Latest news with #WorldFoodPrizeFoundation
Agriland
20-05-2025
- Science
- Agriland
World Food Prize awarded to Brazilian microbiologist for soil bacteria work
The World Food Prize for 2025 has been awarded to Brazilian microbiologist Dr. Mariangela Hungria, whose work has led to significant yield increases in the world's major crops. Dr. Hungria was recognised for the results of her 40-year career, which has been dedicated to isolating bacterial strains favourable to crop growth and yield. In addition to substantially reducing the need for chemical inputs, her work has now been augmented by being awarded the food industry's own Nobel Prize -the World Food Prize – and the sum of $500,000 that goes with it. The World Food Prize Foundation announced its decision to award the prize to Dr. Hungria earlier this month. She will be presented with the gong at a ceremony in Iowa later this year. Life's dedication Dr. Hungria was an early proponent of biological nitrogen fixation, specifically in soybean. Over her 40-year career with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), national soybean production increased from 15 million tonnes to an anticipated 173 million tonnes in 2025. The microbiologist's studies began with Rhizobia bacteria, the group of microbes that infects legume roots to provide nitrogen in the form of ammonia in exchange for nutrients from the plant. These bacteria can live independently in soil, but do not produce ammonia under natural conditions. In addition, their soil populations are relatively low. The trick is to ensure that, as a seed germinates, it doews so in an environment rich with rhizobia, which is where treating the seeds with an inoculant comes into play. Dr. Hungria found that applying this strain to soybean through an inoculant increases yields by up to 8% when compared to the use of synthetic fertilizer. Taking a step beyond Yet Dr. Hungria went further, for she was also the first to isolate a strain of the bacterium genus Azospirillum brasilense, a nitrogen-fixing bacterium that can boost the uptake of nitrogen and phytohormones, even at low oxygen levels. Dr Hungria is the recipient of many awards and honours in Brazil and elsewhere Her research demonstrated that combining and applying both A. brasilense and strains of rhizobia could double the yield increase in common beans and soybeans . Today, it is estimated that more than 15 million hectares of soybean are treated with a combined dose of these two microbe groups annually in Brazil, helping to make it the world's largest exporter of the crop. Critics will point out that this growth is as much to do with deforestation. While Dr. Hungria is sympathetic to this view, she notes that by increasing the yield ofcrops, existing land pressure on forests could be much reduced. What may be of further interest to Irish farmers is that is usually found in association with grass worldwide. Dr. Hungria has turned her attention to the inoculation of pasture, which has shown an increase of biomass of up to 22%. Soybean has become a major part of Brazil's agricultural output. Image: Proterra Although the Azospirillum genus was first identified in the Netherlands in 1923, this particular species was not described until 1978 by Dr. Hungria's mentor, Johanna Dobereiner. Quite how the relationship between A. brasilense and crop roots operates is still the subject of debate amongst researchers, but its potential for reducing fertiliser use while maintaining yields in grass has been shown to be significant.
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
World Food Prize for scientist for growing food with fewer chemicals
A Brazilian scientist who pushed back against the use of chemical fertilisers and studied biological approaches to more robust food production has been honoured with this year's World Food Prize, the organisation announced on May 13. Microbiologist Mariangela Hungria has been researching biological seed and soil treatments for 40 years, and has worked with Brazilian farmers to implement her findings. Her accomplishment has now won her $500,000 from the Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation. 'I still cannot believe it. Everybody said, my whole life, it's improbable, you are going the wrong way, just go to things like chemicals and so on. And then, I received the most important prize in the world of agriculture,' Hungria said in an interview. Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to dramatically increase crop yields and reduce the threat of starvation in many countries, founded the World Food Prize. Since the first prize was handed out in 1987, 55 people have been honoured. Hungria said she grew up wanting to alleviate hunger. Early in her career, she decided to focus on a process called biological nitrogen fixation, in which soil bacteria could be used to promote plant growth. At that time, farmers in Brazil and around the world were reluctant to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilisers, which dramatically increase crop production but lead to greenhouse gas emissions and pollute waterways. Hungria studied how bacteria can interact with plant roots to naturally produce nitrogen. She then demonstrated her work on test plots and began working directly with farmers to convince them that they wouldn't have to sacrifice high crop yields if they switched to a biological process. The work is credited for increasing yields of several crops, including wheat, corn, and beans, but it has been especially affective on soybeans. Brazil has since become the world's largest soybean producer, surpassing the US. Although Hungria's research could be applied on farms in other countries, soybean production in the US is different than it is in Brazil. American farmers typically rotate crops between growing corn and soybeans. Enough nitrate fertiliser applied to corn still remains in the soil when soybeans are planted and little or no fertiliser needs to be applied, Hungria said. Brazilian agricultural companies have faced fierce criticism for clearing forested land to create farmland, largely to grow soybeans. Much of that criticism is justified, Hungria said, but she added that her approach builds up the soil and makes further encroachment into forested areas less necessary. 'If you manage the crop well, the crop will enrich the soil with nitrogen,' she said. Hungria will be awarded her prize at an annual October gathering in Iowa of agricultural researchers and officials from around the world. Gebisa Ejeta, chair of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee, credited Hungria for the transformative effects of her research in South America.
Arab Times
14-05-2025
- Science
- Arab Times
Brazilian Scientist wins Food Prize for developing method to grow food with fewer chemicals
DES MOINES, Iowa, May 14, (AP): A Brazilian scientist who pushed back against chemical fertilizers and researched biologically based approaches to more robust food production has been honored with this year's World Food Prize, the organization announced Tuesday. Microbiologist Mariangela Hungria's research helped her country become an agricultural powerhouse, an accomplishment that has now won her $500,000 from the Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation. Hungria has been researching biological seed and soil treatments for 40 years, and has worked with Brazilian farmers to implement her findings. "I still cannot believe it. Everybody said, my whole life, it's improbable, you are going the wrong way, just go to things like chemicals and so on. And then, I received the most important prize in the world of agriculture," Hungria said in an interview. "Sometimes I still think I'll wake up and see that it's not true.' Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to dramatically increase crop yields and reduce the threat of starvation in many countries, founded the World Food Prize. Since the first prize was handed out in 1987, 55 people have been honored. Hungria said she grew up wanting to alleviate hunger. Early in her career, she decided to focus on a process called biological nitrogen fixation, in which soil bacteria could be used to promote plant growth. At that time, farmers in Brazil and around the world were reluctant to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizers, which dramatically increase crop production but lead to greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes waterways. Hungria studied how bacteria can interact with plant roots to naturally produce nitrogen. She then demonstrated her work on test plots and began working directly with farmers to convince them that they wouldn't have to sacrifice high crop yields if they switched to a biological process. The work is credited for increasing yields of several crops, including wheat, corn, and beans, but it has been especially affective on soybeans. Brazil has since become the world's largest soybean producer, surpassing the United States and Argentina. Although Hungria's research could be applied on farms in other countries, soybean production in the U.S. is different than it is in Brazil; American farmers typically rotate crops on their land between growing corn and soybeans. Enough nitrate fertilizer applied to corn still remains in the soil when soybeans are planted that little or no fertilizer needs to be applied, Hungria said. Brazilian agricultural companies have faced fierce criticism for clearing forested land to create farmland, largely to grow soybeans. Much of that criticism is justified, Hungria said, but she added that her biological approach builds up the soil and makes further encroachment into forested areas less necessary. "If you manage the crop well, the crop will enrich the soil with nitrogen. Soil health improves if you do the right things,' she said. Hungria will be awarded her prize at an annual October gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, of agricultural researchers and officials from around the world. Gebisa Ejeta, chair of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee, credited Hungria for her "extraordinary scientific achievements' that have transformed agriculture in South America. "Her brilliant scientific work and her committed vision for advancing sustainable crop production to feed humanity with judicious use of chemical fertilizer inputs and biological amendments has gained her global recognition both at home and abroad,' Ejeta said in a statement.
14-05-2025
- Science
Food grown with fewer chemicals? A Brazilian scientist wins $500,000 for showing the way
DES MOINES, Iowa -- A Brazilian scientist who pushed back against chemical fertilizers and researched biologically based approaches to more robust food production has been honored with this year's World Food Prize, the organization announced Tuesday. Microbiologist Mariangela Hungria's research helped her country become an agricultural powerhouse, an accomplishment that has now won her $500,000 from the Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation. Hungria has been researching biological seed and soil treatments for 40 years, and has worked with Brazilian farmers to implement her findings. 'I still cannot believe it. Everybody said, my whole life, it's improbable, you are going the wrong way, just go to things like chemicals and so on. And then, I received the most important prize in the world of agriculture," Hungria said in an interview. "Sometimes I still think I'll wake up and see that it's not true.' Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to dramatically increase crop yields and reduce the threat of starvation in many countries, founded the World Food Prize. Since the first prize was handed out in 1987, 55 people have been honored. Hungria said she grew up wanting to alleviate hunger. Early in her career, she decided to focus on a process called biological nitrogen fixation, in which soil bacteria could be used to promote plant growth. At that time, farmers in Brazil and around the world were reluctant to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizers, which dramatically increase crop production but lead to greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes waterways. Hungria studied how bacteria can interact with plant roots to naturally produce nitrogen. She then demonstrated her work on test plots and began working directly with farmers to convince them that they wouldn't have to sacrifice high crop yields if they switched to a biological process. The work is credited for increasing yields of several crops, including wheat, corn and beans, but it has been especially affective on soybeans. Brazil has since become the world's largest soybean producer, surpassing the United States and Argentina. Although Hungria's research could be applied on farms in other countries, soybean production in the U.S. is different than it is in Brazil; American farmers typically rotate crops on their land between growing corn and soybeans. Enough nitrate fertilizer applied to corn still remains in the soil when soybeans are planted that little or no fertilizer needs to be applied, Hungria said. Brazilian agricultural companies have faced fierce criticism for clearing forested land to create farmland, largely to grow soybeans. Much of that criticism is justified, Hungria said, but she added that her biological approach builds up the soil and makes further encroachment into forested areas less necessary. 'If you manage the crop well, the crop will enrich the soil with nitrogen. Soil health improves if you do the right things,' she said. Hungria will be awarded her prize at an annual October gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, of agricultural researchers and officials from around the world. Gebisa Ejeta, chair of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee, credited Hungria for her 'extraordinary scientific achievements' that have transformed agriculture in South America. "Her brilliant scientific work and her committed vision for advancing sustainable crop production to feed humanity with judicious use of chemical fertilizer inputs and biological amendments has gained her global recognition both at home and abroad,' Ejeta said in a statement.
Hamilton Spectator
14-05-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Food grown with fewer chemicals? A Brazilian scientist wins $500,000 for showing the way
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Brazilian scientist who pushed back against chemical fertilizers and researched biologically based approaches to more robust food production has been honored with this year's World Food Prize, the organization announced Tuesday. Microbiologist Mariangela Hungria's research helped her country become an agricultural powerhouse, an accomplishment that has now won her $500,000 from the Iowa-based World Food Prize Foundation. Hungria has been researching biological seed and soil treatments for 40 years, and has worked with Brazilian farmers to implement her findings. 'I still cannot believe it. Everybody said, my whole life, it's improbable, you are going the wrong way, just go to things like chemicals and so on. And then, I received the most important prize in the world of agriculture,' Hungria said in an interview. 'Sometimes I still think I'll wake up and see that it's not true.' Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work to dramatically increase crop yields and reduce the threat of starvation in many countries, founded the World Food Prize. Since the first prize was handed out in 1987, 55 people have been honored. Hungria said she grew up wanting to alleviate hunger. Early in her career, she decided to focus on a process called biological nitrogen fixation, in which soil bacteria could be used to promote plant growth. At that time, farmers in Brazil and around the world were reluctant to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizers, which dramatically increase crop production but lead to greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes waterways . Hungria studied how bacteria can interact with plant roots to naturally produce nitrogen. She then demonstrated her work on test plots and began working directly with farmers to convince them that they wouldn't have to sacrifice high crop yields if they switched to a biological process. The work is credited for increasing yields of several crops, including wheat, corn and beans, but it has been especially affective on soybeans. Brazil has since become the world's largest soybean producer, surpassing the United States and Argentina. Although Hungria's research could be applied on farms in other countries, soybean production in the U.S. is different than it is in Brazil; American farmers typically rotate crops on their land between growing corn and soybeans. Enough nitrate fertilizer applied to corn still remains in the soil when soybeans are planted that little or no fertilizer needs to be applied, Hungria said. Brazilian agricultural companies have faced fierce criticism for clearing forested land to create farmland, largely to grow soybeans. Much of that criticism is justified, Hungria said, but she added that her biological approach builds up the soil and makes further encroachment into forested areas less necessary. 'If you manage the crop well, the crop will enrich the soil with nitrogen. Soil health improves if you do the right things,' she said. Hungria will be awarded her prize at an annual October gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, of agricultural researchers and officials from around the world. Gebisa Ejeta, chair of the World Food Prize Laureate Selection Committee, credited Hungria for her 'extraordinary scientific achievements' that have transformed agriculture in South America. 'Her brilliant scientific work and her committed vision for advancing sustainable crop production to feed humanity with judicious use of chemical fertilizer inputs and biological amendments has gained her global recognition both at home and abroad,' Ejeta said in a statement.
