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In addition to discussing academic research, the
whitepaper also showcases several spin-out nanotech
companies, including:
•
Vestaron Corporation
is located in the
Western
Michigan University
College of Engineering and
Applied Sciences in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is
helping lead a peptide-based revolution in crop
protection via safe insecticide development;
•
Apeel Sciences
, located in Goleta, California,
has developed an edible coating product that
can make some citrus and other fruits last twice
before spoiling by using a tasteless edible coating
made from plant materials;
•
Although the data provided to
Precision
Ag Digital Digest
indicated that one of the
companies was called Nanocare Technologies,
which is a private biopharmaceutical company
located who-knows-where, the similar-sounding
Nano-Care
sounds more promising. It is a spin-
off entity from the
Leibniz Institute for New
Materials (INM)
in Saarbrücken, Germany, and it
has created invisible high-performance coatings
using its expertise in nanotechnology, bionics,
and process engineering. Yes, this sounds more
correct;
•
NanoPhos SA
, located in Athens, Greece, is a
smart coatings developer and manufacturer.
These four companies were described in the
whitepaper as having leveraged nanotechnology
to create environmentally friendly biopesticides,
plant-based coatings for food preservation, and
nanomaterial-based fertilizers to improve crop
productivity sustainably.
Also discussed within the Commercial Applications
for Nanotechnology and Agriculture whitepaper is the
rapid growth expected in the market for sustainable
agriculture.
Analysts are projecting a compound growth rate
of 25.4 percent, which they expect will lead to a
worldwide nanotechnology market of some $16.7
billion by 2025. Increasing demand for sustainable
agriculture practices and innovative nanotechnology-
based solutions are the major drivers behind this
optimistic market outlook.
Although there is great optimism for utilizing
nanotechnology for sustainable agriculture, the
whitepaper also acknowledges that it won’t be a
simple process, with several barriers that will need to
be overcome for more widespread adoption.
Scaling up nanotechnology applications while
maintaining effectiveness and ensuring proper
distribution is a crucial challenge.
Of course, equally important as increasing
effectiveness is ensuring that the process remains
safe for the environment, human health, and other
living organisms. The whitepaper suggested that
the establishment of robust regulatory frameworks
and transparent communication with consumers
will be key to creating and ensuring public trust and
acceptance of the process. People tend to fear what
they don’t fully understand.
Professor
Peter Majewski
, Director of the
University
of South Australia’s Future Industries Institute
,
explained that “Nanotechnology offers exciting
possibilities for sustainable agriculture, particularly in
precision agriculture and targeted delivery of nutrients
and pesticides.”
He continued: “With careful consideration of the risks
and potential ethical concerns, nanotechnology can
play a vital role in meeting the world’s food security
and environmental sustainability challenges.”
Experts in the field and peer-reviewed publications
such as
NPJ Sustainable Agriculture
and
NANOGRAFI
have shown support for nanotechnology’s potential in
advancing sustainable agriculture.
There is an acknowledgement of the transformative
role nanotechnology can play in achieving ecologically
friendly and equitable food production systems
while addressing the challenges of food security and
environmental sustainability.
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“NANOTECHNOLOGY OFFERS EXCITING
POSSIBILITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE, PARTICULARLY IN
PRECISION AGRICULTURE AND
TARGETED DELIVERY OF NUTRIENTS
AND PESTICIDES.”