World Food Prize

Source: DTE

Context: Mariangela Hungria, Brazilian microbiologist, won the 2025 World Food Prize for pioneering biological nitrogen fixation and reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers.

• Her innovations sparked Brazil’s ‘Micro Green Revolution’, significantly boosting crop yields and lowering input costs.

About Micro Green Revolution:

• What is It?

• A movement led by microbiologist Mariangela Hungria, focusing on biological solutions to agricultural productivity, particularly microbial seed and soil inoculants.

• Key Features:

• Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF): Using microorganisms like rhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense to naturally convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil-absorbable form. Reduced chemical fertilizer dependency: Saving farmers up to $40 billion annually in Brazil. Enhanced crop productivity: Soybean yield surged from 15 million tonnes (1979) to 173 million tonnes (2025). Common beans and pastures saw significant yield gains. Restoring degraded lands: First microbial inoculants for pasture grasses, improving biomass and livestock forage.

• Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF): Using microorganisms like rhizobia and Azospirillum brasilense to naturally convert atmospheric nitrogen into soil-absorbable form.

• Reduced chemical fertilizer dependency: Saving farmers up to $40 billion annually in Brazil.

• Enhanced crop productivity: Soybean yield surged from 15 million tonnes (1979) to 173 million tonnes (2025). Common beans and pastures saw significant yield gains.

• Soybean yield surged from 15 million tonnes (1979) to 173 million tonnes (2025).

• Common beans and pastures saw significant yield gains.

• Restoring degraded lands: First microbial inoculants for pasture grasses, improving biomass and livestock forage.

About World Food Prize:

• What is It?

• The World Food Prize is the most prestigious global award recognizing contributions to enhancing food quantity, quality, and accessibility.

• Established: In 1986 by Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, supported initially by General Foods Corporation.

• Administered by: World Food Prize Foundation, headquartered at the Hall of Laureates, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.

• First Laureate: S. Swaminathan (1987) – Pioneer of India’s Green Revolution.

• Award Features:

• $500,000 cash prize, diploma, and commemorative sculpture by Saul Bass. Awarded annually in Des Moines, Iowa, during the Borlaug Dialogue Symposium. Recognizes individuals in agriculture, nutrition, food technology, policy, soil science, and hunger alleviation.

• $500,000 cash prize, diploma, and commemorative sculpture by Saul Bass.

• Awarded annually in Des Moines, Iowa, during the Borlaug Dialogue Symposium.

• Recognizes individuals in agriculture, nutrition, food technology, policy, soil science, and hunger alleviation.