Biotechnology opens up new pathways to regenerate soils and increase crop resilience

Agriculture faces the challenge of ensuring food production in a context of increasing pressure on essential resources such as soil and water. More than 60% of human-induced land degradation occurs on agricultural land, while agriculture accounts for more than 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The challenge is particularly significant in Europe, where between 60% and 70% of soils are considered unhealthy. In addition, in 2025, severe drought affected nearly 928,000 km² across Europe, while around 112,000 km² of cropland failed to recover their usual levels of vegetation productivity, according to the European Environment Agency.

Against this backdrop, on the occasion of World Agriculture Day, AseBio is highlighting the potential of biotechnology innovation to advance towards more sustainable and regenerative agriculture, capable of restoring soil health and fertility, improving resource management and increasing crop resilience.

Microalgae to improve soils and crops

One of the solutions gaining prominence is microalgae-based biostimulants. Their metabolic diversity makes it possible to obtain compounds that can act both on the soil and directly on plants.

In the soil, microalgae help activate carbon and nitrogen cycles and stimulate microbial communities, improving nutrient cycling and availability. They can also contribute to improving soil structure and water retention. In plants, they can help activate tolerance and recovery mechanisms in response to stresses such as drought, salinity and heat.

"This diversity makes it possible to formulate biostimulants that act simultaneously on the soil and the plant, which is exactly what a regenerative approach requires," explains Carlos Rodríguez-Villa Förster, CEO and Founding Partner of Phoenix Biosolutions, an AseBio member.

Another advantage is the sustainability of their production: microalgae are produced by fixing CO₂ without competing for agricultural land or high-quality freshwater. For Rodríguez-Villa, harnessing these organisms means "going back to the origins of plants to find the solution for the future."

The challenge of bringing innovation to the field

The development of new biological solutions must be accompanied by models that enable their competitive and large-scale use. Phoenix Biosolutions is working on a Technology as a Service model that brings biostimulant production technology to the point of use, rather than transporting the finished product from a central production facility.

This approach enables local production at cooperatives, distributors or farms and provides access to a fresh, biologically active product at the time of application, while allowing solutions to be adapted to the specific characteristics of the crop, soil, water and periods of stress. It also aims to reduce transport-related costs and create more resilient supply chains.

To accelerate the adoption of these innovations in the field, Phoenix identifies four key elements: robust agronomic evidence, an innovation-friendly regulatory framework, training and technical advice, and greater automation and ease of use.

The adoption of biological solutions also requires changes in certain agricultural practices. "Adopting biological solutions is not about replacing one product with another: it requires a change in management," Rodríguez-Villa explains, stressing that "without technical support, even the best technology will not make it to the field."

At AseBio, we therefore highlight the potential of biotechnology applied to agriculture to develop new tools that can help restore soil health, increase crop resilience and advance towards more sustainable agricultural models, as well as the need to ensure that these innovations can be effectively and competitively deployed in the field.