Piloting a CABI crop health advisory chatbot

Chatbot workshop participant
Last year, CABI’s Digital Development team, in coordination with colleagues in Kenya and India, embarked on a journey to pilot an agri-advisory chatbot. This initiative was informed by prior stakeholder engagement activities under the Generative AI for Agriculture Advisory (GAIA) project, where key insights were gathered to ensure generative AI tools meet the needs of…
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Human-centred design workshop in India helps shape PlantwisePlus digital tools

human centred design workshop, India
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.
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South Sudan farmers to benefit from country-specific extension content

Workshop participants looking at the PlantwisePlus Factsheets app
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.  
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Nepal Update: International Plant Protection Symposium 2024

CABI's stand at the International Plant Protection Symposium in Nepal
The International Plant Protection Symposium 2024, held in Nepal, focused on leveraging digital tools for sustainable agriculture. It brought together experts, researchers, and practitioners to address emerging plant protection challenges and explore innovative solutions. The event provided an excellent platform for CABI to enhance the visibility and promotion of the PlantwisePlus digital tools, which aid…
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Digital tools promotion roadmap created with stakeholders in Kenya’s Nakuru County

Advisor using a tablet while speaking to a farmer
Digital tools can benefit farmers and those in agricultural advisory services. CABI envisions a world in which digital innovation magnifies agricultural and environmental development impact. Through the creation and application of digital technologies, CABI brings science-based agricultural knowledge to millions of smallholder farmers, helping them increase their yields sustainably.
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PlantwisePlus digital tools to benefit the next generation of agricultural experts in Nepal

In Nepal, digital tools are strengthening agricultural advisory services by providing timely information, facilitating remote training, and promoting the dissemination of best practices and innovations efficiently and widely. PlantwisePlus has been developing and updating various digital tools to support agricultural extension workers, private-sector farm advisory service providers, plant protection officers, farmers, researchers, and students.
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Agricultural digitalization: Opportunities and challenges discussed at workshop in India

Authors: Dr R. Rajkumar, Principal scientist, (MSSRF) and Akanksha Nagpal, Manju Thakur (CABI) Digital tools have the potential to improve agricultural productivity, sustainability, and adaptability. Alongside longtime partners, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), CABI recently participated in a workshop hosted by the Resilience Project. The workshop, entitled “Digitalization of Agriculture: Current Challenges, Responses and Opportunities…
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Empowering women farmers with digital tools in India

A woman farmer in India
In India, 59 per cent of women work in agriculture. This workforce is vital to the country’s rural economy, with women performing many of the big farming jobs, such as planting, weeding, tending, and harvesting crops. 
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The uptake of digital tools in Nepal discussed at workshop

digital tools workshop in Nepal
Digital tools are increasingly being adopted in agriculture in Nepal, fostering productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Whether mobile apps, farm management software, weather forecasting, remote sensing, GIS, or e-extension, these tools empower farmers with crucial information and services. As such, the digitization of farming gives farmers the opportunity to grow more, reduce costs and improve food…
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Digital advisory tools: reaching last-mile users in India

Minister of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh, opening CABI's stand at Ag Tech 2023
PlantwisePlus presented its suite of digital advisory tools to end users at the recent AgTech 2023 conference in Andhra Pradesh, India. The PlantwisePlus digital tools are helping improve knowledge and uptake of integrated pest management (IPM) practices. As such, they align with Andhra Pradesh’s Natural Farming Initiative, which promotes the use of agricultural approaches that are in harmony with nature.  
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