Ms Sarah Fallon, Regional Director, Science and Innovation (India, Middle East, Africa), British High Commission, and Ms Swati Saxena, Senior Science and Innovation Adviser, visited MSSRF field site at Pudukottai on December 21. They observed the sensor-based pheromone trap testing maize fields at Maramatakki village set up by MSSRF in partnership with CABI-Plantwise, and interacted with the Joint Director of Agriculture, Scientists from NPRC, Block Agriculture department officials, farmers and other stakeholders. The visitors showed a keen interest in developing an affordable sentinel network to fight invasive alien species like the Fall Army Worm.

During late November, Mr Hans Jacob Frydenlund, Norwegian ambassador to India, visited villages in Cuttack district, Odisha, which are part of the RESILIENCE project. He interacted with farmers and plant doctors to understand how Plant Clinics work for the benefit of farmers, especially in accessing reliable and timely plant health information to help them combat the changing climate conditions. He was particularly interested in how MSSRF is using ICT tools to communicate locale-specific agro-advisories to the farmers.