IBIS - Initiative for Biofertilizer Innovation and Science

The Initiative for Biofertilizer Innovation and Science (IBIS) will develop the missing technologies and foundational knowledge to enable scientists globally to identify, scale, and launch effective biofertilizer solutions tailored to local agricultural practices, economic frameworks, and production setups.

Mission

To establish a research and innovation initiative to support biofertilizer science, discovery, development, and scaling of solutions that will enable product market penetration and deliver consistent value to farmers and confidence to investors.

Background and Motivation

Despite their enormous potential, biofertilizers still face significant scientific and industrial challenges. To identify key gaps, barriers, and areas where innovation can drive progress, leading industry and academic stakeholders came together to chart a shared path forward, published in a report by HYSTRA. IBIS emerged from this collaborative effort - a direct outcome of the collective vision to accelerate biofertilizer research, development, and real-world adoption.

By systematically testing biofertilizers under a wider range of conditions, IBIS will uncover systemic behaviors that translate to in-field performance, and for the first time, bridge the gap between laboratory and field results. This approach will improve the design of field experiments and enhance the interpretation of field results, ultimately allowing us to navigate the complexity of natural systems, and facilitate the engineering of effective biofertilizers.

The IBIS initiative spans South Asia, Southeastern Africa, and Europe, each region contributing with expertise in agronomy and fermentation-based manufacturing. The six teams (two from each region) will collaborate to address key biological questions and develop enabling technologies to allow for faster and cost-effective development of biofertilizers. The partners will be organized into two discipline-based teams, each with one participant from each region: one team focusing on agronomy and in-field performance, and the other on manufacturing (fermentation and formulation). The setup ensures that each region will build a local biofertilizer R&D knowledge hub covering the entire R&D chain. 

IBIS is a fully non-GMO initiative that does not alter any organisms; they remain 100% natural. Only native microorganisms are applied locally to ensure ecological safety and integrity. No patents are taken out on the organisms or their use, underscoring the project’s commitment to open access and public benefit. IBIS operates as a not-for-profit effort led by universities and public institutions.