Harnessing Nature’s Power: How Symbiagro is Redefining Sustainable Agriculture

As the global population rises and climate pressures increase, the world is turning its eyes toward sustainable solutions in agriculture. In this evolving landscape, Symbiagro emerges as a biotech startup and a torchbearer of green innovation. Specializing in bio-fertilizers and bio-stimulants, Symbiagro harnesses the power of beneficial soil microorganisms to enhance crop yields and quality naturally. This is not just about growing more food but also about making it brighter and cleaner.

The Hidden Costs of Conventional and Organic Farming:

The global agricultural sector is at a crossroads. Traditional farming practices, heavily reliant on synthetic chemicals, have led to soil depletion, reduced biodiversity, and growing consumer demand for healthier, organic produce. Italy, the third-largest organic producer in Europe, presents both a challenge and a huge opportunity. There’s vast potential to expand sustainable practices in the south, where 58% of national organic production takes place. However, areas like permanent crops and horticulture remain underrepresented in growth statistics, creating a clear gap to be addressed.

Symbiagro’s founders bring together decades of experience in sectors like industrial automation, private equity, and agronomic R&D. Their interdisciplinary approach has earned them prestigious European R&D grants. Projects like LIFE MICROFIGHTER—aimed at replacing copper in organic farming—and EUROSTAR IGS, an AI-driven agronomic analytics platform, demonstrate how science can drive sustainability. The team’s work across southern Italy in diverse crops from cereals to vineyards shows how tailored bio-solutions improve both yield and quality, while restoring soil biodiversity.

Italy have been the 3rd country in Europe for Organic area production in 2022, the biggest organic production are Cereals (42%) and grassland (30%) while permanent crops (23%) and horticulture (2,5%) doesn’t grow more year by year. South of Italy is the area with the biggest organic production that is 58% of national production, while center of Italy is 21,3% and North Italy is 20,5%. General distribution of organic products in Italy is about 3.8B euro with a increased in pricing up to 5% in 2022.

Organic Farming opportunity

Organic and symbiotic agriculture pays off across the board. Farmers benefit from healthier soils, reduced input costs, and premium pricing. Consumers get safer, more nutritious food. The environment gains through reduced pollution and enhanced biodiversity. With Italy targeting 25% organic utilization of agricultural area by 2030, the time for scalable, proven solutions like Symbiagro’s is now. Policies under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reinforce these transitions with strategic support and funding mechanisms.

Italy had a Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) in organic up to 8,5% in 2018 , that grow up to 16% in 2020. The national goals are to reach a 25% organic production Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) by 2030 , and have CAP support for at least 11,9% of Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) in organic by 2027. Between the three biggest country producer of organic farming crops in EU Italy has the higher % of Utilized Agricultural Area (UAA) to be reached by 2030 (25% Italy, 18% France, 20% Spain).

Sustainable Growth in Organic Farming

The organic farming sector is facing a number of challenges and opportunities. One of the main challenges lies in the uneven consumption trend across regions—while demand for organic products is increasing in Northern Europe and Northern Italy, it remains comparatively low in the southern parts of Italy. Additionally, organic farming methodologies are becoming more difficult to manage due to the impacts of climate change and stricter regulations on the use of synthetic substances, increasing the risks and complexity of organic production.

On the other hand, there are promising opportunities. The European market is experiencing a growing demand for organic products, which will require a significant increase in local production and supply. This is especially important given that many imported organic products from outside Europe do not always meet the stringent standards imposed within the EU. Italy, with its strong reputation for agri-food exports, high biodiversity, and the globally recognized “Made in Italy” brand, is well positioned to meet this demand. Remarkably, 58% of Italy’s organic production comes from Southern Italy, presenting a substantial opportunity for growth and development in this region, especially with the potential to offer products at premium prices.

Symbiagro has played a key role in addressing some of the challenges in organic farming by developing innovative strategies to restore and maintain soil biodiversity. Their organic-certified products help increase both yield and quality at harvest, ultimately improving revenues for organic farming businesses. Through various EU-funded projects, Symbiagro is actively working on solutions to some of the sector’s biggest problems.

One such initiative is the LIFE MICROFIGHTERS project, which aims to reduce the use of copper in organic farming—a common but environmentally harmful practice. In crops like olives, grapes, tomatoes, and various fruits, copper is still widely used due to the lack of alternative organic-approved defense methods. This project has allowed Symbiagro and its partners to assess the effects of copper on soil health and to test a sustainable alternative in the form of a ZEO-biopesticide. The results have been promising: copper levels in the soil were reduced by 41.7%, biodiversity improved, and the final food products were of better quality and more environmentally friendly.

Symbiagro also continuously evaluates its strategies to ensure ongoing improvement. For instance, during the 2023–2024 farming season in Italy, their cereal strategy for wheat production yielded excellent results despite unstable weather conditions. During sowing, the use of Triptolemus Mytho enhanced seed germination and early rooting. In the spring, a foliar treatment with Symbiothrive Brio improved overall plant health, and later, the application of Symbiosprint Proteo led to an average 11% increase in the protein content of the wheat.

Due to market data the Organic retail sales in EU in 2020 had a higher % in Nordic countries like Denmark 13% and Sweden 9% and have a higher market value in the biggest European economies like Germany up to 15B € and France 12,5B €. While Italy had an Organic retail sales lower market share up to 3,5% and lower market value up to 3.5B € (mainly concentrated in Northen Italy).

What’s next?

At Symbiagro, the vision is rooted in developing innovative and eco-sustainable formulations derived from natural raw materials—including plant-based inputs and beneficial microbials that are reimagined and enhanced—to deliver tailored strategies for farmers. These solutions are designed not only to meet specific agronomic needs but also to foster long-lasting benefits for the root-soil-plant system, improving the health of current crops and creating favorable conditions for future ones. Our ultimate goal is to support farmers in achieving higher yields and improved quality while ensuring that organic farming remains viable and competitive despite the increasing challenges it faces.

As we move forward, we are committed to expanding the reach of our solutions across the Italian market through active collaboration with farmers, agronomic research centers, agricultural cooperatives and consortia, commercial distributors, and new locally developed R&D demonstration projects.

In this journey, the Smarterra community represents a key partner. Through its support, we can increase awareness of our innovative solutions, work in synergy with like-minded pioneers, and jointly contribute to the development of Southern Italy’s agri-food sector. Symbiagro is proud to be an active member of this ecosystem, driving innovation and sustainability to position Southern Italy as a leading hub for organic farming within the European market.

About the Author

Alessandro Pipolo

PMO and Executive manager in a green AgBiotech company, curious and enthusiastic about innovation and sustainability in all sectors, with previous experience as PM and a demonstrated eleven-year work history in the information technology and services industry for B2B customers such as Banking, Fintech, Insurance, and Telco companies.