Use of biopesticides and -stimulants in agriculture

The upcoming European directive on the sustainable use of pesticides has made the transition to a biobased primary sector a pressing issue once again. Biobased pesticides and stimulants are often developed from biomass (residual) streams from local agriculture, fisheries, or aquaculture. Since stakeholders still have many questions about the availability, application possibilities, and legal framework surrounding the use and production of biopesticides and biostimulants, the B2BE Facilitator zoomed in on this topic.

Theme 2: May 22 - December 22

A revolution?

The use of biopesticides in agriculture and horticulture is becoming increasingly necessary, especially in light of the new European directive on the sustainable use of pesticides. However, the use of biostimulant products in agriculture is not something new. In the past, biostimulants were already made from grounded plants or their decoctions. Modern (chemical) crop protection products pushed this knowledge into the background, but now that chemicals are being increasingly phased out of agriculture, biobased alternatives are once again gaining attention.

What is truly innovative is the search for new biobased compounds derived from biomass (residual) streams from agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture. This not only holds potential for improving the performance of biostimulants and biopesticides but also for better valorizing available biomass (residual) streams into high-value applications.

Use of biopesticides en biostimulants

Biostimulants stimulate root growth in crops, resulting in higher plant resistance to diseases and/or drought. This leads to higher yields and lower crop protection costs.

Since Belgium cultivates a large share of potatoes, sugar beets, and onions compared to grains or protein crops, the average cost of crop protection products per hectare is high. These crops are more intensive, leading to higher crop protection costs per hectare. For companies growing arable crops, the average cost of crop protection products is €231/ha, while for companies involved in outdoor vegetable, ornamental, and fruit cultivation, the cost rises to €1,476/ha.

On one hand, Belgium is below the European average in terms of the number of hectares allocated to organic production (6.8% or 93,000 ha compared to 8.1% in the EU), but on the other hand, in terms of growth in the organic retail market, Belgium exceeds the European average (134% compared to 129% in the EU). This shows a strong market demand for organic food products in Belgium and a push towards the use of biopesticides. However, the great potential for biopesticides is not in organic farming, which has a small area with limited yields, but in conventional agriculture and horticulture, which is transitioning to a higher use of biopesticides — whether voluntarily or due to regulatory changes.

Between producer and end-user

The primary sector is approached both as a producer of raw materials and as a supplier of residual streams. Furthermore, the transition towards a biobased primary sector also offers opportunities for the emerging biotechnology sector. New business cases related to refining and extracting bioactive components from biomass (residual) streams are emerging, and actively screening biomass for bioactive compounds is one of their tasks. Additionally, fermentation and enzymatic conversion of biomass into active components offer many unexplored possibilities. The food sector can expand its product portfolio within this theme by incorporating biostimulants into food and feed products.

Challenges and opportunities

The development of biostimulants and biopesticides is not a quick process, as working with natural products involves numerous variables. For example, changing weather and environmental conditions can cause significant variation in the composition of the active components in biomass. Currently, there is insufficient knowledge about the factors and mechanisms that stimulate the production of bioactive substances. A structured approach is needed to clarify the relationship between the functionality of the product and the responsible active component. To enhance performance, it is necessary not only to focus on physical separation methods to extract the active components from biomass (drying, grinding, pressing, and centrifuging), but also to explore the use of concentrated substances.

Europs's ambition on Flemish soil

In the new European guidelines for the sustainable use of pesticides, the objectives of the Green Deal and the Farm-to-Fork-strategie are being translated. By 2030, Europe aims to halve pesticide use and accelerate the market introduction of biological control agents. At the Flemish level, the Nationaal Actieplan voor de reductie van pesticiden voor 2023-2027 is being developed.

The role of the B2BE Facilitator?

The B2BE will dive deeper into the availability and use of biopesticides and biostimulants by various stakeholders, their entry into the relevant sectors, and the legal framework surrounding them.
Additionally, the B2BE Facilitator will study the potential to produce these biobased products from biomass (residual) streams sourced from local agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture.
Farmers are approached not only as producers but also as consumers. Since not all (commercial) players are already present in Flanders for the local production of biostimulants, the B2BE will aim to map out the application possibilities and the missing links. This way, we focus on generating new business cases.

Contact us!

Do you recognize yourself in the themes discussed here, or do you have questions about the bioeconomy? Then get in touch with the B2BE Facilitator, we handle every inquiry with care.