Live Challenges
Soil restoration solutions
“Around the world, soil degradation is holding back the potential productivity & sustainability of the farms we all depend on. We want to collaborate with innovators that have novel solutions for soil restoration so that we can put them in the hands of farmers to solve this grand challenge.”
Matthew Wallenstein, Chief Soil Scientist, Syngenta
Background
Syngenta is seeking breakthrough technologies capable of improving the physical, biological and/or chemical properties of soils to improve soil functionality, allowing farmers to grow more sustainably.
Past agriculture practices have led to compaction, salinization, loss of organic matter, poor drainage, and erosion, which in turn have led to lost productivity and profitability. Syngenta scientists are looking for technologies that restore soil and reverse this damage.
Syngenta’s primary interest is improving the functionality of the soil to support improved crop growth. Potential solutions would be applied to the soil and alter its properties, making the conditions for growth more optimal, rather than technologies that allow a plant to grow in suboptimal conditions. Applicable cutting-edge innovations may be chemical, physical or biological solutions.
We are open to research collaborations or technology licenses that help us accelerate innovation to improve soil functionality, one of Earth’s most valuable resources.
What we're looking for
Breakthrough solutions that demonstrably improve one or more physical, chemical and/or biological properties which are indicators of soil functionality (including but not limited to:)
Physical properties, e.g.:
- Soil compaction
- Soil aggregation
- Soil erosion
- Soil aeration
- Soil hydrology
Chemical properties, e.g.:
- Desalinization
- Soil pH
- Soil nutrient capacity
Biological properties, e.g.:
- Carbon sequestration and nitrogen mineralization
- Microbiome functionality
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
- Early evidence of efficacy/demonstration of proof of concept
- Information on which soil types to target to achieve maximum effectiveness from the solution
Incremental solutions - this challenge is seeking breakthrough technologies.
- Solutions that do not directly improve the soil’s properties are out of scope (including but not limited to:)
- Plant specific biological treatments
- Seed varieties/technologies that enable a plant to grow in sub-optimal conditions
- Solutions in common use such as:
- Compost
- Fertilizers
- Lime
- Management practices such as:
- Plant-based cover crops
- No-till
- Livestock rotation practices
What we can offer you
Work with us to help with our challenge
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