For farmers globally, the challenges of growing fruits and vegetables without (or with limited) pesticides are many and varied. Global consumers are increasingly seeking food and drink products that align with their sustainable values and goals but finding effective, environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical sprays can be challenging, and farmers know it\u2019s more difficult than it looks to grow without pesticides\u2026<\/p>\n
Together, SVZ and Danone<\/strong> are proactively finding ways to help farmers embrace more sustainable agricultural practices – both economically and via knowledge sharing. Their latest joint initiative, with strawberry farmers Carmelo Santana and Juan Carlos Cordero<\/strong>, is a project exploring an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides: biocontrol plants.<\/p>\n Introducing\u2026 what?<\/strong> By using the plants as a safe habitat for \u2018good\u2019 insects such as aphid predators, the population of \u2018bad\u2019 insects can be controlled. It is hoped that this will not only boost biodiversity in fields in the short term, but support pesticide-free strawberry cultivation for future populations.<\/p>\n On-the-ground efforts<\/strong> For Juan Carlos, growing strawberries is a family affair. \u2018I\u2019ve been growing strawberries for four years. My local area is well known for its strawberries, and it\u2019s what my family has always done,\u201d he explained. As a grower specialising in producing strawberries for high-quality baby food, he isn\u2019t able to use chemical fertilizers \u2013 and any pesticides he uses are strictly regulated. \u201cThe decision to cultivate organic strawberries was an easy one to make, as it\u2019s the type of farming that most respects the environment.\u2019<\/p>\n Therefore, when two farmers were approached by SVZ and Danone with the idea of testing new biocontrol plants, he didn\u2019t hesitate: \u2018It\u2019s a lot of work, but this type of partnership allows me to farm in a way that I like – by taking care of the soil and the environment, and not using chemicals. It\u2019s exciting to learn new things, and we\u2019re happy to invest our effort for the good of the future.\u201d For Carmelo, it\u2019s the long-term vision that is most exciting. \u2018We can easily put these new biocontrol plants around our strawberry fields, and they can then stay here year after year.\u201d<\/p>\n Good natured<\/strong> If the test is a success, we hope to see the use of biocontrol plants expanded as a common practice across the region. In this way, Spanish strawberry farms can flourish, the harmful effects of chemical sprays can be slashed, and crop productivity can be improved via the effective regulation of pests. Good for plants, good for the environment, good for the farmer.<\/p>\n Would you like to embark on a similar sustainability initiative with us? Get in touch today and start the conversation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For farmers globally, the challenges of growing fruits and vegetables without (or with limited) pesticides are many and varied. Global consumers are increasingly seeking food and drink products that align with their sustainable values and goals but finding effective, environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical sprays can be challenging, and farmers know it\u2019s more difficult than […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1535,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nDefined as a plant that is \u2018intentionally added to a crop system with the aim of enhancing crop productivity by mutual benefit, pest attraction and\/or pest regulation\u2019, biocontrol plants have been developed over the past decade as just one solution for an alternative to toxic chemical sprays. For SVZ and Danone, the potential of biocontrol plants is enormous: and so embarking on a test run in a strawberry field in Spain is an exciting opportunity to assess the method.<\/p>\n
\nDeveloped thanks to the commitment of Carmelo and Juan Carlos\u2019 farm, Agroecol\u00f3gica El Origen, in Lepe, Spain, the project involves implementing biocontrol plants in a trial section of the farm. The field is visited and monitored every two weeks by a specialised agronomist, Cristina Dasi, to measure plant and fruit quality, climate data, and the level of auxiliary fauna (and their benefits). In this way, the effects of the biocontrol plants can be measured on a granular level as the seasons change and the crops grow.<\/p>\n
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\nMaking progress<\/strong>
\nAnd so, what difference are the new plants making so far? \u2018Change is understandably slow, as with all farming initiatives, but we can already see some improvement. Good insects are clearly benefitting from the biocontrol plants\u2019 flowers. In fact, thanks to these flowers, their population is able to grow even before the strawberry plants produce fruit and, as a result, good insects can thrive all season round.\u2019<\/p>\n
\nThe agricultural industry is at the centre of numerous environmental challenges today \u2013 from climate change to biodiversity loss and water scarcity. The use of chemical sprays on strawberry fields is just one issue – but little by little, small steps towards positive change can make a huge difference.<\/p>\n