as they adapt to stricter sustainability targets. As a global crop protection company, we continue to ask ourselves: how can we better support growers as they navigate these economic and agronomic challenges?

It starts with a simple but powerful promise: Listen. Learn. Deliver. By staying close to growers, distributers and partners, we can understand their needs and turn these insights into practical solutions. Our innovation in crop protection offers more than performance—it delivers real value.

At the heart of this promise is Value Innovation: Our commitment to delivering more than just products, but meaningful value to growers at every step. 

Transforming grower insights into real-world solutions 

Value Innovation isn’t just a concept, it’s our playbook for helping growers succeed. Made up of four key competitive advantages, one of the ways we define value Innovation lies in our From Market, For Market approach. This means we develop solutions based on growers’ real-world needs, shaped directly by their feedback. It’s how we ensure every innovation is practical, effective and ready for the challenges they face in the field.

We engage with growers through surveys, field visits and panels to gain firsthand knowledge of the issues they face. Whether it's herbicide-resistant weeds, unpredictable weather patterns or the need for more flexible application windows, these conversations help shape our research and development priorities.

Let’s look at some examples of Value Innovation—and our From Market For Market approach—in action.

How we fast-Tracked innovation to meet urgent grower needs

Alex Shterenberg, Head of Chemical R&D, Ashdod, recalls the pressure of quickly developing mesosulfuron and thiencarbazone methyl—active ingredients that play a critical role in weed control, resistance management and maximizing yield potential. “Growers need solutions, and we had to find a free-to-operate route in record time,” Shterenberg shared. 

Within months, our team in Israel had not only developed the processes but produced small batches, ensuring a fast launch for products like Edaptis^® with thiencarbazone methyl coming shortly after.

What made this achievement possible wasn’t just technology but the close connection between our Research & Developments teams and local growers. By listening to what they needed most, the team could rapidly innovate, ensuring we stayed a step ahead of market demand.

How listening to growers improved performance in the field

The evolution of Folpan® 500 SC is another case of how paying careful attention to grower insights can drive meaningful innovation. While already successful in the market, feedback from growers indicated challenges with spray tank cleaning, product buildup and limited leaf penetration.

These issues were leading to inconsistent performance in the field, reduced efficacy and application challenges. By listening to their concerns, we developed an improved Folpan^® 500 SC formulation that addressed these issues. What we learned? Listening to growers and paying close attention to details can result in incremental innovations to make a big difference in the field.

How we brought breakthrough technology to life through field-driven innovation 

Sometimes the best way to stay connected is to meet in the field. That’s exactly what ADAMA Romania and the Republic of Moldova did in Mărăndeni, where we welcomed over 200 growers, distributors, sales teams and key opinion leaders to experience the future of crop protection.

At the event we showcased our latest innovations, including Soratel®, Maxentis®, and Maganic®, all powered by our groundbreaking Asorbital™ Formulation Technology. Field demonstrations confirmed their efficacy across cereals, OSR and sunflower crops.

Growers were able to see first-hand that we had listened to their feedback—faster uptake, stronger weed and disease control, and advanced protection leading to safer, more profitable yields—delivered with these groundbreaking products. This is innovation built From Market, For Market—designed with and for the growers who know their fields best.

Building a stronger future together

These stories not only reinforce our commitment to agriculture—but reflect our belief that meaningful innovation comes from staying close to the field. Our From Market, For Market approach ensures every solution we develop is grounded in real-world needs. By continuously engaging with growers, learning from their experiences and delivering effective, easy-to-use solutions, we stay focused on what truly drives agricultural success.