Invasive species management – a policy tool for integrated climate adaptation
The UK is hosting the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November 2021. This is the first in a series of four blogs by Jonathan Casey, Climate Change Manager at CABI, in support of CABI’s involvement at the event.
Aflatoxin risks highlighted to extension staff in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province
Pakistan produces many dry fruits such as almonds, walnuts, raisins, pine nuts and pistachios from which Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has the major market share in production of dried fruits. These dried fruits are exported and consumed in large quantities worldwide during the winter seasons.
Enabling the disadvantaged: ACIAR vegetable value chain project helps small onion farmers in Tando Allahyar, Sindh, earn higher profits
Onion is one of the major vegetable crops in Pakistan and most of its producers are smallholder farmers. Due to smaller land holding, traditional farming practices and prevailing marketing system, they are unable to received better price for their produce and cannot uplift their living standards. The current marketing system prefers volume over the quality…
Aflatoxin control in Pakistan through the eyes of a maize grower from Punjab
Mian Muhammad Irfan is a maize grower from district Faisalabad in Punjab province. Here Rafhan Maize Products Co. Ltd procures thousands of tons of maize crop each year for processing. He is one of the thousands of maize crop farmers contracted with Rafhan Maize. Mr Irfan grows around one hundred acres of maize annually. Over…
Piloting worker voice technology in Pakistan
Engaging people working in agriculture to get a clear, comprehensive understanding of the challenges they face in their work, especially on labour issues, is key to being able to provide effective solutions. In rural, dispersed farming areas, however, this can be a difficult task using traditional outreach methods. The Covid-19 pandemic has made this engagement…
Agricultural Minister endorses establishment of innovative biological control at farms in Sindh province of Pakistan
The Agricultural Minister for Sindh province in Pakistan, Mr Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, has officially endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see the establishment of Natural Enemy Field Reservoirs (NEFRs) to fight pests of fruits, vegetables and other economic crops – including cotton and rice.
Farmers in Pakistan use pheromone capsules to fight back against cotton crop pest the pink bollworm
Cotton is Pakistan’s largest industrial sector but is impacted by many pests. The pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) is considered its worst enemy as it affects the quality of the lint and, ultimately, loss of the crop.
Organic cotton in Pakistan: policy analysis and recommendations
As the fourth largest cotton producer worldwide, cotton is an integral part of Pakistan’s economy contributing 9.5% of its gross domestic and serving as a core livelihood for 15 million cotton workers. In addition to bringing US$3.5 billion as foreign currency each year to the country, it provides crucial income to cotton-producing households, accounting for…
Dutch Ambassador to Pakistan meets small-scale potato farmers for update on potato capacity-building project
Potato is an important vegetable crop of Pakistan with 88% of production linked to Punjab state – of which 70% comes from within four districts; Okara, Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Kasur in Pakistan.
Farmer praises CABI’s postharvest training to help boost Pakistan’s smallholder tomato production
Tomato smallholder farmer Irshad Bibi has praised CABI’s postharvest training delivered in Pakistani village of Baili Janobi, District Muzaffargarh, which was aimed at improving ways of handling, packing and transporting the crop to market.