PlantwisePlus restarts plant clinics following conflict in Tigray region of Ethiopia

In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, village-based plant clinics have traditionally flourished. Running from 2014 to 2020, with the support of CABI and Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the local government and community embraced the clinics. The regional government even expanded on their services. However, a two-year conflict in Northern Ethiopia interrupted plant clinic operations.…
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CABI-led plant doctor training in Burundi improves diagnostic skills by at least 10%, new study shows

Many smallholder farmers around the world rely on good agricultural extension services to successfully grow their crops. Correct field diagnoses of plant health problems are an essential starting point, writes Dr Stefan Toepfer and co-authors.
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Plant doctor training improves Rwandan farmers’ access to plant health advice

Plant doctor training session participants in Rwanda
A six-day Plantwise plant doctor training session took place in Rwanda this March. Funded by CABI, the training aimed to build the capacity of Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA) staff in the diagnosis of crop pest problems, and providing advice to farmers.
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Plantwise training materials for plant doctors now available in 11 languages

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Plantwise training materials, given to extension workers so they can help smallholder farmers lose less of their crop to pests and diseases, are now available in 11 languages – writes Dr Stefan Toepfer, Research Scientist Arthropod Biological Control; Integrated Crop Management Advisor at CABI.
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Analysis of plant doctor recommendations across the globe: a student project

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Last year, I had the pleasure of working on a project for Plantwise as part of my university course, writes Isabel Williams – a Master’s student in the Department of Biology at The University of Oxford. Myself and five other students – Amy Barnes, Rosario Bonnie Evans Pena, Mairi Franklin, Zac Lumley and Mary Woodward…
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Plant doctors: fighting crop pests through integrated pest management

Okra crop pests
The increase in devastating crop pests, such as the fall armyworm and tomato pinworm, has led to a growth in pesticide use among smallholder farmers. The lack of product knowledge and safety awareness means there is a widespread tendency not to adhere to safety precautions.
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Plant doctors help in fight against crop threats in Jammu, India

Plant doctor orientation day, Jammu
The role Plantwise plant doctors play in helping smallholder farmers mitigate crop losses due to pests and diseases has been lauded by K.K. Sharma – the Director of Agricultural Production & Welfare Department in Jammu, India.
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Meet Chheng, a farmer from Cambodia using natural methods to control pests

Farmer Ms. Chheng Sok Khim (42) waters her Chinese Kale crops early in the morning in the plot of land she has near her house in Svay Prateal, Sa Ang district. Since 2012 Ms. Chheng Sok Khim uses natural pesticide which she elaborates herslef with 5 to 6 different types of vegetables.
In a new video, Plantwise follows Chheng Sok Khim, a farmer growing vegetables in Kandal province, Cambodia. Ms Khim struggled to control the pests on her farm and turned to chemical pesticides, but this ended up costing her more money and negatively affected her yields and her health.
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Empowering organic cotton growers through plant clinics in Balochistan

Pakistan is among the top five largest cotton producing countries in the world. Although Punjab and Sindh have remained major cotton producing provinces since 1947, a sharp increase in global demand for organic cotton is offering a great opportunity to Pakistan in general, and Balochistan in particular is set to get maximum benefit due to…
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Plantwise innovations highlighted in UN Climate Change report

A farmer and a plant doctor discuss crop health problems in the field
CABI’s work in supporting agricultural decision-making for smallholder farmers using innovative digital tools has been featured in a new report by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations body coordinating climate action around the world.
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