World Food Prize 2025

Mariangela Hungria, a Brazilian microbiologist and veteran researcher at Brazil’s state-run agricultural agency Embrapa, has been named the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate. With over 40 years of research, Hungria developed seed and soil treatments that enable crops—especially soybeans—to source nutrients from nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria, reducing dependence on costly, imported chemical fertilizers.

Her innovations have been pivotal in transforming Brazil into the world’s largest soybean producer and exporter, with production increasing from 15 million metric tons in the 1980s to over 170 million tons today.

The World Food Prize, awarded annually by the World Food Prize Foundation in Iowa, honors individuals whose achievements have significantly enhanced the global food supply. The prize includes a $500,000 award and recognizes efforts regardless of race, nationality, or political beliefs.