Transgenic tobacco plants expressing a cowpea trypsin inhibitor gene have enhanced levels of insect resistance to a variety of insect pests. Furthermore, insect bioassay has shown the cowpea trypsin inhibitor to have anti-metabolic activity to insect pests of the orders Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Orthoptera. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach to developing insect resistant crops is discussed in relationship to other methods, including conventional plant breeding and chemical control. Eventually it is hoped that African farmers will benefit from this industrially sponsored research.