Overcoming cotton insect/pests through Natural Enemies Field Reservoir (NEFR) technology in Pakistan

Cotton is one cash crop of Pakistan which is attacked by a number of pests including sucking (aphid, jassid, white fly) piercing (mites), cutting (white ant) and chewing (boll worms). Izhar Nabi Sehto of Kurkuli village, district Sanghar of Sindh province, said the only option that comes readily to the farmer’s mind when looking for a control…
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Phytosanitary Risk Management Programme – transforming livelihoods in Pakistan

Meet Rozina Babar, she is one of thousands of smallholder farmers in Pakistan whose livelihoods are threatened by agricultural pests and diseases that can devastate crops and ultimately have a severe impact on food security and profitability. However, thanks to the CABI-led Phytosanitary Risk Management Programme – funded by USAID-USDA and working with partners including…
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Building capacity for greater food security in Pakistan

As part of CABI’s mission to help farmers grow more and lose less, we have been funded by USAID – via the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) – to help Pakistan improve its sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems and therefore open up its fruit and vegetables to more high-end global markets that were previously untapped. Currently these products only contribute 13% of the country’s export but improvements to its SPS capabilities could see this number rise significantly.
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Low salt diets could allow iodine-deficiency diseases to re-emerge

Salt has been used for thousands of years to flavor & preserve food BUT reliance on fast food, biscuits and tinned goods, with their hidden salt content, has created for us a high salt diet and with it an alarming rise in cardiovascular disease. Reducing our salt intake, by working with food industry and educating…
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Is artisanal salt healthier than commercial salt?

 Guest blogger, Henry Ko, health services researcher with SingHealth, Singapore, provides a personal commentary on issues raised by Mark Bitterman's book  on salt: “Salted: A manifesto on the world’s most essential mineral, with recipes”.  As a healthcare researcher with both professional and recreational interests in food, nutrition, and cooking, I was drawn to a book…
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