CABI Blogs: hand picked... and carefully sorted

We're moving!

We’re moving!

After almost 12 years, the CABI blog is migrating to a new platform and a new URL: https://blog.cabi.org/ Our new blog will be built on WordPress, which means it’ll look better and load faster on mobile devices and feature better social media integration. The commenting system is also more robust, and the CABI blog is now better integrated with CABI’s other blogs (on Plantwise and Invasives).

 

If you currently subscribe to the blog via RSS or email you will no longer receive updates. To keep receiving alerts whenever we post a new article, please visit https://blog.cabi.org/ and re-subscribe. Don’t worry about losing your favourite article from the last 12 years – all of our archives have been migrated as well.

 

We look forward to sharing stories about our online resources, publishing products and our work in international development in our new home!

Phytosanitary Risk Management Programme - transforming livelihoods in Pakistan

Meet Rozina Babar, she is one of thousands of smallholder farmers in Pakistan whose livelihoods are threatened by agricultural pests and diseases that can devastate crops and ultimately have a severe impact on food security and profitability.

However, thanks to the CABI-led Phytosanitary Risk Management Programme – funded by USAID-USDA and working with partners including the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council – Rozina has seen increases in her income from Rs. 30,000 ($260) to Rs. 70,000 ($605).

The fruit and vegetable farmer from Rahimabad, a small village in the district Gilgit in the province of Gilgit Baltistan, has been trained by CABI to implement biological control methods to tackle the fruit fly pest which has been threatening her crops.

CABI board member Dr Prem Warrior explains how CABI is delivering on SDG15: Life on Land

 

CABI helps prevent, detect and limit the impact of invasive species by training government officials about the way they arrive and spread, supporting early detection and removal, and advising on natural, sustainable control (biocontrol) and pest management.

By conserving biodiversity and ecosystems, we're improving the preventing and management of invasive species.

CABI board member Professor Dame Anne Glover explains how CABI is delivering on SDG12: Responsible Consumption and Production

 

In future, farmers will need to produce more food from fewer resources. They will also need to significantly reduce crops losses. But without the right information, farmers cannot easily introduce new, highly productive and sustainable ways of farming.

Sustainable production is central to CABI's work. We promote resource efficient farming and help farmers access the tools and training they need to lose less produce and grow more. We believe this approach leads to better livelihoods for farmers and safer, more sustainably grown produce.

Irrigation facilities to enhance all year seed supply by farmers in central Uganda

Lack of access to quality seed, particularly of traditional crops that are not well integrated into the formal sector, remains a key challenge for increased productivity of these crops in African farming systems.

CABI, working with national and regional partners, aims to strengthen seed systems in Africa through developing farmer seed enterprises and linkages to markets. Focus has been on traditional varieties that are farmer-preferred for their nutrition, food security, income and environmental sustainability. This is aimed at enhancing access to quality seed of farmer-preferred varieties locally, nationally and regionally.

CABI board member Roger Horton explains how CABI is delivering on SDG4: Quality Education

 

Sharing scientific agricultural and environmental information helps people tackle global challenges like food security.

CABI creates resources that give access to science-based information on agriculture and the environment. Our mission is to improve people's lives worldwide by sharing knowledge. As a scientific publisher we produce materials for academics and researchers that make education easier and lifelong learning a reality.

Capitalising on Africa’s agriculture to achieve ‘zero hunger’

 

 

It’s a sobering fact that, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), nearly 233 million children, women and men in Africa went to bed each night hungry in 2014-16.

CABI Board Member and 2017 Africa Food Prize winner Professor Ruth Oniang’o has devoted her career helping farmers grow nutritious and healthy crops, to not only help reduce hunger but to achieve sustainable and profitable livelihoods.

Extension staff knowledge enhanced on ISFM practices and innovative fertilizer use

The increasing negative impact of climate change on agricultural production has led to food insecurity in many rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Unpredictable rainfall patterns coupled with wide spread pest and disease infestation and high input prices are some limitations smallholder farmers face in producing food. As a result, they are unable to produce at optimal levels and do not earn enough profits for their efforts. Despite advances in crop breeding which has brought about drought tolerant varieties, these new varieties still require good management that encompass of the application of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) practices and fertilizer use.