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Knowledge4Policy
Knowledge for policy

Supporting policy with scientific evidence

We mobilise people and resources to create, curate, make sense of and use knowledge to inform policymaking across Europe.

  • Publication | 2025

Agroforestry and Agroecology: Sustainable and safe alternatives to pesticides for increased biodiversity and human health

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Across the globe, small-scale farmers are increasingly adopting agroecology and agroforestry as sustainable farming methods that enhance food and nutritional security while minimising chemical inputs. These approaches utilize natural solutions for managing soil nutrients, pests, and weeds, often due to health concerns and financial limitations.

This brief outlines the need to reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides, emphasising agroecology and agroforestry as sustainable alternatives. The purpose of this paper is to provide information to policy makers on the available science based evidence on synthetic pesticide use and available alternatives. It expounds on how agroecology and agroforestry can support safe agricultural production and give insights on challenges in access to bioinputs.

The policy brief can be used to inform policies, make a business case for bioinputs production and distribution as well advancement of research.