PlantwisePlus Toolkit: Applying Digital Development Principles to real life
Claire Curry is the Global Team Leader for Specific Objective 1 of CABI’s PlantwisePlus programme, focusing on knowledge delivery to agricultural service providers through digital tools. Claire is a member of the Digital Development team and a ‘Digital Ninja’ at CABI.
Biotechnology aiding the fight against cowpea pest damage in Africa
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), a staple crop in West Africa, is consumed by more than 200 million people a day and is an important source of income for farming communities. Nigeria is the largest producer of cowpea, yet still imports roughly 500,000 tonnes of the crop per year due to the domestic consumption demand. This need…
Village-based plant clinics benefit Ethiopian farmers
In Ethiopia, smallholder farmers are the mainstay of the economy, with the country’s large rural communities dependent on small-scale farming for food security and income. However, farmers face several challenges when trying to improve crop yields, in particular plant pests and diseases. It is estimated that Ethiopian farmers lose up to 50% of all crops…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (7 July 2021)
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 a new species of bark beetle in Taiwan and the first record of fungi isolated from Thrips tabaci on garlic in the Philippines.
Plant Health Rallies benefit farmers in Uganda
CABI has conducted a study into Plant Health Rallies in Uganda and the positive impact they have on farmers’ plant health management knowledge, attitudes and practices. The study looks at what factors enhance or hinder farmer attendance at rallies, as well as how advice received is applied.
Webinar discusses sustainable management of fall armyworm
A webinar was hosted by the Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare, Jammu and CABI to promote the sustainable management of Fall armyworm (spodoptera frugiperda). The informative webinar explored how this invasive pest can be monitored and managed in the maize growing regions of Jammu, Northern India.
How Nutrient Management Digital Tools are Helping to Combat Climate Change
Fertilizers, whether organic or mineral provide essential macro and micronutrients to crops which results in more productive growth and yields. While proper fertilization is crucial for productivity, there are also negative impacts to the misuse of such products, notably the excessive application of fertilizers on farm plots which can result in the leaching of nutrients…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (7 June 2021)
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 new records of Dichotomophthora portulacae in Iraq and the first report of Grapevine Pinot gris virus infecting grapevine in Algeria.
Plant clinics: Gender impacts in Zambia
Women are key to the future of agriculture and ending world hunger. Currently, female farmers make up 43% of the global agricultural workforce and play an important role in farming production and improving food security. However, the hurdles women face are real. Women often find it harder than men to access agricultural information, finance and…
New ePlant clinics to help the most remote farmers in Northern India
Plantwise ePlant clinics have opened in a further five districts of Jammu province in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. With its mountainous landscape, these districts are often inaccessible to public service providers. To make information available to farmers, the Department of Agriculture, Jammu (DAJ) in collaboration with CABI, has established a network of…