What are pesticides?

Medicine for plants

Plant protection products (PPPs), also known as pesticides, are the treatments used in both conventional and organic farming, to keep crops healthy by protecting them against pests and diseases. Pesticides are to plants the equivalent of medicines for humans. Pesticide companies manufacture synthetic products as well as products based on natural chemicals and minerals.

Ever since the first cultivation of plants for food, these plants have needed to be protected against pests and diseases. The level of sophistication of this protection has increased with time. The Romans used ashes, crushed cypress leaves and diluted urines to protect their crops. This century, a wide range of synthetic products have been developed to give much safer, more targeted and effective control of pests and diseases.

The development of modern pesticides began in the 1940s, when Europe faced food shortages and rationing in the wake of World War II and the protection of crop yields had heightened importance. Since the 1970s, this dynamic has shifted with more pressure to balance the need to increase food production with the need to ensure the safety of people, food and the environment.

Why we need pesticides

By keeping crops free of pests and diseases, pesticides help to ensure a reliable and predictable food supply. Crop losses due to pests and diseases are between 30 and 50% depending on the crop grown. For example, the losses of wheat yields could reach 50% if no pesticides were used; for potatoes, the losses can reach up to 75%. Pesticides limit food losses and make significant contribution to food security.

The use of pesticides brings a wide range of benefits, including:

A healthy diet:

• By protecting crops pesticides contribute to the production of a plentiful supply of high-quality and affordable food. 
• They help the production of a choice of fruit & vegetables that are essential in a healthy diet. 
• They reduce the exposure of consumers to naturally-produced toxins which plants develop if pests and diseases remain uncontrolled. 

Economic positives:

• Pesticide use increases yields and improves farm revenues. Without pesticides up to 50% of yields would be lost due to the presence of detrimental fungi, insects or weeds. 
• They contribute towards EU self-sufficiency in cereals and other crops. 

Environmental protection:

• Pesticide use allows more food to be produced on a given area of land, which reduces pressure to cultivate un-cropped land and therefore ensures the maintenance of important natural habitats and protected natural areas. 
• They help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing mechanical crop protection. 
• They promote low-tillage agricultural systems, which reduce the loss of soil nutrients and prevent soil erosion.