Brazilian scientist Mariangela Hungria was awarded the 2025 World Food Prize for her groundbreaking work in Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) and development of microbial technologies that reduce chemical fertiliser usage and improve crop productivity.
Key Highlights
- Award: 2025 World Food Prize
- Recipient: Mariangela Hungria, Microbiologist, Brazil
- Awarded For:
- Advancing biological nitrogen fixation
- Reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers
- Developing 30+ microbial inoculants for various crops
- Initiating a “Micro Green Revolution” using microorganisms
About Mariangela Hungria
- Worked over 40 years at Embrapa Soja (Brazil’s national soybean research centre)
- Taught at:
- State University of Paraná
- Federal University of Technology of Paraná
- Pioneered application of BNF and microbial seed/soil treatments in commercial agriculture
Impact of Her Work
- Helped increase national soybean production in Brazil from 15 million tonnes (1979) to 173 million tonnes
- Developed microbial technologies for:
- Soybeans, beans, maize, wheat, rice, and pasture grasses
- Improved yields by up to 8% using rhizobia inoculants compared to synthetic fertilisers
- First to isolate and apply Azospirillum brasilense strains for better nitrogen uptake
- Combination of A. brasilense + rhizobia: doubled yield improvements in soybeans and beans
- Over 70 million doses of inoculants applied annually on 15 million hectares of farmland
- Restored degraded pastureland: 22% biomass increase and improved cattle forage
- Estimated $40 billion/year saved by Brazilian farmers in input costs
What is Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF)?
- Definition: Natural process where certain microbes convert atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into ammonia (NH₃), usable by plants
- Benefits:
- Improves soil fertility
- Reduces need for synthetic fertilisers
- Minimizes environmental damage from agrochemicals
- Key Nitrogen-fixing Microorganisms:
- Rhizobium, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Anabaena, Nostoc, Clostridium pasteurianum
About World Food Prize
- Founded: 1986 by Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug
- Purpose: Recognizes achievements in improving food quantity, quality, accessibility, and agriculture
- Prize Amount: USD 500,000 annually
- First Winner: M.S. Swaminathan (India, 1987), father of India’s Green Revolution
Significance
- Reinforces the importance of sustainable agriculture and eco-friendly innovations
- Highlights the role of microbial biotechnology in solving global food security challenges
- Recognizes the shift toward nature-based solutions in large-scale farming systems