This project seeks to improve the livelihoods of farmers in Southern Africa by enhancing the use of pesticidal plants. This involves:

• Optimising safe & low cost pesticidal plant use for small-scale farmers in Southern Africa;

• habitat conservation – improving collection, cultivation & safe application of pesticidal plants;

• influencing policy & strengthening market potential for pesticidal plants in compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD);

• building scientific capacity in southern partner institutions through training and exchange visits.

This project considers pesticidal plants (a.k.a. botanical pesticides, ethno botanicals) to be all plant materials (e.g., roots, leaves, seeds, flowers etc.) that require only rudimentary preparation (e.g., powdered, water extracted) which farmers can use to reduce field crop damage, stored product losses and livestock mortality/morbidity.

The SAPP project is funded by the Implementation and Coordination of Agricultural Research and Training (ICART) Programme of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region.

It brings together University, NGO and government partners from Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the UK.

Caesalpinioid woodlands contain a diverse range of plant species (e.g. Miombo, Mopane). The habitat stretches across southern Africa to include large parts of Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, DR Congo, South Africa and Tanzania. These semi-arid African woodlands are under threat from a number of issues such as climate change, agricultural expansion, overgrazing, uncontrolled fires, and their unsustainable use by man (e.g. firewood collection). The SAPP project aims to help promote the conservation and sustainable utilisation of Caesalpinioid woodlands by improving the ways in which pesticidal plants are utilised. Photo P. Stevenson.

Spraying synthetic pesticides is rarely carried out wearing the correct protective clothing. Photo S. Nyirenda.

Subscribe to the Pesticidal Plants Network email forum This is an email and website forum to post announcements and queries related to the use of pesticidal plants in agriculture, particularly their use in vegetable gardens, in grain storage and against livestock ectoparasites (ticks, mites). Members of this group may be scientists or extensionists involved in research and promotion of pesticidal plants or end users wishing to share their experiences or learn more about pesticidal plants through discussion and sharing of information with other group members.

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