Chilli black thrips outbreak: supporting Indian farmers to protect crops sustainably
Outbreaks of Thrips parvispinus, commonly known as chilli black thrips or Southeast Asian thrips, are causing challenges for smallholder farmers in India. These tiny, dark-coloured invasive pests are responsible for considerable economic losses, particularly for growers who rely on chilli crops as a primary source of income. Chilli black thrips are notorious for their aggressive…
Gender equality and youth inclusion: ten focus areas for impact
UN Women recently published The Gender Snapshot 2024. While the report highlighted some positive developments, no indicator under SDG Goal 5, Gender Equality, has been achieved. Women comprise around 43% of the agricultural workforce in low- and middle-income countries. However, their responsibilities and capacity are too often diluted by gender inequalities. Breaking down the barriers to women…
How PlantwisePlus and Grameen Foundation are driving change for women farmers in India
In India, women farmers play a crucial role in agriculture, contributing significantly to activities like seed production, sowing, weeding, transplanting, threshing, and harvesting. Despite making up a substantial portion of the agricultural workforce, their access to advisory services is limited. Many agricultural services do not cater to their specific needs, resulting in a gap between…
Human-centred design workshop in India helps shape PlantwisePlus digital tools
Smallholder farmers rely on extension services and other agricultural service providers for effective advisory information. To serve the broad needs of farmers, advisors need access to decision-support information. Digital tools can offer many advantages to advisors, such as providing easy access to relevant information and improving decision-making.
Instructors in Bangladesh receive training to use CABI digital tools in agricultural diploma curricula
Bangladesh is enhancing its agricultural diploma education by incorporating PlantwisePlus learning and decision-making resources to improve farmer advisory services nationwide. Instructors at the country’s Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) will now have access to digital tools from CABI Academy and PlantwisePlus, which are being integrated into the ATI curriculum. Bangladesh Technical Education Board and CABI recently…
From TV star to farming advocate: How Catherine Kiboi is helping CABI Academy reach a new audience
Actor Catherine Kiboi is helping a new audience benefit from CABI’s online learning platform. CABI Academy is an important learning resource for a diverse range of users. For smallholder farmers, it offers a chance to gain specialized knowledge and practical skills that enhance their farming practices and improve crop yields.
Mobile plant clinics in Nepal: Delivering vital crop health advice to rural farmers
In Chitwan, Nepal, mobile plant clinics are helping smallholders by providing plant health advisory services to local farmers seeking help with crop pests and diseases.
Shaping sustainable management of the South American tomato leafminer in Vietnam
The global damage caused by the South American tomato leafminer (Phthorimaea absoluta) poses a significant threat to tomato production worldwide, including in Vietnam. Since its first official recording in Son La province in 2019, tomato growers have faced potential crop losses of 80–100%. A combination of its spread and ability to develop resistance to pesticides…
South Sudan farmers to benefit from country-specific extension content
CABI organized a five-day digital and in-country content creation workshop in Juba, South Sudan. The writeshop was an opportunity to introduce the PlantwisePlus digital learning and decision-making tools and build capacity for national stakeholders in developing country-specific extension materials for farmers.
Types of biological control: augmentative, conservation and classical
Biological control, also called biocontrol or bioprotection, is a method of pest control using other organisms, natural enemies, pathogens, semiochemicals and natural substances. Unlike some other methods of control in agriculture, bioprotection often has little to no side effects.