2017 ICT4D Conference

Plantwise is a global programme, led by CABI, to increase food security and improve rural livelihoods by reducing crop losses. In 34 countries across Africa, Asia and the Americas, we help establish networks of local plant clinics, where farmers can get agricultural advice on managing pests and diseases. Plant clinics are reinforced by the Plantwise Knowledge Bank, an online gateway to diagnostic resources and pest management advice. Using a specially developed app, the Knowledge Bank also collects data about the farmers visiting plant clinics, as well as their crops and the pests affecting them.

We use this data to inform and quality-control the advice given by plant doctors, but crucially we also share it with our local partners. Our research partners then use the data to develop new pest management advice tailored to the local context; while government partners can use the data to inform regulatory and policy-making decisions. While there are other projects that simply push information to farmers, and still others that only gather data, Plantwise’s key innovation is this uniquely cyclical flow of information. As a result everyone, from plant doctors and farmers to government agencies and researchers, benefits from improved knowledge.

By sharing data with relevant partners, we strengthen national plant health systems from within, helping to establish frameworks for in-country pest surveillance and early warning systems. This empowers countries to respond quickly to emerging plant health problems. For example, in Sri Lanka, a new banana pest was first reported at a plant clinic, which meant that national plant protection procedures could be activated within days, preventing major losses. Together with our partners, we help farmers to lose less and feed more.