This brief is a digest of a mixed-methods evaluation report of the impacts of CABI’s Plantwise programme in Kenya, undertaken by American Institutes for Research (AIR).

Key messages

• Results from quantitative studies show that Plantwise contributes to improvements on yields, crop-based household incomes and reductions in pesticide usage for farmers living in plant clinic catchment areas.
• Stakeholder testimonials show that Plantwise is improving institutional coordination in national plant health systems, generating more knowledge, and improving the likelihood of detecting and responding to pest outbreaks.
• Qualitative feedback and analysis of administrative data show that the process through which Plantwise is implemented is innovative and comprehensive, with intervention of the programme improving knowledge of extension agents and management of data providing insights into where response interventions should be targeted in order to address plant health problems.
• A benefit-cost analysis of Plantwise in Kenya shows that estimated monetary benefits outweigh the costs of implementing the programme at a ratio of 2.9:1 and an internal rate of return of 54%.