Biopesticides hold great promise for sustainable agriculture, but navigating the regulatory landscape can pose significant hurdles. A recent webinar, Paving the way for lower-risk crop protection: Regulatory pathways for the registration of biopesticides, hosted by CABI, brought together experts to discuss solutions for making biopesticides more accessible by addressing regulatory challenges. Addressing these challenges helps biopesticides reach the market more efficiently, ensuring farmers can access safer, lower-risk pest management options.
Treating biopesticides in the same way as synthetic pesticides creates hurdles without adding any real protection for human health or the environment. While some level of complexity in the registration process is unavoidable, given the technical nature of pesticide registration, current frameworks were often designed with synthetic pesticides in mind. This mismatch can make it harder for innovative, low-risk biopesticides to reach the market. This is evidenced in products like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which must undergo extensive testing and toxicity requirements that don’t align with its minimal risk profile. These challenges highlight how outdated processes can slow progress in adopting safer, more sustainable pest control solutions.
As CABI’s Dr Melanie Bateman highlighted in her introduction to the webinar, “We are working toward alleviating regulatory barriers to enable safer pest management solutions.” Dr Bateman is the Global Team Leader for pesticide alternatives under PlantwisePlus’ pesticide risk reduction pathway.
Webinar on harmonizing and improving biopesticide regulations
Taking place after the 19th Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) 2024 in Basel, Switzerland, CABI broadcast the webinar from its centre in nearby Delémont.
From left to right: Dr Wade Jenner, Dr Saliou Niassy, Dr Sabyan Honey, Dr Robert Malek, and Dr Melanie Bateman
This insightful session featured two key speakers:
They explored both the growing demand for biopesticides and the strategies necessary to support sustainable pest management at a regulatory level.
Dr Khan underscored the importance of local initiatives, presenting Pakistan’s newly adopted regulatory framework, which promises to expand the availability of biopesticides. He detailed Pakistan’s recent regulatory advances, noting, “Our goal is not only to simplify the registration process but also to encourage local biopesticide production, making these solutions more affordable and accessible.” Pakistan’s regulatory framework reflects a commitment to supporting both safety and innovation in crop protection.
Dr Niassy spoke to Africa’s collaborative efforts to standardize biopesticide guidelines to streamline market access and align regulations across borders. He emphasized Africa’s unified approach: “Harmonizing biopesticide guidelines will provide faster access to safer tools for farmers while supporting environmental health. By standardizing guidelines, the African Union aims to ease cross-border trade, making it easier for farmers to adopt effective biopesticides.
Essential next steps for biopesticide regulation
The discussion highlighted steps toward advancing biopesticide accessibility globally:
Build technical capacity: Strengthening technical expertise within regulatory bodies like Pakistan’s Department of Plant Protection and the AU-IAPSC is critical. This will help countries effectively manage biopesticide registrations and create a robust support system for sustainable pest management.
Promote local production: Encouraging biopesticide manufacturing within countries can lower costs and ensure a steady supply. Pakistan’s commitment to local production is a model for enhancing availability while supporting national industry.
Collaborate on harmonization: Cross-border harmonization of biopesticide regulations is vital for reducing trade barriers, as demonstrated by Africa’s progress toward a unified framework. Such collaboration benefits not only farmers but also the overall agricultural ecosystem.
Safer pest control options for sustainable agriculture
CABI’s mission aligns closely with the themes discussed, emphasizing the need for lower-risk crop protection solutions to ensure sustainable agriculture. By supporting regulatory innovation in Pakistan and African Union member countries, CABI helps pave the way for global biopesticide adoption, promoting safer pest control options that protect human health and the environment alike.
PlantwisePlus, CABI’s flagship food security programme, recognizes the urgent need to address the impact of pesticides on safer food production. This webinar formed part of the programme’s work to identify opportunities for pesticide risk reduction and implement solutions with national and local government bodies, commercial companies and farmers.
This webinar underscored the importance of regulatory reform in making biopesticides accessible worldwide. The shared commitment to streamlined registration processes, local production, and harmonized regulations provides a roadmap for expanding biopesticide availability. With continued collaboration, the path toward low-risk crop protection grows clearer, offering promising benefits for farmers and ecosystems worldwide.
Catch up with the webinar:
Related stories
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Multistakeholder workshop further paves the way for the registration of biopesticides in Pakistan
Expertise in biological control highlighted at workshop aimed at catalysing biopesticide use in Africa
Revolutionizing crop protection in Pakistan: Registration guidance approved to promote sustainable biopesticides
Webinar series investigates greater use of biopesticides to combat crop pests and diseases in Caribbean
Further resources
CABI BioProtection Portal – the largest free resource for biological plant protection
CABI Academy: Introduction to Bioprotection products course
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