Working in partnership to increase safe and efficient trade of agriculture in East Africa
CABI, together with a law firm KO and Associates, have been contracted by Land O Lakes Venture 37 (V37) TRASE (Trade in Agriculture Safely and Efficiently) project, funded by the United States Department for Agriculture (USDA), to conduct a comprehensive assessment of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems implemented in the East African Community (EAC).
The Climate Battleground: Grassland or Forest
Nostalgia The title of Tom Jones’ album, ‘The Green, Green Grass of Home’ released in 1967, still rouses powerful nostalgia for the rural landscape of Britain. Similar sentiments are experienced by other nationalities, but grass is particularly relevant in Britain. It ranges in type from lush lowland meadows through upland pastures and heath to open…
Strengthening mycology research through coordinated access to microbial culture collection strains
CABI scientists have outlined a series of recommendations in a new paper published in the CABI Agriculture & Bioscience journal which serve, as the research title suggests, to help strengthen mycology research through coordinated access to microbial culture collection strains.
‘Banana and I’: Sharing the ‘appeal’ of better banana management in Uganda through drama
CABI has worked with farmers to develop a video drama on the subject with five episodes translated into two languages. Created for small scale banana farmers in Uganda with contributions from farmers, the dramas are also performed by farmers themselves to increase their local appeal, encourage more efficient farming practices and ultimately increase productivity for banana growers.
From too many to too few: the impact of COVID-19 on overtourism
A few months ago 2020 was predicted to be a record-breaking year for tourism, continuing the apparently unending pattern of annual growth recorded since the tourism industry began collecting data on numbers of people travelling. Even allowing for the fact that the figures included almost everyone crossing an international border for an overnight visit and…
Safeguarding poultry and livestock feed from harmful aflatoxins/mycotoxins
Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by molds and fungi in fields and during the storage of grains, feeds and forages. Exposure of mycotoxins occurs more frequently in tropical countries because of high temperature, moisture, and unseasonal rains. Mycotoxins are considered to be soil-borne pathogens. The problems caused by mycotoxicosis tend to fall into three general…
Summer studentship for young scientists announced by Global Burden of Crop Loss initiative
The Global Burden of Crop Loss initiative, announces a summer studentship programme providing young scientists with the opportunity to contribute to an exciting and important global effort to develop a global data-driven system to report losses to agricultural crops caused by pests and diseases.
International Tea Day 2020: celebrating tea’s importance to our planet
International Tea Day aims to increase public awareness of sustainable production and consumption of tea; its importance in fighting hunger and poverty as well as improve the tea value chain. On this inaugural International Tea Day, CABI is honoured to celebrate the smallholder farmers we work with through countries with the systems and economies that rely on the production and commercialisation of tea to thrive.
Connecting with food systems: Research, knowledge and eco-environment approaches
Today’s world faces immense challenges in food production, making availability, quality, nutrition and affordability the main agenda in many developing countries, writes Dr Babar E Bajwa, Regional Director, CABI Central West Asia. Agricultural research has moved on from the task of ensuring availability of food towards attaining a successful food system that is perceived as…
Making a case for safer ways to fight rice pests in the Greater Mekong
Rice is big business in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Southeast Asia—not only as a vital source of food but also as a crop that provides work and income for 80 percent of the population. However, despite positive developments in the last decade, millions of tons are still being lost to pests, diseases, and…