Towards reduced pesticide use in agriculture: A multiple-case study of agrosupply business models for low pesticide solutions

The agrosupply sector plays a key role in the transition toward reduced pesticide use by developing and commercializing alternative crop protection market offerings. This article examines the business models of agrosupply actors based on eight cases-including biocontrol, equipment, and digital tools. Results reveal diverse models, some mirroring pesticide approaches and others drawing on digital-economy logics, with providers generally aiming for pesticide-level performance while requiring limited changes to existing practices. In the discussion, we distinguish models according to their implications for ecological transition and suggest that low-sustainability pathways rely on business models largely compatible with pesticide models, with the risk of reinforcing structural lock-ins and hindering future shifts toward strong sustainability.