PlantwisePlus delivers plant health ‘training of trainers’ in South Sudan 

South Sudan’s agricultural sector is vital to its economy and employs most of the population. The FAO estimates that up to 95% of South Sudan relies on agriculture for income. Diverse crops like cassava, maize, groundnut and sorghum characterize farming here. However, agriculture in this East African nation faces challenges. Climate change and global warming,…
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What is Integrated Crop Management?

Integrated Crop Management student in the field
Integrated Crop Management (ICM) is a holistic and sustainable approach to farming, focusing on optimizing resources, reducing input costs and promoting long-term soil health. As such, integrated crop management enables farmers to boost crop productivity while minimizing environmental impact. In this blog post, we explore the fundamental principles of Integrated Crop Management and how it…
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Strengthening Bangladesh’s pest preparedness and management system

attendees of the pest preparedness meeting in Bangladesh
In a landmark initiative, CABI hosted a pivotal stakeholder workshop dedicated to “Strengthening the System for Pest Preparedness and Management in Bangladesh.” The workshop had two primary objectives. Firstly, to validate findings from a national pest management exercise. Secondly, to develop a roadmap to fortify Bangladesh’s pest preparedness and management system through the collaborative commitment…
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How climate smart agriculture can lead to ‘triple wins’ for farmers threatened by climate change

Global food consumption is predicted to increase by 51% by 2050. This is a profound challenge for our agrifood systems, which will only be made harder by the increased pressures of climate change on food security. In addition, agriculture is not just impacted by climate change; it is also a significant source of the greenhouse…
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Watch out for these five cabbage pests

Cabbage is a globally important vegetable crop. It serves as a valuable source of nutrition and income for local communities. With a wide range of varieties around the world – from Savoy to Bok Choy – it is an important component of many cuisines. Smallholder farmers often cultivate cabbage as a cash crop. Like many…
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Mealy Plum Aphid: An Overview

Mealy plum aphids on Prunus sp. (Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, bugwood.org)
The mealy plum aphid, or reed aphid, is a sap-sucking plant pest that is commercially important for fruit tree farmers. It is present across the globe and can cause significant damage in large numbers. Introduction Aphids are small, soft-bodied, sap-sucking bugs in the family Aphididae which cause extensive damage to plants when in large numbers.…
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PlantwisePlus most read blogs of 2023

As 2023 draws to a close, we have tallied the numbers to present the most-read articles on the PlantwisePlus Blog this year. Plus a few firm favourites. Articles on the new PlantwisePlus tools and courses were some of the most read during 2023, as well as other blogs on key topics like one health and…
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Update: New Pest & Disease Records (08 December 2023)

We’ve selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases from CAB Abstracts. Records this month include the first report of leaf spot on soybean caused by Epicoccum sorghinum in Heilongjiang Province, China and information about three new alien spider mites from south-eastern France.
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Recommendations made for plant clinic progress in Afghanistan

Plant clinics are an important way that we support farmers in Afghanistan. The programme helps smallholders and kitchen gardeners alike. It aims to give them the knowledge they need to protect their crops from pests and diseases. And by doing this, it helps to safeguard their crop yields and livelihoods. 
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Digital tools workshops empower agriculture stakeholders in Jamaica

Last month a series of digital tools workshops occurred in Southern Jamaica. Organized by the PlantwisePlus team in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA). These workshops aimed to showcase and promote the PlantwisePlus digital tools, including the PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank, Factsheet Library App, and CABI Academy. The events catered to a diverse audience,…
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