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.
Read Further

Why multi-channel agricultural extension works for fighting crop pests

A farmer in a maize field in Nyagatare, in Rwanda's Eastern Province
Addressing fall armyworm in Eastern Rwanda We might often have a sense that if taking one course of action works, then doing more of it should amplify that work. It turns out this really is the case regarding agricultural extension. A PlantwisePlus-funded study has discovered the benefits of ‘multi-channel agricultural extension’. The research focused on…
Read Further

Plant clinics improve food security in Rwanda, says new study

Astonishingly, an estimated 40% of crop loss worldwide can be attributed to pests. This statistic that is especially devastating in developing areas where crops are a source of food, income and livestock feed amongst other uses and could be prevented if methods were available.
Read Further

Reducing extreme poverty in Rwanda thanks to CABI-led Plantwise plant clinics

Rwanda farmer plantwise
New research into the positive impacts the CABI-led Plantwise programme is having has revealed that its plant clinics have helped reduce incidences of extreme poverty in Rwanda by helping farmers fight crop-devastating pests and diseases.
Read Further

Crop-devastating pests in Rwanda to be targeted with space-age technology from PRISE programme

Pests, which threaten to destroy key cash and food security crops including maize, tomato and beans, are to be prioritized as part of an integrated pest management strategy using state-of-the-art space-age technology. Scores of smallholder farmers in Rwanda are the latest to benefit from the CABI-led consortium, funded by the UK Space Agency and the Global Challenges Research…
Read Further

Investing in smallholder farmers for a food-secure future

strawb
Smallholder farmers provide the vast majority of the world’s food supply, and ‘small-scale farming’ is the largest occupation group of economically active people, 43% of which are women. Approximately 2 billion of the world’s poorest live in households that depend on agriculture in some form for their livelihoods, whether this is for market or subsistence.…
Read Further

The chicken or the egg?

strawb
“I started with just 100 chickens”, begins Mr Jean Claude Ruzibiza. He goes on to explain how from small beginnings he has now become Managing Director of Rwanda Best, a farm producing 4,500 eggs a day and growing fruit and veg to satisfy a significant part of nearby Kigali’s hungry population. With malnutrition in the world…
Read Further

Agricultural innovation framework agreed in Rwanda

strawb
Contributed by Rachel Winks, CABI. The partner organisations of the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) met in Kigali, Rwanda, on 19-21 January to agree a new concept for agricultural innovation: the common framework on capacity development for agricultural innovation systems. With growing global population and increased food demand, agricultural innovation can help improve food security, increase…
Read Further

Update: Plant Health News (25 Feb 15)

strawb
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including the Giant African land snails invading Cuba, the debate over GM bananas in Uganda and a new report from the World Food Programme on connecting farmers to markets. Click on the link to read more of the latest plant health news!
Read Further

Maize lethal necrosis has spread to Rwanda

strawb
Report by Abigail Rumsey, Beatrice Uwumukiza and Bellancila Uzayisenga. In the past two years, we have reported on the presence of the maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease in East African countries including Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The disease is also present in South Sudan. The most recent report has been of its spread to the…
Read Further