Dans les oasis de Beni-Isguen, du Ghoufi et du Ghout, les agriculteurs utilisent des méthodes ancestrales pour lutter contre les insectes et les maladies. Pour préserver la nature et l'écosystème des oasis, les agriculteurs locaux pratiquent des techniques agricoles ancestrales, comme le traitement des maladies et des insectes par le...

This initiative on strengthening policy engagement capacity to improve food security was a three-year project from 2013 to 2016. Funded by the European Union, it was implemented jointly by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Tanzania Natural Resource Forum (TNRF) in Longido District in northern Tanzania....

Paul Kabwama, a small scale farmer from Mukono district explains to us how to produce liquid manure using animal droppings, ash, urine and other wild plants. He preserves this manure for 14 days before applying to his crops. To learn more about our work on promoting organic agriculture, please visit:...

The ability to capture, log and organise information is essential to the efficient management and control of food production factories. It is of particular importance in demonstrating control of food safety systems. Although initially developed for use in export fish processing factories in Uganda, the technology can be used by...

Kenyan prisons are full of the young and the poor. It is no surprise when you consider the high levels of unemployment and the criminal means to which many turn to survive. Trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and crime, former prisoners are often left stigmatised by society and...

The mango tree suffers from numerous physiological, phytopathological and entomological problems. In West Africa, the economic importance of the damage caused by mango fruit flies (Diptera tephritidae) is growing in home garden mango trees as well as in small-scale and industrial mango orchards. The introduction and pan-African propagation of Bactrocera...

A Tighfert au Maroc, la population participe de façon active à la gestion communautaire de l'eau dans l'oasis. Pour pérenniser l'utilisation de l'eau pour toute l'oasis, la population agricole de l'oasis du Tighfert a mis en place et utilise un système ancestral de gestion de l'eau: les Khettaras. Cette technique...

At over 5,000 meters, Mount Kilimanjaro’s rounded, snow-capped peak is an iconic African symbol. The National Park’s forested slopes rise up to the peak, above the plains of northern Tanzania. Slightly lower down, at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,500 meters, farmers grow crops in the fertile soil: coffee, bananas, fodder...

Due to saline conditions, drinking and pure water is a major problem in coastal areas. Most of the open wells and tube wells in the coastal areas contain salty water. Rainwater harvesting is a viable option for solving the issue of drinking water. Construction of rainwater overhead tanks is a...

Many people in Eastern Africa depend on forests and trees to meet various needs. With growing populations, these resources are being rapidly depleted. Many farmers want to plant trees but cannot readily obtain high-quality tree seedlings. Establishing a tree nursery can help to meet this demand and provide you with...

The Shashe farms in the Runde catchment area of Zimbabwe extend across three villages. Since 2010, over 500 families from the region have worked alongside ZIMSOFF (Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers Forum) and AZTREC (Association of Zimbabwe Traditional Environmental Conversationists) to revive arid cattle-ranching land into rich, abundant food forests. At the...

In Eastern Africa, reduced soil fertility has led to declining crop yields on many small‑scale farms causing food insecurity and greater poverty. Throughout the region, soils are generally low in nitrogen and phosphorus – which are essential for crops to grow well. Soil fertility can be increased by the use...

Climate change remains the most significant challenge facing farmers in Benin. Irregular and unpredictable rains, coupled with prolonged droughts and increased incidents of high winds, are decimating crop production across many regions. The Project for Adaptation to Climate Change (PAda-Clim-Benin), with financial support from Bread for the World (Germany) and DM...

Soybean brings nitrogen from the air into the soil as a free source of urea. You can obtain a good maize yield after harvesting soybean with less inorganic fertilizer application due to soil improvement. Growing soybean before maize reduces Striga infestation in maize. The practice demonstrates how to plant and...

Parboiled rice is rice that has been boiled in the husk. Parboiling makes rice easier to process by hand, improves the nutritional value of white rice, and changes its texture. Today, it is the preferred rice of many in the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent, and elsewhere. The quality...

Kayar, on the west coast of Senegal, is an artisanal fishing community with livelihoods in canoe fishing, artisanal processing of fish products and fish retail. The processing side of the sector — gutting, smoking, and filling cans — is mostly occupied by women, who make up 85% of the processing...

In the Plateaux region of Togo, the natural richness of the soil means that farming is the primary livelihood of those who live there. In the Kpélé Prefecture, in the south-west, the relatively mild climates and good rainfall should make it perfect for agriculture. However, the farming communities have witnessed...

Les poules indigènes jouent un rôle important dans la vie des familles rurales en Afrique orientale. Malgré l’usage accru des races commerciales par de gros éleveurs, près des trois quarts des poules de la région sont de races indigènes. Leur viande et leurs œufs sont plus savoureux , elles exigent...

The following provides an overview on how to plant, fertilize, manage and control pests for a series of vegetable varieties. These include amaranthus, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, cucumber, kale, leek, lettuce, okra, onion, sweet pepper, pumpkin, Swiss chard, tomato and watermelon.

Market liberalisation in Africa has resulted in more commodities being stored in small quantities in on-farm facilities. This has resulted in increased post-harvest losses, especially by storage pest insects of grain and legumes. The use of synthetic pesticides in food stores at the farm level can be considered costly by...