In a time when sustainable agriculture is no longer a choice but a necessity, the promise of biopesticides as safer, environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides remains tantalizingly out of reach for many farmers and innovators. Not because the science isn’t ready, but because the world’s regulatory systems are not.
As detailed by María García-Catalán, Judith Pascual, Ferrán Soldevila, and Mayte Fernández in this issue of New AG International, the global landscape of biopesticide regulation is anything but uniform. While countries like Brazil and the United States have embraced more efficient regulatory processes to accelerate the commercialization of these products, the European Union remains mired in complexity. The result? Fewer biopesticide registrations and slower access for farmers across the EU – a paradox, given Europe’s leadership in green policy rhetoric.
The discrepancy goes beyond Europe. In Southern Africa, a recent multi-country study has exposed both promise and paralysis. Nations like Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are at varying stages of regulatory development, yet all recognize the need for harmonization. Fragmented legislation, outdated frameworks, and a lack of institutional alignment continue to stymie progress in a region where the benefits of biopesticides – reduced environmental impact andincreased crop resilience –could be transformative.
Kevin Helash, CEO of Biotalys, cuts to the heart of the issue: innovation in biopesticides is occurring, but regulators aren’t talking to one another. His call for clarity, consistency, and international coordination has an urgency. The regulatory ecosystem for biopesticides today resembles a patchwork quilt, full of holes that trap innovation instead of enabling it.
Meanwhile, Dr. Minshad Ansari, founder of Bionema and a vocal advocate for reform through the World BioProtection Forum, shines a spotlight on the UK’s lagging system. Despite laudable intentions in the revised National Action Plan (NAP) for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (2025), it lacks actionable steps for integrating biologicals into mainstream agricultural practice. As Ansari points out, integrated pest management (IPM) strategies cannot succeed without access to a strong pipeline of approved biopesticide products. Regulation that fails to keep pace with innovation is not just a bottleneck – it is a missed opportunity for sustainability.
In order to move forward, it seems countries must move beyond their silos and begin working collaboratively to align regulatory standards, reduce approval timelines, and support innovation without compromising safety. Maybe easier said than done. Harmonization doesn’t mean uniformity in every detail, but it does mean agreeing on foundational principles: science-based assessments, proportionality of risk, and streamlined procedures for proven technologies. “But building agreement on ‘the science’ and risk assessment aren’t easy to build consensus around – as one recent pandemic showed,” was the reply of my Editor-in-Chief when discussing the subject.
Let’s at least remain optimistic. Biopesticides are not asking for shortcuts – they’re demanding fairness and efficiency. The time has come for global regulatory systems to match the pace of agricultural innovation.
Elsewhere in the issue, and still in the vein of sustainable agriculture, we turn to value-added fertilizers. New AG International caught up with BiOWiSH Technologies whose microbial additives are being added to fertilizers, both granules and liquids, and boosting nutrient use efficiency. A good thing – and that’s something we can all agree on! ●
We hope you enjoy this issue of New AG International.
