12.4 Patent protection and prohibitive registration cost
The environmental protection agency in developed and developing countries should relax the formalities and registration cost to promote registration of biocontrol agents either by universities or private companies. The patent protection rights for the effective products should be strengthened to encourage the organizations involved in identification and development of commercial biocontrol agents.
12.5 Awareness, training and education shortfalls
The general level of awareness among stakeholders about the potential value of biopesticides is lacking. There is a need for
• Awareness level among the policy makers of the potential for biopesticides, their efficacy and their effect in reducing the health and environmental problems.
• The opportunities offered by the commercialization in terms of generation of wealth and employment are to be promoted.
• Entrepreneurs and investors need to be informed about the opportunities that exist for establishing commercial companies to manufacture market and sell biopesticides.
• Government extension workers have to be trained in biopesticides and the communication between research and extension sectors have to be intensified.
• The nature and mode of action of biopesticides have to be explained to farmers who are used to chemical insecticides, which are often fast acting and are visibly effective (Sabitha Doraiswamy et al.,
2001).
12.6 Lack of multidisciplinary approach
The process of biopesticides development to complete product requires research in areas of screening, formulation, field application, production, storage, toxicology as well as the steps necessary for commercialization, such as scale up production, registration and regulatory matters. Most of the research efforts undertaken with the use of biopesticides are confined only to the exploration, collection, isolation and identification of biocontrol agents combined with laboratory based bioassays. But in the process of product development the above research aspects shares only a fraction of work required to develop a complete product. Product development requires a multidisciplinary approach to biopesticides research