Tandojam, Pakistan – CABI’s deep-rooted expertise in sustainable crop pest management was prominently featured at the 2nd International Conference on Plant Protection Sciences (ICPPS-2025), held at Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam.

The conference aimed to boost scientific and technological collaboration between Pakistan and the global community, spotlighting synergies with technologically advanced nations. Among these, China played a leading role by contributing several keynote speakers who brought global insights into plant protection strategies.

CABI maintained an active presence at the event with a dedicated booth showcasing its initiatives across Pakistan. Key areas of research were presented in the form of abstracts, detailing sustainable solutions such as the use of hybrid traps to manage whitefly and pink bollworm in cotton crops. Additionally, experimental findings were shared on the effects of synthetic insecticides on major agricultural pests like the fall armyworm in maize and Tuta absoluta in tomato crops under laboratory conditions.

The abstracts were presented by field facilitators Muhammad Hamza Iftikhar and Yahya Khan Mari, who play a pivotal role in implementing CABI’s integrated pest management (IPM) techniques on the ground.

Cotton remains Pakistan’s largest industrial sector, yet the industry is reportedly losing 10–15% of its value annually due to persistent pest infestations and reliance on outdated agricultural practices. This loss significantly affects the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and their surrounding communities.

CABI’s participation at ICPPS-2025 underscores its commitment to developing localized, science-based solutions that enhance crop protection, reduce reliance on harmful chemicals, and support the broader goal of sustainable agriculture in the region.