PlantwisePlus Blog

Participants at the PlantwisePlus plant clinic training workshop

Two training workshops have been held to help strengthen the capacity of 10 PlantwisePlus plant clinics recently launched in Namibia in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The plant clinics are part of a project to help improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers as well as local and national food security. They strengthen plant health advisory services in tackling crop pests and diseases, and, thereby, increase farmers productivity and income.

Farmers take their crop to the plant clinics where a plant doctor helps to diagnose the plant health issue before recommending, where possible, a sustainable approach to mitigating the problem as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan.

Trained on plant clinic data management processes

The latest round of training saw 32 participants trained on plant clinic data management processes. This included how to input information about crop health problems that were brought to the clinic and management advices into the Data Collection Application (DCA) which are then sent to the PlantwisePlus Online Management System (POMS).

POMS has been developed to provide data management support across the PlantwisePlus programme. This tool allows partners and PlantwisePlus coordinators to store and manage information on PlantwisePlus activities in their countries. When analysed, this data provides useful information that support decisions at various levels.

Another training involved 29 participants, including plant doctors, chief regional technicians (supervisors of plant doctors) regional agricultural chiefs, experts from Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MAWLR), and FAO representatives learning how the plant clinics can be run more effectively, their operations standardised and the quality of the service improved.

At this session, future plans and prospects were also laid out including the need for provision of tablets, Trainers of Trainers, mobilising resources and expansion of the plant clinics. They also highlighted the need for refresher courses in modules 1 and 2, and biocontrol as well as monitoring plant clinic performance.

Ms Mbapeua Karutjaiva, FAO Namibia, in her presentation indicated that, in collaboration with partners, they would make efforts to mobilise resources to support operation and expansion of plant clinics in Namibia.

Help raise awareness of crop pests and diseases

CABI's Dr Noah Phiri and Dr Negussie Efa, with two representatives from FAO and MAWRL at the plant clinic training workshop
Dr Noah Phiri and Dr Negussie Efa with FAO and MAWRL representatives at the workshop.

It was also suggested that a plant health rally and mass extension campaigns could be held to help raise awareness of crop pests and diseases, which can impinge on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and food security, and how plant clinics can help.

Mr Titus Shikalepo from the Plant Health Division of MAWRL shared a presentation on the status, progress and challenges of plant clinics in Namibia. His presentation focused on the number of plant clinics established so far, numbers of farmers reached (including breakdown by gender), reporting, plant clinic data collection and sharing as well as monitoring, backstopping and networking carried out.

Mr Shikalepo also spoke about the use of digital tools and resources, challenges and prospects and ways forward. He said all the planned 10 plant clinics have been successfully launched in eight regions of Namibia and, so far, more than 100 farmers have been reached through these plant clinics.

He said the plant clinics are the first line of defence against pests and will help farmers grow more and lose less, increase their incomes and improve their livelihoods.

Digital tools have enhanced knowledge

At this training, it was also shared that plant doctors from Ohangwena region noted that “Using the PlantwisePlus digital tools has enhanced knowledge and has raised confidence.”

Plant Doctors also indicated networking with fellow plant doctors and experts on WhatsApp group and being assisted on diagnosis. Some plant clinics such as the one in Kaisosi have experimented with mobile plant clinics to reach out to farmers and to overcome the challenges posed by lack of awareness among farmers.

Presenters also indicated that they have promoted plant clinics in various ways including on agri expos and fairs. In addition to pest diagnosis, plant doctors indicated creating awareness among farmers about natural enemies.

The FAO is a key technical partner and financier of the plant clinics initiative in the initial stages and CABI is providing capacity-building training, technical support and guidance, training and reference resources, including those from the PlantwisePlus Toolkit.

MAWLR is the national responsible organization and local implementing agency for the project.

Participants  who attended the plant clinic training workshop
The participants here learnt how the plant clinics can be run more effectively and their operations standardised.

Additional information

Main image: Participants take part in a data management workshop group exercise.

Relevant stories

‘CABI and FAO collaborate to launch plant clinics in Namibia.’

‘CABI delivers training and write-shop on production of extension materials for plant doctors in Namibia.’

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