Biodiversity Day Feature Story: A Delicate Balance: Insect Pests, Pollinators and Food Production

In the delicate interplay between agricultural expansion and ecological sustainability, insects occupy a dual role—both as essential allies and as threats. ICRISAT works to ensure farming practices maintain this delicate balance between productivity and ecological sustainability.

Insects constitute nearly 75% of the total species on Earth. They play an important role as crop pest, pollinators and scavengers. Crop plants, the cornerstone of global food systems, face constant threats from more than 10,000 species of insect pests. The resulting losses are staggering: global crop yields decline by about 13% annually, currently valued at US$ 242 billion every year.

On the other hand, the insect population is declining globally. According to a 2019 global review published in Biological Conservation, 40% of insect species are in decline, and one-third are endangered. These figures present a paradox: we must feed a growing population, manage increasing pest pressures, and simultaneously preserve and enhance the biodiversity.

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