frequently asked questions
what does CABI stand for?
Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International
is CABI known by any other names?
CABI is the trading name of CAB International.
how long has CABI been established?
CABI can trace its origins back to 1910. CABI soon developed into a world service in agricultural information, pest identification and natural control research.
what is CABI's mission?
CABI's mission is to improve people's lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment¡¨.
what are CABI's operating principles?
CABI operates as an efficient organization so as to be financially self-sustaining whilst delivering benefits to its members through not-for-profit development projects.
how is CABI funded?
CABI receives revenue from its publishing activities, funding for its research programmes and contributions from its member countries.
who does CABI work for?
CABI works with and for: universities, corporations, member country governments, research agencies, charities and foundations, national donor agencies, farmers, extension workers and non-governmental organizations.
who does CABI work with?
We work in partnership with others to achieve our objectives; building the capacity of our partners is an integral part of all our activities. Partners include: national research and extension institutions, non-governmental and community based organizations, educational establishments, the private sector, regional and international development agencies.
what is the CABI Development Fund?
The CABI Development Fund enables CABI to: initiate programmes that address global issues in our areas of expertise; add value to existing programmes that address global issues; develop skills amongst the rural poor; make knowledge from science available; support critical research for agricultural sustainability. The fund is currently supported by UK, Switzerland and Australia and has a total value of $2 million.
who are CABI's members?
CABI was established by a United Nations treaty level agreement between 40 countries who wanted to promote the advancement of agriculture and allied sciences through the provision of information, scientific and related services on a world-wide basis. These member countries have a say in CABI's governance, policies and strategic direction. CABI member countries.
What is CABI?
CABI is a not-for-profit international organization providing scientific expertise, knowledge and information.
CABI is
alleviating poverty by increasing crop productivity, quality and safety, by:
- advising on good agricultural practice and market access
- training farmers on the ground
- helping to find solutions to pest and disease problems
- providing knowledge and access to information
helping safeguard the environment and biodiversity by:
- tackling invasive plants, diseases and insects
- advising at policy level on trade and quarantine issues
- finding natural alternatives to pesticides
- managing the UK fungal genetic resource collection and screening it for potential new drugs and natural products
- finding solutions to agricultural problems caused by climate change
- researching biofuels
providing access to agricultural and environmental scientific knowledge, by:
- producing abstract databases, including the world-renowned CAB Abstracts
- producing books, e-books and multimedia tools
- listening to and working with farmers, extension workers and governments so that they get the information they need
how is CABI structured?
CABI has three areas of operation:
1) publishing
We are the publishers of renowned scientific information, including CAB Abstracts - our world-leading bibliographic database covering agriculture and the environment. We also publish multimedia compendia, books, e-books and internet resources aiming to further science and its application to real life.
2) scientific projects and consultancy
Our staff research, and find solutions to, agricultural and environmental problems. We use science, information and communication tools to solve the issues which affect people's lives. We focus our work on three key scientific areas:
i) commodities - we work to enable smallholder commodity farmers to compete in global markets. We diagnose and control plant pests and diseases, and help farmers get a better price for their crops. We work on crops such as coffee, cocoa, wheat, rice and cotton.
ii) invasive species - we are helping to reduce the spread and impact of invasive weeds such as Japanese Knotweed, Water hyacinth and insects such as Coffee Berry Borer and Cocoa Pod Borer. We also advise countries at a policy level about agriculture, trade and the environment.
iii) knowledge for development - we work with farmers, extension workers, researchers and governments to deliver agricultural knowledge and develop communication strategies and systems. We provide information and support for community-style telecentres as well as run global plant clinics to help farmers identify pest and diseases affecting their crops.
3) microbial services
We store, curate and identify fungi. We hold over 28,000 live and 400,000 dried organisms of which 90% are unique to CABI. Within our collection we hold Alexander Fleming's first strain of penicillin. We conduct microbiological identifications, provide cultures for sale, and offer preservation and consultancy services. We are also screening our collection, looking for natural products such as antibiotics, vitamins and enzymes.
At a glance
- CABI specialises in agriculture and the environment
- activities include: scientific publishing, research, consultancy, training and communication
- established in 1910
- not-for-profit
- owned by over 40 member countries
- over 400 staff based in 16 countries
For more information
Sarah Wilson, PR and Corporate Communication Manager, tel: + 44 (0) 1491 829361,
email: s.wilson@cabi.org