The twin problems of the global financial meltdown and looming irreversible global warming have helped focus minds globally during the last year or so.
Among many things identified in groping for solutions could be the must produce food in a more sustainable and fewer environmentally-damaging way.
salinization of soil about food scarcity and food security already are key concerns in elements of the developing world and quite rightly thoughts are embracing the best way to improve them.
Part with the fact is for farmers to raise produce yield. But if in dash for growth the land they depend upon is leached coming from all goodness that's only likely to be a shorter term solution
So important to increasing yield longer term food security is always to develop sustainable farming methods.
From the US to Nepal throughout the planet there's increasing recognition in the issue's urgency:
Here's an extract from the report from the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (established in 1991 "to conduct agricultural research in the nation to uplift the economical level with the people"):
"Pesticide used in Nepal is heavily concentrated in areas which may have greater use of market, including Terai and also the Kathmandu valley.
"There are as many indicators that pesticide use has been increasing previously many years. This trend will probably continue in the future.
"The pesticides that have a tendency to persist inside the environment can cause serious influence on environment and ecology.
"Pesticide use is supposed to improve the agriculture production. But what causes soil salinization occur, especially if they are not used properly and judiciously. This has brought the chance to seriously endanger life and pollute the planet."
another through the Dec 2009 newsletter in the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions ...
"The region is facing stagnation or decelerate of productivity growth rates, soaring food prices, increasing energy costs, diversion of area for biofuel production, consequences in the global warming and economic shocks.
"The problems from the numerous and geographically dispersed small farm holders as well as other resource poor communities, who from the majority of agricultural population, persist: low yields, low returns from farming, and inadequate use of resources and markets.
"Natural resources, particularly land and water, have grown to be scarcer and degraded. Addressing these complex challenges, with possibilities to harness many innovations, now require beyond box solutions (technology, institutions, policies, far better investment)."
How bio-pesticides might help towards sustainable agriculture.
Sustainable farming involves a selection of strategies to both protecting the land's fertility and increasing crop yields.
One part of the process is to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM), combining an array of complementary pest management methods including chemical, biological, cultural and physical controls, host plant resistance, and decision support tools.
Bio-pesticides may make important contributions to IPM and reduce attachment to chemical pesticides inside the view with the UK's Royal Agricultural Society (working together with Warwick University) for a few years.
As where are the effects of soil salinization of a range of low-chem, biological agricultural products from pesticides and disease control through to growth enhancement their use leads to less waste, higher yield, land quality sustainability.
They help reduce attachment to chemical and frequently have a narrow spectrum of pest activity, this means they possess a relatively low direct influence on non targets, including humans. Their use is often compatible with other control agents, and they also produce no residue.
This is the thing that the CEO of 1 in the largest private sector groups researching biopesticides within the world, says: "There are huge food security demands worldwide."
He adds: "Most of our own goods are certified organic and around five % of our company is supporting the organic sector. About 95 percent of our business involves conventional farming. We are designing programmes to satisfy the requirement for safe, affordable food."