Eco-friendly pest management: Biological and non-chemical approaches for sustainable agriculture

Abstract

Excessive dependence on chemical pesticides has caused serious environmental, ecological, and health problems in modern agriculture. Eco-friendly pest management offers sustainable alternatives through biological, botanical, cultural, mechanical, and pheromone-based approaches integrated under Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This review synthesizes research published over the last two decades to evaluate the effectiveness of eco-friendly pest management strategies in sustainable agriculture. The findings indicate that biological control agents reduce pest populations by 45-90%, botanical pesticides by 40-80%, cultural practices by 25-60%, mechanical and physical methods by 20-70%, and pheromone-based techniques by 40-80%. IPM adoption further reduces pesticide use by 30-60% while increasing crop yield by 10-30% and farmer income by up to 40%. Eco-friendly approaches conserve biodiversity, improve soil health, minimize pesticide residues, and reduce resistance development. Despite their proven benefits, adoption remains limited due to lack of awareness, training, and institutional support. The review concludes that eco-friendly pest management is essential for achieving sustainable, climate-resilient, and environmentally responsible agricultural production systems.