In agriculture, pests are organisms that significantly interfere with the productivity of crops or animals. In conventional agriculture, farmers often use chemical pesticides to manage pests. These can be effective at keeping pests away but they come with negative side effects. Chemical pesticides are costly, damaging to the environment and kill benificial organisms in the soil. Farmers can become dependent on chemical pesticides as they kill pests' natural predators, thus reducing the ability of ecosystems to naturally manage pests. 

Organic farmers rely on other forms of pest management, including intercropping, application of biological (plant) extracts, supporting natural predators and fostering a hostile environment for pests. Have a look through our organic fact sheets to learn more about managing pests with organic agriculture.