In production. Completion 2026
Script: Katharina Brunner, Martin Gronemeyer
Director: Martin Gronemeyer
Producers: Michaela Kirst, Hansjürgen Schmölzer
A co-production of sagamedia Büro Berlin and BSX Schmölzer GmbH.
Researchers are searching for the fertilizer of the future—without fossil fuels. The key lies in root symbioses that bind nitrogen directly in corn and grain plants. Soil microbes could naturally regulate nitrogen levels, and even human urine might be part of the solution. Only by unlocking the secrets of biological nitrogen fixation can agriculture be both sustainable and capable of feeding billions.
Modern agriculture is unthinkable without nitrogen fertilizer—but its production has a massive environmental and climate impact. This documentary explores groundbreaking alternatives: Researchers in Europe and the United States are developing plants and microbes that extract nitrogen directly from the air, aiming to replace chemical fertilizers and reduce emissions. But how sustainable are these innovations? Can they feed a growing global population without creating new dependencies? The film takes us on a fascinating journey to the key hubs of a potential agricultural revolution.