“Working the land” is an expression linked to the work of farmers, who, with their effort, extract from it the products that feed us.
For farmers, good soil is the one in which the seed germinates and bears fruit, that is, the one that has the right conditions for the optimal development of plants and is free of elements that may prevent it: pests and diseases, soil erosion, meteorological events…
Traditionally, the choice of land has been one of the key elements in the settlement of people, and cultures developed according to its availability and natural productivity. Today, probably, any land can be considered good, as it has become a simple physical and spatial support, a quantitative rather than qualitative support, as it depends less and less on its intrinsic characteristics.
Technological advances in the last century have made it possible to improve the efficiency of farm work, reduce the farmer’s effort and increase productivity. Improvements in seeds, fertilization, irrigation, agricultural machinery and phytosanitary products have made it possible to have products in greater quantities, generally of better quality and at more reasonable prices, even in less fertile lands or in arid and dry places: bad lands turned into good lands.
These are indisputable advances that have had, and continue to have, consequences for both people and markets, both local and global, but also for the environment.
These technologies include pressurized irrigation systems, drones to monitor crops and drones for crop monitoring and the use of artificial intelligence to predict yields and optimize the use of inputs. These tools are revolutionizing traditional agriculture and promoting more sustainable management.
Currently, the problems arising from the excessive use of chemical products(phytosanitary products and synthetic fertilizers) of the 20th century, the impact of global trade on the local market and the problems arising from climate change are threatening agricultural production, affecting both producers and consumers.
“What is happening to the countryside? What have they done to the countryside? Joan Manuel Serrat asked himself in 1973, enunciating many of the problems we continue to face today: pollution, erosion, environmental deterioration and, in anticipation, the loss of biodiversity, the health of people and animal fauna, and other environmental aggressions. Among all these challenges, concern for people’s health led, several decades ago, to the implementation of policies aimed at reducing the use of many active substances (chemical pesticides) due to their negative impact on both people and soil.
In addition, traceability systems were introduced to guarantee the approval, control and quality of products, both for inputs used in production and products marketed for consumption. We have also increased investment in research and development of regenerative agricultural practices that seek to restore soil fertility and mitigate the effects of climate change.
Bringing to market a product that can affect people requires an approval process, essential to ensure that it meets the attributes of healthiness for both people and the environment, as well as proven efficacy. In other words, a process that ensures that the product is good and useful for the purpose for which it was designed.
The registration of agricultural inputs is a guarantee that the product does not affect people, animals or the environment. Not all products pass these approval processes, and the marketing of non-approved products is fraudulent. Legislation establishes the requirements that products must meet and guarantee. However, simple approval does not always guarantee the quality or usefulness of the product. The fact that a product is not harmful does not necessarily mean that it is useful or that it adds value to the production chain.
Usability must also be clearly demonstrated. In this regard, quality controls must be rigorous and continuous, and must be accompanied by frequent audits to ensure that standards are met over time.
For People, Animals and the Environment
In the authorized use, dosage and application.
Ensure that it meets the needs and is useful to farmers.
Proper dosing for optimum results at minimum cost.
A highly concentrated and farmer-friendly formulation.
A product needs a standardization process that allows it to be compared with other products on the market. In other words, its performance can be assessed, both directly and indirectly, considering not only efficacy, but also additional aspects such as ease of handling, appropriate dosage or improved production performance, among other key aspects.
For example, a product with an optimal concentration reduces the number of applications needed and the space required for storage, offering obvious application advantages over products with a higher dosage volume or more successive treatments, not to mention transportation or handling.
On the other hand, a good product must be customizable, i.e. adapted to the specific requirements and characteristics of each user. For this, it is essential to have specialized technical advice, a responsible professional prescription, the testimony of good practices and apersonalized accompaniment that guarantees an integral control and an efficient use of the product. The role of good prescribers is essential for an efficient use of the input. More is not better.
20 years ago Biocontrol Technologies was founded with the aim of bringing to the market, and making available to the farmer, an exceptional biological phytosanitary product of natural origin: the strain of Trichoderma asperellum strain T34 obtained from a careful selection of microorganisms characterized by their suppressive capacity against various soil fungal diseases.
During these two decades, a team of professionals have carried out the arduous process of product homologation, standardization and customization, making these activities the core of the company, addressing the main challenges that a product must meet: healthiness, efficacy, efficiency and usefulness, in this case, for the professional farmer.
Although the main objective of Biocontrol Technologies is the development of products for the farmer based on natural microorganisms, its true vocation is to work the soil to turn it into good soil: healthy, fertile and productive.
With products such as T34 Biocontrol®, products that protect crops while restoring soil health, Biocontrol Technolgies wants to help all farmers to achieve a sustainable agricultural future.
T34 Biocontrol® has not only proven to be an effective tool in the control of major crop pathogens, but also improves plant health (activates the immune system, vaccine effect) and facilitates plant access to mineral elements, without interfering with other beneficial microorganisms.
After the application of the active substance (in 2008) and the obtaining of the authorization in Europe (2012), T34 Biocontrol®, remains a product in constant development, with the search for new aspects of utility for the farmer(new formulations, new applications, control of more diseases). Biocontrol Technologies invests in products to improve the health of the soil and its inhabitants. Currently, T34 Biocontrol® is being used in pilot programs in different countries, adapting to the specific needs of various crops and climatic conditions, which reinforces its versatility and efficacy.
As a company, Biocontrol Technologies faces the same challenges as farmers: improving plant productivity, maximizing product durability and efficacy, and ensuring the healthiness of crops for both people and the environment.
They are not only effective problem solvers, but also efficient: get the best results with less effort (more concentrated formulation, fewer applications, less handling).
Our objectives are also aligned with European policies and respond both to the needs of producers to reduce associated costs and to market demands for more sustainable products.
In short, to contribute to the achievement of a more sustainable, resilient and secure world, an objective that should be shared by all humanity.
"From the beginning, our true vocation has been to work the land to make it good soil: healthy, fertile and productive. We believe that responsible agriculture not only improves the soil, but also protects the environment, people's health and ensures a sustainable future for all."
Over the last few years, through various blogs, Biocontrol Technologies has provided information on different aspects, from registrations to application results. They are based on scientific fundamentals, show trial results, define usage strategies and teach good practices. They will continue to offer this information to keep accompanying customers and users, who are the raison d’être of Biocontrol Technologies.
At Biocontrol Technologies, we believe that the future of agriculture lies in solutions that respect the environment and ensure the viability of farming. We advocate for agriculture based on knowledge, science, and innovation.
Contact us, learn about our biocontrol solutions, and join the movement toward efficient, safe, and climate-responsible agriculture.
