Farmers across the country growing various types of crops namely vegetables and fruits, cereal and legume crops including root crops believe in applying pesticides to eradicate pests in their farms.

Majority of these farmers are not aware of what quantity of pesticide to apply in a specific acre of land nor identify quality pesticide use as per its specification for a particular crop.

However agricultural experts from the Ministry of Agriculture jointly with none governmental organisations including the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) are spear heading sensitization drive about correct use of pesticides in farmer fields

The recent initiative is driven under a project CABI regional project in Africa where experts have introduced digital advisory tools where farmers can access information about correct application of pesticides to achieve improved yields.

Background

Agricultural experts working with CABI realised that there was limited knowledge among farmers in correct application of pesticides to curb pest influx in their fields.

The team in their wise thinking gradually began introducing mobile and web apps to deliver real-time, science based pest management data to help smallholder farmers reduce crop losses and use fewer hazardous chemicals.

The team introduced its key digital tool applications for pest management in Uganda starting in March 2021, with the official launch of the CABI BioProtection Portal CABI BioProtal.

This rollout expanded further under the PlantwisePlus program, incorporating platforms like the Plantwise Knowledge Bank and specialized mobile apps which farmers have adopted in most parts of the Country.

The CABI BioProtection Portal went live in Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to help farmers identify non-chemical pest control solutions.

The interactive Plantwise Knowledge Bank and digital diagnostic tools were progressively integrated with district extension officers and plant doctors to assist field diagnosis.

Newer components like the Crop Sprayer App and digital advisory toolkits continue to be deployed to assist local spray service providers across the country.

How the initiative came about

The regional CABI director in Uganda Dr Monica Kansiime while officiating at a consultative meeting explained about intergraded pest management practices noted that there is a lot of hazardous pesticide use by farmers across the country and to curb this, her team has been engaging agricultural extension workers to sensitize farmers on how best to apply this chemicals

Farmers have been sensitized on how to access and use information provided in the digital tools as well as access information on where to find quality pesticides.

The team has also developed fact sheets for farmer use about the innovative digital tool technologies.

Dr Sadik Kassim the deputy director-general for agricultural technology promotion at the National Research Organisation, explained the importance of scientists developing technologies that help farmers in better use of pesticides.

He notes that it is important to develop biological control methods including breeding pests that directly feed of pests that are a challenge to crops and those that can lay eggs in the larva of crop enemy crops to get destroyed.

He however challenged the experts that it is important to engage private sector who can be sensitized to breed these biological control insects on large scale for commercialisation.

This way farmers are able to access these insects and introduce them into their farms for better pest management.

Other technologies include the push pull technology where farmers can grow napier grass at the edge of the farms to attract pests that intend to invade farmer fields and destroy crops.

This technology he notes works well for maize farmers facing challenge of fall army worm.

How the digital tools operate

A senior agricultural inspector at the ministry of agriculture, Mr Opiolo Andrew Evans explained that there are three digital tools so far introduced to farmers in pest management.

They include CABI BioProtection Portal, Crop Sprayer App and PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank

The CABIProtection Portal is a free, localized online and offline resource launched in Uganda to help growers and advisors identify and source registered biocontrol and biopesticide products.  It is accessed a web based portal meaning it can be accessed through Android smart phone.

Crop Sprayer App is an Android application designed to calculate exact pesticide concentrate quantities for various sprayer sizes, promoting safe and rational chemical use. [

PlantwisePlus Knowledge Bank is used by local extension officers and agro-input dealers to access text, pictorial and video guides for diagnosing crop pests and diseases.

Al in all since this tools require use of smartphones, in most cases there are youth champions who have been trained to help farmers alongside the extension workers.

They are able to download information on the apps and portal to educate the farmers accordingly. However farmers who own mobile phones are also sensitized on how to access information directly from the tools.

Impact and Field Adoption

He explained that these tools reduce cost and waste and the field data from 2024–2025 show that optimized application via the Crop Sprayer App reduced input costs by up to 30% for participating farmers.

In regions like the Nakasongola District, targeted digital guidance helped lower maize crop loss from pests by 35%.

Programs by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and CABI train local shop owners to prioritize safe alternatives and lower-risk bio-pesticides over conventional chemicals.

Bio-pesticides are locally mixed pesticides using plant extracts such as neem tree leaves, red pepper among others are farmers are encouraged to use them because they are not hazardous

Regional Impact and Training

The regional impact across Africa is that there is pest preparedness because scientists can uses climate models and surveillance data to forecast and warn communities about invasive species threats.

The CABI Academy is able to delivers digital e-learning courses to skill up young agri-entrepreneurs and extension staff.

Capacity Building and Training

Agro-Dealer Certification courses have been issued after training local input sellers in Uganda to become certified plant doctors offering sustainable advice.

Youth Empowerment because the young are engaged in digital literacy, agricultural entrepreneurship and extension service delivery.

There is trade readiness since the activities are coordinates with projects like the EU-funded sanitary and Phytosanitary Uganda initiative to align local farming with global safety standards.

Beneficiary experience

Charles Enou is the CABI farmer’s coordinator in Soroti and he explained that he is a beneficiary of the integrated pest management initiative.

Enou and other champions have been trained in helping farmers to adopt the technologies including the web based online tools.

As a coordinator, he is responsible for receiving reports especially from youth champions who to go on ground to help farmers giving them directives on how to apply particular pesticides in a particular crop field and at what quantity.

Eventually he will send this report to the CABI and MAIFF team who are able to use it for further planning purposes.

Enou who is part of Teso farmers’ Cooperative Union says he is able to access farmers easily together with the other youth champions and this way his team is able to support extension service to farmers at a fee.

The Champions have now established their desks where farmers call them at one time for advisory services and this way they are able to earn income.