Democratizing access to lab-grade soil nutrient analysis to reduce global overfertilization

Cel

Farmers worldwide face a paradox: fertilizer use has reached historic highs, yet yields and profit margins are stagnating or even declining. More than half of applied fertilizers are lost to the environment, causing soil degradation, nutrient imbalances, and widespread pollution. At the same time, research shows that 20–30% of current fertilizer inputs could be eliminated without reducing yields, thus improving farm profitability and supporting EU sustainability goals. The key barrier preventing this reduction is the lack of accurate, field-specific information on soil nutrient status, as existing analysis methods force farmers to choose between fast but unreliable portable tests and precise but slow and costly laboratory services, leaving most farms, especially small and medium-sized, without dependable decision support.
SMAGRY directly addresses this gap as the first soil nutrient analysis solution that combines the portability and affordability of handheld tools with true laboratory-grade accuracy. It enables on-the-spot, quantitative measurement of all major nutrients within minutes, powered by advanced AI algorithms that transform high-quality field data into actionable fertilization recommendations. This breakthrough is enabled by a novel integration of miniaturized capillary electrophoresis, patented microfluidic sample preparation, and high-sensitivity contactless conductivity detection.
The proposed project aims to ensure and demonstrate that the accuracy, reliability, and usability achieved in the lab conditions can also be delivered in the field (to reach TRL6). This requires designing the analyzer device for ruggedness, developing a cloud application & AI recommendation system and conducting pilots with end users, while constantly developing and validating the business model.