Biostimulants and Biopesticides: Multifunctional Biological Solutions for African Agriculture
摘要
Global agriculture faces increasing demands for sustainable food production, leading to a greater focus on innovative solutions that enhance crop performance while minimising impact on the environment. In Africa, excessive chemical pesticide use has caused severe environmental and health impacts, including biodiversity loss, soil degradation, water pollution, and risks to human health and nontarget species. Forthwith, consumers have advanced their awareness of food quality, health, ethics, and environmental impact. This stint has prompted the agricultural industry to move towards sustainability, with an aim to reduce environmental footprints and promote high-value crops. One promising approach involves the use of biostimulants and biopesticides that are substances or microorganisms derived from natural resources like microbials and botanicals. These emerging tools in sustainable agriculture aim to boost crop productivity and resilience. When applied to plants or soils, biostimulants promote plant growth, and stress tolerance, while biopesticides control specific pests and diseases. Growing interest in biostimulants and biopesticides in the last decade highlights their high potential as an essential component of sustainable agriculture, especially when used alongside traditional pesticides. However, despite the promising potential of biostimulants and biopesticides, several significant challenges continue to hinder their widespread adoption across Africa. Key among these is the lack of harmonised regional regulatory policies, limited awareness and education regarding their use and benefits, inadequate infrastructure to support their distribution and application, and the absence of standalone registration guidelines. Additionally, continuous improvement in product efficacy remains essential to build trust and encourage broader uptake among farmers and stakeholders. Promotion of local microbial strains in biostimulants and biopesticides development and manufacturing is highly advisable. This chapter explores the multifunctionality of biostimulants and biopesticides in the context of enhancing their use in Africa. However, it will primarily focus on microbials and botanicals (phytopesticides), as the later have greater potential for development and application in Africa, given the availability of resources and indigenous knowledge systems.