The Contributions of Pesticides to Pest Management in Meeting the Global Need for Food Production by 2050

The term pesticide1 has been around for centuries, and it describes many different chemicals. The term has also—at times—been maligned and misunderstood. The authors of this publication use extensive data and provide clear examples to establish that pesticide use in agriculture has • increased crop yield and quality, • lessened the workload of pest management, and Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of CAST. Considering the inevitability of a growing population, cost-efficient food production must increase; with effective policies, proper regulation, and safety training, pesticide use will continue to play an important role in that food production. (Photo from happykanppy/Shutterstock.) • improved the prospects for longterm sustainable food production. This paper gives a brief background about the use of pesticides and a thorough examination of why they have become popular and widely used. Considering the inevitability of a growing population, cost-efficient food production must increase. Intelligent use of pesticides has led to crop management that is more efficient, sustainable, and productive (United Nations 2012). Of course there are controversies and challenges, but with effective policies, proper regulation, and safety training, pesticide use will continue to play an important role in food production. With a special consideration of catastrophic famines and crop management practices of the past, the authors organize the vast amount of information around several key concepts: • Fungicide use and its impact both in the United States and around the