The European Commission wants to halve pesticide use by 2030. On paper, a lot of progress can be booked through smart innovation, and yet change is often slower than hoped. Successful green innovation requires knowledge of plant cultivation, behavioural science, technology and ecology. 'We want much more of an idea of how farmers think.'
Pesticides have recently become the subject of heated discussions, with the herbicide glyphosate in the spotlight. There are calls in the Netherlands and across Europe for a ban on this substance. At the same time, the European Union aims to halve the use and the risk of all pesticides by 2030, under the new Regulation on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products. The pressure is on to find alternatives so that pesticide use can be cut.
