Farmers are the stewards of the land, facing challenges that shift with the seasons and pressures that grow with every harvest. Protecting crops from pests, diseases, and unpredictable weather is no longer a simple task. Today’s agriculture demands solutions that are precise, effective, and reliable, ensuring that every seed sown has the chance to flourish. Profitability and sustainability walk hand in hand, and the success of a farmer depends on tools and knowledge that empower them to safeguard their fields while making the most of every opportunity.
At the forefront of supporting these farmers is Takanori Baba, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Compliance Officer,and Bharat Certis Agriscience(BCA). With a legacy rooted in global expertise and a deep understanding of local realities, BCA stands out by blending innovative crop protection solutions with cutting-edge technology and farmer-centered initiatives.
Governance as a Framework for Trust
Takanori reflects that his approach to strategy and governance was formed through experiences at the crossroads of cultures and business environments. Throughout his career at Mitsui＆Co.,Ltd, he grew from being one member of a team to taking on leadership roles in trading operations covering North America, Europe, and Asia. Building trust with colleagues from diverse backgrounds while expanding the trading business was not easy, but it became one of his greatest strengths. He recalls being deeply involved in global business investments, including due diligence for the acquisition of BIL, then BCA. Through it all, he learned that effective leadership requires both the ability to see the big strategic picture and the discipline to remain close to realities on the ground. After two and a half years at BCA, Takanori has come to appreciate the challenge of balancing Japanese precision with Indian dynamism. For him, governance is not about control but about creating a framework that empowers execution while safeguarding the trust the company is built on.
The Long Way to Lasting Results
Takanori emphasizes that strategy means nothing if it does not reach the people on the ground. A high-level vision is necessary, but unless it is translated into actions employees can understand and carry out in their daily work, it remains only words. He believes the real test is whether each person knows their role and follows through. Success, he notes, comes step by step, supported by a culture where colleagues help one another. To embed this, Takanori often visits the field himself, listens directly to employees, and even rolls up his sleeves to demonstrate how things can be done. He sees this as the most reliable way to connect vision with execution. In his view, leadership by example inspires people to follow, and over time, those behaviours become part of the culture. It may appear to be the long way forward, but for Takanori it is the surest path to lasting results.
Zero Tolerance as a Growth Engine
For Takanori, compliance is not a limitation but a driving force that strengthens corporate value. He views the principle of Zero Tolerance not as an expense but as an essential investment for sustainable growth. By embedding compliance across the organization, BCA creates an environment of safety and pride that attracts top talent. Once on board, these employees accelerate the company’s growth, fuelling a cycle of trust, motivation, and performance. In India’s diverse and complex business environment, where what is considered the “right way” can easily become ambiguous, Takanori believes transparency and clear rules directly build trust with partners, communities, and employees. To him, compliance is a system that protects employees and enhances the value of their work. He compares building such a culture to human growth: it takes time and patience, but the reward is a brand that endures, supported by employees who embody its values. His guiding principle is Think Global, Act Local. By upholding Zero Tolerance, BCA aligns with global standards while addressing India’s unique realities, ultimately strengthening the brand, protecting its people, and driving long-term success.
A Framework of Trust
Takanori recalls his time in London, where he worked on the integration of the previously independent operations of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia or CIS into a single framework. The work required balancing respect for local laws and regulations with the creation of overarching priorities. Resources were reallocated, the organizational footprint was reviewed, and performance evaluation standards were aligned. What stayed with him most were the countless discussions he shared with colleagues from across the region, many of whom were older and more experienced. These exchanges often transcended hierarchy and position, allowing him to broaden his perspective. For Takanori, the vastness of the EMEA region made it impossible to understand from a single viewpoint, and it was only through the insights and support of many that he was able to succeed. He emphasizes that principles such as transparency, accountability, and fairness are universal, but their application varies from country to country. His London experience taught him that effective governance requires anchoring decisions in unchanging principles while adapting their implementation to local realities. This balance continues to shape his work in India today, where multiple cultures and values converge.
Pioneering the AdBlue Supply Chain
Takanori reflects on one of the most challenging and memorable projects of his career: building the world’s first supply chain for AdBlue in Japan. He joined the project about eighteen months before October 2004, when the country was about to welcome its first heavy-duty trucks equipped with urea SCR systems. The challenge was that no market yet existed. Simulations could be run using registration data from conventional trucks, and forecasts could be made about consumption, but uncertainty remained about whether customers would embrace the new technology. To make progress, a remarkably diverse set of stakeholders had to be brought together, including truck manufacturers, AdBlue suppliers, logistics providers, fuel distributors who could serve as sales agents, and regulatory authorities. Each had its own priorities and concerns, and there was no roadmap to follow. In this environment of uncertainty, Takanori realized that the only way to gain momentum was to shift the focus away from short-term profit and toward long-term purpose, the social value of reducing environmental impact. That message resonated and gradually secured commitment and cooperation, laying the foundation for an entirely new market. For Takanori, the lesson was clear: leadership is not about entering the room with all the answers. It is about building trust, inspiring belief in a shared purpose, and co-creating the path forward even when none exists.
From Small Steps to Giant Leaps
Takanori’s approach to global trade and cross-border investments is rooted in a discipline of making risks visible and organizing them systematically. While uncertainty can never be fully eliminated, separating the risks that can be reasonably predicted from those that cannot makes it possible to know where structured, proactive measures are required and where flexibility must prevail. At the same time, he emphasizes that capturing growth opportunities requires more than simply playing defence. He advocates for what he calls experimental investments: beginning with small steps, testing outcomes, and scaling once the right formula has been found. By promoting this step-by-step approach, Takanori believes organizations can find the right balance between defence and offense, even in the most volatile markets.
A Vision for Sustainable Agribusiness
Takanori identifies three major trends that he believes are reshaping the crop protection and agribusiness sectors. The first is regulation and sustainability. Around the world, restrictions on chemical pesticides are tightening, and there is a clear movement toward products with lower environmental impact. At BCertisA, being part of the Mitsui global network provides a unique advantage. The company is expanding its portfolio with competitive products from Japanese manufacturers while also introducing new in-house formulations based on group intellectual property. The goal is to build a line-up that places sustainability at the core.
The second trend he highlights is agricultural innovation, or AgriTech. At the heart of transformation is productivity, and advances in precision farming are now spreading through sensing technologies, data analytics, and drone-based solutions. Takanori explains that BCA is leaning into these developments by actively bringing in new technologies that can deliver direct benefits to farmers.
The third trend is what he calls the farmer-driven supply chain. Although BCA is not directly involved in handling produce, the proper use and quality of crop protection products are closely tied to food safety and traceability. This makes the topic highly relevant. Through the Bharat Certis Kisan App, the company is strengthening connections with farmers, running pilot loyalty programs, and preparing to use big data to optimize supply chains, refine product development, and elevate marketing. For Takanori, redesigning the supply chain from the farmer’s perspective and creating demand starting at the farmer level will be essential for future growth. By pursuing regulation, technology, and the farmer’s perspective, he believes the company can turn change into opportunity and build a truly sustainable agribusiness model.
The Balance of Growth and Governance
In his dual roles as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Compliance Officer, Takanori emphasizes the need to balance aggressive business expansion with strong governance. He frames this balance around two pillars: systems that provide structure and a culture rooted in trust. For him, compliance is not simply about following rules but about building trust across the organization. He encourages open communication and regular training so that compliance becomes part of the daily way of working.
At the same time, he stresses that growth requires people to feel safe taking risks. Takanori aims to create a culture where employees are encouraged to start small, test, and learn, where mistakes are not punished but seen as opportunities for progress. In his view, structure provides the safeguards, culture provides the drive, and trust connects the two. His role is not to move people through rules or titles, but to build an environment where trust empowers individuals to take action.
Harvesting the Future
Takanori sees enormous potential for digital transformation in agribusiness. While agriculture may appear to be one of the most analogue industries, he believes it is in fact one of the areas where digital innovation can have the most significant impact. He envisions farmers using AI to analyze weather and soil data to make smarter decisions, and supply chains becoming fully transparent to strengthen food safety and traceability.
What excites him even more is the possibility of digital platforms enhancing transparency across the value chain, creating closer connection between farmers, distributors, retailers, and even consumers – ultimately leading to greater efficiency and improved farmer incomes. Over the next decade, he predicts that digital transformation will not only make agriculture more efficient but will reshape the entire system from the field to the table.
ESG at the Heart of Agribusiness
Takanori emphasizes that agriculture sits at the heart of sustainability debates, and he sees environmental, social, and governance principles as central to BCA’s future. On the environmental side, the company is focused on developing and promoting agricultural inputs that are more sustainable and have a lower environmental impact, especially as global regulations on chemical pesticides tighten. Being part of the Mitsui Group provides BCA with a unique advantage, allowing it to leverage competitive products from Japanese manufacturers and group intellectual property to introduce new proprietary formulations and expand a portfolio that places sustainability at its core.
Socially, he highlights the importance of redesigning the supply chain from the farmers’ perspective. Through initiatives like expanding the Bharat Certis Kisan App and finding new ways to use digital platforms, the company is strengthening its connections with farmers both in the field and online. Takanori sees digitalization not only as a tool for efficiency but as a way to fundamentally transform how agriculture is practiced.
When it comes to governance, he stresses transparency in decision-making and embedding compliance and risk management into daily operations. The objective, he explains, is not to have rules on paper but to create a culture where employees can confidently make sustainable decisions every day. By aligning environmental, social, and governance considerations, Takanori believes BCA can transform key trends in regulation, technology, and farmer needs into long-term growth opportunities while building a truly sustainable agribusiness model.
Trust as the Universal Compass
Reflecting on his career across Japan, Europe, and India, Takanori notes that every culture has its own values that shape how people work. In Japan, harmony and group cohesion are essential, while in Europe open discussion and transparency play a key role in building collaboration among diverse nationalities. During his time in London, he learned that setting direction logically was important, but even more crucial was creating an environment where people felt comfortable engaging in debate and bought into the process.
In India, he has found that flexibility is the defining quality. Plans do not always move forward in a linear way, and at times the process can look inefficient. Yet this adaptability often becomes the very force that drives progress. The challenge, he explains, is balancing that flexibility with systems that deliver consistent results at speed. While Takanori adapts his leadership style to suit each cultural environment, one foundation never changes: trust. For him, titles and systems alone cannot move people. It is trust and relationships that truly drive progress, no matter where he is working.
Turning Points Built on Everyday Decisions
Takanori is quick to point out that decisions with long-term impact are often built on the accumulation of small, everyday choices rather than dramatic moments of crisis. However, when asked to highlight one, he recalls the decision to work in India. Initially, he had no connection to the country and even turned down the opportunity twice before eventually accepting. Looking back, he feels the decision was significant not only for his personal growth but also for the company. What guided him was the recognition that his way of thinking and the experiences he had built over his career were not tied to one place. Accepting the challenge in India, he explains, has become one of the most meaningful decisions of his career.
Sowing Seeds of Change
What excites Takanori most about the future of BCA is the opportunity to tackle the complex challenges of Indian agriculture and create practical solutions born out of field realities. India is one of the world’s largest agricultural markets, and he believes that solutions developed here can not only improve farmers’ livelihoods but also make broader contributions to society. He finds deep joy in witnessing these efforts take shape alongside his colleagues and deliver measurable impact.
At BCA, the company’s Vision is “Bringing smiles with agriscience,” and its Mission is “Be an innovative platform to deliver solutions for sustainable farming.” Takanori’s role is to guide this journey through strategy and governance, while also supporting each employee to grow into someone who acts with confidence and pride. He encourages his teams to embody the principle of Think Global, Act Local and to contribute meaningfully to Indian society. Watching people develop into such contributors, he says, is both his greatest motivation and his biggest hope for the future.
He also acknowledges that his role as Chief Compliance Officer sometimes requires him to take a tough stance in enforcing zero tolerance. Yet he sees this as an essential part of building trust and ensuring sustainable growth. Acting as a bridge between India and Japan, he is fully committed to guiding BCA and its people toward a stronger and more sustainable future, a responsibility he describes as both stimulating and deeply rewarding.