Today’s world is one of unprecedented change and issues such as climate change, globalization, emergent diseases and nd health of the vulnerable poor of developing countries. NRI is working to understand quantify and mitigate these major challenges so as to help the words poorest to withstand these potentially disastrous multiple threats.

NRI is developing new and improved methods of predicting, preventing and controlling major migrant pests. It works with key partners to develop improved capacity for forecasting and managing outbreaks of major pests such as Locusts, armyworms and Quelea birds.

With globalisation and increased trade many plant diseases are spreading rapidly to new areas with often disastrous consequences for poor farmers and subsistence growers who lack access to disease resistant varieties. NRI has worked extensively to develop management systems and locally adapted resistant varieties to counter serious threats to food production from such diseases as Cassava Mosaic, Maize Brown streak, and whitefly borne viruses.

Examples of our work include:

• Improved armyworm forecasting and monitoring systems for Africa [PDF 398Kb]
• New biological control for armyworm in East Africa [PDF 388Kb]
• Improved cassava mosaic disease management in Uganda [PDF 1.1Mb]
• Control of tomato leaf curl virus in India [PDF 660Kb]
• Promoting control measures for cassava brown streak in Africa [PDF 603Kb]

(PDF extracts above from "SWEETMORE, A., KIMMINS, F. and SILVERSIDE, P. (2006) Perspectives on Pests II: Achievements of research under UK Department for International Development Crop Protection Programme 2000–05. Natural Resources International Ltd, Aylesford, UK. 206+xvi pp. ISBN: 0-9546452-7-8" reproduced by kind permission.)

More information on NRI's Change and Vulnerability Programme.