Innovation

The innovation is based in educating and therefore, convincing producers, to buy a different fertilizer that does not harm the environment, and by doing so, breaking the farmers customs for producing crops with agrochemicals. The Organic Foliar GTG fertilizer of eco AGRO Argentina has mainly raw material by-products of animal origin, such as natural excretions and secretions. This material is processed by enzymatic biotransformation and hydrolysis into an organic fertilizer.

The fertilizer:

• Provides a high percentage of L-Alpha free amino acids
• Provides macronutrients (N, P, K)
• Improves the metabolic and physiological functioning of the crops, in both foliar and soil applications.
• Helps the plant to withstand different types of stress, abiotic and biotic.
• Has an extensive residual nutritional effect on the soil
• Can be applied together with herbicides or pesticides, thus reducing application costs significantly.

Inspiration

“When we were presented with the possibility of undertaking the sale of this product, we not only saw that it could be economically profitable for the business but we also saw that it was possible to protect the environment in order for people to produce differently with a natural fertilizer, but it was challenging the status quo... Since then, our main purpose is to take care of the environment and promote that people take consciousness of the importance of producing and consuming differently," Joaquin Basanta told us.

"On a daily basis, we see that you can change millions of things, improve work standards, encourage producers to modify some things they have been doing for years and to become more aware of the future," according to Mr Basanta.

Overall impact

This innovation is able to generate positive impacts for the producer, since they are able to purchase a more environmental friendly product with no risk of loosing productivity or of being more expensive.

The product increases the yield of the crop making the producer produce more than with a conventional fertilizer. In the case of extensive production (100 hectares) a yield of 8% up to 20% more is seen in relation to a production without the fertilizer. The quality of the product has been increased by improving the metabolic and physiological functioning of crops, therefore also a significant improvement in food quality is perceived. Futhermore, its land productivity is better maintained due to the absence of chemical agents on the soil.

Costs are lowered since use of this product reduces the base of fertilization costs and reduces the costs of herbicides and fungicides usages. Although the product does not supplant 100% the traditional fertilizers, it helps to reduce its quantities. This low in the application represents a great cost savings for producers. Although at the beginning it requires a high level of investment, in the long term the use of the product generates high levels of profitability. Since herbicides such as Roundup are not used, it is necessary for organic or agroecological producers to hire a crew of people who carry out the process of weeding the field manually, which generates work and social value.

Business benefit

It is a scalable selling platform, since the product formula is developed with easily accessible elements. They are currently producing 30 thousand liters per month, and have the capacity to produce 300 thousand liters per month (4 million liters per year).

With the constant implementation of the technology, the resources that Agro-Sustentable has and with the good relationship that is maintained with continents such as Europe and North America, you can see a constant growth year after year, from organic producers to conventional ones, so their market is growing, and it is growing fast.

Social and environmental benefit

Agro-Sustentable, with the introduction of organic fertilizers, has achieved the implementation of a strategy that integrates preventive approaches and efficient management of resources of the environmental and productive management for the farmers.

Agro-Sustentable offers a product based on the philosophy of circular economy. The innovation is mainly based on the reuse of waste of animal origin, to create a chemical-free product.

Agro-Sustentable is also developing the application of fertilizers through “Drones”, which replace the airplanes that normally are use for the application of fertilizers.

Interview

Joaquin Basanta, President