Using the crop clinic concept to minimize the indiscriminate use of pesticides
A recent article in the Sri Lanka Plant Protection Industry Journal highlights how the crop clinic concept in Sri Lanka has promoted effective, judicious use of pesticides. PT Bandara and WMDH Kulatunga describe how the Permanent Crop Clinic Programme (PCCP), established in 2009, provides effective advice that both prevents the destruction of natural enemies due…
Calling tomorrow’s leaders: Apply today to earn a sustainable agriculture degree from CABI
CABI is on the lookout for students to join a crop management degree programme aimed at tackling food insecurity around the world and helping to feed the growing global population. Scholarship opportunities are available to qualified individuals who work with the Plantwise programme activities in their countries. With the population estimated to reach 9 billion…
In Expo Milano debate, IPPC argues for the crucial need for international cooperation on plant health
Contributed my Melanie Bateman, CABI Switzerland The universal Expo Milano’s theme is ‘Feeding the planet, Energy for Life’. Plant health’s important contribution to food security has already featured prominently in Expo events which Plantwise has participated in such as recent ones hosted by the Swiss Pavilion and the UK Pavilion. This message was reiterated and…
Update: Plant Health News (15 Jul 15)
Here’s a taste of some of the latest stories about plant health, including Theni banana farmers in Tamil Nadu adopting more efficient production techniques, why GM crops have been slow to take hold in Africa and the bio slurry pellet method of rice cultivation that could save farmers time and money. Click on the link to read more…
Sri Lankan plant doctors launch e-plant clinics
24 June marked the launch of the first e-plant clinics pilot in Sri Lanka. Experienced plant doctors from ten plant clinics in Nuwara Eliya district came together to learn how tablet computers could enhance the current Permanent Crop Clinic Programme (PCCP) led by the Plant Protection Service, Department of Agriculture. Plant doctors learnt: how electronic data collection…
Farmer Field Day training in Malawi
On Tuesday, June 3rd, Land O’Lakes held another in a series of Farmer Field Day training events at one of their signature Answer Plot® sites, known locally as Yankho Plot™ sites in Malawi. This farmer training event was held in Salima district, Malawi, on a plot planted with several varieties of rice. On this day,…
Update: New Pest & Disease Records (08 Jul 15)
We’ve selected a few of the latest new geographic, host and species records for plant pests and diseases from CAB Abstracts. Records this fortnight include the first report of Rice stripe necrosis virus infecting rice in Benin, the occurrence of Tomato zonate spot virus on potato in China and the first report of Cassava common mosaic…
A Leap from an ‘Analogue’ to a Digital Platform: The Story of Kenyan Plant Doctors
A blog written by Willis Ochilo The stage is set and all the participants are sitting. Beneath the veneer of silence that pervades the workshop room are deep-seated fears. And it does not take long for the same to come out to the fore. The setting is in Maanzoni Lodge in Machakos County. Here, the…
New FAO Report: Climate change and what it means for food systems
How will climate change impact the future of food production, trade and consumption, and most importantly, what do leading scientists recommend as an appropriate policy response? In a newly released book from FAO, cross-sectoral insights from scientists and economists put the picture of food and food security into perspective in a changing climate. The findings…