EU funds project to replace chemical pesticides with bio-based alternatives

Norway-based Borregaard’s CROPSAFE initiative has secured €4.9 million in EU funding to develop bio-based crop protection methods aimed at reducing the use of fossil-derived pesticides in food production. The four-year project, backed by the EU’s Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), focuses on pest management in key crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas.

Borregaard operates one of the world’s most advanced biorefineries and produces specialty cellulose, lignin-based biopolymers, and bioethanol derived from Norwegian spruce. Its technologies serve industries ranging from construction to agriculture and pharmaceuticals.

With global food crop losses from pests and diseases reaching an estimated 40% annually, the project addresses a growing urgency for sustainable solutions in agriculture. CROPSAFE—short for Crop Protection Strategies for the Transition to Environmentally-Friendly Agriculture—seeks to develop cost-effective, scalable biological alternatives to conventional pesticides, many of which are being phased out in the EU due to environmental and health risks.

Borregaard is leading the development of products and processes using bark extracts and lignin fractions from Norwegian spruce. These compounds will be tested against nematodes, microscopic worms that cause widespread root damage in crops. According to Borregaard, early-stage trials at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) have shown promising results.

“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,” said Borregaard Chief Technology Officer Gudbrand Rødsrud.

In addition to lignin-based biopolymers, CROPSAFE researchers are exploring the use of bio-based waste, such as algae and spent coffee grounds, to develop environmentally friendly pest control agents. These approaches may reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with crop protection by up to 75% and potentially boost yields by as much as 20%, according to project estimates.

The CROPSAFE consortium includes industrial, academic and non-profit stakeholders from across Europe. Alongside Borregaard, members include research institutions such as the James Hutton Institute (UK), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy), and the Institut Químic de Sarrià (Spain), as well as agri-business cooperatives and biotech companies. Laboratory and testing costs for academic participants will be fully covered, while Borregaard will receive EU funding for 60% of its development expenditures, or roughly €226,000 over the course of the project.

“This initiative supports Europe’s transition to a circular and sustainable bioeconomy by helping the agri-food sector replace harmful inputs with renewable alternatives,” said Nicoló Giacomuzzi-Moore, Executive Director ad interim at CBE JU.

The initiative comes as regulators tighten restrictions on synthetic pesticides due to concerns over their long-term ecological impact, including soil degradation, water contamination and biodiversity loss. With limited alternatives currently available, especially for smallholders and specialty crop producers, CROPSAFE aims to fill a critical gap in the agricultural inputs market.

The project’s results could contribute to the EU’s broader Farm to Fork strategy, which targets a 50% reduction in pesticide use and associated risks by 2030.