Pests and diseases: cocoyam production in Ghana

Pile of cocoyam corms.
Cocoyam species are a staple crop in Ghana that hold significant importance for food security, particularly in times of famine and natural disasters. Despite being known for their hardy nature, cocoyams are vulnerable to a range of pests and diseases which can threaten their production. Cocoyam production also faces additional challenges which affect crop yields…
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“Let’s talk about it”: Championing gender dialogues in Ghana’s advisory services

In Ghana, as in many other countries, women face challenges accessing extension advisory services. To improve the provision for women, in 2021, PlantwisePlus assessed the barriers to women’s participation in and access to extension services. The programme team used an FAO-developed tool called the Gender and Rural Advisory Services Assessment (GRAST).
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Farmers in Ghana prepare and use neem seed-based biopesticide

CABI collaborates with entomologist in Ghana to train vegetable farmers in the local preparation of neem seed-based biopesticides. In collaboration with Professor Ken Owae Fening, an entomologist from the University of Ghana, PlantwisePlus has trained 44 vegetable farmers in the local preparation of neem-based biopesticides for pest control in vegetable production.
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Radio campaign seeks to break down barriers to gender-equitable agricultural extension services

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CABI is joining forces with Farm Radio International to roll out a behaviour change communication (BCC) campaign to try and help break down the barriers to gender equitable agricultural extension services in Ghana.
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Gender-sensitive rural advisory services in Ghana come under the spotlight in training workshop

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CABI, as part of its global PlantwisePlus programme, has held a training workshop in Ghana aimed at building the capacity of the country’s regional agricultural officers to deliver advisory services which are mindful of the sensitivities of gender differences.
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Artificial Intelligence in Africa: Google’s new AI centre in Ghana

Chinyunyu Plant Clinic in Rufunsa district, Zambia.
Google’s first artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Africa has opened in Accra, Ghana. The tech giant aims to support researchers with the tools and environment necessary to develop AI products to solve numerous problems faced across the continent within the agriculture sector.
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Fall armyworm could cost Africa $2bn+ in lost harvest

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Last week, CABI confirmed that since it arrived in Africa in 2016, the Fall Armyworm (FAW) has been reported in 28 African countries, presenting a now permanent agricultural challenge for the continent. FAW mainly affects maize and can cut yields by up to 60%. In research funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), CABI…
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CABI leads rapid identification of Fall Armyworm

Identifying armyworms usually involves taking the larvae that have caused the damage, waiting for them to develop in to adults and then studying the body and markings of these adults to identify the species collected. This process causes delays to identification, and could therefore delay action for what are some of the most ravaging crop…
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Plantwise Ghana Educates Farmers on Major Crop Pest and Diseases

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As part of its mass extension activities for 2016, Plantwise Ghana rolled out a four-week radio campaign to educate farmers about the detection and management of crop pests and diseases prevalent in the project’s five intervention regions in Ghana. The campaign, which took place between September and October 2016, involved five radio stations noted for…
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Plant Doctor wins best Agricultural Extension Agent award in Ghana

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Contributed by Solomon Duah, CABI Ghana Paul Gyedu, a plant doctor working with the Plantwise program in Ghana, has been awarded the Ashanti region Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA) of the Year Award. Paul works for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and combines his work as an extension agent with plant clinic operations in the Bekwai…
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