The Ministry of Agriculture’s Plant Protection Division in Koronivia will continue its Plant Health Clinic training.

The training is for its officers to identify the damage caused by pests, diseases and lack of nutrients in plants.

Senior Research Officer, Ratu Toloi Vasuidreketi says the four-day training in Vanua Levu will help the agriculture officers further develop their skills and assist in their daily services to farmers.

Vasuidreketi says officers will be able to conduct in-depth analysis on plant pests and diseases that farmers face on their farms.

He says farmers will bring their pest and diseased crop samples from their farms and participants will identify the symptoms, diagnose the cause of these symptoms and provide best management practices to the farmers on the final day.

The Plant Health Clinic concept is a new innovation which has proven to be successful in providing practical answers to pest and diseased crop samples brought about by farmers.

The PHC clinic was introduced in 2016 under the Plant Protection section of the ministry’s research division.