European scientists believe that plant protection products are essential for global food security
If the agro-industrial complex rejects pesticides, then in the context of global food security, about 11 billion people may be at risk of hunger by 2100.
This is the result of a recent study conducted by Belgian scientists from the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Louvain at the request of the European Parliament Research Service (EPRS).
Accordingly, if pesticides are not used, then one can expect large losses in yield of important food crops, which are estimated, for example, at 19% for wheat and 42% for potatoes.
Meanwhile, the authors of the study consider organic farming as a method of increasing biodiversity only to a limited extent.
At the global level, biodiversity decline can even be expected, since organic agriculture is about 25% less productive than traditional agriculture. To feed 11 billion people, more land will be needed to compensate, and this will be done precisely through biodiversity.
In addition, the notion that pesticides used in organic farming are less toxic and lead to fewer residues is not always true.
Scientists also recall that plant protection includes not only the processing of crops with agrochemicals, but also crop rotation, the use of varieties resistant to diseases and pests, and soil care.
In addition, further progress in reducing the effects of pesticides on the human body and the environment is possible. For example, the consumption rates of agrochemistry can be reduced, for example, using precision farming, including remote sensing of crops by unmanned aerial vehicles for more targeted treatments.
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