J Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta, also said the technologies to produce more food from less land are vital in halting climate change, but that better targeting will mean farmers around the world will use less pesticide in future.
The widespread use of pesticides is coming under increasing pressure as their negative effects on bees and other wildlife become more apparent. The EU banned neonicotinoid insecticides from fields in April and gave the weedkiller glyphosate a shorter renewal period than expected in November.
In an interview with the Guardian, Fyrwald said that shunning agricultural technology will have serious consequences, with the global population expected to rise by 1.5 billion people by 2050 and global warming continuing to rise.