The point of departure of this paper is that African nations cannot afford to ignore smallholder agriculture, however difficult its prospects may seem. Region wide, at the beginning of the 1990's, 85 percent of Africa's population was rural, and more than a quarter of the labour force was actively engaged...

Smallholder poultry production (i.e. family poultry) is an appropriate system that makes the best use of locally available resources. Family flocks are important providers of eggs and meat as well as being valued in religious and cultural life. There are three production systems for family poultry - free range, backyard...

The Dimitra Project on Rural Women and Development started in 1994 at the King Baudouin Foundation in Brussels, Belgium, with the support of the European Commission. The Dimitra Guidebook, printed in 1996, contains information on 255 European NGOs, research institutes and information centers working with and for rural women in...

This paper summarizes the results of six DFID funded country studies on encouraging sustainable agriculture in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. It emphasises the need for continuing government and donor support for sustainable increases in agricultural productivity which must underpin poverty alleviation. In this context, moves toward...

The present study is an update of an earlier assessment of warm-water fish farming potential in Africa, by Kapetsky (1994). The objective of this study was to assess locations and areal expanses that have potential for warm-water and temperate-water fish farming in continental Africa. The study was based on previous...

Uganda was one of countries included in a 1997 IFAD/FAO/Government of Japan study on agricultural implements used by women. The study areas in Uganda were the District of Mubende in central Uganda and the District of Soroti in the northeastern part of the country. These areas have quite different farming...

In Malawi, maize is the major crop and food staple. Given limited off-farm employment opportunities, much-needed increases in household income for improving food security must come from gains in agricultural productivity through better technology and more profitable crops. In the past, agricultural policy promoted hybrid maize and, more recently, tobacco...

Farming in Namibia’s Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) is predominantly for subsistence purposes, and is characterised by very low and even declining productivity due to a combination of low and uneven rainfall and poor soils, with conditions of extreme income inequality and poverty, under nutrition, out-migration of labour and high population...

The fourth in the Women in Fisheries series, this contains the report of the concluding workshop of the first phase of the Women in Fisheries programme of ICSF. Held in Rufisque, Senegal, in June 1996, the Workshop attracted 33 participants from 12 countries.

This study conducted in Kogi and Adavi Local Government Areas of Kogi State, assessed farmers response to the Agricultural Insurance Scheme of the Nigerian Insurance Company (NAIC). The willingness of farmers to take up the scheme was also determined. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive statistics and multiple Regression...

This paper discusses the merits and de-merits of different means of financing smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with special reference to Zimbabwe. This financing includes inter alia multilateral and bilateral agreements with governments and other agencies, micro-financial institutions coming from both the private sector and nongovernmental organizations.

While bush beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris  L.) have long been the protein staple of Rwandan agriculture, improved climbing beans have been introduced within the last 10 years, enabling farmers to intensify, stabilize and better stagger production. Through a 1992-3 nation-wide survey of 1050 households, conducted in both major growing seasons, this study examines...

While bush beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris  L.) have long been the protein staple of Rwandan agriculture, improved climbing beans have been introduced within the last 10 years, enabling farmers to intensify, stabilize and better stagger production. Through a 1992-3 nation-wide survey of 1050 households, conducted in both major growing seasons, this study examines...

Draught animal power (DAP) is well established as the traditional farming technology of smallholder farmers in Botswana. However, in recent years, the use of tractor farm technology is increasingly becoming important among smallholder farmers in spite of the on-going debate on the desirability of mechanizing smallholder crop production systems. Using...

This study stresses the need for the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to put in place a seed system which would meet the seed needs of a wide range of farmers, classified according to their risk tolerance capacity and resource endowments. Obviously, a single strategy cannot meet this objective. The study...

Increase in agriculture productivity are fundamental to the sustainable development of many African economies. While efforts are being made to provide more appropriate policies to encourage policies to encourage production, progress on technology development is disappointing. This is an area in which African science can, and must, make a greater...

  "Nature et Faune" is a quarterly international publication dedicated to the exchange of information and scientific data on wildlife and protected areas management and conservation of natural resources on the African continent. The present edition of "Nature et Faune" covers subjects that are as broad and complementary as possible: the...

"Nature et Faune" is a quarterly international publication dedicated to the exchange of information and scientific data on wildlife and protected areas management and conservation of natural resources on the African continent. The current issue of "Nature et Faune" covers the outcome of a study carried out for FAO on...

"Nature et Faune" is a quarterly international publication dedicated to the exchange of information and scientific data on wildlife and protected areas management and conservation of natural resources on the African continent. Within the context of its information and training programme on Wildlife management, FAO, in conjunction with the University...

This report is based on a synthesis of findings from various publications, ZEDS surveys and numerous Government publications. It is supported by a wide spreading background study report on Zimbabwe's prospects for employment and agricultural development produced with two other colleagues from ZIDS.  In four preliminary sections the report first traces...