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Anna Wood
Crop Health Advisor
Rue des Grillons 1 CH-2800 Delémont, Switzerland
Qualifications
BSc in Agricultural Zoology; MSc in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development; PhD in Insect Physiology
About
I support CABI’s work with local partners in low-income and transitional countries, facilitating the awareness and adoption of sustainable and integrated crop management (ICM) practices with a specific emphasis on integrated pest management (IPM) in food crops.
As well as providing technical support, I coordinate and manage sustainable agriculture and value chain development projects with various partners in the public and private sectors. I also work with CABI colleagues in the crop health team and other teams across CABI, and external stakeholders, to create technical guidance and training material on ICM and the safe use of pesticides. This includes material for online courses, presentations, workshops, guidelines and videos. I am also a tutor on the CABI Certificate of Advanced Studies in Integrated Crop Management course and facilitate workshops on ICM-related topics with partner organizations.
I have over 30 years’ experience working in and managing agricultural and rural development projects for international non-governmental organizations and institutes, with funding from a range of donors such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, USAID, GIZ and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).
Before joining CABI in 2016, my work covered wider rural livelihoods programming which emphasized building resilience and promoting effective community participation in development decision-making. This work included participatory analysis of food production constraints, participatory research with farmers on IPM, impact evaluations, capacity development with a range of stakeholders, disaster preparedness and response, including climate change adaptation, and the collaborative design and implementation of associated technical and social solutions. My experience has covered development contexts and complex humanitarian crises and has included country-based positions in Africa and Asia.
CABI centre: Switzerland
CABI’s Swiss centre carries out applied scientific research and undertakes consultancy projects. Located in Delémont in the Canton of Jura, it is the home base for experts and students from several different countries where they research and apply their knowledge.
Related projects
Strengthening the potato value chain in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s (KRI) favourable climate and soil fertility offer ideal conditions for potato production, while cultivation and post-harvest activities provide important sources of employment and income in rural areas. Land and labour are also in abundance so there is the potential to significantly increase production. However, due to a lack of investment in the value chain and the limited training received by trainers and extension workers, these factors are underutilised.
Start: 01/07/21 -End: 30/11/25