24 April 2025, Nepal: The Government of Nepal has adopted training materials derived from the CABI-led global PlantwisePlus programme which seeks to help smallholder farmers sustainably manage plant health threats, increase their incomes and food security.
Major crop pests and diseases affecting Nepal’s rice, maize, wheat, millet, mangoes, citrus and bananas, include borers, thrips, and aphids, as well as pathogens like fungi and viruses. While diseases like blight, rot, and mosaic are also prevalent.
Following the signing of a material-sharing agreement, the Agriculture Information and Training Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) has now adopted the Plant Clinic Training Curriculum across the country.
This curriculum includes modules to train plan doctors to help smallholder farmers tackle crop pests and diseases across three key impact pathways including pest preparedness, pesticide risk reduction, and farmer advisory.
Streamlines activities emanating from the plant clinics
The approval of the training materials also streamlines activities emanating from the plant clinics – where smallholder farmers bring their plant specimens for diagnosis and advice on treatment given – including stakeholder engagement, data management, and training across all seven provinces in Nepal.
Dr Mahesh Handiganala Munireddappa, Crop Health Advisor, South Asia, at CABI, said, “The enhanced plant clinic program is expected to have a profound impact on farmers and the agricultural sector in Nepal.
“With better-trained extensionists, farmers can expect more accurate diagnoses and effective advisories for their crops, leading to improved yields and reduced losses. This contributes to the overall growth and sustainability of Nepal’s agriculture sector.”
The approval and adoption of the plant clinic training curriculum by MoALD is a promising step towards strengthening Nepal’s agricultural sector. As plant doctors begin to receive standardized training, the quality of plant health services will undoubtedly improve, benefiting farmers and the nation.
Country’s dedication to sustainable agricultural development
Dr Mahesh Handiganala Munireddappa added, “Nepal’s commitment to enhancing plant health services through approving plant clinic operations procedures and adopting plant clinic training curricula is a testament to the country’s dedication to sustainable agricultural development and safeguarding their plant health sector.
“With a sound and proactive approach, continued support and investment in training and resources, the future of Nepal’s agriculture looks brighter.”
Modules 1 and 2 of the training curriculums covers essential aspects of plant health management. These modules include topics such as field diagnosis, pest identification, disease diagnosis, and the art of advising effective treatment methods.
The curriculum also emphasizes practical training, allowing plant doctors to gain hands-on experience on various aspects of plant health.
In-depth overview of the CABI decision support tools
Back in May 2024, Dr Mahesh Handiganala Munireddappa gave an in-depth overview of the CABI decision support tools at a session hosted by the Agriculture and Forestry University (AFU) in Rampur Chitwan, Nepal.
Thes tools include the CABI Academy, CABI Bioprotection Portal, PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank, Crop Sprayer App, PlantwisePlus Factsheets App, and Crop App Index, all of which have been developed under the PlantwisePlus programme.
CABI designed the tools to assist in diagnosing plant health problems, offering practical solutions and advice to manage pests and diseases effectively. The session emphasized how digital resources can transform traditional farming methods and help improve crop yields and the use of sustainable agricultural practices.
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