CABI calls for gender equality for rural women in Pakistan
Every year, Rural Women’s Day is celebrated on 15 October. It recognizes the valuable contributions that women living in rural communities make to agriculture, food security and rural development. In Pakistan, this is important. According to Relief Web, Pakistan’s total female population is over 101 million. However, around 64 million women – more than half…
Empowering women farmers in Ghana: Introducing the gender handbook for extension agents
At 42%, women form a large and important part of the global agricultural work force. In Ghana, this figure is even higher. Here, women make up 52% of the labour force and produce 70% of food crops. However, gender norms and stereotypes often prevent them from fully participating in decision-making on family farms. This impacts…
Changing behaviour around pesticide use can make farming safer – here’s how
Chemical pesticides can be an important part of a pest management strategy, helping to prevent food losses and waste. Synthetic fungicides, herbicides and insecticides can effectively control pest threats, and this is beneficial for food production. However, pesticides have a downside. They pose a health risk to consumers, farmers, animals and the environment. These risks…
Pesticide risk reduction can contribute to food safety – here’s how
To mark World Food Safety Day on 7 June, with the theme of the year “Food safety: prepare for the unexpected“ we take a look at the ways in which the PlantwisePlus pesticide risk reduction pathway can contribute to safer food production.
PlantwisePlus develops agro-input dealer training scheme with Bangladesh government
Pest outbreaks in Bangladesh are causing a rapid increase in the sale of pesticides. Chemical products such as fungicides, herbicides and insecticides can help to manage pests. However, they also harm the environment and human health.
Parasitic wasps play pivotal role in Kenya’s papaya mealybug control
Papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) is a devastating papaya pest. It impacts many countries in East and West Africa. Infestations can result in significant economic losses, posing a threat to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. On average, the pest can cause anywhere from 53% to 100% crop losses, costing £2,224 per hectare annually. Its impact on…
Can Uganda’s agro-dealers become champions of sustainable pest control?
The global surge in pesticide use has helped to increase agricultural productivity. However, it has also raised alarms about the risks they pose to health and the environment. In many low- and middle-income countries, agro-input dealers (commonly called agro-dealers) play a central role in supplying farmers with inputs such as fungicides, herbicides and insecticides. They…
PlantwisePlus delivers plant health ‘training of trainers’ in South Sudan
South Sudan’s agricultural sector is vital to its economy and employs most of the population. The FAO estimates that up to 95% of South Sudan relies on agriculture for income. Diverse crops like cassava, maize, groundnut and sorghum characterize farming here. However, agriculture in this East African nation faces challenges. Climate change and global warming,…
How has a ‘writeshop’ helped to address invasive apple snail in Kenya?
Invasive species, like apple snail, are a threat to food security. It’s important that they’re quickly managed before they start to spread. One of the best ways to do this is to share plant health knowledge with smallholder farmers. And writeshops are an excellent tool for gathering evidence-based information to do this. In this blog,…
5 ways that youth agricultural training benefits young people in Uganda
Youth agricultural training is bringing hope to young people in Uganda. Here, youth unemployment is a significant crisis. Around 70% of unemployed people are youths. There are ample job opportunities in the agriculture sector. However, many youths lack the skills they need to secure careers in farming.