Corteva celebrated the centenary of its Pioneer seed brand in Hyderabad, highlighting its five-decade journey in India and continued focus on locally relevant seed solutions.

The agricultural innovation firm Corteva celebrated the centenary of its seed brand “Pioneer” in Hyderabad. The event brought together employees, farmers, channel partners and customers. A media statement said the celebration honoured the people who have shaped Pioneer’s journey in India since 1972.

Founded by Henry A Wallace in 1926, Pioneer transformed farming by commercialising hybrid seed corn, setting the foundation for a century of agricultural innovation, it said. Pioneer serves farmers in more than 90 countries.

In India, Pioneer has spent more than five decades developing hybrid seed solutions tailored to local farming conditions across crops such as maize, rice, mustard, and millets. The company continues to support Indian farmers through locally relevant research, breeding and agronomic expertise, while India remains an important hub within Corteva’s global innovation network, it said.

Helping adopt better

Quoting Yogesh Ramkrishna, a maize farmer from Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra, the statement said: “Pioneer has been part of my farming journey for the past 20 years, helping me learn and adopt better farming practices. Its focus on improving farmer productivity, combined with timely support and new technologies, has helped increase maize yields in our region from 15 quintals to as much as 50 quintals.”

Robert Kaan, Head of APAC and Strategic Initiatives, said: “Pioneer’s centenary is a celebration of trust, innovation and enduring partnerships. In India, this journey has been built with farmers, employees and channel partners. As we look ahead, we remain committed to advancing seed solutions that are local, science-led and farmer-first.”

Published on September 1, 2026