Another international award for ProPlanta — FAO recognises Hungary’s nutrient-management software

14.10.2025

The HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research (HUN-REN CAR) has received prestigious international recognition for ProPlanta, a cost-saving, environmentally friendly fertilisation advisory system. The Hungarian-developed software has won an award in a competition launched to mark the 80th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The award honours scientifically grounded, sustainable solutions that have had a significant impact on agricultural practice in recent decades. The award will be presented on 15 October.

FAO marks its 80th anniversary in 2025. To mark the occasion, the organisation is highlighting outstanding international achievements in crop production and plant protection. The competition features five categories recognising innovative solutions applied over the past forty years in sustainable crop production and plant protection that advance the principle of ‘producing more with less’.

At the awards ceremony on 15 October, HUN-REN CAR will be recognised in the ‘Technological Development and Transformation’ category for the ProPlanta system.

ProPlanta is a cost-saving, environmentally friendly fertilisation advisory system that distils sixty years of field research into an innovative, user-friendly software tool, offering scientifically validated fertilisation recommendations for more than 150 crops. Building on its unique database, the computerised system supports the efficient and economical use of nutrient inputs in crop production. It helps farmers achieve planned yields while protecting the environment and improving profitability. In practice, its use reduces the amount of mineral fertiliser applied, thereby lowering environmental impact. Estimates indicate that, thanks to ProPlanta, roughly 2,500 tonnes less nitrate and 15,000 tonnes less phosphate have entered the soil over recent decades. To date, the system has been used on around 1.5 million hectares, generating more than €10 million in savings for farmers.

ProPlanta has received several awards, including the Hungarian Innovation Grand Prize (2007), the National Quality Innovation Award (2021) and the International Quality Innovation Award (2022). This year, FAO is recognising the Hungarian researchers’ development.