The European Union (EU) has awarded €4.9 million in funding to a new initiative aimed at revolutionizing pest control in agriculture with environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides.

The project, known as CROPSAFE (Crop Protection Strategies for the Transition to Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture), is led by Norwegian biorefinery company Borregaard and brings together a consortium of research institutions, industry leaders and sustainability-focused partners across Europe.

Funded by the Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), the four-year initiative focuses on developing bio-based pest control solutions for three key crops: potatoes, tomatoes and bananas – crops that are particularly vulnerable to pests such as nematodes.

CROPSAFE aims to replace fossil-based pesticides with cost-effective, renewable bio-based products. Early testing has shown promising results, with potential yield increases of up to 20 percent and a 75 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions related to crop protection practices.

Borregaard, which leads product development, is leveraging its Norwegian spruce-derived lignin fractions and bark extracts to develop bioactive treatments against nematodes. These bio-based chemicals will be tested for efficacy in field trials across Europe, including at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), where early trials have shown significant potential.

“We have high expectations for this,” noted Gudbrand Rødsrud, Borregaard’s chief technology officer. “We’ve achieved promising results in nematode trials at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. If we succeed, this has great potential for agriculture worldwide – both in terms of increasing food production and enhancing sustainability in farming by reducing the use of toxic pesticides.”

The CROPSAFE consortium includes Borregaard (Norway), Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek n.v. (Belgium), Grupo Regional de Cooperativas Plataneras del Archipiélago Canario (Spain), Alginor (Norway), The James Hutton Institute Dundee (UK), Centre for Process Innovation (UK), Iconiq Innovation (UK), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy), Kaffe Bueno (Denmark), Acondicionamiento Tarrasense Associación (Spain), Soilsessentials Limited (UK), and Institut Químic de Sarrià (Spain). Supporting partners include MoreThanDigital International (Switzerland).

The funding will cover 100 percent of testing and lab costs for academic partners, while Borregaard will receive 60 percent of its development costs, amounting to approximately €226,000 over four years.

In addition to Norwegian spruce extracts, the project explores the use of other renewable inputs such as algae and spent coffee grounds, turning waste into high-value biopesticide components.

The June-July 2025 issue of the New AG International magazine is now live! Read more.