In a world where smallholder farmers are empowered to manage evolving plant health threats, increase their incomes, improve food security and safety, and reduce biodiversity loss, the need for smarter tools and processes for surveillance and mitigation is critical. Without these advancements, pest and invasive species outbreaks will continue to threaten food security. Currently, there is poor awareness among farmers and agricultural service providers about the hazards of excessive pesticide use. Furthermore, there is insufficient access to effective and affordable lower-risk alternatives to hazardous pesticides. Public extension workers are too few to reach smallholder farmers with timely crop advice, and many agro-input dealers lack the capacity to provide accurate diagnoses and sound crop health advice.

In response to these challenges, the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) teamed up with CABI, a nonprofit intergovernmental development and information organization focusing primarily on agricultural and environmental issues in the developing world. On May 20, 2024, they conducted a workshop in Rwanda, bringing together plant doctors from local institutions and local government representatives. The workshop aimed to discuss ways of enhancing plant clinic operations to improve food security and safety and reduce biodiversity loss.

The workshop was conducted under the PlantwisePlus project, which aims to reach 75 million smallholder farmers in 27 countries. The project provides farmers with access to the knowledge and skills they need to improve their production practices through three key impact pathways. Pest preparedness focuses on coordinating and strengthening systems for detection and response to pest outbreaks. Pesticide risk reduction involves increasing awareness of, access to, and use of affordable integrated pest management (IPM) solutions. Farmer advisory enhances knowledge and uptake of IPM practices through responsive digital advisory tools.

By enhancing plant clinic operations and integrating digital tools, the workshop aimed to facilitate better flow of ideas and practical solutions. This anticipates to empower smallholder farmers with the necessary knowledge and resources to manage plant health threats effectively, thereby improving food security, safety, and biodiversity conservation.