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...

The process of separating the grain from the ear or panicle (the most energy intensive operation); sorting the grain from the straw; and winnowing the chaff from the grain is called threshing. This practice explains how threshing works, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.  Description Threshing involves two distinct operations. Manual separation...

Many farmers in low potential areas own cattle and milk them for their own consumption and sale. However, in the dry season, natural grazing and crop residues are inadequate to support lactation, making supplementary feed necessary to maintain milk production. This practice includes descriptions of techniques for growing the crops...

This report, co-developed by Biovision, IPES-Food and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), zooms in on the all-important financial flows in food system research to sub-Saharan Africa, with a view to understanding more about the limitations in current trends to unlock sustainable transitions and where the opportunities lie for sparking agroecological transition. From the Green...

Black bean aphid - Aphis fabae Scop. is a polyphagous species, attacking over 200 plant species: ornamental shrubs, represent primary hosts (such as the spindle tree - Euonymus europaea, Viburnum shrubs, or the mock-orange Phyladelphus coronarius) and herbaceous plants (celery for seed production, spinach, beans, corn, poppy, sugar beet, are...

This technology describes the cultivation of drought-tolerant maize varieties in the central cattle corridor of Uganda, a region particularly exposed to dry spells. The benefits and constraints compared to local varieties are shown in a cost-benefit analysis.

This practice describes compost production and its application in planting pits (zai) by farmers on fields near their homes. It also raises issues regarding land use and provides detailed remarks on its application.

Human porterage (either on the head, shoulders or back) is common in many rural areas, particularly where access roads are in a poor condition. The following describes the features of carrying aids such as wheelbarrows, handcarts, bicycles, and trailers. Their advantages and disadvantages are also explained.  Description 1. Features of carrying aids...

During a series of DFID Livestock Production Programme (LPP) workshops on smallstock, it became apparent that there was a need to improve the effectiveness of nutritional studies designed to support the contribution of smallstock to the well-being of resource-poor farmers and communities in developing countries. At the fourth LPP workshop...

The high germination percentages of the seed samples and the growth of the derived plantlets are the main 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...

This technology describes the testing of multi-stress tolerant bean varieties in the central cattle corridor of Uganda, a region particularly exposed to dry spells. The benefits and constraints compared to local varieties are shown in a cost-benefit analysis.

Farmyard manure is a varying mixture of animal manure, urine, bedding material, fodder residues, and other components. This form of manure is the most common form of organic manure applied in the midhills of Nepal. This practice describes how collecting and good storage of farmyard manure can help improve land...

Prior research has demonstrated that restocking has had little long-term impact on the lives and livelihood of poor pastoralists. Given the forces of change impacting pastoralist communities, restocking projects need to account for shifting community values, aspirations, norms and behaviour regarding livestock-keeping. The objective of this study was to develop...