Communication is key: CABI publishes framework for strategic communications during pest outbreaks
The invasion of a highly destructive plant pest can have a devastating effect on farmers’ crop production, natural ecosystems and economic trade. In Africa, where a large proportion of people live in rural areas and rely on subsistence agriculture, invasive species can cause severe damage and seriously impact food and nutritional security.
Women and Parthenium management in Pakistan
Last year, CABI in Pakistan in collaboration with University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (UAF) conducted a series of seminars in rural areas of Pakistan. The aim was to highlight the damages being caused by Parthenium weed to humans, livestock and biodiversity. As part of this, teams ensured inclusiveness of rural women as major stakeholders due to…
Preparando al productor para luchar contra el cogollero
El gusano cogollero (Spodoptera fugiperda) y otros gusanos masticadores son llamados “Langostas” por los productores en Somotillo y municipios aledaños, quizás devido a que la defoliación severa que causan les recuerda el daño causado por la langosta del desierto (Schistocerca gregaria). El cogollero es la plaga de mayor importancia para la producción de maíz en Nicaragua, sobre todo en el ciclo de primera, especialmente en localidades dentro del ‘corredor seco’ como Somotillo.
CABI partners with local universities to engage youth on parthenium weed in Pakistan
CABI recently organized a two-day training and planning workshop for its university partners on “Awareness and Management of Parthenium” in Islamabad. The workshop was attended by key stakeholders and post-graduate students of partner universities such as the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi and University of Sargodha.
Collaborative effort in Kenya to manage the impact of scale insect in coastal region
By Fernadis Makale, CABI Scale insects – such as the coffee mealybug and cassava mealybug – are some of the least studied group of invertebrates in East Africa. However, a collaborative effort has been made to address the threat they pose to smallholder farmers: despite their cross-cutting status as pests in all plant groups, crops,…
Reaching more farmers with fall armyworm knowledge and information through ICT-enabled extension
Since 2017, CABI and partners have launched a series of extension campaigns in Kenya and Uganda in the fight against the invasive pest fall armyworm. These campaigns used integrated ICT-enabled approaches combining radio, SMS, and community video screenings with the aim of improving awareness, knowledge and management practices for fall armyworm. Although smallholder agriculture is…
Fall armyworm in Africa: communicating out of a crisis
Take a quick look at the map of the fall armyworm invasion. It gives you a good feel for the number of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa directly affected by a small caterpillar eating their staple crop – maize – at a rapid rate. As a communication professional working in agriculture, it has been the…