TY - JA AU - Wyckhuys,K.A.G. AU - Yanhui Lu AU - Wenwu Zhou AU - Cock,M.J.W. AU - Naranjo,S.E. AU - Fereti,A. AU - Williams,F.E. AU - Furlong,M.J. TI - Ecological pest control fortifies agricultural growth in Asia–Pacific economies SN - 2397-334X PY - 2020/// CY - USA PB - Nature Publishing Group KW - Agriculture KW - AGROVOC KW - Ecological control KW - Pest control KW - Economic aspects KW - Asia N1 - Peer review N2 - The Green Revolution is credited with alleviating famine, mitigating poverty and driving aggregate economic growth since the 1960s. In Asia, high-input technology packages secured a tripling of rice output, with germplasm improvements providing benefits beyond US$4.3 billion yr–1. Here, we unveil the magnitude and macro-economic relevance of parallel nature-based contributions to productivity growth in non-rice crops over the period 1918–2018 (across 23 different Asia–Pacific geopolitical entities). We empirically demonstrate how biological control resolved invasive pest threats in multiple agricultural commodities, ensuring annually accruing (on-farm) benefits of US$14.6–19.5 billion yr–1. Scientifically guided biological control of 43 exotic invertebrate pests permitted 73–100% yield-loss recovery in critical food, feed and fibre crops including banana, breadfruit, cassava and coconut. Biological control thereby promoted rural growth and prosperity even in marginal, poorly endowed, non-rice environments. By placing agro-ecological innovations on equal footing with input-intensive measures, our work provides lessons for future efforts to mitigate invasive species, restore ecological resilience and sustainably raise output of global agrifood systems DO - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01294-y T2 - Nature Ecology and Evolution ER -