Plantwise Factsheets App gets the attention of BBC radio [Video]
Plantwise and White October met up for an interview on BBC Radio Oxford’s Kat Orman show to talk about how the new Plantwise Factsheets Library app will help get good crop information out to local extension workers, helping them to help farmers.
2013 Global Food Policy Report: Nutrition in the spotlight
Last month, the International Food Policy Research Institute released its 2013 Global Food Policy Report. This report is the third annual report in this series which aims to give an overview of the food policy developments that have affected food security that year. This includes a review of the key highlights of the previous 12…
The world’s last meal- what does a homogenous global diet mean for food security?
You’d think, from the vast variety of international cuisines that line our high streets and supermarket shelves, that globalisation was widening the global palate. Recent evidence suggests it’s just not the case. As the global diet narrows, concerns are growing for the world’s food security and the ecological implications of setting up a ‘global monoculture’. A recent PNAS study found that…
Tackling food insecurity with mobile technologies
It is important for farmers in developing countries to have access to the best agricultural information available to prevent crop losses and boost food security and wider livelihoods. Under the Plantwise programme, CABI helps local governments and extension workers set up plant clinics where farmers can come for unbiased and practical agricultural advice helping them to “lose less and…
Crop diversification finds home for ‘orphan crops’
The term ‘orphan crops’ refers to plant species and varieties that of recent decades have been ignored by governments, seed companies and scientists due to their limited importance in global markets. Instead, only a few major staples have been of interest. From fruits and vegetables to grains and nuts, many orphan crops are highly nutritious,…
Finding ‘a way forward’ at Sri Lanka’s national Plantwise forum
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC_iGco5z-E&w=560&h=315] Over 60 stakeholders from Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector came together in the hilltops over Kandy in Sri Lanka recently to exchange experiences and discover strategies for implementing the Plantwise model on the ground. Video also available on Vimeo here. Coming from extension, research, private enterprise, academia and policy-making, attendees at this national forum…
Plantwise 2013 Highlights
As we move into the New Year and all that 2014 has to offer it seems like a good time to review some of the achievements of 2013. Here are a few of the Plantwise highlights of 2013!
The Rotterdam Convention: safeguarding human and environmental health from hazardous chemicals and pesticides
Contributed by Melanie Bateman CABI, Switzerland This year marks the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the Rotterdam Convention, which aims to: Promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm; Contribute to the environmentally sound use…
UK Needs Increase In Agriculture Graduates To Tackle Global Food Security
Increasing the production of food in an environmentally sustainable way is a major global issue. A report produced by the UK Cabinet Office in 2008 predicted that the global population will rise to 9 billion by 2050 from a current 6.8 billion. This increase in population will substantially increase demand for food, with food production…
Bread from the ‘Tree of Life’
Breadfruit has been coined the new ‘super-fruit’ and according to some has the ability to alleviate world hunger. However, it has recently been discovered that breadfruit may also have a very different role in saving lives. Scientists have isolated three chemicals produced in the male inflorescence of the breadfruit that are extremely effective at repelling…