Plantwise Newsletter November 2014

Holly Wright, CABI

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2014

Plant doctors in Kenya help advise farmers about sick crops at a local plant clinic with the help of the Plantwise knowledge bank Factsheet Library app

Plantwise knowledge bank wins Open Data Award for Social Impact Plantwise was announced this month as the winner of the Open Data Award for Social Impact from the Open Data Institute, London.

This is the latest accolade for this innovative open access platform for knowledge to help farmers lose less of what they grow to plant health problems. Also nominated for the Social Impact award category were communications development consultancy Internews and the UNHCR Data Portal. This award celebrates ‘innovation in targeting data usage towards a substantial societal issue,’ as judged by a panel of technology industry experts. It is hoped that recognition of Plantwise knowledge bank will continue to drive other public and private

organisations to share information for the benefit of rural communities and global food security.

In just two years, the Plantwise knowledge bank has become a vital tool to support plant clinic operations in 33 countries. With these and other resources, Plantwise has reached over 600,000 farmers and aims to reach more than 30 million by 2020 with knowledge to fight plant health problems.

So far, over 198 countries already visit the knowledge bank to access critical agricultural data on crop pest distribution and best practice information to help manage and prevent potential crop loss. Recent innovations include a new Factsheet Library app, which

enables farmers and agricultural advisors to take open access data with them to the field, as well as tablet empowered ‘e-plant clinic’ pilots in Kenya.

Plantwise knowledge bank Global Director Dr Shaun Hobbs says that this is an acknowledgement of the power of open access agricultural knowledge. “Feeding 9 billion people by the year 2050 is a challenge that can only be addressed through a spirit of collaboration. We are opening access to information on crop pests and diseases with the potential to save crops and livelihoods from destruction, information that has not been available to farmers in rural communities until now.”

Plantwise progress and renewed support at Donor Forum 2014

Julia Dennis , CABI

Key Plantwise stakeholders come together at CABI in Switzerland from October 1-2

which will bring the knowledge bank into economic sustainability in coming years. “This will become a core resource for countries as they map out their national strategies against pests,” says Knowledge Bank Global Director Dr Shaun Hobbs.

To explore these questions, Plantwise executives convened donor representatives, external evaluators, and, for the first time, two Plantwise National Coordinators from Rwanda and Malawi, to provide first-hand accounts of their experience embedding Plantwise within national frameworks. All key donors were invited to attend, and those participating included the Swiss Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC), the European Commission (DEVCOEuropeAid), Irish Aid, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Indeed, as Plantwise National Coordinator with the Ministry of Agriculture in Malawi Mrs Clodina Chowa pointed out, Plantwise data is already supporting the government’s strategic interventions to reduce plant health problems.

“The data has been used to improve knowledge of top crops and pests in Malawi, concentrating the power of limited resources and funding.”

The Plantwise knowledge bank, recent winner of the Open Data Award for Social Impact, launched POMS, the Factsheet Library app for Android, and ‘e-plant clinic’ pilots in 2014 to support the delivery of targeted, quality advice to farmers. Participants discussed potential added-value projects and services

Donor representatives explore the free Plantwise Factsheet Library app, piloted now at e-plant clinics in Kenya

Julia Dennis , CABI

Kicking off the two-day session, Plantwise Executive Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann reported progress from the past year of launching, expanding and consolidating Plantwise across 33 countries. Highlights included over 120 training workshops for 1,700 national plant health specialists, including new plant doctors, data managers and national trainers ready to bring Plantwise to future generations. “Now POMS has launched, equipping Plantwise partners to keep operational data and plant clinic data organized and available,” commented Dr Kuhlmann on the new Plantwise Online Management System (POMS) that allows countries to track and analyse progress and change on a daily basis.

Julia Dennis , CABI

Now in its 3rd year, the annual Plantwise Donor Forum is an opportunity to share the headline achievements, challenges and opportunities for the global food security programme in its efforts to reduce crop losses and improve rural livelihoods worldwide. This year, the forum also served as a platform to discuss the Plantwise Strategy for 2015-2020. With feedback and guidance from partners, this living document outlines a renewed commitment to far-reaching impact, extending critical plant health knowledge to 30 million farmers by 2020. How will Plantwise help partners identify challenges and explore innovations to reach farmers in the next 5, 10, 15 years? How will the role of CABI, Plantwise donors and national partners evolve?

Plantwise National Coordinator for Malawi Clodina Chowa shares the national government perspective

National data validation, which allows countries to ensure quality diagnosis and advice given at plant clinics, can also provide unique insights into the needs of men and women farmers.

“This very useful,” commented Mrs Danila Chiaro of the EC. “It’s the kind of success we don’t often see in projects, working specifically on the role of gender.”

Mr Frans Doorman, external evaluator for the EC mid-term review of Plantwise activities in Africa, observed several additional benefits (Download and read report here). He also noted to donors that the programme needs more time. “The introduction of plant clinics has helped revitalize and motivate extension services in the countries I visited,” says Mr

Doorman. “Farmers we spoke to have seen a dramatic reduction in crop losses, but there is continued work to be done to link plant clinics to national systems.” A baseline household study in Kenya, part of the 4-year impact assessment funded by DFID and led by the American Institute of Research and the American Institute of Research, also showed the potential for long-term impact. As American University’s Dr Paul Winters told participants: “Information from plant clinics is the keystone that can affect sustainable change.”

In order to capitalize on these achievements in the first stage of the programme, continued donor and partner support for Plantwise will be essential. In Malawi for example, Mrs Chowa underscored the need for more specialized training for plant doctors to combat bacterial diseases, and computers to help facilitate timely data management for plant clinic records.

“This is what is very unique to Plantwise- the focus on institutional strengthening,” says Dr Carmen Thönnissen of SDC. Supporting growth of skills and technology that will empower countries to sustain activities now becomes increasingly critical as more partners prepare to take over. “Policy-makers appreciate Plantwise, plant doctors are showing commitment, and with training of trainers, CABI is building capacity in Rwanda to continue even without CABI,” says Mrs Bellancilla Uzayisenga, Plantwise National Coordinator with the Rwanda Agriculture Board. “But we still need more support just now, in the beginning.”

At the forum in Switzerland, requests from Rwanda and Malawi for support are representative of many partners who are working with Plantwise worldwide to reach millions of smallholder farmers- whether by plant clinics, SMS, radio or other extension approaches. “We see digital and mobile communications as a cornerstone at CABI, one that will challenge us to reach millions more farmers, more than just face to face,” commented CEO of CABI Dr Trevor Nicholls.

“This communications mix is of vital importance for improved livelihoods of farmers in remote and widespread communities.”

“Congratulations on what you have achieved and what has been done so far,” encouraged the Head of SDC’s Global Food Security Programme Dr Peter Bieler. “Go on and continue this fascinating work, adapting Plantwise as needed on the way.”

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linkedin.com/company/cabi twitter.com/cabi_news Plantwise is a global programme led by CABI, working to increase food security and improve rural livelihoods by reducing crop losses.

Cambodia government and partners affirm Plantwise growth

National stakeholders in Cambodia gather at the GDA headquarters in Phnom Penh.

As the leading Plantwise partner in Cambodia, the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) recently convened all key stakeholders in plant health from research, academia, extension and other international agencies who ultimately have the responsibility to support farmers in Cambodia.

After two years of Plantwise activities in Cambodia, participants agreed there has been marked progress for agricultural development.

The growth in the number of plant clinics – already doubled in 2014- exhibits the great

sense of ownership and commitment by the national government. Dr Hean Vanhan, Deputy Director General of GDA, showed his support by saying that Plantwise, as its name suggests, is a well-considered and thoughtful approach.

“We need a programme like this which helps our national economy by supporting the farmer to produce quality produce with fewer chemicals,” announced Dr Vanhan to participants.

Other national institutions such as the Royal Agricultural University and the Cambodia Agricultural Value Chain Program showed

Plant doctors examine and discuss symptoms of a sample during a training exercise.

After nearly a decade of CABI’s work helping local partners set up plant clinics in Bolivia, new trainings, plant doctors and plant clinics continue to emerge. Llallagua is an example of one city located in the province of Rafael Bustillo, department of Potosí, Bolivia, where farmers can now find advice from plant doctors. It is a city surrounded by tin mines, but also agricultural plantations whose main crops are potatoes, beans and corn. In Llallagua, families routinely suffer from lack of food due to pests and frosts. Common pests such as potato moth and maize smut are serious problems for producers. The occurrence of pests and the search for solutions motivated international NGO World Vision to request Plantwise training in the area as a resource to enhance knowledge and help local people prevent agricultural loss. In response, CABI’s Javier

Franco, Martha Passador, and Oscar Díaz of ToT-PROINPA, implemented the first Plantwise training in the city of Llallagua with World Vision and Twentieth Century University. A total of 26 participants, aged from 26 to 55 years, from different communities and institutions with field crop experience took part. The training concluded with the installation of a pilot plant clinic. Here, participants used samples of local crops brought for consultation, and participants acted as plant doctors. At these pilot clinics, participants could apply what they had learned from the presentations, answer questions, and practice using the prescription form to record details of the visit. This was a great experience having field technicians with different backgrounds, exchanging ideas and preparing to bring advice to the local farming communities of Llallagua.

The Knowledge Brain: Plantwise knowledge bank by the numbers

knowledge bank

50,000

CLINIC RECORDS

Data submitted to POMS from

Pest alerts emailed to recipients

20

>7,500

factsheets

2,500

pests described in technical factsheets

200

FROM COUNTRIES

countries

FACTSHEETS

120,000 visits to Knowledge Bank website

25% from PW Countries

To see what is inside visit:

www.plantwise.org/ knowledgebank CABI

Martha Passador, CABI

Ten years and still growing in Llallagua, Bolivia

Mr Chunny Heng, the National Coordinator and Deputy Director, GDA, shared his experience in implementing Plantwise in the country along with the CABI country team. He expressed that Plantwise will hopefully grow to reach all 25 provinces of Cambodia, from current operations across 2 provinces. “We need to upgrade our scientific knowledge, facilities and equipment- Plantwise is helping us achieve this and more,” commented Mr Heng. “I am seeking financial support from government for supporting these activities.”

Malvika Chaudhary, CABI

CABI

interest as collaborators working towards a similar mandate of food security in the country.

All participants of plant doctor training in Llallagua. Photo CABI

Joseph Buwule, MAAFS

PhD student Andrew Tock shares his research diary of Plantwise Uganda

Plantwise works worldwide to link farmers with information, but it also has an important role informing and inspiring research in plant health, as highlighted with this video diary from PhD student Andrew Tock. He recently spent 3-months studying plant clinics in Uganda as part of a BBSRC-funded project for the University of Warwick Crop Centre, where his work focuses on genetic improvement of common

bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Here, Tock’s role involved monitoring the performance of the plant clinics by assessing different aspects of their operations, such as the quality of diagnoses and advice, staff communication, organisation and record keeping.

Despite operational constraints, says Tock, the warm and ever-welcoming plant clinic staff members in Uganda are incredibly committed to the initiative. “During my

interviews with staff members, it was clear that they feel a real sense of civic duty and pride in their roles and a passion for helping resource-poor farmers,” emphasized Tock.

His research also reported examples of daily challenges faced by plant doctors, as well as rewarding stories of the farmers they have helped. Read the full story from Tock’s experience and check out the video diary on www.plantwise.org/news-and-media.

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

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