There are more than 10 quintillion insects in the world (that’s 10 with 18 zeros) – and growing. And though many of those insects are beneficial to our ecosystem, others cause serious diseases and economic losses. To combat these risks, close to a billion tons of chemical pesticides are employed annually around the globe. And yet, we are losing the war against insects and parasites.
Vector-borne diseases like Malaria and the Zika virus threaten human health. Losses in the food supply chain are a bigger worry while a growing population demands higher output and more rigorous assurance of safety. All the while, insects and acarids are developing a resistance to many traditional synthetic pesticides, which leads to a risk of overuse, high toxicity, and environmental damage.