26/11/2021
How to solve the pesticide problem
As we seek an alternative to pesticides, biopesticides may offer up a workable solution. Sean Smith from Eden Research explores…
A recent UK Government report produced in collaboration with the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) highlighted the human health hazards posed by the cocktail of pesticides commonly used on grapes, oranges and other produce.
The official research highlighted 122 different pesticides which are found in the 12 most polluted products. Of these 122 pesticides, 61 percent are classified as highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) according to the United Nations (UN). This means they are considered a danger to human health according to UN classifications. Despite this dire assessment, these products are found in the everyday fruit and vegetables.
Findings like this should be of concern, not only to the end consumers, but growers and supermarkets as well. Hazardous pesticides aren’t just harmful to the people eating the products, they are damaging for the environment and our natural habitats, threatening our landscape’s native biodiversity by killing off insects essential for our thriving ecosystems and endangering some of our best loved wildlife, such as bees, birds and fish. Most people aren’t aware of the role these animals play. To illustrate this point, nearly one third of the country’s food relies on insect pollination, which contribute £690 million to the UK economy every year and £120 billion to the global economy. Their loss would not only impact how our landscapes look, but the variety, availability and cost of our foods.
Encouragingly, regulators around the world are already introducing more stringent legislation to drive higher and healthier standards in the food supply chain. The European Commission has recently committed to measures designed to reduce ‘the use of hazardous pesticides by 50 percent’ by 2030, as part of its ‘Farm to Fork Strategy’ for sustainable food systems. This action also reflects shifting consumer demands as people become more conscious of where their food is sourced and how it is produced, and savvier about their choices. As a result, the worldwide organic food and drink market is expected to reach $272.18 billion by 2027, growing 12.2 percent a year from 2020 to 2027.
Biopesticides are a viable solution
Whilst banning hazardous pesticides might lead to healthier produce for end consumers, the introduction of more regulation also presents significant challenges for farmers, who currently rely on pesticides to protect their crops and, in turn, their yield and livelihood. Without effective crop protection products, their way of life and the financial viability of their business is under threat. All of this is against the backdrop of increasing demand for healthy and affordable food to feed the growing global population. Total global food demand is expected to increase by 35 to 56 percent between 2010 and 2050. Taking away effective crop protection solutions would not only impact farmers, but critical global food supplies.
Farmers require sustainable alternatives that can compete with traditional chemical products when it comes to critical issues such as ease-of-use, efficacy, safety, cost and reliability, and are turning to biopesticides as a solution.
Fortunately, biopesticides, which are formulated from nature-derived sources, increasingly provide real solutions for farmers. That is because the active ingredients are all widely found in plants and nature, and, therefore, have natural degradation pathways and environmental fates that are not inconsistent with natural ecosystems. They are also less likely to fall foul of regulators due to their characteristics.
Whilst banning hazardous pesticides might lead to healthier produce for end consumers, the introduction of more regulation also presents significant challenges for farmers.
Not only farmers, but many supermarket chains have already recognised the immense potential of biopesticides and are encouraging their use in favour of more harmful alternatives. For example, Marks and Spencer (actively measures for pesticide residues internally, routinely challenging suppliers on high pesticides residues. It also encourages their growers to incorporate biopesticides into their crop protection programmes and funds academic research into alternatives to conventional chemistry.
There is a clear direction of travel when it comes to the use of biopesticides. The biopesticide market is expected to grow to approximately $11 billion by 2027, growing at a rate of 15 percent per annum. This isn’t surprising when one considers that biopesticides are the clear solution to the pesticides problem which benefits all parties: consumers, farmers, regulators and environmentalists alike. As consumers continue to become more selective about their food choices and regulators continue to crack down on harmful chemicals in agriculture, food producers and retailers will have to respond and find solutions to that will make our foods healthier and more sustainable for future generations.
