One of the dramatic changes we are faced with is ever fast growing population on the earth, which is anticipated to reach 10 billion by 2050, according to the report from UN. On the top of that, we need to address the issue of global warming, changes in consumption pattern and decrease in farmlands. These challenges ask us to achieve 60% increase in agricultural productivity to secure enough food to support the world population (Climate change and food security, FAO, 2016). The crop protection industry develops new products from various chemical families and different modes of action. The new products should have not only excellent biological activities, but also favorable toxicological profile to keep diversity in ecosystem and meet very strict regulatory requirements. Also should be active enough to control resistant pests, diseases and weeds. The crop protection products are very useful tool to secure stable food supply, if used in recommended way according to the product label.

The most industry players were still building a case for biopesticides as an important sector of the crop protection industry, most bigger players were making guarded statements about their intentions in the sector, and the headline proclaimed that biopesticides were no longer a fringe sector. Within months, the larger companies started getting seriously involved through acquisitions and licensing deals. The second special issue that came out in 2013 gauged the momentum that the sector quickly achieved and it was becoming clear that biopesticides would figure in the plans of most of the big crop protection companies. The momentum that started in 2012 was sustained throughout 2013 and the first four months of 2014 in the forms of deals as well as acquisitions. The Europe-based majors consolidated the acquisitions made during the previous year and went about submitting registration dossiers for the acquired products and formulating business plans incorporating biopesticides into their overall strategy. In 2013, big US-based companies became active. Monsanto acquired US agricultural biotechnology company, Agradis, which has a collection of thousands of plant-associated microorganisms; formed a partnership with Danish company Novozymes to develop and commercialise biopesticides worldwide; and supported the establishment of a US company, Preceres, aimed at the development of delivery methods for RNAi-based biopesticides. The global companies believe that biologicals will provide new growth opportunities in agriculture and are looking at market opportunities in all crops and the needs of its crop protection business.