Key Takeaways:
- Novo Holdings acquires 25% of Sejet Plant Breeding, an agricultural innovation company owned by DLG Group to enhance sustainable agriculture.
- Sejet, a leader in crop genetics, focuses on improving yield with fewer resources.
- The partnership aims to scale Sejet’s business and invest in advanced breeding technologies.
- Plant breeding supports the green transition, enhancing crop resilience and sustainability.
- Deregulation of genomic techniques in the EU could accelerate agricultural innovation.
Novo Holdings and DLG Group Forge Strategic Partnership to Propel Sustainable Agriculture
Novo Holdings and DLG Group have announced a strategic partnership to advance sustainable agriculture and food systems. This collaboration begins with Novo Holdings acquiring 25% of Sejet Plant Breeding (Sejet), a pioneering agricultural innovation company owned by DLG Group.
Sejet Plant Breeding: A Legacy of Innovation
Since its inception in 1947, Sejet has been a prominent contributor to agricultural innovation. The company specializes in developing essential genetics for field crops such as wheat and barley, enabling farmers to achieve higher yields with fewer resources. Recognized as one of Europe’s most advanced plant breeding companies, Sejet employs some of the most talented plant breeders in the region.
Using cutting-edge breeding technologies, Sejet’s mission is to create novel and improved crop varieties that can adapt to current and future growing conditions. These varieties aim to combine robustness with productivity, thereby reducing the CO2 footprint of arable land. Additionally, plant breeding enhances disease resistance, nutrient and water efficiency, and the quality of crops for both animal feed and human consumption.
Objectives of the Partnership
The primary aim of the Novo Holdings and DLG Group partnership is to scale up Sejet’s existing business and invest in new technologies that can accelerate the development of crop varieties. A secondary goal is to expand Sejet’s market share in Europe, leveraging its innovative capabilities and robust customer contracts.
Plant Breeding: A Pillar of the Green Transition
On average, plant breeding enhances agricultural yields by about one percent annually and plays a critical role in developing climate-resilient plants capable of supporting the world’s growing population. Advanced genomic techniques, such as CRISPR, can significantly speed up the breeding process and introduce beneficial traits for cultivation, quality, and climate resilience.
Plant breeding is increasingly important on political and agribusiness agendas as it contributes to sustainable crop production worldwide. This process supports the green transition in agriculture and ensures local food supply. Although the use of new genomic techniques is currently limited by EU regulations, anticipated deregulation could further unlock their potential.
Leadership Perspectives
Jesper Pagh, Group COO of DLG Group, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “Joining forces with a world-leading life science investor such as Novo Holdings is a great opportunity and an important step for our company and farmer owners. We have a shared ambition of advancing sustainable agriculture and food systems to feed the growing population globally, while also considering biodiversity, people, and the planet. Inviting Novo Holdings into Sejet is an obvious first step in what we anticipate will become a successful and long-term partnership comprising complementary skills and a shared commitment to create a more sustainable future for agriculture.”
Aleks Engel, Partner at Planetary Health Investments, Novo Holdings, echoed this sentiment: “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with DLG Group, a company that has been at the forefront of agricultural innovation for more than a century. Sejet’s proven track record of innovation and profitability, coupled with its robust customer contracts, aligns perfectly with our strategic goals. The anticipated deregulation in European plant breeding presents a unique opportunity to leverage Sejet’s expertise as an innovation platform. This partnership signifies our commitment to advancing agricultural technologies to feed the world sustainably.”
