Eco-Friendly Crop Protection: 5 Pioneer Companies

Eco-friendly crop protection is moving from “nice to have” to “must have.” Why? Farms are under pressure to grow more food with fewer inputs, less runoff, and lower risk to people and pollinators. That is pushing demand for biological crop protection, plus smarter, more targeted tools.

For investors and ESG leaders, this category sits at the intersection of:

• Risk (regulation, residues, resistance, water impact)

• Resilience (climate stress, yield stability)

• Opportunity (premium markets, better unit economics over time)

The FAO also frames Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as a way to reduce unnecessary pesticide use and residues by using ecosystem services and better decision-making.

What we looked at

• Lower-impact pest and disease control (bio-based, targeted, residue reduction)

• Ease of adoption in real farming systems (integration, scale, support)

• Innovation edge (R&D strength, new delivery models, precision tools)

• ESG relevance (water/soil impact, biodiversity, worker exposure, compliance)

1. Koppert Biological Systems

Best for: Growers and supply chains that want proven IPM and biological control

Koppert is one of the names most tied to modern biocontrol and IPM. It’s been building tools like beneficial insects and biological solutions for decades, with deep on-farm experience.

Why it stands out

• Strong track record in biological pest control

• Fits well with IPM programs focused on fewer residues

• Trusted in greenhouse and specialty crops

Bottom line
 Koppert is a clear beneficiary of the move toward lower residues and IPM-driven farming. It’s also aligned with biodiversity goals.

2. ICL Group

Best for: Large-scale agriculture that wants sustainability without breaking performance

ICL Group is well known for crop nutrition, but it fits this list because eco-friendly crop protection is not only about “killing pests.” It’s also about building crop resilience so farms can reduce broad chemical load over time.

ICL’s approach supports a sustainability thesis: healthier soils, better nutrient efficiency, and stronger plants can reduce stress and improve stability that are key outcomes for climate risk and long-term productivity.

Why it stands out

• Strong “whole system” focus: soil health + efficiency + resilience

• Scales across conventional and sustainable farms

• Clear alignment with input reduction and stewardship goals

• Its impact is often indirect (through resilience + efficiency)

Bottom line
 ICL can appeal to ESG screens focused on resource efficiency, runoff reduction, and long-term productivity, especially when paired with better targeting and biological programs.

3. Rovensa Next

Best for: Farms moving fast toward biosolutions and regenerative practices

Rovensa Next is built around biosolutions like biocontrol and bionutrition. It’s aimed at lowering reliance on older, broad chemical approaches and supporting sustainable programs.

Why it stands out

• “Bio-first” portfolio and positioning

• Designed to plug into modern sustainable farm programs

• Good fit for regenerative and residue-sensitive supply chains Where it’s weaker

• Biological results can vary by region, crop, and conditions, so field support matters

Bottom line
  A biosolutions-heavy company can benefit from both regulation and buyer pressure, especially where food brands want cleaner supply chains.

4. BASF

Best for: Big operations that want an integrated path (biologicals + digital + targeted chemistry)

BASF is leaning into biological crop protection while also using digital farming tools to improve decisions and cut waste. BASF positions digital farming as a way to optimize crop production and support sustainability outcomes.
  It also describes offering biological crop protection products alongside digital services that help farmers interpret field data for better decisions.

Why it stands out

• Ability to scale solutions across geographies

• Digital + biological integration can reduce unnecessary applications

• Strong R&D engine and product development muscle Where it’s weaker

• Large portfolios can be complex, and “best practice” depends on good program design

Bottom line (ESG + investor lens)
 BASF is a strong “transition enabler.” For ESG teams, the story is measurable efficiency: better timing, better targeting, and fewer wasted inputs.

5. Provivi

Best for: Precision pest control with very low non-target impact

Provivi focuses on pheromones and mating disruption, a method that targets specific pests without broad collateral damage. Provivi describes its pheromone-based mating disruption approach as a foundation for controlling pests like fall armyworm.
  Provivi also announced a sprayable pheromone solution for fall armyworm mating disruption in partnership with Syngenta for Brazil.

Why it stands out

• Species-specific approach (more targeted, less “blast radius”)

• Low residue profile and strong fit for IPM

• Helpful for resistance management over time

Bottom line (ESG + investor lens)
 This is the kind of innovation ESG investors like: targeted, lower-impact, and built for modern compliance and residue limits.

Conclusion: The next era of crop protection is quieter, smarter, and investable

Eco-friendly crop protection isn’t a niche trend anymore. It’s a practical response to real constraints: tighter residue limits, rising resistance, water and soil pressure, and growing expectations from buyers who want cleaner, more traceable supply chains. With the biopesticides market projected to roughly double from ~$7.7B (2024) to ~$15.7B (2029), the direction of travel is hard to ignore, biologicals and precision tools are becoming core infrastructure for modern farming, not optional add ons.

What this list really shows is that “eco-friendly” isn’t one strategy, it’s a spectrum of solutions that reduce the chemical burden in different ways:

• Koppert represents the proven IPM playbook: biological control with decades of field credibility.

• ICL reflects the systems approach: resilience and efficiency that reduce pressure on protection programs over time.

• Rovensa Next is the bio-first portfolio bet, designed for farms and brands moving quickly toward regenerative and residue-sensitive standards.

• BASF brings scale and integration: pairing biologicals with digital decision tools to cut waste and improve targeting.

• Provivi points to the future of precision: species-specific control with minimal non-target impact.

For investors and ESG leaders, the most compelling opportunities won’t just be the “greenest” products, they’ll be the solutions that are repeatable in the real world: consistent performance, strong field support, clear compatibility with IPM, and measurable reductions in runoff, residues, and non-target risk. The winners in this category will help farms do what they’re being asked to do everywhere: produce more with less without trading yield for responsibility.