No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta Rican Company Biotech Develops Natural Pest Control for Farmers

Costa Rican Company Biotech Develops Natural Pest Control for Farmers

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently revealed that pioneering Costa Rican company, BioTech, is developing groundbreaking natural alternatives to traditional chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Founded by visionary entrepreneur Lizzy Retana Villalobos, BioTech is at the forefront of implementing innovative biotech solutions that preserve the ecological balance of soil health while promoting agricultural sustainability in our uniquely biodiverse nation.

Despite its relatively small land area, Costa Rica is ranked among the 20 most biodiverse countries globally, housing nearly 6.5 percent of estimated total species on Earth. But preserving this environmental uniqueness has posed increasing challenges over recent decades, especially for the nation’s farming sector. Farmers have grappled to maintain productivity levels and yields, prompting growing reliance on agrochemicals over more sustainable practices.

In direct response to this situation, BioTech has centered its entire mission around creating nature-based agricultural solutions tailored to Costa Rica’s ecological needs. “At BioTech, we see ourselves as plant doctors – instead of eradicating harmful soil microbes with chemicals, we focus on leveraging microbial tools that equip crops to outcompete pathogens themselves,” explained co-founder Retana Villalobos.

Harnessing antifungal bacteria, Beneficial Fungal Endophytes and other biostimulation techniques, their suite of products provide customized and sustainable solutions to pests and diseases afflicting key Costa Rican export crops like pineapple, banana, coffee, palm oil as well as rice, melon and ornamental flowers.

Retana highlighted that BioTech goes beyond just sustainability to actively regenerate farmland ecology. “We develop bioproducts centered on beneficial microorganisms because plants metabolize better with the symbiotic assistance of naturally occurring fungi or bacteria, rather than relying solely on synthetic chemical inputs. This way, we are helping to proactively restore and enhance the natural balance and biodiversity of agricultural soil.”

A flagship BioTech product utilizes high natural concentrations of Trichoderma fungus for example – well-known for combating soil-borne crop diseases, reducing agrochemical pollution and dynamically boosting plant resilience and growth efficiency.

And the company refuses to ever jeopardize the wellbeing of vital pollinators like bees. “It is essential that agricultural inputs do not negatively impact or threaten these key creatures,” emphasized Retana Villalobos.

With Costa Rica leading the way globally in environmental conservation and ecological sustainability, the inspirational rise of BioTech showcases perfectly how homegrown innovation and entrepreneurship can flourish symbiotically alongside protecting our country’s spectacular biodiversity and natural heritage.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Anglers Catch Rare Orange and Albino Nurse Shark

Anglers on a fishing trip off Costa Rica's Caribbean coast caught a nurse shark unlike any seen before: bright orange skin and stark white...

Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica’s Central Valley

An earthquake shook Costa Rica early Friday morning. The tremor occurred at 12:45 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.4. Its epicenter was located 1...

San Jose Airport Achieves Top 5 Global Ranking in Passenger Experience

Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, Costa Rica's main gateway managed by AERIS, has earned the prestigious Level 5 Customer Experience certification from...

Costa Rica Replaces One-Lane Bridges as Traffic and Population Grow

As the infrastructure of Costa Rica advances, with new four-lane highways and a series of bypasses around San José that avoid the narrow, congested...

Guatemala Prisons Erupt in Violence With Guards and Workers Taken Hostage

Gang members rioted this Friday in two prisons in Guatemala and took several guards and civilian employees hostage, a week after uprisings in which...

An Expat’s Life with a Rescue Dog in Costa Rica

For the past 15 months I have been the primary caretaker of a bona fide street dog, a barrio zaguate called Dorothy. My wife...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica