Mariangela Hungria knew she was on the verge of a scientific breakthrough that could transform Brazilian agriculture, fight hunger, slash pollution and keep struggling farmers out of bankruptcy. But, to get anyone to listen to her, she would first have to throw a great party.

Today, 85 percent of Brazilian soybeans are grown using the bacteria fertilizers Hungria and her colleagues developed. Their work saves farmers about $25 billion on fertilizer costs and prevents 54 million cars’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions every year. Hungria was awarded the 2025 World Food Prize — the agriculture sector’s answer to the Nobel Prize — for her decades of work.

These so-called biologicals are commonly used to reduce chemical fertilizer dependence around the world. The techniques Hungria developed could boost their potency in other countries — including the United States — and supercharge soybean production in sub-Saharan Africa, where the crop is relatively new and millions suffer from hunger.

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