Bayer donates €875,000 worth of seeds to IOM to fight global hunger

12 / 05 / 2026

By Marwa Nassar - -

Bayer has announced the delivery of €875,000 worth of high-quality vegetable and corn seeds to communities in Africa and Ukraine as part of an ongoing global partnership with the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM). This initiative aims to strengthen efforts to combat hunger, improve nutrition, and support vulnerable communities around the world, reinforcing Bayer’s “Health for all, Hunger for none” mission.

The collaboration supports Bayer’s Zero Hunger Pledge, signed in 2022, which focuses on reducing malnutrition in underserved regions.

Key pillar of zero hunger commitment:

As a central component of this commitment, Bayer will donate more than 225 metric tons of seed, valued at approximately €875,000, to nonprofit and humanitarian organizations in 2026. These seeds will help vulnerable populations produce nutritious fruits, vegetables, and grains to close critical nutrient gaps.

For its part, IOM is coordinating the distribution through local missions and NGOs, specifically targeting migrants, displaced families, and those facing climate impacts.

“Bayer’s commitment to providing migrants and displaced people with the resources they need to access safe, nutritious food will build resilience and improve health. IOM is grateful for Bayer’s support for vulnerable communities around the world,” said Amy Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration.

Ongoing initiatives in Africa, Ukraine:

The donation program is currently active in Zambia, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ukraine, addressing specific regional needs:

Nigeria and Zambia: Bayer’s onion, tomato, and squash seeds will support climate-resilient agriculture for up to 1,000 internally displaced or at-risk families in each country.
Kenya: In Mandera County, where prolonged droughts have threatened harvests, Bayer is providing corn seed for human and animal nutrition, coupled with agricultural training and infrastructure investments.
Ukraine: Packages containing cabbage, onion, carrot, and corn seeds will be shared with more than 22,300 households this year. To address safety, the packages include informational pamphlets on demining activities. Since the start of the war, Bayer has reached nearly 200,000 Ukrainian households.

Driving long-term food system resilience:

The partnership highlights the necessity of collaborative action to solve the global food crisis.

“Food security is one of the most pressing challenges of our time, and no single organization can solve it alone. This partnership with IOM demonstrates Bayer’s commitment to working collaboratively to ensure that vulnerable communities have access to the tools needed to grow nutritious food,” stated Matthias Berninger, Global Head of Public Affairs, Sustainability & Safety at Bayer.

Inci Dannenberg, President of Bayer Vegetable Seeds, added:

“By combining IOM’s global humanitarian reach with Bayer’s expertise in vegetables and other crops, we are empowering communities to grow nutritious foods that support not only food security, but also nutrition security. High-quality vegetable seeds play a critical role in addressing nutrient gaps, building climate resilience, and improving livelihoods. We are proud to contribute to solutions that support long-term food system resilience, advance the UN SDGs, and move the world closer to Zero Hunger.”