Brazilian scientist Mariangela Hungria has been awarded the 2025 World Food Prize for her groundbreaking contributions to sustainable agriculture.
She has been honoured for her pioneering work in developing organic seed and soil treatments to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and increase crop yields and nutrition.
The $500,000 prize was awarded by the World Food Prize Foundation on May 13, 2025.
In a 40-year career at Embrapa, Hungria pioneered the development of organic seed and soil treatments to reduce the use of synthetic fertilisers.
The adoption of her innovations led to an increase in national soybean production in Brazil from 15 million tonnes (1979) to 173 million tonnes.