Spotlight: The team behind the PlantwisePlus Digital Tools
PlantwisePlus Digital Tools: The PlantwisePlus programme is working to increase access to digital decision support tools and information. These can support farmers and extension workers to make more informed decisions in crop health management. The delivery of these advisory tools across the programme’s member countries is improving the capacity of public and private stakeholders to…
CABI helps Kenyan farmers combat invasive apple snail
In 2019, Kenyan farmers first started reporting instances of the invasive apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) infesting rice paddy nurseries. Thanks to speedy action by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and the Ministry of Agriculture, intervention actions were rolled out across the country. Importantly, these interventions spread awareness of the new invasive pest and…
Threats to Coffee Production: What are they and the solutions?
The global coffee industry cultivates over $100 billion in revenue with the world’s population consuming over 500 billion cups per year. Yet with this huge global industry, the coffee we drink today is extremely vulnerable. Out of the 124 species of coffee plants found throughout the world, only two are used to produce commercial coffee,…
Successful PRISE-FRT radio campaign promotes IPM to farmers in Malawi
The PRISE project has carried out a successful radio and SMS campaign targeting maize, tomato and bean smallholder farmers in Malawi. In collaboration with Farm Radio Trust (FRT) the campaign was developed in late 2020 to disseminate the PRISE pest alert forecasts to rural farmers in Mchinji and Balaka districts and promote the uptake of…
Anonymisation: Protecting User Rights and Security
With the ever-increasing shift of focus to data-driven practices, the legal obligations around sharing data are a common barrier. Data protection is an important aspect of data security, with the rights of the users within a dataset needing to be maintained and protected. By following the appropriate data protection principles, the risk of harm to…
How Insect Saliva is Helping Crops Protect Against Pest Damage
A new study has unlocked the hidden ways in which important cash crops such as cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) tackle localised pest invasion and damage using natural defence mechanisms. Insights such as these are key for the future protection of our global agricultural production in the light of increasing pest outbreaks and crop damage.
Enabling Data Access Project: Supporting Grantmakers and Digital Capabilities in India and Ethiopia
The Enabling Data Access project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to support the improved design of grants with data components in collaboration with the Open Data Institute (ODI). The core goal of the project is to understand the various challenges faced by grantmakers and those who manage grants (Program Officers (POs)) within the Digital Farming Services Gates Foundation…
Biotechnology aiding the fight against cowpea pest damage in Africa
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), a staple crop in West Africa, is consumed by more than 200 million people a day and is an important source of income for farming communities. Nigeria is the largest producer of cowpea, yet still imports roughly 500,000 tonnes of the crop per year due to the domestic consumption demand. This need…
How Nutrient Management Digital Tools are Helping to Combat Climate Change
Fertilizers, whether organic or mineral provide essential macro and micronutrients to crops which results in more productive growth and yields. While proper fertilization is crucial for productivity, there are also negative impacts to the misuse of such products, notably the excessive application of fertilizers on farm plots which can result in the leaching of nutrients…
Machine Learning within the Agriculture Aid Sector
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used all around us in our personal and professional lives. With constant improvements to technologies and the data science driving these developments, we are now seeing a world where it is common to see AI in some form in everyday life. One such area of AI which is being utilised…