Biologicals Agricultural - Demands in Addition to Breeding, Biotechnology and Agronomic Practices to Grow Healthy and Nutritious Food

People around the world depend on agriculture for their most basic needs, and farmers need productive and sustainable ways to help them produce more with less. Agricultural biologicals can complement or replace traditional fertilizers and chemicals that help lower the environmental impact of agriculture, and are naturally-occurring solutions, such as microbials, plant extracts, beneficial insects and other organic material that allow farmers to improve crop health and productivity.

According to the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an agricultural biologicals system is defined as an ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable agricultural production system that promotes safe products minimizing environmental adverse consequences and the use of non-renewable natural resources.

In other words, agricultural biologicals are organic and ecological agriculture systems, which discourage the use of synthetic and chemical fertilizers, thereby helping conserve the environment. In these agriculture systems, the use of synthetic fertilizers such as biocides, genetic modifications, and other chemical fertilizers are avoided. The whole biological system is based on organic green manure/residues/animal manure and other ecological methods (bio-control methods) and techniques.

The Global Agriculture Biologicals Market was estimated at $4,528.19 million in 2014 and is projected to reach $8,951.76 million by 2019, at a CAGR of 14.6% from 2014 to 2019. In the North American region, the U.S. is the key market for agricultural biologicals, having accounted for 71.9 % of the market share in 2014, while in the APAC region, China is the key market with 30.4% of the market share. In Europe, Spain is the key market, having recorded for 23.8 % of the European market in 2014.

Microbials are one type of agricultural biological that are derived from microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. These microbials can protect crops from pests and diseases and enhance plant productivity and fertility. There are three categories of microbials: Biocontrol, biofertility, and bioyield enhancers.