·
All episodes
Marko Vinceković
Episode · #282

PAMETNA HRVATSKA Marko Vinceković

Guest Marko VincekovićHosted by Boris ŽivkovićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

The conversation opens not with a product, but with a stark challenge: modern agriculture's reliance on vast quantities of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and inorganic compounds is accelerating climate change, depleting fertile land, and leaving harmful residues in our food. Marko Vinceković, at the helm of Makabi Agritech—a company founded by a team from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb—has spent years developing a direct answer to this problem. He introduces a new generation of microcapsules designed to protect and nourish plants simultaneously, dramatically reducing the need for conventional treatments. Readers will come away considering how truly sustainable agriculture requires not just new technologies, but a fundamental shift in how we approach food production and farmer education.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Makabi Agritech's microcapsules protect and nourish plants simultaneously, a stark departure from the siloed approach of conventional agriculture. This isn't merely a new product; it's a new generation of formulations designed to replace conventional inputs, addressing both crop health and the wider environmental impact of modern agriculture.
02
Microcapsules of copper applied to grapevines in late May remained on the leaves until September, continuing to protect against downy mildew. This sustained, timed release of active components means dramatically fewer applications and greater efficiency than the conventional 15+ treatments per season, fundamentally changing the labor and input cost equation for farmers.
03
Vinceković insists his microcapsules are not GMO, but rather "agroecological formulations" made with biodegradable materials and microorganisms isolated from the soil. For a new agricultural technology to gain trust, its method of creation is as important as its effect—it must be demonstrably harmless to both nature and human health, a core principle of green chemistry.
04
Makabi Agritech initially targeted small local agroecological producers, but Vinceković found many farmers "don't want changes" and are content with their current practices. Even with a product offering clear benefits, the biggest hurdle can be overcoming ingrained habits; a superior solution often requires education and communication more than it needs further product refinement.
05
Makabi Agritech is currently producing these microcapsules at a laboratory level, using a small instrument designed for scientific research, essentially fulfilling orders "by request." The gap between a proven concept and industrial-scale production requires not just more funding, but often a complete technological re-engineering, defining the next major hurdle for scientific startups.
06
Beyond disease protection and nutrition, tests on tomatoes, lettuce, and strawberries showed an increase in bioactive components like chlorophyll and lycopene in the final product. The true measure of a new agricultural input isn't just yield or resilience, but its ability to produce "functional foods" with enhanced nutritional profiles, directly linking crop science to human health.
07
Vinceković stresses that reducing classical plant protection products also reduces the residues of organic compounds, hormones, and antibiotics in the food we eat. The long-term cost of conventional agriculture isn't just environmental damage, but the hidden health impact of chemical residues in the food chain, making clean inputs a human health imperative.
Explore further
ScenariosBusiness challengesCardsEducational cardsTimelineTopic evolution