Is low greenhouse gas emission (GHG) agriculture possible? Is it, in fact, desirable? In seeking answers to these two basic but extremely relevant questions, this study examines current farming practices, and incorporates scientific databases from longterm field experiments as case studies for low GHG agriculture. Further, the study examines the...

The aim of this document is to describe the potential of organic agriculture to sequester carbon and to meet the requirements of carbon accounting systems, including factors such as carbon permanence, leakage and additionality. Furthermore, the document discusses the suitability of measurement and verification methodologies to agriculture systems, including an...

The need for increased sustainability of performance in cereal varieties, particularly in organic agriculture (OA), is limited by the lack of varieties adapted to organic conditions. Here, the needs for breeding are reviewed in the context of three major marketing types, global, regional, local, in European OA. Currently, the effort...

"El concepto y la práctica del manejo integrado de plagas (MIP) constituyeron un avance importante en el desarrollo del control de las plagas que afectan los cultivos. Como es sabido, el MIP ha sido una alternativa a las medidas unilaterales utilizadas en la agricultura convencional que aplica plaguicidas sin tomar...

Problem statement: The most pressing problem for Bangladesh agriculture is the current state of gradual decreasing of soil fertility, stagnating crop yields and declining productivity in a range of food crops. According to crop production scientists, Integrated Soil Fertility (ISF) and Nutrient Management (NM) is an advanced approach that can...

This manual has been prepared by the Group on Agriculture of the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. The purpose of this work is to spread the basic concepts of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in order to: guide the production systems towards a sustainable agriculture and ecologically...

A majority of the farmers in Nebbi district practice subsistence farming which heavily rely heavily on indigenous knowledge and technologies (IKT). What was found during the Nebbi Development Area Network member organizations assessment that household members are have less than 50% adoption rate of improved agronomic and livestock management practices...

Majority of the people in Nebbi district are unhealthy. They suffer largely from otherwise preventable diseases which are caused by unsafe water and sanitation conditions. The health burden herein is enormous: lost productive days, medical cost, school absenteeism, and low esteem. Yet, this situation, taken as a norm emanate in...

Cet Agrodok se concentre sur la fabrication et l’utilisation du compost. Le Chapitre 8 décrit une recette pour la fabrication de fumier liquide et des extraits de compost. Il s’agit ici des engrais organiques facilement réalisés pour un apport rapide des substances nutritives aux plantes. Bokashi constitue un autre type...

Following the request of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, in September 2003 the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) funded a technical assistance project for Croatia. The overall objective of this project was to improve rural income and food security through diversified production and specialty...

The objective of this study, commissioned by the FAO Regional Office for Europe and SDRR, is to analyse the status of and future needs for information and communication systems of private and government organizations in the national agricultural research system and its relevant partners with respect to agro-ecological and organic...

Grasslands with legumes, as the basic source of nitrogen, should play an essential part in organic agriculture systems. The proportion of grasslands of the total area of all types of organic croplands in Poland in 2002 highlights its importance (>45% of the total 41 thousand ha) (Zastawny et al., 2003)....

Land and water for agriculture are scarce natural resources hence the promotion of good land management has taken center stage in Zambia. This study attempts to measure the factors that could be associated with the adoption of conservation farming practices considering that farmers have multiple practices to choose from and...

Cultural methods such as crop fertilization can affect susceptibility of plants to insect pests by altering plant tissue nutrient levels. Research shows that the ability of a crop plant to resist or tolerate insect pests and diseases is tied to optimal physical, chemical and mainly biological properties of soils. Soils...

Zero Tillage is the main element among several that make up what FAO terms Conservation Agriculture (CA). Although CA uses some specific practices, and may also use external inputs, it is in essence an agricultural concept that conserves and enhances soil fertility, improves the availability of soil moisture, and increases...

This issue of Caravan chronicles ICARDA’s efforts in developing a research strategy and a need-based research program for the CAC region. In doing so, ICARDA played a major role in bringing together all partners, most importantly donors. The article on page 8 traces the history of this effort and provides...

The project ‘Conversion of farms in the city community of Ljubljana to organic agriculture' started in the year 1998. The main aim of the programme is to stimulate the farmers in the community of Ljubljana to convert to organic farming and offer them relevant advisory services. Our Institute provides the...

The International Center for Agricultural Research for the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is located in Syria. Its headquarters are in Tel Hadya, a 948 ha farm 30 km south of Aleppo. ICARDA was founded in 1977 and had its administrative headquarters in Beirut until all offices were moved to Tel Hadya...