As part of the strengthening of the country's food security, the National Agricultural Health Service (Senasa) treated a total of 101.910 hectares with biological controllers during 2021.

Hand in hand with coffee, cocoa, corn, alfalfa, potato, rice, bean, citrus, asparagus, avocado, blueberry, artichoke, banana, vine, sugar cane, ginger, olive and camu camu producers, the agricultural health authority has been promoting the use of this method for pest control, which contributes to the production of healthy and safe food, for the benefit of Peruvian consumers and the world.

In field activities, the largest number of biological control agents such as Trichogrammas, Chrysoperlas, Beauveria bassiana and Trichoderma were released, which helped reduce the population level of pests such as sugarcane, cob, borer, black weevil, whitefly, mealybug , aphids, gray mold, alternaria, black arm, locust and root rot.

Senasa's strategy not only establishes the release of biological agents in the fields, but also involves the execution of permanent talks, allowing 19.970 small producers to learn more about the use and benefits of this environmentally friendly practice.

Biological control consists of the use of insects, mites and beneficial microorganisms, commonly called biological control agents (BCA), to control agricultural pests that directly reduce production, managing to avoid significant losses in crop yields.

These ACB control pests such as insects and mites in a natural way, with different mechanisms of action (parasitism, predation, etc.) and also act against plant pathogens that cause diseases in crops.

Senasa in regions
In synergy with field strategies, Senasa also certifies pest evaluators and biological controllers, who in theoretical-practical sessions recognize and evaluate pests that damage crops of economic importance. At the national level, there are 1,082 evaluators who are recognized and certified by the phytosanitary authority.

From 2015 to 2021, Senasa treated 963.023 hectares with a wide variety of biological controllers. In this way, in recent years these actions have been strengthened, both in the laboratories owned by Senasa and with the support of 59 production laboratories (at the national level) that have an agreement in force with the phytosanitary authority.