Meet CGIAR-IITA’s women fighting plant pests and diseases
The current COVID-19 pandemic is a heart-wrenching example of how viruses can quickly spread from one continent to the next.
The way human diseases spread is not any different from how plant pests and diseases spread. Lava Kumar, a virologist and head of the Germplasm Health Unit (GHU) at IITA, says, “Humans are the number one carriers of plant pests.” With no ill intention, people carry plants, flowers, and fruit from one destination to the next, thereby spreading diseases over the whole world. “That is why it is always wise to carry only certified plants or seed to prevent the spread of diseases,” Kumar further added.
