Piloting a CABI crop health advisory chatbot
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…
Empowering agro-dealers: A toolkit for safer and sustainable farming in Uganda
PlantwisePlus has reached a milestone in relations with the government of Uganda. On 14 November, the programme handed over a training toolkit for a module on lower-risk plant protection products to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). A team collaboratively developed the resource to help train Uganda’s agro-dealers. It forms part of…
How strengthening South Sudan’s plant health system can reduce crop losses
In countries like South Sudan, people feel the effects of climate change with greater intensity. For example, increased crop pest invasions. The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) damages key crops like maize and sorghum. And the papaya mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) has inflicted extensive damage on crops, leading to a 91% reduction in papaya yields. These factors and…
Bolivia’s plant clinics help train the next generation of agricultural advisors
Este blog también está disponible en español. Farmers in Bolivia face significant challenges, including diverse climate conditions, limited access to water, and crop pests and diseases. These issues are further compounded by rural labour shortages as young people migrate to urban areas, leaving fewer hands to sustain traditional farming practices. Access to agricultural advice and…
Las clínicas de plantas de Bolivia ayudan a formar la próxima generación de asesores agrícolas
Los agricultores de Bolivia frecuentemente deben enfrentar los retos impuestos por las condiciones climáticas adversas, el acceso limitado al agua y el ataque de plagas y enfermedades en sus cultivos. Estos problemas se ven agravados por la escasez de mano de obra rural, ya que los jóvenes emigran a las zonas urbanas, dejando menos manos…
Chilli black thrips outbreak: supporting Indian farmers to protect crops sustainably
Outbreaks of Thrips parvispinus, commonly known as chilli black thrips or Southeast Asian thrips, are causing challenges for smallholder farmers in India. These tiny, dark-coloured invasive pests are responsible for considerable economic losses, particularly for growers who rely on chilli crops as a primary source of income. Chilli black thrips are notorious for their aggressive…
CABI calls for gender equality for rural women in Pakistan
Every year, Rural Women’s Day is celebrated on 15 October. It recognizes the valuable contributions that women living in rural communities make to agriculture, food security and rural development. In Pakistan, this is important. According to Relief Web, Pakistan’s total female population is over 101 million. However, around 64 million women – more than half…
Training workshops held to help strengthen capacity of PlantwisePlus plant clinics in Namibia
Two training workshops have been held to help strengthen the capacity of 10 PlantwisePlus plant clinics recently launched in Namibia in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Gender equality and youth inclusion: ten focus areas for impact
UN Women recently published The Gender Snapshot 2024. While the report highlighted some positive developments, no indicator under SDG Goal 5, Gender Equality, has been achieved. Women comprise around 43% of the agricultural workforce in low- and middle-income countries. However, their responsibilities and capacity are too often diluted by gender inequalities. Breaking down the barriers to women…
How PlantwisePlus and Grameen Foundation are driving change for women farmers in India
In India, women farmers play a crucial role in agriculture, contributing significantly to activities like seed production, sowing, weeding, transplanting, threshing, and harvesting. Despite making up a substantial portion of the agricultural workforce, their access to advisory services is limited. Many agricultural services do not cater to their specific needs, resulting in a gap between…