IBMA and FAO sign Letter of Intent

Chrysoperla carnea’s larvae are active predators and feed on aphids and other small insects. (Photo credit: Koppert.)

The International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) is proud to announce that the association has signed a Letter of Intent with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in November 2024. This partnership marks a significant milestone in IBMA’s work to accelerate the uptake of biological control around the world and transition to sustainable agri-food systems to achieve the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Biocontrol plays a crucial role in the transition to a greener, more resilient agriculture. Both IBMA and FAO have a shared vision of ensuring farmers have access to effective and sustainable tools such as biocontrol which

• support sustainable crop production and diversification to improve people’s nutrition, livelihoods and incomes
• enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services
• contribute to climate change adaptation and resilience

Both organisations have a common will to strengthen efforts to mainstream biological control as a sustainable tool in global crop protection and declare their intention to:

• exchange information and ideas on sustainable crop protection;
• identify gaps and bottlenecks in mainstreaming the use of biological control, be it regulatory, research, production, or field use;
• enhance capacities and pilot other solutions that will facilitate greater adoption of biological control as a sustainable tool in crop protection; and
• promote the use of biological control globally.

Commenting on the new partnership, IBMA’s executive director Jennifer Lewis says, “This is a milestone moment for IBMA. It aligns with our aim to ensure farmers have access to innovative biocontrol solutions enabling them to grow productive, profitable crops needed for a food secure future. We also look forward to the opportunities it will bring our members and broader agricultural community.”