In an unprecedented milestone for agricultural innovation in Chile, the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, CEDENNA, successfully held its first “Nanotechnology Fair for the Agricultural Sector”, bringing together prominent government and business representatives and leaders of Chilean agriculture. This pioneering event offered a unique platform for discovering and discussing state-of-the-art nanotechnology solutions, marking a turning point in the way the sector faces environmental and sustainability challenges. With a clear vision for the future, the center positions itself at the forefront of applied science, promoting not only technological progress but also the sustainable and resilient development of agriculture in Chile.
Sensors capable of revealing the presence of pesticides and fungicides in record time; devices for detecting pathogens in food; nanoparticles made from native and Antarctic plants to produce fertilizers and pesticides; smart packaging created with nanoparticles to preserve food while protecting its quality and organoleptic properties; and biogas generation with nanoparticles were some of the examples of nanotechnology for agriculture that attendees, leaders of agricultural companies, saw first-hand at the Center’s facilities.
The opening ceremony was attended by, among other authorities, the Rector of Usach, Dr. Rodrigo Vidal; the president of the National Agriculture Society and former Minister of Agriculture, Antonio Walker; the executive director of the CEDENNA Foundation and 2019 National Prize for Exact Sciences winner, Dr. Dora Altbir; and the executive director of the Foundation for Agricultural Innovation, Francine Brossard.
Chile, an eco-food powerhouse
On the occasion, the executive director of the CEDENNA Foundation and National Prize for Exact Sciences winner, Dr. Dora Altbir, highlighted “the necessary synergy that must be strengthened between scientific research and the business sector, because centers like ours have the experience and concrete developments with which they can contribute to a more sustainable, productive Chile capable of facing future challenges by contributing frontier science”,
The SNA President stressed that the private institution’s purpose is “to move from being an agri-food powerhouse to being an ECO-food powerhouse. And nanotechnology is fundamental in this modernization process”.
“We have seen an enormous list of areas in which it can impact food quality and safety, genetic improvement, early disease detection, and soil and water care; all these elements complement this important change in Chilean agriculture,” he emphasized, highlighting the importance of this “great joint challenge”.
“In a few years the world will demand 50% more food and we will have to produce it with fewer farmers, less land and less water, in a context of climate change, and therefore we have to do it with much more technology to achieve the higher yields needed to meet the demand of a growing population,” he concluded.
The Executive Director of the Foundation for Agricultural Innovation (FIA) agreed that each of the projects presented by CEDENNA “is fundamental to helping farmers have the early warnings that allow them to face current climate circumstances safely for human and environmental health and with the necessary regulation for that”
“From now on, I leave the doors open to CEDENNA to move forward together in this purpose,” she said.
Attendees toured the exhibition, were able to talk directly with researchers, ask for specific details on the use of the different technologies and even schedule future meetings.
“We believe this is a unique opportunity to highlight how nanoscience and nanotechnology made in Chile can revolutionize national agriculture and offer excellent technological solutions. It can change the way food is grown and solve urgent agricultural problems, and this fair shows us that our country has more than enough knowledge and capacity in this area,” said Usach Rector Rodrigo Vidal, highlighting that contributing to sustainability is a commitment of the university.
