NEW TECH FOODS

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed a €20 million venture debt agreement with Dutch biotech company Solynta to support the development of disease-resistant, climate-resilient potato varieties.

The funding, backed by the European Commission’s InvestEU programme, will help Solynta scale up its research into using true potato seeds (TPS) as an alternative to traditional tubers.

True potato seeds are lighter, easier to transport and store, and less prone to spoilage, making them more viable for farmers in regions with limited infrastructure. Solynta’s hybrid breeding approach – non-GMO – has produced potato varieties that need fewer chemical inputs and can better withstand diseases like late blight and shifting climate conditions.

EIB's vice president, Gelsomina Vigliotti, said: “Climate action and adaptation are at the heart of our financing, as is the successful scaling up of innovative European companies so that they grow and thrive. The Solynta operation is a win-win in that sense. Potatoes are a food staple around the world, making sure that they can grow in increasingly difficult climates and with higher chances of a good yield is extremely important.”

Solynta's CEO, Peter Poortinga, commented: “With this significant contribution from the EIB, we are well positioned to meet growing demand for new, robust potato varieties. Potato growers around the world need access to disease-free starting material with strong resistance against diseases like late blight. With our new potato varieties, propagated via true seeds instead of the traditional tubers, we bring new varieties to the market that require fewer chemicals for crop protection and help improve global food security, particularly for local communities."

Klasja van de Ridder, head of the representation of the European Commission in the Netherlands, added: “Food security is a key element of the new Vision on Agriculture and Food of the European Commission. The loss of yield due to climate change is a threat to the EU and the rest of world. Development of more resilient potato seeds will strengthen global food security. The commission supports this initiative under InvestEU, as it contributes to the EU‘s priority for long-term competitiveness and sustainability of the farming sector and welcomes the cooperation with Solynta and the EIB.”