Innovation in sustainable agriculture took centre stage this week as Insect Science made history at the Lottoland ontbytSAKE Onderneming van die Jaar event. The Limpopo-based company became the first ever to secure three awards in a single year, a landmark achievement celebrated at the Nederburg Wine Estate in Paarl on 23 October 2025.
Insect Science, a leading developer of cutting-edge pest management technologies, received accolades for Best Video Feature by an Agri-Enterprise, SAKEwinkel Winner, and the prestigious Overall Silver Winner. Group CEO Gerhard Booysen, who accepted the awards alongside Managing Director, Dr. Vernon Steyn, and Marketing Manager, Anna Bannink, credited the success to the team’s dedication. “This recognition reflects not only our innovation but also the integrity and hard work of our entire team,” said Booysen. “We remain focused on advancing our Responsible Pest Management™ approach—helping growers worldwide reduce pesticide use through science-based solutions.”
Science of Responsible Pest Management™
Insect Science, established in the year 2000 and based in Tzaneen, Limpopo, specialises in an area of entomology known as semiochemicals. These are naturally occurring signalling compounds, like pheromones, that insects use to communicate with their own species. The company’s unique strength lies in its ability to identify, synthesise, and formulate these chemical signals to create highly specific, eco-friendly pest control tools. Their Responsible Pest Management (RPM) approach is an essential component of a broader Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategy. Instead of relying on broad-spectrum chemical pesticides that can harm beneficial insects (like bees) and leave residues on crops, Insect Science uses nature’s own methods to manage pest populations. This targeted approach is about doing more with less, ensuring sustainable farming practices with minimal environmental impact.
Pheromones: A Natural Alternative to Pesticides
At the core of Insect Science’s technology is the use of pheromone-based lures and traps. These solutions leverage the insect’s own biology to control its numbers in five main ways: Monitoring, where lures attract specific pests to traps, allowing farmers to accurately track population density and activity; Mating Disruption, which uses high doses of synthetic pheromones to overwhelm natural signals, preventing male pests from finding mates; and Mass Trapping / Attract-and-Kill, where pheromones lure large numbers of pests into traps for capture or into small devices containing an insecticide. This focused pest control is species-specific, meaning it targets only the harmful insect without impacting non-target organisms. This makes it an invaluable tool for sustainable farming, especially in the production of high-value commercial crops like fruits and vegetables, and is compatible with both organic farming and other biological control methods.
Cementing Global Excellence
The triple win at the ontbytSAKE Awards, celebrated alongside other industry giants, validates Insect Science’s position not only as a leading South African agri-business but as a global player in green technology. The company’s commitment to scientific research, demonstrated by its in-depth laboratory and field work spanning decades, is securing its expansion globally. By providing farmers with reliable, science-based tools for pest management, Insect Science is helping to address the critical global challenges of food security and environmental sustainability. Their historic win is a testament to the powerful potential of South African innovation in shaping the future of global agriculture.