In 2021, the global population is just over seven billion people – and growing. By 2050, estimates predict that the planet will be home to between nine and 10 billion people. The challenge of feeding so many of us with the resources available in a sustainable way is one that we must answer, fast. 

Karel Bolckmans, Chief Technology Officer at Biobest is at the forefront of meeting this challenge. He says that the solution can be summed up in one sentence:

“At Biobest our mission is to help greenhouse growers around the world to maximize their yields while using as little chemical pesticides as possible.” 

The sentence is easy to understand, but executing brings further challenges. Sam Gui, Market Development Manager High-Tech IPM, says that meeting the challenge requires a deep understanding of how the natural world works:

“Different crops and different areas can require different solutions which means we always have to tailor our solutions.” 

Integrated Pest Management – IPM – is the company’s holistic approach that marshalls different non-chemical techniques to manage pests and diseases in crops. 

Sam explains what some of these non-chemical techniques include: 

“We produce a large range of beneficial insects and mites that are released into crops to parasitize or prey on harmful pests. We also distribute a range of biopesticides that can be based on certain microorganisms or on plant extracts such as essential oils, specific molecules, enzymes, peptides, etc. Pheromones can be used either to attract and trap insect pests or to disturb mating and therefore their reproduction.” 

How does this work on the ground? Emily Karimi, Sales Manager at Real IPM, a Biobest subsidiary in Kenya, says that non-chemical pesticides have significant benefits to crop production:

“The use of beneficial insects and mites and of biopesticides has benefited greenhouse growers in three ways. One will be increased marketability of the product because there is better quality and less residue of chemical pesticides. Also, crop production yield gets better with time because of lower plant stress from pests and diseases and from repeated chemical pesticide treatments. Finally, it is better for the environment because we only have to use harmful chemical pesticides as a last resort.”

Ethan Chege, Technical Manager at NIRP says that non-chemical pesticides are a highly practical solution for crop growers: 

“Biobest products have really had a positive impact in the crop growing process. We have had the challenge of pests building resistance to chemical pesticides. By using the natural solutions and biologicals, that problem is absolutely solved. Number two, with the natural solutions and biologicals, you are able to reach all the pests and diseases hiding in locations where the chemicals cannot reach them. Finally, natural and biological solutions are very safe. Health and safety of the employees and the environment is guaranteed.”

Tom Beyers is a Belgian grower who uses Biobest products: 

“Biobest is a reliable partner, not only in supplying healthy and good working beneficial insects and mites, but also in supplying knowledge. Together we can go find sustainable solutions for both existing and new, invasive pests and diseases.” 

Recent evolutions in vision and sensor technology, artificial intelligence and robotics provide new opportunities to deliver the right solution at the right time. Sam Gui explains:

“Our scouting app, called Crop Scanner, is used by growers to record their pest and disease scouting observations. Growers and biocontrol advisors can then analyse these data to develop an appropriate biocontrol-based IPM strategy. Together with the Canadian company ecoation we are bringing their high-tech scouting robot to the market using a combination of sensor and vision technologies. We are also collaborating with ecoation to develop a decision support system that will use scouting data to predict where next outbreaks might occur in the crop, what the probability is to hit an action threshold, and what would be the best intervention.

Sam believes that the future will be driven by technology to detect emerging pest and disease problems earlier and with more precision, requiring less chemical pesticide intervention from crop growers. Successful agri-businesses will come to rely on data-driven precision IPM to remain competitive because it will affect their production cost and the quality of their produce. 

Karel Bolckmans says that there is no ultimate silver-bullet solution to the issue of feeding the world’s population, as the landscape is always changing: 

“I believe our work is never finished because every so many years we are confronted with a new exotic, invasive pest or disease. And this is what we need to develop new solutions for.”