Banana bunchy top disease prevention in Ghana – proactive strategies help reduce risks
Banana bunchy top disease is one of the most destructive banana and plantain diseases worldwide. Caused by a virus, it poses a considerable risk to commercial and smallholder farmers alike, causing yield losses of 2 to 12 tonnes per hectare and income losses of up to 100%. A recent CABI study estimated that farmer income losses range from US$289 to a substantial US$1,444 per…
Agricultural service providers are transforming rural livelihoods – here’s how
Agricultural service providers play an important role in farming. In addition to offering support, they also help to fill gaps in public extension systems. They deliver services such as pest and plant health diagnosis and integrated pest management (IPM) advice. By working with local authorities, PlantwisePlus is helping to train local entrepreneurs to become trusted service providers.…
PlantwisePlus and pesticide risk reduction – why changing minds, not just rules, reduces risks
Findings from Kenya and Pakistan suggest that reducing risks from pesticides depends not only on awareness and information sharing, but on addressing the underlying motivations that shape farmers’ pest management decisions Pesticides can cause harm to human, animal, and environmental health. The UNEP’s Environmental and Health Effects of Pesticide Use report states that the use…
Papaya mealybug biocontrol boosts farmers’ incomes in Kenya and Uganda
Papaya mealybug is a devastating invasive polyphagous pest. This means it can feed on many different plants, making it a greater threat to plant health. In East Africa, it causes yield losses of 57-91% and annual household economic losses of up to £2,224/ha. Managing it effectively can help to save papaya harvests and safeguard farmer livelihoods. Around half of the farmers in the…
Pesticide risk reduction: Strengthening policy, supporting practice
Pesticide risk reduction needs action at many levels, from stronger policies to improved farming practices. PlantwisePlus has supported measures to reduce pesticide risks throughout the food production chain. In this blog, we look at some of those measures and the positive outcomes they have achieved.
Gender Technical Working Groups – boosting the empowerment of women farmers
Gender Technical Working Groups are an effective way to bring together and support organizations that empower women farmers. In 2025, PlantwisePlus strengthened its work around gender responsiveness in agricultural advisory services. Focusing on Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan, and Zambia, the programme increased its stakeholder coordination and training with great results. In this blog, we look at the changes that one working group in particular…
Digital tools aid sustainable pest management new study finds
Digital tools can help smallholder farmers access relevant, timely information about sustainable pest management, improving crop production and livelihoods. These are the findings of a study published in the journal Agricultural Systems.
Pest preparedness starts on the farm: Discover how Ghana’s farmers are helping protect crops
While institutional pest preparedness is essential, farmers are often the first to notice the spread of crop pests. In Ghana, invasive pests continue to make their way across borders through trade, travel, and tourism. Farmers and farm labourers form the frontline of pest discovery. They are among the earliest to identify unusual symptoms in affected…
How can AI tools bridge the gender gap for women farmers?
AI tools have the potential to close the gender gap for women farmers. Women contribute around 40% of all agricultural labour but achieve around 23% less productivity compared to men. This is due to many constraints, from a lack of access to credit, inputs, and land, to gender norms that prevent women from accessing agricultural knowledge, skills, and tools.
Banana bunchy top disease: PlantwisePlus helps to safeguard Ghana’s banana production
Banana bunchy top disease can destroy entire harvests if left unchecked and currently poses a serious threat to Ghana’s banana and plantain production. Although the disease is not yet present in Ghana, PlantwisePlus is working on its early detection and prevention of arrival following the discovery of the disease in neighbouring countries. Last year, the…