Hunger is a blight on human existence that impacts the lives of an estimated 800 million people around the world. The reasons behind this crisis are complex— ranging from climate change to economic instability and inefficient food distribution. While international organizations, policymakers, and NGOs play a crucial role in addressing hunger, innovative solutions from the private sector can accelerate progress toward zero hunger.
ICL Group is leveraging its expertise in sustainable farming, precision agriculture, resource-efficient crop nutrition, and food preservation to drive meaningful change and help solve world hunger. By aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and prioritizing agricultural innovation, ICL is helping to strengthen food security and build more resilient food systems.
The United Nations prioritizes urgent requirements for change with a series of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN is highly focused on the fundamental issue of how to solve hunger addressed in SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
ICL is working in close alignment with the United Nations objectives and is implementing several strategies to contribute to a lasting and comprehensive solution to world hunger.
The Foundational Strategy: Precision Agriculture and Sustainability
ICL’s foundational strategy for solving world hunger is to promote precision agriculture and sustainability. ICL has developed a range of advanced controlled release fertilizers and fertigation products, biostimulants and digital agriculture products to optimize the productivity of existing agricultural units, while improving soil health, minimizing environmental damage and facilitating regenerative agriculture.
The adoption of precision agriculture via smart AgTech – including Big Data, AI, and IoT connected drones, sensors and robotics – can transform crop health and yields, whilst slashing operating costs and labour requirements.
Precision agriculture also enables a high level of risk management in crop planning and the development of tailored crop nutrition and irrigation solutions. Growers can employ software to make data-based decisions about seed choices, the suitability of new types of crops – and even future consumer demand – with a high level of accuracy.
Next Generation Crop Nutritional Solutions
ICL is pioneering the development of highly sophisticated controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) that use innovative biodegradable coatings to regulate the release of nutrients.
One of ICL’s most innovative controlled release fertilizers is eqo.x. It is designed to reduce nutrient loss by up to 50% and to improve nitrogen use efficiency by up to 80%. Another significant advantage is that eqo.x generally requires a single application, and provides predictable crop nutrition throughout an entire growing season.
This innovative approach is transformative for a number of reasons. CRFs empower growers and allow them to run an optimized cost effective operation with a reduced carbon footprint. Farmers can improve yields on existing agricultural plots, increasing harvest size and quality. This super-efficient approach to crop nutrition is a game changer.
Digital Agriculture: Unleashing Big Data for Farming
One of ICL’s most far reaching and transformative strategies is the development of digital agriculture. A range of new apps and digital platforms (including Agmatix and Growers software) is connecting agronomists and farmers to big data and allowing them to make informed decisions about crop and seed choices. Data based decision making permits an exceptionally high level of risk management and opens the door to a new generation of agricultural innovation.
One of the biggest challenges facing agronomists who want to solve world hunger is the need to adapt to climate change and extreme weather events. Digital agriculture is a powerful tool for growers who want to assess the suitability of new crops or seed types for a particular location, or even an individual microclimate. Digital agriculture can also deliver data-based insights into future weather patterns and aid with planting and harvesting.
A vital – and often overlooked – role of digital agriculture is its use in research and field trials. The AgTech sector produces thousands of transformational ideas, disruptive concepts, and new technologies, but the journey to market can easily take a decade. Digital platforms and apps can standardize research data and optimize data management, connect researchers and stakeholders across the world, and streamline compliance with tough regulatory requirements.
Innovation as the Catalyst for a More Food-Secure Future
Advancing global food security requires more than just increasing agricultural output—it demands a fundamental shift in how food is grown, preserved, and distributed. ICL is driving this transformation through cutting-edge innovation, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to sustainable solutions that empower farmers and strengthen food systems.
Through ICL Planet, the company fosters collaboration with AgTech and FoodTech pioneers, accelerating the development of next-generation agriculture solutions, and breakthrough food preservation technologies. ICL’s robust internal Innovation plays a key role in shaping the future of agriculture—contributing ideas that enhance crop nutrition, soil health, and resource efficiency.
By integrating advanced crop nutrition, digital farming solutions, and post-harvest innovations, ICL is not just responding to the challenge of feeding a growing population but is actively shaping a more resilient and sustainable global food system.
With a relentless focus on sustainability, research, technology, and collaboration, ICL continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible, ensuring that food security is not just a vision for the future, but a reality we continue to build today.
