New biofertiliser initiative aims to advance sustainable and affordable food production
Novo Nordisk Fonden
2025.07.02
The current reliance on synthetic fertilisers is a key limiting factor for further increasing global food production. With resource scarcity and significant environmental burden, it is necessary to realise the full potential of biofertilisers, and the key to accelerate the needed foundational scientific understanding requires collaboration between academia and industry.
By facilitating and increasing biofertiliser use, the IBIS initiative seeks to enhance sustainability in agriculture. To balance the environmental impact, biofertilisers, which are microorganisms that help plants absorb nutrients, offer a sustainable alternative. They can improve nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilisers we have today.
“Microbial biofertilisers are vital for sustainable food production, but widespread adoption is still limited by scientific and technical gaps. Through IBIS, we will generate the knowledge, tools, and frameworks needed to enable public and private actors to identify, develop, and scale robust solutions tailored to local needs and agricultural practices.” Says Associate Professor Rasmus J.N. Frandsen, Director of IBIS.
The current reliance on synthetic fertilisers is a key limiting factor for further increasing global food production. With resource scarcity and significant environmental burden, it is necessary to realise the full potential of biofertilisers, and the key to accelerate the needed foundational scientific understanding requires collaboration between academia and industry.
By facilitating and increasing biofertiliser use, the IBIS initiative seeks to enhance sustainability in agriculture. To balance the environmental impact, biofertilisers, which are microorganisms that help plants absorb nutrients, offer a sustainable alternative. They can improve nitrogen and phosphorus uptake, reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilisers we have today.
“Microbial biofertilisers are vital for sustainable food production, but widespread adoption is still limited by scientific and technical gaps. Through IBIS, we will generate the knowledge, tools, and frameworks needed to enable public and private actors to identify, develop, and scale robust solutions tailored to local needs and agricultural practices.” Says Associate Professor Rasmus J.N. Frandsen, Director of IBIS.
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