How Social and Behaviour Change Communication is changing pesticide use in Pakistan
Social and Behaviour Change Communication is helping farmers in Pakistan adopt safer pesticide practices, reducing health risks and improving decision-making across farming communities.
In their own words: Uganda’s agro-input dealers on the impact of pesticide safety training
Agriculture is central to Uganda’s economy, employing more than 70% of the population. While pesticides play a critical role in minimizing crop losses, their misuse poses significant risk to human health, the environment, and food safety. Agro-input shops are common in towns, and trading centres cross Uganda. They sell seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides to farmers. Smallholders frequently use agro-input dealers as their primary source of pest…
Reducing pesticide risks through public–private collaboration and long-term capacity building
Across Latin America, misuse and overuse of pesticides continue to pose risks to human health, the environment, and farm productivity. Addressing the improper use of pesticides requires not only technical knowledge but also strong partnerships. Public-private collaboration can support activities and embed safer practices over the long term.
PlantwisePlus develops agro-input dealer training scheme with Bangladesh government
Pest outbreaks in Bangladesh are causing a rapid increase in the sale of pesticides. Farmers are turning to chemical products such as fungicides, herbicides and insecticides to manage pests, which they often buy from their local agro-input dealer. However, these chemicals can harm the environment and human health. In Bangladesh, pesticide risks are significant due…
What do agro-dealers in Nepal prefer when it comes to sustainability standards?
Agro-dealers in Nepal can play a pivotal role in reducing the risks associated with pesticide use, such as harm to human health and the environment. They are a key source of pest management advice for smallholder farmers. However, many lack access to accurate information about risk reduction and safer plant protection products. How can we implement better…
Rooting out parthenium: A milestone moment for sustainable weed management in Pakistan
Parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as parthenium or “famine weed”, is one of Pakistan’s most damaging invasive species. It spreads aggressively, suppresses crop productivity, threatens grazing lands, impacts biodiversity, and poses serious health risks to humans and livestock. Over the past decade, CABI has led a comprehensive, science-based campaign to address this threat. Now, as the…
Meet Ignitious Chilembo, a Zambian researcher championing responsible pest management
In Zambia, smallholder farmers face various pest and disease challenges, including fall armyworm in maize and cassava brown streak disease. Pesticides are often used to manage these threats; however, improper use can harm both human health and the environment, as well as reduce farm productivity and cause pesticide resistance. Reducing pesticide risk requires supporting advisors…
A step forward for pesticide risk reduction in Sri Lanka with launch of new national committee
In a significant step toward safer and more sustainable agriculture, stakeholders from Sri Lanka’s Department of Agriculture (DoA) under the Ministry of Agriculture and CABI came together for an important workshop on pesticide risk reduction and Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs). The event, held in August 2025, brought together regulators, researchers, universities, industry representatives, and other…
Watch the video: Trichogramma rearing facilities in Pakistan
In the face of increasing pesticide reliance, biological control offers a less harmful, more sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. Biological control utilizes natural enemies, such as predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, to suppress pest populations. In Pakistan, PlantwisePlus is collaborating with the Pakistani government to rear Trichogramma chilonis, providing farmers with these tiny wasps that control…
Pesticide risk reduction in Pakistan: Building a safer future for farming
Pesticides play a critical role in crop protection, but the overuse and misuse of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) pose serious risks to farmers’ health, the environment, and international market access. In recent years, pesticide risk reduction in Pakistan has emerged as a national priority, a trend shared by many countries worldwide. In particular, following trade…