Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute of Iran

The program of “Technology-based production bio/organic fertilizers and biopesticides” consists of two sub-megaprojects entitled: “Technology-based production biofertilizer and biopesticide” and “Transformation of agricultural waste and by-products into enriched organic fertilizers (focusing on compost and humic acid)" which was conducted by Dr. Maryam Mousivand and Dr. Hossein Ghanavati respectively". The main challenges included climate change, abiotic and biotic stresses, requiring import inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides, increasing agricultural wastes and by-products, slow knowledge, and technology penetration in the agricultural section were the basis for mega project step compiling. The most important goals of the first mega project are the design and production of new biofertilizers and biopesticide formulations to reduce the biotic and abiotic stresses and agrochemical use in the main export products of the country. Gaining the targeted foreign markets' trust along with the production of healthy products for domestic consumers are other important achievements of this megaproject. Using agricultural waste and by-products as useful and cheap resources in the agricultural industry and large scaled based technology development for exploitation at the national level can be considered as the main goal of the second megaproject. Focusing on the enriched organic fertilizers production, including biocompost and humic acid, are the major parts of this megaproject. Acquiring technical knowledge along with practical and cheap technologies for organic/biological fertilizers pesticide production and agricultural waste transformation are the final outputs of the program, which will bring significant social and economic benefits.