Efficiency, Substitution, and Redesign: Three Paths Toward Sustainable Crop Protection

Lauren Milligan By Lauren Milligan|19 August 2026

Achieving more sustainable crop protection will require multiple approaches rather than a single solution.

Robert Finger, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Policy at ETH Zurich, explains three key pathways where digital innovation can support the transition: improving efficiency by reducing input use, substituting pesticides with alternative solutions, and redesigning agricultural systems to reduce pest pressure.

Key takeaway:
Digital tools can help growers reduce pesticide reliance while maintaining productivity through smarter, more targeted approaches.

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Lauren Milligan is Content Specialist for the Agribusiness Group, including AgriBusiness Global, CropLife, and Women in Ag Tech. Before joining Meister Media Worldwide in 2022, she received a bachelor’s degree in English from Kent State University in 2017 and has worked on newspapers local to Portage and Summit Counties in Ohio.  See all author stories here.