The Senate in the Philippines has approved a bill recognizing Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) and amending the current legal framework for organic agriculture in the country. PGS are locally focused quality assurance systems of organic products certification which small farmers can afford, and which provides access to healthy and safe...

Although all the colonies of Apis Mellifera in Asia belong to the same racial group, no unified colony-management scheme exists which is suitable for the entire continent. How a beekeeper handles his colonies at a given time of year depends on the bees, their environment and how they react to changes in...

Homestead gardening is a well-known practice in the rural areas of Bangladesh, creating opportunities for year-round income, even when other income sources fail particularly due to water scarcity and drought. Homestead gardens use the small raised areas (chalas) around the homesteads. The management of close by homestead gardens benefits from...

The organic matter content of the soil is an indication of soil fertility. Low organic matter content can worsen the water-holding capacity of the soil which is crucial during drought periods. Several methods can be used to enrich soil and increase its fertility, for example through the use of farm...

These guidelines are based on research on Asian river systems funded by the Government of the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. They deal with five basic questions with regard to floodplain fishery resources. 1. Why manage? 2. What to manage? 3. Who should manage? 4. How to manage? 5....

Increasing livestock population puts pressure on the treatment of organic waste.Sufficient feedstock for biogas production on small farms rather than individual farmers. Low level of information access on biogas technology by farmers. Small-scale biogas systems are technically feasible for animal waste in the target area.

The Illipe species (Shorea spp.) are Southeast Asian forest trees that are highly suitable to be cultivated on tropical peatlands. The nuts and timber of these trees have a high commercial value. At the same time, Illipe plantations conserve peatlands. Peatlands not only hold a large pool of carbon but also...

A very important part of the skill of beekeeping is to learn to handle bees with confidence and manage them well. FAO’s publication Beekeeping in Asia discussed Pongthep Akratanakul’s experiences with European honeybees (Apis mellifera) introduced in northern Thailand; It also discussed the principal features of beekeeping activities in the...

Lack of assessment methodology for culture-based fisheries has been identified as a major problem in the development of fisheries. The optimal stocking density, size at harvesting and fishing mortality are interrelated. Over-fishing is equivalent to under-stocking, and overstocking is equivalent to under-fishing. This model of quantitative population dynamics for culture-based...

A period of over a century of widespread movable-frame beekeeping with the common honeybee Apis mellifera in many parts of the world has resulted in the development and marketing of virtually all types and sizes of beekeeping equipment. Many innovations in design and the use of different materials enable beekeepers...

This video presents issues facing Cambodian rural farmers and different approaches introduced by the GEF funded project namely Life and Nature. The project aims to improve adaptive capacity of rural communities to impacts of climate change and strengthen ecosystem services to support agriculture and to attain food security. The project...

 The following includes the features of raised bed cultivation from a practical perspective, including tips and recommendations. Advantages include labour-saving, livelihood resilience strengthening, equipment and risk. Disadvantages include labour, skills and technical limitations.  Description Repeated tilling of the soil to the same depth, either by hand or draught animal, causes plough pans...

On 5 April 2020, the Navieng Organic Vegetable Growers Group in Naveing Village, Hiem District Huaphanh Province, Laos harvested their produce including carrots, beetroots, and Daikon totaling in 2 tons (2,000 kilograms) with a total value of over LAK 15,000,000 (USD 1,660). These produce were to be transported and sold...

Myanmar falls within the center of the genetic diversity of many economically important crops, including wild and cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.). However, the majority of the genetic resources of Myanmar, particularly local varieties, and their distribution remain poorly understood. The present study was conducted to investigate the on-farm varietal diversity...

Several geographical races of the oriental honeybee (A.Cerana) occupy the vast Asian mainland. They possess different behavioural characteristics, particularly those contributing to the bees' capacity for survival. Among the major behavioural characteristics exercising a direct influence on colony management are migration, absconding, colony reproduction rate, colony population size, foraging and...

This report presents findings on the impact of COVID-19 and the associated State of Emergency from March – June 2020 on women in agriculture in Timor-Leste. The findings were gathered form interviews with 266 vulnerable women in agriculture and agribusiness from six municipalities in Timor-Leste: Ermera, Dili, Liquica, Aileu, Baucau,...

Women are often among the most vulnerable and marginalized, with limited access to resources and assets, and face formidable barriers in adapting to climate change. Their vulnerability stems from a variety of sources, including basic gender inequality, distribution of rural work effort, and disproportionate access to economic, health and educational...

Different tree cropping can improve the efficiency of land-use and be an additional source of income for small-scale farmers. Rubber trees need about six years to mature, during this period, an intercropping of the land with banana trees improves both land‑use and income generation. This technology reports on the benefits...

Maintaining colonies of oriental honeybees in box hives is an improved and often less expensive version of loghive beekeeping. In view of current wood prices in many parts of Asia, the cost of building hives from good solid logs can be prohibitive. In some coastal areas of tropical Asia, coconut...

The following contains a guideline on how to better use hoes, and how to improve them. Advantages are highlighted which include labour saving, livelihood resilience strengthening, equipment, skills, cost and infrastructure. Disadvantages are labour, livelihood, equipment and risk.  Description In many countries in Africa, 90 percent of primary cultivation is carried out...