UAE teenagers convert chicken feathers into biofertiliser in farm trials

Three Year 13 pupils at Dubai International Academy have developed a bacterial process that converts discarded chicken feathers into biofertiliser, with trials now underway at 16 farms and nurseries across the UAE, Oman and India. Adit Mital, Anushka Harlalka and Maanit Misra filed a joint provisional patent application for BioFeathers and plan to approach Dubai authorities to expand the project.

Bacterial breakdown extracts keratin from poultry waste#

The process uses bacteria to break down keratin, a protein in chicken feathers that resists natural degradation. Several million tons of poultry feathers are discarded globally each year, creating environmental waste. The pupils collected approximately 2kg of feathers from a poultry farm in Sharjah and prepared them for laboratory testing. Working with researchers at the University of Sharjah, the team developed nine nutrient-rich formulations that can be used as fertilisers or plant-growth boosters. First laboratory experiments began in December 2025, with three rounds of trials completed by February 2026.

Early tests show 20 to 30 percent growth increase#

Controlled tests using bok choy and radishes showed growth measurements 20 to 30 percent higher than commercial comparison treatments, according to the pupils. Results are preliminary and further testing is required. The team has since moved testing to farms and nurseries in the UAE, Oman and India. More than 1,200 farmers have been involved in trials, helping the pupils understand how the product could work in agricultural settings. The pupils said the trials aim to assess real-world application and refine the formulations based on farmer feedback.

Patent application filed as project moves beyond school#

What began as a school science project has progressed to a joint provisional patent application. The pupils began by contacting academics and universities through cold emails before securing collaboration with the University of Sharjah. Their families initially expressed surprise at the idea but later helped the teenagers travel to laboratories and connect with people who could support the work. The pupils said they saw an opportunity to turn something normally thrown away into something useful, identifying a gap between current waste disposal methods and potential applications for poultry feathers.

Next steps include approach to Dubai authorities#

The team plans to approach Dubai authorities to expand BioFeathers beyond the current trial phase. The pupils said the main idea is that chicken feathers contain keratin, a useful protein that is difficult to break down and extract. Their process aims to extract useful material from feathers without burning or other energy-intensive methods. The project addresses both agricultural waste reduction and the creation of plant nutrients from a previously discarded material. Field studies in the UAE, India and Oman continue as the pupils refine the formulations and gather data from participating farms.