Evaluation of Bio-Pesticides use for Crop Protection in Afghanistan

Over the past 50 years, crop protection has relied heavily on synthetic chemical pesticides, but their availability is now declining as a result of new legislation and the evolution of resistance in pest populations. Therefore, alternative pest management tactics are needed. Bio-pesticides are pest management agents based on living micro-organisms or natural products. They have proven potential for pest management and they are being used across the world. However, they are regulated by systems designed originally for chemical pesticides that have created market entry barriers by imposing burdensome costs on the bio-pesticide industry. There are also significant technical barriers to making bio-pesticides more effective. The objective of this study is to inventory the current state of bio-pesticide usage in Afghanistan to better understand how, where and to what effect these products are being used in order to inform necessary policy innovations. In Afghanistan, a greater emphasis on bio-pesticides as part of agricultural policy may lead to innovations in the way that bio-pesticides are regulated. There are also opportunities for developing use of bio-pesticides in Afghanistan because of its new technology. The new bio-pesticide products that imported in Afghanistan will result from this review will give opportunities for farmers to protect their agricultural products from pests.