Farmers learn advanced nursery raising techniques to strengthen Pakistan’s vegetable value chains
Onion and chilli farmers from villages in Pakistan’s Sindh province have come together to learn best practices of vegetable nursery raising as part of the CABI-led Strengthening Vegetable Value Chains Project (SVVCP) project funded by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR). The farmers from Ibrahim Shah and Khari Mohammad of district Tando Allahyar…
Secrets of ‘military mould’ unearthed after being hidden for over 75 years
Just a day before the plan for the invasion of France – known famously as ‘Operation Overlord’ – was confirmed on 8 February 1944, the now defunct Ministry of Supply (MoS) convened a conference on the prevention of mould growth of which CABI was privy to its information deemed ‘secret.’
Supporting safe plant exports with the CABI PRA Tool
Increased globalization, trade and, specifically, international movement of plant commodities are associated with greater risk of the spread of plant pests. A Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) evaluates biological, scientific and economic evidence to determine whether an organism is a pest, whether it should be regulated, and the strength of any phytosanitary measures to be taken…
Investigating a way to reduce the cost of poultry feed in Ghana
Ghana imports poultry meat to the tune of about US $374 million every year. This is because local production of poultry is hampered by the high cost of protein feed for chickens- representing 70% of total production cost.
First biological control laboratory created in Pakistan to research poisonous aflatoxins
The first biological control laboratory to research poisonous aflatoxins has been created in Pakistan as part of a collaboration between CABI and the Crop Diseases Research Institute (CDRI) at the nation’s National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC). The facility, under the Aflatoxin Control Programme in Pakistan, aims to ensure the state of food security in the…
Mystery Organs of the Stick Insects: Solving A Century-Old Anatomical Puzzle
One would think that scientists had already figured out everything there is to know about animal anatomy, considering how long we have been dissecting and describing. However, several mysteries from the past remain unsolved, either because they were forgotten or because more advanced methods were needed to figure them out.
Providing for bees in forest regeneration projects
Restoring pollinator populations should be prioritised for long-term effectiveness in forest restoration programmes According to the World Bank, 1.3 million km2 of forest was lost to human activities between 1990 and 2016, and deforestation rates have been increasing. With the threat of massive biodiversity losses and mounting evidence of the importance of forests in combatting climate change, efforts…
‘Sowing the seeds’ for organic cotton in Pakistan
CABI, under its Cotton Advocacy for Policy and Seed (CAPAS) Project with funding from the C&A Foundation, is making good progress to support the procurement, production and certification of non-GMO cotton seed as well as the development of organic cotton policy in Pakistan.
Engaging women for food security through aflatoxin control in Pakistan
Women constitute 49 percent of Pakistan’s population and play an important role in agriculture development. They are not only thought of as labourers, but also play their part as active researchers, extension agents and entrepreneurs. Under the Aflatoxin Control in Pakistan programme, CABI teamed up with Rafhan Maize Products Co. Ltd and the National Agricultural…
Online learning in development
January 24th is the United Nations’ International Day of Education, a celebration of the role of education for peace and development. The Sustainable Development Goals are rightly driving many projects amongst the world’s poorer nations and people groups, and online learning is playing a part in a lot of these projects. In honour of Education…