Agustín Büchert, Chief Science Officer and Co-founder of ClearLeaf
Agustin Büchert is a co-founder and the chief science officer of ClearLeaf. ClearLeaf is a retail business of sustainable crop protection solutions. It was first launched in Costa Rica in 2017 to create sustainable crop protection strategies that manage the impacts of harmful pests while maintaining natural balance on the farm, protecting farmers and consumers.
ClearLeaf offers GotaBlanca, a safe, organic-certified fungicide and bactericide for agricultural use, utilizing patented technology. GotaBlanca provides farmers with an affordable, non-toxic, and effective broad-spectrum solution to address the urgent need for sustainable alternatives to toxic agrochemicals.
Challenges and Solutions
What challenges in agriculture does ClearLeaf aim to address, and how do you approach these challenges?
The need for farmers to use highly toxic agrochemicals to maintain crop yield and income, despite grave concerns about their harm to health and the environment. Current non-toxic alternatives like biologicals leave huge gaps in efficacy, adaptability, and coverage that will take decades to fill.
ClearLeaf’s product GotaBlanca provides a powerful, sustainable, safe, and effective solution to control fungal and bacterial pests without the negative impacts of toxic pesticides. It aims to transform crop protection.
What are five “highs,” or successes that you’ve seen in the last year?
Secured new market registrations for GotaBlanca in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama in addition to initial registration in Costa Rica. Received purchase orders from all these countries
Demonstrated GotaBlanca’s effectiveness for postharvest applications, with strong market demand, particularly for fresh produce exports. In discussions with a large pineapple exporter.
A successful trial with Walmart in Costa Rica showing GotaBlanca increased onion yield by 6-8% and quality by 17% compared to current pesticides. Walmart officially recommended GotaBlanca to onion and tomato suppliers.
Entered discussions with potential partners in numerous international markets—most notably Australia, Japan, South Africa, and Colombia. Finalizing licensing deals for Japan and South Korea.
Advanced IP protection, with patents granted or allowed in over 30 countries worldwide.
What are five “lows,” or challenges faced during ClearLeaf’s opening/ expansion phase?
Slow adoption of new technologies by risk-averse farmers. Overcame by ensuring GotaBlanca is easy to use with existing equipment and methods
Higher prices compared to cheap generic pesticides. Overcame by emphasizing GotaBlanca’s premium effectiveness, safety, and benefits.
Intense competition from entrenched agrochemical giants. Overcame by forming partnerships with innovative distributors looking for better solutions.
Securing early adopters and distribution partners. Overcame by conducting trials with major growers and exporters to drive market demand.
Time and cost of new market registrations. Overcame by partnering with distributors to share registration costs. We also pursued regulatory paths allowing faster approvals.
Community Engagement
In what ways does ClearLeaf engage with the local community? Are there local organizations or events you partner with or participate in?
We often participate in events with farmers including informative and educational sessions with farmers. We have partnered with local startup accelerators to share our experience as a startup and our journey. We have a team of seasoned salespeople who walk the farms with our clients to better understand their needs and provide support.
As a participant in the Cultivate Conference, what unique perspectives or solutions does ClearLeaf bring to the table?
Experience developing and commercializing a novel, highly effective yet safe crop protection product.
Expertise in navigating regulatory hurdles across multiple countries to bring innovative ag-tech to market.
Insights on fostering the adoption of new sustainable technologies by risk-averse growers.
Strategies for competing against entrenched giants and transforming entrenched practices in crop protection.
Does ClearLeaf utilize technologies like AI, ML, or robotics?
Our core technology is an innovative crop protection chemistry. While we don’t apply directly concepts of AI, ML, or robotics, we ensure our product is compatible with such technologies. For example, we have clients using automated drones to spray our product on crops
In what ways does ClearLeaf foster collaboration between technology developers and growers? Can you describe a project that had a notable impact?
We collaborated with both Walmart and major growers on field trials of GotaBlanca in key crops like onions and tomatoes. These trials demonstrated the product’s benefits and led Walmart to recommend it to its suppliers. We also partner with major produce exporters and multinationals to conduct trials and get their feedback to optimize the product for their needs. We work closely with distributors who have relationships with growers to drive awareness, education, and adoption of GotaBlanca worldwide.
Looking at the future of agriculture technology, what emerging trends or innovations do you think will have the most significant impact on the industry over the next five years?
There is a growing emphasis on sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation. Technologies such as automated irrigation systems, biofertilizers, and crop rotation are being used to promote eco-friendly farming. Regenerative agriculture aims to restore soil health and sequester carbon, contributing to climate change mitigation. GotaBlanca’s soil-friendly profile aligns with regenerative agriculture practices, so we are very happy to be part of this muchneeded change.
