Today 600 to 800 million people are still, for many inter-related reasons, undernourished. This is twice the world population of 1950, and by 2025 it is estimated to reach nearly 9 billion. A swarm of half a million locusts, for example, consumes as much food as 250 human beings per day. Therefore, crop protection methods play an important role in the preservation of crop yields and quality both before and after harvest. Modern pesticides target pests better, require lower doses and degrade more rapidly.
Thorough testing ensures that harm to the environment is minimal.
In addition, it must be compared to the resulting enormous loss of habitat if food was produced using organic farming methods, where the estimated yields without plant protection would be far below current modern farming production levels. Agriculture must be productive and sustainable, that is meeting the needs of society and the consumer, without hindering the ability of future generations to produce enough food. Society requires not only sufficient, safe, and affordable food produced in an environmentally-friendly way, but agriculture must respect the natural resources of soil, water, energy and wildlife. Soil is essential for growing crops, and is a source of nutrients ensuring good plant growth. Soil erosion must be prevented and its natural fertility preserved.