Pests and Beneficial Insects in Agriculture: Insights from Estonia

Stakeholders from across Estonia's agricultural sector recently gathered for a roundtable "Pests and Beneficial Insects in Agriculture," hosted by the Estonian University of Life Sciences. Short on time? View key takeaways on LinkedIn.

This hybrid webinar was part of the H2020 FRAMEwork project’s knowledge exchange and stakeholder engagement event series. This initiative is associated with the project's online platform Recodo, which connects people working at the frontiers of farming and biodiversity with vital resources.

Producers, policymakers, and researchers came together to address a pressing challenge in modern farming: how to balance productivity and biodiversity through more sustainable insect management.

Gathering Diverse Perspectives

Attendees included researchers and farming organizations, as well as representatives from Estonia’s Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture (REM), the Ministry of Climate (KLIM), and the Centre of Estonian Rural Research and Knowledge (METK).

The roundtable was designed to enhance dialogue around several core questions:

• How can landscape elements, such as field margins, contribute to natural pest control?

• What strategies best support beneficial wildlife and ecosystem services on farmland?

• How can subsidies and policies promote both productivity and biodiversity conservation?

• What challenges do Estonian farmers face in implementing these methods?

  
  

Deputy Coordinator Alastair Simmons (Taskscape) welcomed attendees and provided a brief introduction to Recodo and relevant resources available on the platform, before handing over to the EMU team.

Why This Matters: The Importance of Biodiversity

Integrating landscape elements into agricultural management is vital for enhancing biodiversity, promoting natural pest control, and building ecosystem resilience. However, participants also acknowledged the real-world challenges: balancing productivity with conservation, bridging knowledge and implementation gaps, and weighing short-term costs against long-term benefits.

Supportive policy and public recognition of farmers' efforts were recurring themes throughout the discussion.

Professor Eve Veromann from the Estonian University of Life Sciences explained the foundational principle:

"Agriculture, landscapes, and agricultural ecosystems are special... Farmers can contribute to them in two ways: either through planned diversity—what all producers can do themselves by using different crops and breeds—or by helping landscape elements have flexible standards that work well with fertilization, water operation, and water protection through the inhibition of chemical leaching."

What's Working and What Needs Improvement: Current Strategies

Estonia has made strides with subsidies already in place to encourage ecological areas and sustainable management practices. These measures help preserve habitats and landscapes, but the roundtable highlighted the necessity for broader adoption of diverse landscape elements—not just herbaceous field margins.

Ministry representatives highlighted current support measures:

"The main emphasis of the CAP subsidies we have in the country is the sectoral development plan for agriculture and fisheries. For biodiversity, we require the preservation of permanent grasslands, prohibition of incineration of harvest waste, construction of buffer strips along watercourses, and the preservation of landscape elements."

Research Insights: Natural Pest Control

Professor Veromann shared significant research findings about rapeseed pests and their natural enemies, explaining the vital role of landscape diversity:

"In very simple terrain landscapes, the smaller the diversity, the lesser the chances of organisms surviving in such a landscape. The benefits of nature are crucial—plant pest control, environmentally friendly natural damage, pollination, and erosion reduction."

She highlighted a surprising discovery about parasitoids—natural enemies of crop pests:

"The average rate of parasitism of the giant beetle in Estonia can reach up to sixty percent. Parasitoid populations are regulated by the abundance of their host beetles. When the level of parasitism consistently exceeds a certain threshold, such as two percent, it can significantly impact the host population. In areas where the parasitism rate of the giant beetle was over thirty-six percent, the population of these beetles was reduced by sixty percent the following year."

Farmer Perspectives: Real-World Challenges

Ott Läänemets shared practical insights about the challenges facing farmers regarding landscape elements:

"We still need to make progress with landscape elements. Many landscape features are just piles of stones or soil that are pushed together. Farmers should be motivated to create a more diverse range in the field, but in a way that actually provides benefits."

He emphasized flexibility's importance:

"Farmers must see this for themselves and optimize their strategies to find solutions... Farmers should design landscape elements while considering our goal of making production more efficient. This doesn't necessarily conflict with environmental goals."

Another farm organization representative shared an impactful experience:

"Last year, there was one farmer who never used insect control as they relied entirely on natural methods. He disliked insect repellents. The predation was substantial, and all the stems were eaten. The most effective approach is to implement the right strategies that assist when chemical options aren’t available."

Climate Change and Pest Dynamics: Emerging Effects

Silva Vilumets from the Estonian University of Life Sciences emphasized how climate change affects pest patterns:

"We have experienced significantly warmer springs, leading to earlier plant growth. Additionally, the soft ground, especially over large areas, results in decreased winter pest control. Over the past five to ten years, pest populations have risen above average levels."

Looking Ahead: Collaborative Future

The roundtable concluded with a shared commitment to ongoing collaboration among stakeholders. A ministry representative summarized:

"We need two separate meetings here. One group should focus on plant protection products, plant health, and related insect issues. The other group should discuss landscape elements further. We’ll work on bringing together the right people for each discussion and develop more specific proposals."

There was widespread consensus on the importance of evidence-based support and knowledge sharing between farmers, scientists, and policymakers. Emphasizing actionable data and insights for better decision-making will strengthen partnerships and promote sustainable agriculture across Estonia.

Professor Veromann noted the success of the discussion:

"I am glad that a substantive conversation has emerged. We need farmers, scientists, and policymakers working together to find practical solutions."

The interplay between agriculture and biodiversity is vital and the roundtable showcased the ongoing value of this important discussion. The webinar ultimately emphasised the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to foster multi-benefit management of productive landscapes.

For those interested in topics like these, check out our free webinars, which kick off with Transforming Agroecosystems Together from 13-15 May 2025.