Cut pesticide use to boost yields? It’s worked for millions of farmers in Asia and Africa – Jules Pretty and Zareen Pervez Bharucha

Pesticides are intended to be harmful. They kill pests, diseases and weeds. But some also harm humans and wildlife. Pesticides are a huge global business, worth around US$45 billion. Each year, 3.5 billion kilogrammes of pesticides are applied to food crops and their use is growing. Much use of this use is at best ineffective and at worst outright harmful. In recent …