Joseph Mulema, CABI
update AUGUST 2013
Some of the 90 Makerere University students in Uganda who participated in the plant doctor training: Modules 1 and 2.
Makerere University takes Plantwise to class To answer this call, and provide a promising career opportunity for a new generation of agriculturists, Makerere University’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), based at the University Research Institute at Kabanyolo, Uganda, has launched a summer term for BSc students based on Plantwise Module 1 and Module 2: How to be a plant doctor and run a successful plant clinic. The government of Uganda has been an essential partner through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) supplying extension resources and vital equipment. Now through the partnership with Makerere, a prestigious institute drawing
students from across the continent, Plantwise will find well-trained and motivated young graduates to provide field diagnostics and plant health advice to farmers. As noted in Makerere University’s coverage of the launch event, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Dr Robert Karyeija told students that they were a lucky group: “Uganda has 112 districts applying for plant clinics,” said Dr Karyeija. “What we’re missing are young graduates interested in the fight against pests. This training will allow you to enter the job market because every district will require at least two plant doctors.” Dr Joseph Mulema, CABI Country Coordinator for Plantwise in Uganda, said that discussions were already underway with Makerere University to integrate this training into the larger university curriculum, adding to the monitoring and evaluation, and laboratory diagnostic support which the institution already provides for clinic operations.
Joseph Mulema, CABI
Since 2005, CABI has been supporting the establishment of plant clinics and knowledge bank access in Uganda. But recently, plans to expand plant clinic operations to each district have led to increased demand for trained and knowledgeable plant doctors.
Training was attended by students from Rwanda, DR Congo, South Sudan and Tanzania who are all studying at Makerere University. Photo: students Umugwaneza Nicole and Kayitesi Mare Noella of Huye, Rwanda.
To revitalize agricultural growth in India, top officials look to Plantwise a national programme.” FAO’s Peter Kenmore noted appreciation for Plantwise policies on pesticides in keeping with international standards, in addition to the programme’s adherance to pest reporting guidelines of the International Plant Protection Convention.
CABI, India
These policies safeguard not only sustained growth, but also human health and environmental protection.
Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Ashish Bahuguna (right) discusses Plantwise’s future in India at the roundtable meeting in New Delhi.
With over 1.2 billion people living in India, 70% of which are reliant on agriculture for food and income, steady development in this sector will be a key determinant of global food security in years to come. To combat the recent decline in agricultural GDP growth for the smallholder farmer, leaders of the national Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) joined CABI representatives in New Delhi to outline critical measures for expanding Plantwise in the country. CABI’s Regional Director Dr Ravi Khetarpal was able to bring instrumental stakeholders together to pledge support for steps towards collaboration, including a new technical working group under the Secretary of MoA, Mr Ashish Bahuguna. On hand were Plantwise Programme Executive Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann and
Global Director of Plantwise knowledge bank Dr Shaun Hobbs, to introduce the Plantwise approach to the Indian experts. The goal: sustainable expansion of Plantwise operations, capitalizing on the benefits for farmers already witnessed across the programme. As pointed out during the roundtable meeting, Nany Anabel, Director of Information, Education and Communication at MSSRF, currently running 14 plant clinics, said that 46 farmers reported in a single day a problem affecting their rice crop, and this was correctly identified as rice blast by the plant doctors. Due to the timely diagnosis and quality advice given, farmers made an extra yield of 5.9 tons from 100 acres. Secretary of MoA Bahuguna agreed that in order to scale up these results, “it is instrumental that Plantwise makes a strong link to the extension machinery of state governments and make it
High-quality, science-based advice from CABI has been present in India for over 55 years, as Dr Khetarpal pointed out, since the Indian Centre of the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control was established, evolving into the National Biological Control Programme headquarters for the Indian Centre of Agricultural Research. Dr Khetarpal envisioned this roundtable meeting as a positive step, one of many to come, for continued growth of Plantwise in India, working in unison with key stakeholders of the national plant health system – from the MoA, FAO, research and implementation partners, and of course, the needs of the smallholder farmers themselves. Click here to see the story of one farmer, Valli Kuppuswamy, and her fight to save her paddy crop in Puducherry.
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Plantwise is a global alliance, led by CABI, working together to improve food security and the lives of the rural poor by reducing crop losses.
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From clinic visit to partnership
it?,” reflects Meyer. “The only difference is the ramifications of making the wrong decision.”
Cindy Ernst, Nate Miller and David Meyer of Dow AgroSciences meet with farmers during their Kenya plant clinic visit.
When members of the Dow AgroSciences Hunger Solutions Network first heard of Plantwise and its goal to enable smallholders to feed more by losing less to crop pests, it sounded like a programme that aligned closely with the group’s own mission: to have a visible impact on hunger in underserved communities globally. It was not long before scientists from the Dow AgroSciences Hunger Solutions Network– a grassroots, employee group – had the opportunity to experience first-hand the impact
of the plant clinics on one rural Kenyan farming community. David Meyer, Cynthia Ernst and Nate Miller were led by plant doctor Rose Kamau, a recent keynote speaker at the CABI Review Conference, around a plant clinic operated by the Ministry of Agriculture’s extension officers. David Meyer, with almost 30 years of experience in plant breeding and increasing crop yields, remembers clearly his first experience of the clinic. “The smallacre farmers we met in Kenya asked the same questions the farmers in the Midwest ask: Which crop should I plant? What is the best variety? And, most importantly, how should I manage
They watched as plant doctors worked tirelessly to recommend the most appropriate and sustainable technology to farmers. “The type of passion and dedication shown by Rose and the other plant doctors only comes from a sense of ownership,” notes Meyer. Fortunately the story did not end on the plane ride back to the Indianapolis, USA headquarters. The Hunger Solutions team proposed to make a donation, and additionally, to offer their expertise in the field of plant health in order to deepen the pool of knowledge resources for plant doctors like Rose. “Knowledge and information will be the tool we have to help feed nine billion people,” says Meyer. “That’s where CABI comes in. They fill a critical technology transfer gap for the smallacre farmers they serve.”
Sharing the Kenyan experience at RC13 The two-day CABI Review Conference held by the River Thames in Oxford, UK, brought together over 100 attendees representing member countries, invited observers and CABI staff to share key projects which highlight continued successes across the organization. Plantwise was no exception. On hand to give an overview of recent progress was Plantwise Programme Executive Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann. Click here to watch his full presentation at CABI RC13. The Plantwise session then zeroed in on one particular model country for Plantwise sustainability: Kenya. Two keynote speakers from the Ministry of Agriculture – Head of Extension James Wajohi,
and plant doctor Rose Kamau – brought the Plantwise experience to life for attendees, sharing two different perspectives from the national and community level of Plantwise day-to-day operations, and big picture impacts. The key message from partners in Kenya: Plantwise is here to stay. Click here to view James’ presentation, and here for Rose’s. Finally, to cap off these Plantwise highlights was a video capturing the voices of four Kenyan farmers, interviewed just outside of Wangige market. “Plants are alive, and everything that is alive has changes,” shares George, a Kenyan coffee and vegetable farmer. “If I see any changes, I have to go back to the clinic to be advised.” Watch interviews with these farmers here.
Plantwise Programme Executive Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann and the MoA Kenya’s Rose Kamau on stage at RC13
Farmer Focus
The story of Mr Kulasegaram and his ailing brinjal crop 53-year old Saravanai Kulasegaram from Sivapuram, Vavunikulam, Sri Lanka is a multitalented farmer. He has more than 35 years of experience in agriculture and cultivates a variety of crops, most prominently brinjal (Solanum melongena). He has been growing brinjal since 1977 and it currently plays a vital role in his livelihood. In the beginning of May, 2013, Mr Kulasegaram had a huge problem: his brinjal crop, covering over one third of an acre (nearly 1,500 plants) was stunting, and the leaves were yellowing. He sprayed various insecticides and fungicides several times, with no success. He presumed it was a new problem and went to a pesticide dealer in Mallavi town with the affected crop sample. After examining, the dealer suggested some insecticides, but all were in vain. On a Tuesday, a plant clinic day in Mallavi, plant doctor G. Elangeeran was sitting behind the table, under the tree of the Mallavi vegetable market, when in desperation Mr Kulasegaram came and explained his past experience.
Farmer Saravanai Kulasegaram looks at a leaf of brinjal (also known as aubergine or eggplant) in his field in Vakunikulam, Sri Lanka. Image and case study contributed by the CABI team in South Asia.
The plant doctor listened to him carefully. Mr Kulasegaram told him that his brinjal crop was at fruiting stage and the upper surfaces of the leaves have turned ash in colour; the crop showed stagnant growth and decreased production of flowers and fruits. He lost 800 kg of produce within a month. He was going to give it up as he was unable to manage the newly emerged problem. It was a difficult task for a plant doctor, as Mr Kulasegaram did not bring any affected crop sample, therefore the team decided to visit his brinjal field on 18 June, 2013. Click here, or visit www.plantwise.org to read on.
a word with... Sierra Leone’s Minister of Agriculture Plantwise’s Melanie Bateman and Margaret Mulaa recently had an audience with Dr Joseph Sam Sesay, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, and Dr IMO Shamie, Director of Crops and Plantwise National Coordinator. During the meeting, Dr Sesay told his story of being the first customer at a plant clinic in Sierra Leone, and he gave some strong words of support for the programme. The original goal for this year had been to train plant doctors to support the establishment of 10 new plant clinics. But through the efforts of Dr Shamie, MAFFS and the Global Agriculture Food Security Programme, additional funds were secured in order to open almost three times that number. In the coming weeks, top CABI staff from Nairobi and the UK will be visiting Sierra Leone to support expansion and backstopping of clinics in the country. Video contributed by Margaret Mulaa, CABI.
“I am a farmer myself, so I see the benefits.” – Dr Joseph Sam Sesay
Thailand’s Rice Department now strenghtened with plant doctors The Rice Department of Thailand (RDT) is now prepared to provide pest diagnostics and advice through the work of 22 new plant doctors. Training was jointly organized by Plantwise, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the RDT. Over 5 days, trainees learned field diagnostics and clinic operations, with additional rice-specific knowledge from IRRI. Remote Diagnostics, DNA Barcoding and Lucid Keys were some
of the supporting tools that the new plant doctors were trained to use in the field. Alternative management options utilizing nature’s power and natural enemies called “Ecological Engineering” as part of an Integrated Pest Management approach, were also included in the training courses. Plantwise activities in Thailand were initiated in May 2012, with the aim of strengthening existing extension efforts and support for rice farmers.
A pilot plant clinic was held at Tri Yoy village for hands-on practice advising farmers. Participants also visited an agro-input dealer in the province to gain familiarity with the role of the agro-input services in supplying recommendation materials to farmers. These 22 plant doctors trainees add to the total of over 2,000 plant doctors trained under the Plantwise programme umbrella worldwide.
22 graduates of plant doctor training with their support trainers from IRRI, CABI Southeast Asia and the RDT. Story and images contributed by CABI’s Southeast Asia team.
Guess the Pest? A farmer brings his coconut to your plant clinic in Trinidad and Tobago. You compare the fruit side-by-side with a healthy coconut. Which pest may be responsible for his crop’s reduced size? Use the Plantwise knowledge bank diagnostic tool to find out.
Plant doctor trainees hold a pilot clinic in Tri Voy Village, Thailand.
Ama Koomson, CABI
Plantwise goes to FARA Science Week In Accra, Ghana this summer, an event to promote the exchange of science and technology in African agriculture brought together a wealth of expertise from across the globe. FARA Science Week 2013, taking place only once every three years, was the forum for organizations to network with the who’s who of agriculture, policy-making, international development and food security. This year’s theme ‘Africa feeding Africa’ was an ideal platform to share the work of Plantwise and its model to increase food security in 12 African countries so far. Pictured above, CABI’s Victory Clottey had the chance to discuss bringing Plantwise services to Côte D’Ivoire with Dr Hortense Atta
Diallo from the country’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Beyond taking part in this valuable networking opportunity, CABI’s Washington Otieno presented Plantwise and its progress on the continent to attendees of the side event ‘Information and Technology for Food Security in Africa.’ Here, it was important to discuss the successes of Plantwise in building sustainable partnerships and beginning to universalize pest knowledge. It was also an opportunity to share lessons learned and challenges overcome. This insight can by applied by other organizations, private sector companies and governments to forge a renewed food security strategy, one with Africa at the centre of development and heart of innovation.
Plantwise is supported by:
Ministry of Agriculture People’s Republic of China
To find out more visit www.plantwise.org or contact: Janny Vos, Strategic Partnerships Director T: +31 (0)33 4321 031 E: j.vos@cabi.org
lose less, feed more www.plantwise.org