The story

Access to plant health knowledge is critical for the world’s 500 million smallholder farmers. It can make the difference between crops that succeed or fail. But for many farmers globally, finding reliable plant health information can be difficult. It can even be a challenge for the extension experts who support them.

To help solve this problem, CABI upgraded the PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank. This plant health information resource helps smallholders, extension services, and many others identify pests and protect crops.

The PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank is a free, open access resource featuring over 15,000 pieces of plant health content. Since its launch in 2012, it’s had over three million visits from people in 192 countries. In 2022, CABI conducted a survey to understand its benefits, usage, and users. The survey revealed the impact it’s having worldwide, including in Malawi.

Mr Eric Haraman is the Programme Manager for the Blantyre Agriculture Development Division in Malawi’s Ministry of Agriculture. Here, extensionists use the PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank as a resource to boost their knowledge and skills. In the survey, Mr Haraman explained that the tool has helped his team bring critical plant health information directly to farmers.

Specifically, it’s given them information about plant health problems not yet reported locally but observed in neighbouring countries. This has enabled them to prepare for risks and threats. Preparation is critical for safeguarding crops from invasive species and pest outbreaks. By doing this, it helps to protect farmer livelihoods.

“We have developed quite a number of extension materials such as factsheets for plant health problems of concern in Malawi. The PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank has also assisted the Malawi plant health team to come up with over 50 pest management decision guides for specific important plant health issues facing the country,” he said. He explained that, in this way, the resource has helped Malawi as a country.