This Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) good practice technology consists in the introduction of drought-resistant fish species such as common carp for aquaculture production in dry areas of Lao PDR. These fish species grow faster than usually raised species such as Mrigal (Cirrhinus mrigala) and tilapia. Furthermore, they can survive in...

This practical guide describes services that pastoralists need to market their animals, milk and hides effectively. It covers market information, financial services, transport, market facilities, and processing plants.

Pour la conduite d’une ruche à barrette type Topbar Hive (TBH), une étape cruciale sera l’amorçage des barrettes, sur lesquelles les abeilles s'accrocheront pour construire leurs rayons de cire. Cette amorce guidera les abeilles et les forcera à construire leurs rayons de façon précise le long des barrettes. Ceci permet...

The following video of Africa Rice Center describes how land preparation and water management affect crop establishment, weed management and rice yields. Farmers in Burkina Faso explain also the importance of collaboration and proper planning.

Pastoralists need certain skills and have to be organized to market animals or milk successfully. This practical guide tells you how to do so by explaining strategies for doing good market research, writing professional business plans and organizing effectively with fellow farmers.

Indigenous and exotic vegetables are central to most nutrition, food security and poverty reduction programmes around the world. However, in most of West Africa, the economic opportunities offered by vegetables are often undermined by production and trade constraints (e.g. pest damage, inappropriate pesticide usage, absence of environmental safeguard policies and/or...

This practice gives guidelines on how to improve animal marketing. Among other topics, it focuses on measures such as information. Each strategy is described with detail and precise instructions to be carried out.

Rice is economically very important in Ghana and West Africa. The lack of improved rice varieties, particularly upland varieties, is recognized as a constraint. The main purpose of the work reported here was to test and evaluate new drought-and weed-tolerant rice varieties. Farmers use participatory techniques and formal replicated yield...

Tropilaelapsosis affects honeybee larvae and pupae. It is caused by mites of the genus Tropilaelaps. The parasites feed on bee larvae and pupae, and cause malformation, death and subsequent swarming or colony decline. Tropilaelaps mites are common natural parasites of the giant honeybees distributed throughout Asia. Although Tropilaelaps spp. have not spread...

This technology describes the testing of fish pots, a type of passive fishing gear that can be installed in the sea and harvested when sea conditions are not too dangerous, as compared to the use of bottom set longlines in the Philippines. Along with descriptions of the technology in comparison...

Most soils in Ghana are too acidic, limiting the nutrient uptake of plants. The following video presents one easy way to measure a soil’s pH value using pH indicator strips. Knowing your soil's pH value helps to take action to improve your soil quality.

The small hive beetle (SHB), or Aethina tumida, is an external parasite that affects honeybee colonies and other pollinating insects. It is a pest native to sub-Saharan and has spread into various regions of the world in the past few decades. The SHB can cause serious economic damage to the beekeeping...

This practice describes ten strategies to increase earnings from a smallholder farmer’s milk production. Strategies included within this practice are, among others, organizing a marketing group, setting up milk-collection points and starting a small-scale processing plant.

In times of scarcity, preserved foods can be a welcome addition to the diet. Through preservation, sales of out of season products are possible and prices asked are independent of the usually lower market prices during the harvest season. The emphasis is to inform farmers on how to process and...

La présente fiche porte sur le montage du fumier BOKASHI

Trees and shrubs play important roles on the farm and in the environment. Unfortunately too many trees are lost because of overgrazing, excessive fuel wood collection and deforestation. Agroforestry supports the efforts of people in rural areas to plant more trees and to use them to greater advantage, also because...

Fruit flies are a major constraint to the production and export of fruit and vegetables in South Asia. Two techniques were developed. Bait Application Technique (BAT), in which food baits are mixed with a small amount of insecticide to attract and kill adults. Male Annihilation Technique (MAT) is where synthetic...

Fruit flies are a common pest damaging fruits and vegetables. The video in this practice explains how to build a safe, simple and cost effective fruit fly trap with a plastic bottle, a pheromone and an insecticide. This practice describes step by step how to build a trap to control...

This practice provides basic information on how to set up a small-scale fish farm for subsistence purposes with regards to daily protein needs. Since fish farming practices are so diverse, this manual focuses on land-based freshwater fish farming. In the tropics, pond fish farming is the most common form of...

This technology gives information about how compost can be applied in the tropics and subtropics. It gives a simple description of the processes taking place in the soil and during composting. Practical suggestions are given for constructing a compost heap. A few selected compost methods and applications are given and...