Innovation at RAGT
By preparing today for the world of tomorrow, the RAGT Group develops agricultural solutions to tackle the challenges ahead.
Our vision
Climate change, technology, geopolitics, ethics... The world of agriculture is changing as society evolves. The challenges facing the sector are growing and it must adapt to ever-increasing expectations. With this in mind, the RAGT Group is pursuing a research and development strategy to meet the challenges of tomorrow and offer solutions tailored to the future of agriculture.
RAGT's strength lies in the complementary nature of its expertise and the development of practical solutions to support the transition of production systems.
At RAGT, innovation never stops. When the sun sets in France, research continues in Argentina... With a presence around the globe, this virtuous cycle thrives on the expertise of over 500 employees
Key figures
- 75 development projects and innovative solutions
- 6,5M of data generated per day for R&D
- 500 employees are dedicated to research and innovation
- 44 000 test plots
- 25 research stations around the world
Areas of innovation combining performance, sustainability and resilience
RAGT places innovation at the heart of its mission to help the farming world meet the challenges of tomorrow. Rather than isolated solutions, the Group favours integrated, sustainable approaches tailored to farmers' needs.
Varietal selection: developing resistant, stable and adapted plants
Plant breeding is a central pillar of RAGT's innovation strategy. The aim is to offer plants capable of adapting to environmental and economic constraints, while improving their resistance and stability:
- Genetic selection incorporates specific disease resistance criteria as well as the plasticity needed to cope with unforeseen climatic stresses.
- The development of new species, such as soya, sugar beet, sorghum and oats, is being prioritised to meet emerging market needs.
- Artificial intelligence and genomic markers are speeding up decision-making, while the use of greenhouses and growth chambers is shortening crop cycles, reducing the time it takes to bring varieties to market.
Innovative agronomy: optimising cropping systems through agro-ecological practices
RAGT is committed to the agro-ecological transition of cropping systems, combining agronomy and genetics to make the most of natural regulation and biogeochemical cycles while preserving farm profitability:
- Organic seed treatments, particularly those based on micro-organisms, are used as biostimulants to boost seed vigour, or as biocontrol products to combat pests and diseases effectively.
- Physical seed treatments can also be used, such as steam disinfection of seeds, making it possible to treat seeds without using fungicides.
- Multiservice cover crops are also a driving force for innovation, both in their capacity to fix nitrogen and make it available to subsequent crops, and in their ability to manage certain pests or soil-borne diseases, such as nematodes.
- Thanks to its multi-species portfolio, RAGT Semences can operate at the level of cropping systems, leveraging tools such as crop rotation and diversification.
These innovations reduce the need for chemical inputs across several thousand hectares each year, while maintaining both productivity and profitability.
Precision technologies: harnessing data, AI and digital tools to optimise performance
Digitalisation is a major driver, enabling RAGT to support farmers in their decision-making and optimise the management of their farms:
- Decision support tools (DSTs) are developed to guide crop management, incorporating accurate, local data.
- Variety data sheets make it easier to choose the seeds best suited to each situation.
- In the livestock sector, technical and economic monitoring tools analyse performance, identify areas for improvement and enable practices to be adjusted in real time.
- The use of breeding data facilitates decision-making on feed, reproduction and health management, with reliable, contextualised recommendations.
- A synergy between nutrition and genetics is being encouraged to design feeding programmes tailored to the specific genetic characteristics of livestock, reconciling rational productivity and animal welfare.
- Finally, the use of drones and GPS technology optimises sowing and plot monitoring with great precision.
Sustainability: reducing our carbon footprint and preserving natural resources
Innovation at RAGT is part of a responsible approach aimed at combining agricultural performance with respect for the environment:
- The development of more efficient varietal solutions and adapted crop practices helps to reduce the carbon footprint of farms, thereby meeting climate challenges.
- The use of chemical inputs is reduced by exploring alternative technologies such as biocontrol, biostimulation and physical seed treatments.
- The preservation of natural resources is enhanced by integrating in-depth knowledge of soils and ecosystems into the technical choices proposed to farmers.
Supporting farmers: providing tools, data and expertise for an easy transition
RAGT provides farmers with technological tools, accurate data and recognised expertise to help them make the transition to more resilient and sustainable production systems:
- Innovative digital solutions enable agronomic and economic performance to be analysed in real time, so that practices can be adjusted with precision.
- This personalised monitoring takes into account the specific local features and constraints of each farm, offering tailor-made support.
- Thanks to this approach, RAGT facilitates the implementation of more robust, profitable and environmentally-friendly farming models.
Building on this overall vision, RAGT turns these ambitions into concrete actions, creating innovations that support every stage of the agricultural chain, with the goal of becoming the leading seed company directly serving farms.
