Increased use of agricultural land for biofuel production is driving up food prices, can pesticides help?

Demand for renewable energy, some of which can be met from crops, is reducing the amount of land available for food production and having a price impact. In the longer term increased global wealth and population growth will also put pressure on agricultural production. Initially increased demand could be met by bringing more land into production, but land is a finite resource and ultimately we have to address maximising yield potential. The challenge is therefore to maintain current yield in the face of climate change and to increase yields to match growing demand.

Pesticides will be one key factor in maintaining current levels of productivity with changing pest/weed pressures and seeking to further minimise losses from pests and weeds so that crops can realise their potential. Currently pesticides enable farmers to supply healthier, more abundant crops allowing food manufacturers and retailers to offer food that is affordable to all consumers. If the world’s farmers today had the yields they achieved in 1950, the world would need nearly three times as much cropland, which is neither desirable nor feasible with a growing population.