In Bangladesh, major constraints to improving the productivity of livestock include a shortage of fodder. At the same time, intensive cropping has reduced the fertility of the soil. This situation can be improved by on-farm cultivation of green fodder for livestock as an integral component of the cropping system. Cultivation...

High germination percentages and development of germinated plants are criteria to assess the quality of seed batches. The seed quality can be evaluated by seed germination tests. In the Council Directive 2002/55/EC of 13 June 2002 on the marketing of vegetable seed it is defined that cauliflower seeds being sold...

The following provides information on the features of single-axle tractors and small three-wheeled motorized vehicles. How they are advantageous in terms of cropping systems, specifically irrigated or wetland agriculture is also explained. The advantages and disadvantages of their use are also provided in terms of labour saving, livelihood resilience strengthening,...

In Bangladesh every year more than 39 million tons of traditional fuel, e.g. wood, are burned. Improved stoves are efficient in reducing biomass use for cooking and other heating purposes, and lead to a reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. This practice describes the double-mouth domestic cook stove.

The importance of the domestic rabbit as a supplier of meat for human consumption is widely recognised throughout the world. The document 'Rabbit Technology for Warm Climates' is designed as a text for students, teachers, and practitioners on rabbit rearing.

The selection of varieties is essential for the success of any crop. A variety can be defined as plant grouping within a single botanical taxon of the lowest known rank showing characteristics that result from a given genotype, distinguished from any other plant grouping by the expression of the characteristics,...

There are different ways of carrying out agricultural extension. Farmer Field Schools (FFS) represent a participatory approach that directly reaches farmers and addresses their day-to-day problems. The concept of FFS builds on the belief that farmers are the main source of knowledge and experience in carrying out farm operations. This...

The following describes the features of single-axle tractors. Their advantages and disadvantages are also explained.  Description 1. Features Single axle tractors are commonly used in Asia but not in Africa, partly due to harsher conditions and less irrigated land in the latter. They range in power from around 1.5 kW to 15 kW, controlled...

Cereal stovers are widely used for feeding ruminant livestock, and in semi-arid areas sorghum stover may be an important part of livestock diets during the dry season, helping to maintain condition and increase survival. Bird-resistant varieties of sorghum have been bred for use in semi-arid zones to increase yields of...

Rhizobia are naturally occurring soil-borne bacteria, which fix nitrogen in symbiosis with legumes. In beans, an additional inoculation of seeds with such bacteria can increase nitrogen fixation. Rhizobia - based solutions are commercially available and are included in the authorized list of inputs for organic agriculture (https://www.inputs.eu/input-search.html). How to test...

Improved grazing land management is vital to increasing food security and alleviating poverty. It also provides environmental benefits. To address these problems, the national Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) programme in Ethiopia initiated a grazing land management project in 2000. Implementation of the technology includes the initial delineating of the...

The agricultural sector in the Caribbean islands such as Grenada is extremely vulnerable to storms and hurricanes. Establishing grass barriers along the contour can help in reducing water runoff and erosion during heavy rainfall. Grass barriers provide erosion control on croplands and offer a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to...

Insecticide treatment of cattle is an important method of tsetse control. However, insecticides applied to cattle have been shown to contaminate dung. This has a significant impact on insects using the dung as a resource, e.g. dung beetles. This reduces the recycling of dung and has a negative impact on...

Drying meat under natural temperatures, humidity and circulation of the air, including direct influence of sun rays, is the oldest method of meat preservation. However, various methods, typical for different regions, exist to produce dried meat with or without additional treatment. The following examples of dried meat techniques are part...

Grafting of tomatoes has the potential to increase tomato seed production under organic conditions. Grafting means to combine the positive characteristics of a rootstock (e.g., increased vigour, resistances to soil-borne diseases) with the positive characteristics (e.g., fruit quality, taste) of the upper part of the plant (scion).

 The following explains the basic technical aspects of a motorised single-axle mower and a reaper. It also details their advantages and disadvantages.    Description 1. Features of motorized single-axle mowers and reapers  Single-axle mowers and reapers generally range in power from around 1.5 kW to 10 kW. The operator usually walks behind them, although some...

The availability of feed resources is, in many areas, a major limiting factor to smallholder milk production. Storage and transport of conserved fodder is an integral component of solutions to this constraint. Using farmer-evaluated strategies, a low-cost, practical and economical method for transporting animal feed material was developed. The technique,...

The meat dryers are constructions of wood, metal and/or concrete, stationary or mobile, without or with a roof. For strips suspended by hooks or with a loop attached or fixed by clips, removable horizontal bars, either made of wood or metal or horizontal wire strings are needed. The following description...

Harmful seed-borne plant pathogens (present in/on the seed) can be the source of infection on the crops that originated from infected seeds. The use of healthy seed is therefore a very important tool for the success of the crop. Seed treatments aim to reduce/inactivate the inoculum of seed-borne pathogens or...

Cette technologie décrit comment mieux préparer la plantation de cultures et comment gérer les mauvaises herbes, de sorte qu'ils ne peuvent pas interférer avec le développement des cultures. Dans les systèmes d'agriculture de conservation, cette gestion devrait faciliter la pénétration des équipements de semis direct dans le sol et créer...