Türkiye-based team Ceres is composed of five high school students: Diyar, Adar, Dilvin, Mir Baran, and Beyza. Having lived through a devastating drought in their region, which caused significant crop loss and a widespread food crisis, the team’s mission has been to create a scalable solution that can address this local crisis as well as global food scarcity.

The team’s local region, Mesopotamia, is commonly cited as one of the places where early civilization developed. Nestled between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, this previously fertile haven recently suffered a 40% decline in precipitation rates, which, coupled with the effects of pollution, led to a catastrophic 80% loss of crops and a subsequent local food shortage. Witnessing this destructive situation up close, the team saw how vulnerable communities were the most affected.

Coming together from different grades, the team had already heard about The Earth Prize from fellow pupils at their school. Working together, they pooled their skills and knowledge into inventing a solution that harnesses the power of plasma technology. Exposing seeds to charged particles and reactive species boosts germination and growth, while indirect treatment enriches irrigation water. Their method combats biotic and abiotic stressors on plants, reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers and overall enhancing crop yields.

When speaking about the future of their solution, the group will soon disband physically, as some members head off to study at university. That said, they won’t let the physical distance stop them. Having a strong bond and a passion for their shared mission, they wish to continue working together, aiming to establish different Ceres chapters all over the world in their new locations.

Imparting advice to future The Earth Prize applicants, the team agreed that the process has not only inspired them, but also taught them many new skills, ranging from how to find an investor to building a reliable company. They suggest choosing a topic that you “truly” want to find a solution to, so that you stay motivated and succeed as a team.