5 reasons to increase gender-equal education in agriculture
In agriculture, a domain where women play a pivotal yet often underrepresented role, promoting gender-equal education is not just a matter of equity but also a catalyst for community advancement. International Women’s Day, recently celebrated, serves as a poignant reminder of the strides made and the challenges that remain in achieving gender equality across various…
Pakistan launches agri-journalist forum to promote sustainable farming
Pakistan’s media has taken a significant step towards raising awareness on pesticide risks and sustainable farming with the launch of the country’s first Agri-journalist forum. It came alongside a series of media interventions and awareness raising activities led by CABI’s PlantwisePlus programme. The forum aims to strengthen the flow of knowledge on sustainable farming and…
The ‘plant’ doctor will see you now
This blog was originally published on Good Food Movement Until five years ago, M. Muthulakshmi, a farmer from Thoppupatti village in Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, relied heavily on chemicals, including banned antibiotics like streptomycin, for her paddy crop. It was her go-to solution to treat bacterial blight, a deadly disease that affects crop yield. But, this…
Safer pesticide use: Voluntary standard for agro-dealers launched in China
On December 26, 2024, Sichuan Province launched a significant initiative: the “Establishment Specification for IPM Promotion Pesticide Stores.” Written in collaboration with local partners and PlantwisePlus, including CABI’s Dr Min Wan, this new voluntary standard aims to reform agro-shop operations in China. Starting January 1, 2025, it promotes safer pesticide use aligned with Integrated Pest…
Most read blogs of 2024
As 2024 comes to a close, we’ve tallied the numbers to reveal the most read blogs on the PlantwisePlus Blog this year—plus a few firm favourites! Our most read blogs cover crop pest guides, digital tools, and biocontrols for invasive species, highlighting the impactful work we do with smallholder farmers, policymakers, and communities. Did any…
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…
Human-centred design workshop in India helps shape PlantwisePlus digital tools
Smallholder farmers rely on extension services and other agricultural service providers for effective advisory information. To serve the broad needs of farmers, advisors need access to decision-support information. Digital tools can offer many advantages to advisors, such as providing easy access to relevant information and improving decision-making.