Rooting out parthenium: A milestone moment for sustainable weed management in Pakistan
Parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as parthenium or “famine weed”, is one of Pakistan’s most damaging invasive species. It spreads aggressively, suppresses crop productivity, threatens grazing lands, impacts biodiversity, and poses serious health risks to humans and livestock. Over the past decade, CABI has led a comprehensive, science-based campaign to address this threat. Now, as the…
Plant clinics in Malawi: Reducing pest threats to increase crop yields and farmer incomes
Plant clinics in Malawi are empowering smallholder farmers to manage crop pests more effectively. In 2025, scientists published a paper in Plant Environment Interactions reviewing the impact of plant clinics on farmers in Malawi. The clinics have created a frontline support system for smallholders in remote, rural locations. In addition, they have helped to strengthen…
Plant health services in Ethiopia boosted through PlantwisePlus partnership
A strategic partnership with the CABI-led PlantwisePlus programme has boosted plant health services in Ethiopia. Recently, a refresher course held in October delivered plant clinic training to 61 of the country’s plant doctors and plant health experts, a quarter of whom were women. CABI and the government of Ethiopia jointly delivered the three-day PlantwisePlus capacity-strengthening…
One Health in Burundi: Solving challenges to human, animal, plant and ecosystem health
This One Health Day, we look at the interconnected challenges and innovative solutions that shape the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems in Burundi. One Health in Burundi presents a solution to a complex set of challenges. This East African country faces health issues that threaten its people, livestock, and crops. Agriculture is the…
PlantwisePlus marks five years of impact at FAO’s Science and Innovation Forum
On 13 October 2025, PlantwisePlus and its core donors co-hosted a networking reception at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome to celebrate five years of the programme. Following the FAO’s Science and Innovation Forum, diplomats from countries across the global North and South, FAO colleagues, and agricultural researchers…
PlantwisePlus: Growing knowledge, skills and resilience across Vietnam
Across Vietnam’s rice paddies, coffee farms, and pepper plantations, CABI, in partnership with the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS), is helping farmers protect their crops through the PlantwisePlus programme. In Vietnam, the programme supports smallholder farmers through plant clinics, digital tools, and advisory services, directly reaching over 51,500 farmers. Additionally, 2,946 enrolments in CABI…
Advancing gender-inclusive agricultural advisory services in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, agriculture forms the backbone of rural communities. It employs nearly two-thirds of the workforce, many of whom are women. However, the sector faces significant threats from plant health challenges, including devastating crop pests such as invasive fall armyworm. Moreover, the threats disproportionately affect smallholder farmers, especially women. At 58%, women make up an…
Women farmers in Ghana empowered by radio campaign
Women farmers in Ghana face significant barriers to accessing agricultural extension services. Many women in low- and middle-income countries face similar challenges. The services are often designed for men and give them an advantage when it comes to farming productivity. Conversely, with a lack of access to extension services, women farmers on average produce 20-30%…
Pesticide risk reduction in Pakistan: Building a safer future for farming
Pesticides play a critical role in crop protection, but the overuse and misuse of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) pose serious risks to farmers’ health, the environment, and international market access. In recent years, pesticide risk reduction in Pakistan has emerged as a national priority, a trend shared by many countries worldwide. In particular, following trade…
Pest preparedness in action: Preventing the coconut hispine beetle invasion in Bangladesh
The coconut hispine beetle (Brontispa longissima) is a destructive pest of palms, including coconut palms. It is a major pest in Southeast Asia, the Pacific and parts of South Asia. For several years, Bangladesh has recognized the potential threat that the beetle poses. It has worked to prevent its outbreak using a pest preparedness strategy.…