Farming has always been a partnership between human ingenuity and the rhythms of nature. But today, that relationship is strained. Soil fatigue, chemical dependency, erratic weather, and diminishing returns are signalling that the old ways of growing food are running out of road. The promise of feeding the future cannot rest on extractive practices. What agriculture needs now is not just productivity, but renewal. A model where soil health, farmer prosperity, and ecological balance are not competing priorities, but intertwined goals.
This is the philosophy guiding Dr. Shailendra Singh, Chief Operating Officer of Zydex Agro. With deep scientific grounding and a career that spans the full spectrum of agri-inputs—crop protection, seeds, fertilizers, and now biologicals—he’s bringing regeneration to the forefront of Indian agriculture.
An Agri-Leadership Journey Toward Regeneration
Dr. Shailendra’s journey through the agri-input industry began with a strong foundation in science and a clear sense of purpose. Armed with a Ph.D. in Botany, he launched his career at Monsanto, where he specialized in product development and honed a data-driven mindset that shaped his approach to innovation. His subsequent tenure at Dow AgroSciences exposed him to global best practices and emphasized the importance of process as a pillar of success. It was here that he earned his Six Sigma Black Belt certification, a milestone that would deepen his appreciation for scalable innovation through structured systems and aligned teams.
Leadership roles at Jubilant Industries and Savannah Seeds expanded his responsibilities across R&D, sales, and farmer outreach. Each role offered a new vantage point, ultimately shaping his long-term vision for Indian agriculture — one that is sustainable, productive, and inclusive. Today, as the Chief Operating Officer of ZydexAgro, Dr. Shailendra is driving that vision forward with a focus on regenerative chemical free agriculture and bio-inputs designed to heal the soil while elevating farmer livelihoods.`
Tackling Challenges in Agro-Inputs
Having worked across multiple verticals—crop chemicals, fertilizers, seeds, and now bio-inputs—Dr. Shailendra brings a panoramic view of the industry’s evolving challenges. In crop protection, the focus was on enhancing efficacy while managing resistance and improving environmental safety. Fertilizers presented a different issue: India’s nitrogen-use efficiency remains alarmingly low at just 30–50%, resulting in massive nutrient wastage and soil degradation. Seeds brought their own complexities, requiring a keen understanding of localized preferences and the need for stress tolerance in unpredictable climates.
However, it is the world of bio-inputs that has presented the most complex challenge—farmer perception. Despite their potential, certified bio-products are used by less than 7% of Indian farmers, primarily due to inconsistent field results. Dr Ajay Ranka, a renowned Polymer Scientist with more than 55 patents in his name, established Zydex in 1997. He understood the challenges related to soil and developed Zytonic Technology to make biological products more efficient and consistent. Under his dynamic leadership and guidance Dr. Shailendra and his team at Zydex took a science-meets-empathy approach to bridge this gap.By developing high-quality, rigorously field-tested biological products, supported with farmer training and digital advisory systems, Zydex groupis steadily shifting the narrative around bio-inputs from skepticism to trust.
A Profitable chemical free Regenerative Vision for Indian Agriculture
As Chief Operating Officer at ZydexAgro, Dr. Shailendra isn’t merely managing operations—he’s helping shape a new future for farming. His role spans strategy, innovation, and execution, all anchored in a larger goal: catalyzing systemic change across Indian agriculture. Zydex’s regenerative model focuses on reviving soil healthacross physical, chemical, and biological dimensions, while significantly reducing dependence on chemical inputs and leading to profitable transition to chemical free farming.
The results speak volumes. Over 1.2 lakh acres across India have already transitioned to regenerative chemical free farming practices under Zydex’s guidance. On these farms, input costs have dropped by 20–35%, and soil organic carbon has risen by 0.2–0.3% within just 18 months. These are more than statistics; they represent healthier ecosystems, resilient livelihoods, and a farming model that works in harmony with nature rather than against it. Under Dr. Shailendra’s stewardship, Zydex Agro is not only helping Indian farmers thrive—it is reimagining what agriculture can become – providing safe and nutritious food for all at affordable price.
Leading the Bio-Input Breakthrough
Dr. Shailendra’s decision to pivot toward bio-inputs at this stage in his career wasn’t born out of convenience — it was driven by urgency. With the steady decline of soil health, skyrocketing input costs, and mounting climate pressures threatening the viability of agriculture, he recognized a critical tipping point.
For him, Zydex’s innovations in green chemistry weren’t merely incremental improvements—they represented the potential for transformational change. Bio-inputs, though often misunderstood or mistrusted by farmers, offered a pathway to sustainable and scalable impact. “It’s risky,” he admits, “but necessary.” Dr. Shailendra didn’t shy away from the challenge of shifting perceptions—he leaned into it, determined to build trust through science-backed solutions. His philosophy remains anchored in a simple but powerful conviction: when purpose is matched with robust process, even the toughest transitions become possible.
A Regenerative Vision Across Industries
Zydex Group’s portfolio spans textiles, roads, paints, waterproofing, and agriculture—a range that may seem eclectic at first glance. But for Zydex, the common thread is clear: every vertical is powered by material science and green chemistry, designed to solve age-old industrial problems.
Whether it’s developing environment friendly textile dyes, pioneering long lasting road technology, long lasting paints or creating soil-regenerating agri-inputs, Zydex products are unified by a clean-tech ethos. The goal across all these verticals is not just efficiency, but regeneration. In textiles, that means reducing water and salt usage by 90%; in paints, it’s about eliminating volatile organics. Dr Shailendra points out that in agriculture, the ambition is especially personal — to drastically cut down the chemical load while enhancing productivity and profitability. The emphasis, he stresses, is not on making trade-offs, but on designing smarter systems that serve both people and the planet.
Milestones that Matter
Reflecting on his career, Dr. Shailendra finds his deepest sense of fulfilment in catalyzing change at the grassroots level. His professional journey is dotted with firsts — pioneering conservation tillage in the early 1990s, being involved in the early evaluations of Bt Cotton, introducing novel herbicides that revitalized wheat productivity, and driving adoption of smart, high performingpaddy hybrids tailored to farmer needs. These weren’t just technological shifts; they were turning points for entire communities.
Now at Zydex, he’s leading the next chapter of innovation: making organic or chemical-free farming viable from the very first crop cycle. One of the most meaningful projects under his watch has been a pilot initiative in Gujarat. Spread across 300 acres, it delivered:
- A 25 – 30% reduction in fertilizer usage
- Up to 25% increase in net farmer profit
- A jump in soil organic carbon from 0.2% to 0.3% within just 18 months
But for Dr. Shailendra, the most rewarding outcome wasn’t just in the metrics—it was in the mindset. Farmers began engaging in conversations around soil microbes, composting, and ecological resilience. Witnessing this cultural shift — a transformation in how farmers relate to the land and their practices — is what he considers a true measure of leadership.
Zydex’s Vision for 2027 and Beyond
Looking ahead, Dr. Shailendra envisions Zydex at the heart of a global agricultural shift. By 2027, the company aims to scale biological adoption across 1 million acres, driven by robust R&D and smart digital tools to engage farmers more effectively.
According to him, the future of agri-inputs is evolving rapidly:
- Seeds will become bio-primed and climate-resilient hybrids, tailored to withstand increasingly erratic weather.
- Fertilizers will evolve into precision-based, nano, and microbe-enhanced formulations for targeted nutrition.
- Crop chemicals will shift toward biocontrols and precise application, minimizing collateral damage to soil and ecosystems.
- Bio-inputs, he notes, are poised for exponential growth — with a 14–18% CAGR globally, and an even faster trajectory in India.
“Zydex,” he says, “is being built not just to sell products, but to deliver ecosystems of trust and transformation.”
The Reliable Revolution in Bio-Inputs
When asked what differentiates Zydex bio-inputs from others in the market, Dr. Shailendra highlights three core strengths:
- Scientific Integrity: Zydex’s patented technology uniquely softens and aerates the soil in just one month, accelerating the shift to chemical-free farming from the very first crop cycle. The solution also boosts microbial activity with >80% survival rates and multi-mode action.
- Formulation Stability: Products maintain a shelf life of up to 24 months, providing consistent, predictable performance for farmers regardless of storage time or external conditions.
- Unique ability for profitable transition to Organic farming in one crop cycle: The unique technology package of Zydex helps in making soil soft and porous with better water holding capacity in a short span of just one month. This helps in improving germination and crop growth, reducing water requirement and chemical inputs. It takes care of key challenge in profitable transition from chemical based farming to safe chemical free farming with improved profitability in first crop cycle itself.
The advantages to farmers are significant:
- 25–35% reduction in input costs
- Improved root development and stress resilience
- Stronger plant immunity, leading to better pest and disease resistance
More than a product, Dr. Shailendra emphasizes that Zydex delivers a complete protocol — including hands-on training, field support, and a responsive feedback loop. “What farmers truly value,” he concludes, “is not just biology, but reliability.”
Closing Thoughts
This is not just about business; it’s about shaping the future of Indian agriculture. Leaders like Dr. Shailendra are showing how thoughtful strategy, backed by science and driven by purpose, can turn challenges into catalysts for transformation.