The 2022 BioProtection Summit and Awards (the annual meeting of the World BioProtection Forum; WBF) will take place on 24–25 May 2022 in the UK.
On 24–25 May 2022, the BioProtection Summit and Awards (formerly known as the Biopesticide Summit and Awards) will gather stakeholders from across the biocontrol sector in the UK, including representatives from start-ups, SMEs, multinationals, leading academic institutions, research organisations, the public sector, entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors and end users. This first post-COVID gathering of the WBF’s membership will enable reconnections and collaborations during a two-day programme of educational presentations, dedicated networking sessions, the famous InvestorReady workshops, and the prestigious Awards ceremony and dinner.
The BioProtection Summit and Awards 2022 plays a key role in achieving the mission of the WBF, which is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, and to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of bioprotection (formerly known as biopesticide) products.
Biological solutions for the control of pests and diseases present a fast-growing segment of AgriTech, and they offer a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. This is particularly important as more chemicals are being withdrawn from the market due to their toxicity, leaving growers helpless in the fight against a growing number of crop pests and diseases. The WBF is founded on the belief that, by creating the connections that allow individuals and companies to take biological technologies forward, the sector can more successfully provide the solutions needed to fill the gaps left in the market by withdrawn toxic chemicals.
Professor Shashi Sharma, Presidentof the WBF said: “This will be an outstanding event, because we are all looking for alternatives to an agricultural system that is no longer acceptable to humanity. The losses caused by crop pests and diseases must be managed with minimal cost to human safety and the environment. Bioprotectants can provide the solution – we just need to get them to market.”
Professor Zhibing Zhang FREng, Vice President of the WBF said: “In the post-COVID world, we can expect new opportunities for industry and academia to work together closely, and to take on the grand challenges facing the environment and food safety. Through collaboration, we can address those challenges and make the world a much better place.”
Dr Minshad Ansari, Chairman of the WBF said: “A new age is dawning in AgriTech, as the BioProtection sector is finally making its mark. The sector is highly innovative, with a shared vision for industry growth. However, there has been a bottleneck in bringing new products to market due to challenges associated with product development, formulation, registration, and commercialisation. If we can connect different stakeholders and encourage them to collaborate to overcome those challenges, we can take these technologies to the forefront of agricultural pest and disease control. There has never been a better time to pull together to realise the potential of the sector.”
More information about the BioProtection Summit and Awards will be available at https://www.worldbioprotectionforum.com/events/# Hold the date to join us on 24–25 May 2022, and registration will open soon!
Contact:
Dr Sarah Harding
Communication Consultant
sarah.harding@worldbioprotectionforum.com
Editor note:
The BioProtection Summit is the annual meeting of the World BioProtection Forum (WBF) and its members. The WBF is a non-profit organisation for encouraging collaboration across the biocontrol industry and academia. The WBF was founded in 2019 to encourage the successful development and commercialisation of novel biological control products for agricultural pests and diseases. To join the WBF, or for more information, please visit https://www.worldbioprotectionforum.com/
