CABI, Koppert Biological Systems and Koppert Foundation sign new agreement

Published 2019
Koppert Foundation and Koppert Biological Systems have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CABI – an international not-for-profit organisation– – to collaborate on making more environmentally sustainable biological solutions available in the fight against crop pests in less developed countries.

This follows the success of earlier collaboration in Kenya in March this year in which CABI and the Koppert Foundation stepped up their efforts to combat pests which threaten the food security and livelihoods of thousands of farmers and their families. Under the new agreement, more training is also envisaged for Plantwise 'plant doctors' who give advice on integrated pest management to local farmers.

Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International
Dr Trevor Nicholls, CABI CEO, said he was proud to be working alongside Koppert to help solve problems in agriculture and the environment. 'We look forward to continuous research into existing and new innovative non-chemical integrated pest management solutions that ultimately allow farmers to grow more and lose less to agricultural pests and diseases.'

Other key areas of intended collaboration between CABI and Koppert as part of the MoU are:

  • The creation of new biological control products identified by CABI
  • Raising the awareness of available registered biological control products in specific countries using a BioProtection Portal currently being developed by CABI
  • Enhancing and promoting the benefits of Plantwise plant doctors and the use of biological controls as part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
  • Supporting the establishment of local production facilities of natural enemies to encourage the uptake of biological control in less developed countries