Beyond Pesticides: Africa’s Evidence Shows a Different Future for Food and Farming
This major new briefing paper and accompanying evidence compendium challenge one of the most entrenched assumptions in global agriculture: that synthetic pesticides are essential to food security. Grounded in African farming realities, this database of publications decisively demonstrates that this assumption no longer holds.
Drawing on more than 80 peer-reviewed, field-based studies conducted across Africa over the past 15 years, these publications constitute the most comprehensive synthesis to date of real-world evidence on pest management beyond synthetic pesticides. Rather than relying on theory or isolated pilot projects, they document outcomes achieved under genuine farming conditions across diverse agroecological contexts. The evidence shows that biological and agroecological approaches are already delivering effective pest control, stable yields, and significant ecological and livelihood benefits—often matching or outperforming chemical-based regimes.