CABI Academy helps strengthen plant health capacity building through digital learning in India

Rice farmer, India. Image: CABI
A partnership between CABI and NIPHM has strengthened plant health capacity building by embedding CABI Academy’s digital learning courses into India’s postgraduate curriculum. It provides a model that agricultural colleges across India and beyond can follow. Agriculture employs nearly 44% of India’s workforce, yet pests and diseases destroy up to 40% of the country’s crops every…
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In photos: Sri Lanka’s plant clinics bringing crop health advice to farmers

A gourd farmers stand among his crops
Sri Lanka’s farmers face persistent challenges. Crop pests and diseases threaten yields across paddy and vegetable fields. The agriculture sector employs over 2 million people, roughly 30% of the workforce. Seven in ten smallholder farmers own less than 0.8 hectares of land. For these farmers, a pest outbreak can be devastating.
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In photos: how plant clinics support advisory services in Bangladesh 

Over the past decade, CABI has worked in Bangladesh to strengthen national plant health systems, first through Plantwise and since 2021, PlantwisePlus. The programme works with partners to ensure farmers have access to reliable, science-driven crop health advisory services.   Plant clinics and digital support platforms are helping with early detection, diagnosis, and management of crop…
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How PlantwisePlus and partners are supporting Assam’s agricultural future

Plant health campaign in Assam
From July to December last year, Assam Agricultural University (AAU) in Jorhat hosted a series of initiatives under the CABI-led PlantwisePlus programme to strengthen plant health services and enhance crop productivity. Co-organized by CABI, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), and AAU, the events demonstrated how Integrated Pest Management (IPM) trainings, plant clinics, plant health…
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Crop Sprayer app helps young spray service providers build sustainable businesses 

Kelvin, a spray service provider in Kenya, using the Crop Sprayer app
In Makueni County, Kenya, young spray service providers are transforming how smallholder farmers manage pests.   The Crop Sprayer app, developed by CABI PlantwisePlus, is helping agripreneurs reduce pesticide risks through accurate dosage calculations, protecting farmer budgets, human health and the environment. 
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Meet Ignitious Chilembo, a Zambian researcher championing responsible pest management 

Ignitious discusses pest management options with a farmer.
In Zambia, smallholder farmers face various pest and disease challenges, including fall armyworm in maize and cassava brown streak disease. Pesticides are often used to manage these threats; however, improper use can harm both human health and the environment, as well as reduce farm productivity and cause pesticide resistance. Reducing pesticide risk requires supporting advisors…
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In pictures: Tackling Croton scale in Grenada  

Joy Pelius is a farmer in Grenada benefiting from assistance from CABI PlantwisePlus and Ministry of Agriculture.
In Grenada’s lush tropical landscapes, a tiny pest, the Croton scale, is having a massive impact. But thanks to the power of nature and knowledge sharing, change is underway. Through the combined efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture, CABI PlantwisePlus, and the Sandals Foundation, the sustainable management of croton is being evaluated as part of…
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Meet the plant doctor bringing CABI Academy to India’s agricultural advisors 

Plant doctors in India use Lenovo tablets to log data
In India’s Tirupati District, Andhra Pradesh, plant health training with CABI Academy is playing a vital role in strengthening agricultural practices and supporting extension professionals.  Meet M. Bhaskaraiah, the Assistant Director of Agriculture and District Training Coordinator for the Department of Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh. He works with agricultural advisors, strengthening capacity through hands-on knowledge…
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