Toolkits for invasive plants in Laikipia, Kenya
Many exotic plant species introduced to Laikipia County, Kenya, have escaped cultivation and threaten biodiversity. Little is currently known however, about the presence of invasive species or their impact. Without this type of information, it is unlikely that various stakeholders will take action to effectively manage this threat. This project aims to fill some gaps and increase knowledge of invasive species in Laikipia for pastoralists and those actively involved in biodiversity conservation.
GODAN: Making agriculture and nutrition data open and searchable
Open data – data that is freely available and machine-readable for everyone to use – is a vital resource for improving global food security and human health. The Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) programme has been set up to take pioneering agriculture and nutrition research information and make it openly accessible – together with up-to-date information on soils, weather, land ownership, market prices and similar – to the people who need it most.
Woody weeds in East Africa
Many exotic trees and shrubs have been introduced into Africa and become destructive invasive species. They’re reducing native biodiversity and limiting the livelihoods of those that live in rural communities. CABI is trying to mitigate these impacts in East Africa by generating and sharing knowledge on their effects and finding ways that they can be controlled.
Managing Maize lethal necrosis disease in eastern and central Africa
Maize lethal necrosis disease (MLND) negatively affects maize crops and their seeds and is threatening food and economic security in East and Central Africa. This project researched solutions to minimize or eliminate the risks and effects of the disease in the region. Through use of various channels to reach stakeholders along the value chain, CABI disseminated information on the threat of the disease and ways to manage it.
mNutrition: Addressing hidden hunger through mobile messaging
One in three people in the developing world suffer from hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiency, due to a lack of information on proper nutrition. This is a major cause of illness, poor growth, reduced productivity and impaired cognitive development. To help combat the problem, CABI and its partners in the DFID mNutrition initiative are developing content for a mobile phone-based messaging service aimed at increasing knowledge of nutrition and health within communities in 14 countries.
Finding a biocontrol for Himalayan raspberry
Yellow Himalayan raspberry is a major threat to native Hawaiian forests. A single plant can grow into a 4m tall impenetrable thicket, and its aggressive growth and rapid colonization enables it to outcompete native species. Current control methods are both labour intensive and costly. The aim of this project is to find biological control agents (both arthropod and fungal) from the plants native Indian and/or Chinese region of the Himalayas to control its spread in the Hawaiian introduced range.