Biocontrol booms in Latin America as farmers seek cheaper, effective pest solutions

Latin America has the largest area on Earth where biological pest controls are applied on crops to control pests — but the inspiration behind the major shift is mainly not a drive towards more sustainable food production.

Over 62 million hectares were treated with natural alternatives to conventional pesticides across South and Central America in 2024, researchers from the Netherlands and Brazil found, with microbial agents such as beneficial bacteria and fungi dominating the market.

In the study, published in the journal Biological Control, the scientists used historical data from previous studies, which they then updated by gathering information directly from the original authors. They also used government data and expert interviews to validate their figures.

Brazil at the forefront of a 21st Century shift

The huge area of farmland where they calculated biological controls were used represented a dramatic recent increase. Such products were applied to just 4 million hectares in 2000, and Brazil has proved to be the driving force of the transformation. 

The vast majority (96%) of the microbial applications were on crops used for animal feed, such as soybean and corn, as opposed to crops grown for human consumption. As such, their use was also almost exclusively in open fields — marking a significant difference with the way biocontrols are used in many parts of the world.

While much discussion around biological controls looks at the big issues of sustainability and ecological stability, these were not the primary concerns for farmers in the region, the researchers found. Rather, the products were seen as an affordable short-term fix to pest problems, rather than parts of integrated pest management programmes or other farm-wide visions.

There have also been notable cases in the region where conventional pesticides simply don’t work anymore, such as against the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera, while other pragmatic advantages of a switch to biocontrols included being able to make sales to international markets which desire products free from pesticide residues.

Policy, Perception and the Power of Simplicity

The popularity of microbial biopesticides in the region, compared to microbiological agents such as insects, is down to them being cheaper, easier to use with existing equipment and being perceived as more reliable. The major shift towards microbials took place in the 21^st century, with the use of beneficial insects tending to dominate Latin American biocontrol prior to that.

While ultimately, high adoption was linked to availability, price, simplicity and effectiveness, the researchers did also note a change in attitudes, particularly among younger, educated farmers, who have developed more positive attitudes to sustainable pest control options, particularly after seeing their efficacy in the field. Biocontrol-friendly regulations also made a big difference. Brazil, for example, has simplified approval processes for these biological methods, meaning that registering a biocontrol product can take 2 years in Brazil, compared to up to a decade in Europe.

Other countries such as Cuba, Peru, and Bolivia have state-supported labs and policies to encourage the use of biocontrol, making adoption cheaper and more accessible for farmers.

Challenges from Chemical Giants Remain

While Latin America does appear to be steering a course towards biocontrol, mainly for practical reasons, some concerns remain. The lobbying of the synthetic pesticide industry remains a powerful force, the study’s authors noted, and subsidies can make more ecologically damaging options unrealistically cheap.

“The [conventional pesticide] industry is usually not held responsible for human health problems including deaths, for reduction of biodiversity and preventing the functioning of ecosystem services of pest and disease control, pollination and cleaning of water. These costs are paid by the society,” they wrote. “Application of the true cost principle would result in chemical pesticides being two to four times more expensive and a fairer competition with non-chemical control alternatives such as biocontrol.”

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