The majority of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa rely on both crops and animals for their livelihoods. However, the scarcity of farmer advisory services leaves them with insufficient knowledge about crop and animal health, as well as the wider health issues emanating from farming. There is ...

Uganda was funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) to run a project from October 2012 to March 2015 to strengthen its phytosanitary capacity in order to meet requirements of the European Union (EU) market and reduce interception of its rose exports due to the presence of...

Plantwise (PW) is a global programme led by CABI that is improving farmers' livelihoods by providing them with plant health information in order to reduce production losses and increase crop yields. In Kenya the programme was launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and...

In Kenya, tomato is cultivated for home consumption, as a cash crop, and a source of vitamins. In recent years, the growth rate of tomato production in the country has increased. Yields, however, continue to remain low due to a myriad of constraints, including incidences of arthropod pests. This...

Mobile apps are increasingly being used to answer development challenges around the world. The development opportunities that apps offer is wide-reaching but uptake of the technology varies. This article examines the ease of use and factors impacting user acceptance and behavior when interacting...

Plant clinics focus primarily on diagnosis and dissemination of advice on management/control of plant health problems. The advice provided includes cultural, chemical (pesticides) and biological control or any combination of the listed control methods. Use of pesticides is preferred by farmers for...

This article examines pest management practices recommended to smallholder farmers by extension agents, and the factors influencing the same. The study focused on plant health clinics, established under the Plantwise program, as primary providers of data. A diverse range of biotic and abiotic...

A total of 8,699 female and 12,928 male farmers visited plant clinics in Kenya between 2012 and 2016. The lower clinic attendance by women farmers indicates they may lack information on plant health problems. This study aimed to understand the environment plant clinics operate in, identify the...

Effective extension services are essential to provide farmers with skills and knowledge to manage pests and diseases. These services are provided by government agencies, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations as well as various actors in the private sector. Plantwise aims to...