On April 25, 2025, the third day of the 6th BioAgTech World Congress, themed “Pathbreaking Innovations Day,” commenced at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Shahdara, New Delhi, with a series of insightful workshops and sessions. The day featured concurrent sessions focused on pioneering themes in agriculture and sustainability, including sustainable farming, microbiome technology, precision AgTech, global product launches, expert panels, and in-depth discussions on biostimulants.
One of the key highlights of the morning was Workshop 1, themed “Integrated Organic, Natural and Profitable Farming with Farmer Centricity”. The session marked the global launch of the Make India Organic, Natural & Profitable (MIONP) initiative in collaboration with the Millionaire Farmer of India (MFOI) program.
The session began with a warm welcome and introductions, setting the stage for an impactful panel discussion featuring: Dr. Ajay Ranka, MD, Zydex; M.C. Dominic, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Krishi Jagran and Agriculture World; A.G. Kawamura, Former Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture; Dr. KRK Reddy, President, BIPA.
Dr. Ajay Ranka emphasized the urgent need for the MIONP initiative, stressing the importance of adopting organic and natural farming methods without compromising farmers’ income. He shared insights on achieving profitability within a single crop cycle, utilizing manure, farm residues, and fermented organic matter, and enhancing soil quality using Zytonic bio-fertilizers. He also shared his views on micro-encapsulation technology for natural neem oil and announced a grand challenge to accelerate innovation in this space.
M.C. Dominic delivered a comprehensive presentation on the synergy between MFOI and MIONP, underlining their potential to revolutionize agriculture in India. He emphasized the need to make agriculture aspirational for youth, integrate natural farming practices, and make India healthier through sustainable methods. He also highlighted the 10 core collectives that form the foundation of the MIONP initiative.
A significant milestone during the workshop was the global launch of MGONP (Make Global Organic, Natural & Profitable), along with the announcement of a new global category for organic and natural profitable farming.
In a major move to strengthen the mission, Krishi Jagran and MAC Krishi Jagran Foundation formalized collaborations with BASAI, BIPA, and Global BioAg Linkages (GBL) through the signing of three strategic MoUs. These agreements mark a critical step forward for 'Mission 2047: Make India Organic, Natural & Profitable (MIONP),' aiming to catalyze a nationwide shift toward sustainable agricultural practices. Through policy advocacy, international partnerships, and active engagement with farmers and stakeholders, these alliances will drive innovation, elevate organic standards, and promote environmentally sound and economically viable farming across India.
The session concluded with an engaging audience Q&A and closing remarks, before transitioning to the next session.
Workshop 2, themed "Soil Health, Plant Health and Human Health balance by Integrating Microbiome (Mycorrhyza) innovations/Micro technology with Precision AgTech., Biomaker GBI Agrocel partnership Launch," delved into the interconnection between soil health, plant health, and human health, with a strong focus on innovations in microbiome technology (Mycorrhiza) and precision AgTech. This session also marked the official partnership launch between Biomaker GBI and Agrocel. Key speakers included: Dr. Venkatesh Devanur, CEO, Agrilife; Dr. Ajay Ranka, MD, Zydex; Karel Bolckmans, Biocontrol Expert; Adrian Ferrero, CEO, BiomeMaker; Dr. Shroff, MD, Agrocel.
The speakers explored the challenges of maintaining soil and human health and discussed cutting-edge tools and solutions designed to tackle these challenges. Their insights demonstrated the transformative potential of microbiome-based technologies and precision agriculture tools in promoting holistic agricultural health.
The workshop sessions concluded with a ceremonial signing and official partnership announcement, followed by a networking lunch.
After lunch and sponsor comments, the afternoon session began with Session 5, themed “Enhancing Nutrient Use Efficiency, Abiotic Stress, Soil, Plant, Seed Health and Water Efficiency Management with Biostimulants” chaired by Dr. Giuseppe Colla, Professor of Horticulture at the University of Tuscia and President of the Integrated University Center in Italy. The session explored nutrient use efficiency, abiotic stress, and biostimulant technologies. It began with opening comments from Dr. Colla, Dr. Adrian Percy, Dr. S.K. Malhotra, and Roger Tripathi.
Several short but impactful presentations followed, including a talk on harnessing the power of vegetal peptides; from biostimulation to biochelation by Alice Toderi, Chief Marketing Officer, Hello Nature, and a session on the topic TBC by MAFA's CEO/Marketing Head.
Sandeepa Kanitkar, MD, Kan Biosys presented on VITORMONE®, a novel biofertilizer, and Dmytro Yakovenko discussed the role of microbial polysaccharides (LIPOSAM). Other notable presentations covered topics like biosynthesis of single molecules for resilience (Guillaume Wégria, CEO, Fyteko), BioNexus’ microbial database (Dr. Rahul Jog, Head, R&D, Bioprime AgriSolutions), and targeted stress mitigation with CARRABIIOTL® (Dr. Vinod Gaur, Technical Head, Agri Biochem Research Lab).
Innovative biostimulant products from Kisan Agrovet (Sahil Malick, Director) and SICIT Group (Mukesh Kumar, Manager) were also introduced. The session concluded with a compelling presentation by Manoj Kumar of CEO Capsber on a scalable innovation for nutrient and resilience management, followed by a wrap-up and Q&A led by Dr. Colla.
Session 6: Integrated Crop Solution for Biotic Stress Management, MRL Management with the Role of Microbiomes, Precision Agtech, and Biologicals was chaired by Dr. Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT and former DG of ICAR & Secretary DARE. Adrian Percy, Executive Director at NC State - Plant Sciences Initiative (PSI), USA, served as the Co-Chair and delivered the keynote and innovation papers.
The session began with Chair and Sponsor’s Comments by Adrian Percy. Following this, he presented on "Revolutionizing Regenerative Agriculture with the Discovery of Superior Microbes," emphasizing advancements in microbial technologies to support sustainable farming.
Next, Christopher Do, COO of BSB Nanotechnology in Vietnam, discussed "Enhancing Rice and Wheat Yields Sustainably: The Case for Rice Husk Silica and the BNS Program," showcasing how nanotechnology can improve crop productivity.
Dr. Neeru Jain, Head of Application Research at Privi Life Sciences, India, introduced "ORTHO SILICIC ACID: A Viable Solution for Combating Heat Stress in Horticultural Crops," highlighting its benefits under climate stress conditions.
Carlos Ledó Orriach, CEO of Veganic Nature, Spain, spoke on "BELVINE: No Mildews, No Residues, Just Better Grapes," underlining a sustainable approach to viticulture.
Dr. Markandeya Gorantla, CEO of ATGC, India, presented "From Camouflage to Competitive Attraction: Redefining Pheromone Delivery with ATGC’s Carbon-Neutral Biopesticide Platforms," which explored novel pest control methods.
Karel Bolckmans, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at Biobest, Belgium, delivered insights on "The Role of Beneficial Insects and Mites in IPM Programs," stressing the importance of ecological pest control.
Adrian Ferrero, Co-Founder & CEO of BiomeMakers, Spain, shared strategies on "How to Drive Sustainable Farming Practices by Connecting Soil Health and Agtech," emphasizing digital solutions to improve soil and crop health.
Dr. Himanshu Pathak returned to present "Vision 2047 of Indian Agriculture with Focus on Sustainable Farming Practices & Farmer's Income," providing a strategic roadmap for India’s agricultural transformation.
Following the technical sessions, attendees were invited to an Appreciation Reception, Dinner, Cocktail, and Entertainment, which also included the Launch of the BAW Congress 2026 in Valencia, Spain. Additionally, the BioAgTech Innovator Award was presented by OCP Nutribioetk and Dr. Himanshu Pathak, DG ICRISAT, to honor innovation in the agricultural biotechnology space.
