Innovation in plant health extension services: the case of Plant Clinics in Nepal

The concept of community-based plant health clinics was developed by the Global Plant Clinic-cabi, piloted in Bolivia and other developing countries in 2003, and introduced in Nepal only at the end of 2008. Since then, different ngos and the government have received plant doctor training courses from cabi and are running clinics. By the end of 2011, 166 clinic sessions had been conducted. During this period, a large number of farmers, attracted to plant health advisory services which had never been received in the past, visited these clinics. The government has gradually incorporated this initiative in its regular program. The Plant Protection Directorate (ppd) is now supporting clinics run by different District Agriculture Development Offices (dados). This review of plant clinics in Nepal clearly defines the aims of plant clinics to fill the gap between farmers’ needs and existing plant health services being provided by public and private extension service providers.