Biofertilizers in Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Potentials, Constraints, and Field-scale Evidence

Abstract

Global agriculture confronts an unprecedented convergence of challenges: escalating climate variability, soil degradation, declining natural resources, and the imperative to feed a projected global population of nearly 9.7 billion by 2050. The intensification of conventional agriculture through synthetic chemical inputs has underpinned historical yield gains yet has simultaneously generated serious environmental externalities, including greenhouse gas emissions, soil microbiome depletion, and water eutrophication. In this context, biofertilizers—preparations of live microorganisms that augment nutrient availability, promote plant growth, and enhance soil health—have attracted growing scientific and policy attention as a cornerstone of climate-resilient agriculture. This narrative review synthesises the current state of knowledge on biofertilizer science, examining the mechanistic underpinnings of how microbial inoculants contribute to nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solubilisation, phytohormone production, and stress alleviation. Literature was identified through comprehensive searches of the following academic databases: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, CAB Abstracts, AGRIS (the international information system for the agricultural sciences administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), and the CGIAR online library. Evidence from field-scale trials across diverse agroecological zones is critically appraised to evaluate the conditions under which biofertilizers translate laboratory promise into practical agronomic benefit. The review further identifies persistent constraints—including formulation instability, inconsistent field performance, regulatory fragmentation, and knowledge barriers—that limit widespread adoption. Global and national policy frameworks are assessed for their capacity to incentivise biofertilizer integration. The paper concludes that biofertilizers represent a scientifically credible, ecologically sound, and economically promising instrument for climate-resilient agriculture, though their full potential remains contingent on advances in strain selection, delivery technology, regulatory harmonisation, and farmer education. A systems-level integration with integrated nutrient management and precision agriculture frameworks is proposed as the pathway towards scalable, durable impact.