Professor Mariangela Hungria of Brazil, a fellow of TWAS, has been named the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate in recognition of her pioneering contributions to biological nitrogen fixation and sustainable innovations in tropical agriculture.
A statement released on Monday by Cristina Serra, Public Information Officer of The World Academy of Science (TWAS), and made , confirmed that the prize includes a monetary award of $500,000.
The World Food Prize, often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for Agriculture,” honours individuals who have made significant advances in enhancing the quality, quantity or accessibility of food globally through scientific and technological innovation.
“Hungria, a microbiologist based in São Paulo, has developed numerous biological seed and soil treatments that enable crops to better access soil nutrients, significantly increasing yields while reducing reliance on synthetic fertilisers in tropical agriculture.
“Her innovations are estimated to be applied over more than 40 million hectares in Brazil, saving farmers up to $40 billion annually in input costs and preventing the emission of over 180 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) each year.”
TWAS President, Professor Quarraisha Abdool Karim, lauded Hungria’s decades of transformative research, noting that her work has improved lives worldwide and promoted environmentally sustainable farming practices.
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“Our warmest congratulations to Mariangela. Thank you for inspiring young scientists from the Global South and motivating researchers globally to develop innovative solutions to urgent agricultural and environmental challenges,” she said.
Hungria expressed her gratitude for the accolade, reflecting on the doubts she faced throughout her career, and underscored the importance of greater recognition for women’s contributions to science and agriculture.
“Replacing chemical use with organic products in agriculture has been my lifelong mission, and I hope this achievement inspires others to pursue their passion for science,” she stated.
According to the statement, Hungria has worked with Embrapa since 1982 and at Embrapa Soja in Londrina since 1991.
During her career, Brazil’s national soybean production rose dramatically from 15 million to 173 million tonnes per year.
She holds a PhD in Agronomy from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Cornell University, the University of California-Davis, and the University of Seville in Spain.
Hungria is also a Professor at the University of Londrina and has supervised over 100 postgraduate students. She has published more than 500 scientific papers and developed over 20 microbial technologies and commercial inoculants.
TWAS, founded in 1983 in Trieste, Italy, operates as a UNESCO programme unit that promotes scientific advancement in developing countries through education, research, policy engagement and international scientific collaboration.
Since its inception, TWAS has awarded over 2,800 research grants, 2,300 postdoctoral fellowships, and nearly 1,300 prizes.
It has also trained more than 760 individuals in science diplomacy and supported over 1,400 exchange visits.
