PlantwisePlus
Farmers’ crops are increasingly at the mercy of climate change, pests and diseases. PlantwisePlus will work to help countries predict, prepare for and prevent potential threats and reduce crop losses. We will provide comprehensive support to countries and farmers so they meet the increasing global demand for quality food in a changing climate.
Building the policy ecosystem for organic production in Balochistan, Pakistan
Sectoral approaches to land management (increasing production, for instance) are no longer viable to meet global challenges such as poverty alleviation, biodiversity conservation and food production due to mounting pressures from population increases and climate change. Organic production, however, is a more profitable, sustainable and environmentally-friendly approach to agriculture that alleviates problems. This project will focus on integrated landscape approaches and will use CABI’s strong in-country partnerships to integrate agricultural policy change, strengthen market linkages and ultimately enable business model change for organic produce production in the Balochistan province of Pakistan.
Capacity building of small-scale potato growers in Punjab, Pakistan
Potato is an important crop in Pakistan for both consumers and producers. It is nutritious, produces high returns and there is a potential to increase yields by using good potato cultivation practices. However, a lack of knowledge concerning these is inhibiting many smallholder farmers in their effort to raise productivity. Furthermore, unsuitable management of threats, such as pests and diseases, increases losses. In this project, CABI aims to mitigate challenges faced in the smallholder potato sector by building the capacity of small-scale potato growers, and in particular women, in good agricultural practices, including the sustainable and safe use of pesticides, in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Â
Enhancing technology-based agriculture and marketing in rural Punjab
Punjab’s agriculture growth rate has declined over the last two decades because of various challenges. These include the inadequate availability of high-yielding cultivars and lack of diversification in cultivation, inefficient on-farm water management, poor infrastructure for value chain development, weak research and extension services that are largely disconnected from market demands. There is, however, also the lack of advanced agriculture management supported by new technologies and innovations which can support sustainable agricultural growth in Punjab. This project will facilitate the rapid adoption of advanced technologies to strengthen value chains and improve the productivity and profitability of agriculture in Punjab. It will also enable further development and adoption of advanced technologies to benefit the agriculture sector while contributing to higher farmer incomes and improved livelihoods in rural communities.