The CABI Plantwise stakeholder meeting 2022 was held at MSSRF, Chennai, on August 24, 2022. Dr Gopi Ramaswamy, Regional Director, CABI – South Asia, delivered the welcome address and highlighted the focus of Plantwise on a valuechain-based holistic plant protection approach. He also mentioned that CABI had expanded the reach of plant clinics to government and other agencies in Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Assam and Kerala and Jammu through partners namely M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), National Agro Foundation (NAF) and Department of Agriculture, Jammu.

The Joint Director, Directorate of Agriculture (Extension), Jammu, Mr Subash Chandra Sharma, said plant clinics assisted their farmer’s transition to an ecological and organic farming system. Dr G N Hariharan, Executive Director, MSSRF, delivered the inaugural address quoting MSSRF’s long-term alliance with CABI on Plantwise in different states. State-wise experience-sharing and progress made by partners were discussed for the following areas:

• Reduction in production cost
• Increased productivity and income
• Shift from chemical-based plant protection measures to integrated pest management with due importance to biological inputs
• Effective data capturing in POMS
• Pest forecasting
• Digitalisation and up-scaling of plant clinics
• Conducting mass plant health extension campaigns
• Develop capacity for production and distribution of low-risk plant protection products
• Usage of responsive digital advisory tools

Dr Gopi Ramasamy highlighted the transition to Plantwise Plus programme in CABI, while Dr Vinod Pandit, Dr Malvika Choudhry and Dr Manju Thakur – all senior team members – CABI, explained important objectives and broader activities of Plantwise Plus.

Participants included representatives from KVKs, the state agricultural department, TNAU, OUAT, AAU and NAF. Dr Rengalakshmi, Director – Ecotechnology and Dr Vinod Pandit provided the closing remarks.