Sofia University Launches GeoReForm Project to Advance Space Agriculture Research

Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” has announced the launch of Project No. 5075, titled GeoReForm – Geochemical Modification of Regoliths, a new scientific initiative exploring sustainable food production for future human settlements on the Moon and Mars.

The project reflects the university’s growing role in frontier research and positions Bulgaria within the emerging field of space agriculture and extraterrestrial resource science.

As international plans for long-term habitation beyond Earth continue to develop, the challenge of supplying future lunar and Martian missions with food remains a critical priority. Soil-based agriculture in space environments faces major obstacles, including limited nutrient availability, unsuitable physical and chemical properties, and the presence of potentially toxic elements in lunar and Martian regoliths.

The GeoReForm project aims to address these challenges through a multidisciplinary programme combining geology, geochemistry and plant sciences. One of its primary objectives is to investigate the use of Bulgarian natural materials to create proprietary replicas of lunar and Martian regolith by applying advanced petrological and geochemical methods.

Researchers will also focus on geochemical modification of the prepared regolith replicas through crystallochemical techniques. This process is expected to alter the mineral composition of the materials and significantly improve their physical and chemical characteristics, making them more suitable as a growth medium for plants.

A further stage of the project will assess the agricultural potential of both original and modified regolith replicas through plant cultivation trials. Scientists will measure a range of morphological, physiological and biochemical indicators that reveal plant health, stress tolerance and overall development under simulated extraterrestrial growing conditions.

According to the university, GeoReForm represents fundamental research in a field that is new for Bulgaria and highly promising within the natural sciences. By combining in situ regolith engineering with biological performance testing, the project seeks to contribute practical knowledge for future off-world food systems while strengthening Sofia University’s position in innovative international research.

The initiative highlights Sofia University’s continued investment in high-impact science and demonstrates how Bulgarian research institutions can contribute to global solutions for space exploration, sustainability and next-generation agriculture.

Read more: https://projects.uni-sofia.bg/ProjectDetails.aspx?ProjectId=5075

The Role of Agriventures in Supporting Agrifood Innovation

As advanced research initiatives such as GeoReForm – Geochemical Modification of Regoliths continue to expand the boundaries of agricultural science, innovation platforms such as Agriventures can play an important complementary role in supporting the commercialization and wider application of breakthrough technologies. Such frontier research demonstrates how agriculture, geology, biotechnology and environmental science are increasingly converging to address global and extraterrestrial challenges.

In this context, by strengthening connections between startups, research institutions, investors, and farmers, Agriventures contributes to building a stronger agricultural innovation ecosystem that can accelerate the transition toward sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.

Through knowledge sharing, events, and ecosystem building, Agriventures helps ensure that promising agritech innovations can scale and reach farmers, food producers, and global markets.