Children in India have one of the highest rates of school drop-outs, with poverty being a significant barrier to pursuing higher education. The states with a higher prevalence of school drop-outs are Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Incidentally, these seven states are also the major rice producing markets of India. To brighten education prospects for farmers’ children, Bayer India’s Crop Science Division has launched a new initiative: "A for Arize®".

Speaking about the initiative, Peter Mueller, Head of Crop Science at Bayer, South Asia, said: "Arize® is Bayer's leading rice hybrid seed brand and is a popular choice with Indian rice farmers. Since its launch, Arize® has generated prosperity for rice farmers through higher productivity. In line with the Arize® 'Better Rice, Better Life' brand mission, Bayer is supporting farmers to provide better education to their children. With 'A for Arize®', we want to promote inclusive and quality education as it can help create a better life for our future generations."

"A for Arize®" will offer scholarships across India for secondary and higher education of children. Besides scholarships, the program will also support selected schools in key rice-producing states of India, with basic amenities such as black boards, educational charts and stationery. To support this cause further, a dedicated team from Bayer will tour villages to create awareness among parents and students on the need for quality education. In the chosen villages, local school events will be organized involving the local village representatives and key Arize® farmers.

Quality Education has been identified by the United Nations as one of its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  The "A for Arize®” initiative will help provide better education opportunities to children from India’s resource-poor rural farming community.