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Farmer Field Schools have proven to be a very effective method of incorporating food safety aspects into farming practices. This manual is a reference guide for the inclusion of food safety aspects in Farmer Field School (FFS) programmes. Health (consumer protection) is the main entry point for food safety in [...]

Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) is a serious disease of potato. It can be managed with cultural practices, but only if farmers understand the technologies, and the reasons behind them. Face-to-face extension methods, like farmer field school (FFS), can teach these messages to smallholders, but other methods may also be useful. [...]

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a multifaceted, ecologically-based strategy that relies on close observation and monitoring of a crop before making management decisions. IPM combines a number of techniques to effectively suppress plant diseases and insect pests in an economically and environmentally conscious manner. Utilizing IPM to manage plant diseases [...]

The contribution of community-based interventions, including farmer field schools (FFSs) in integrated pest management (IPM), to reducing pesticide exposures and associated neurotoxic burden among smallfarm families in Ecuador was assessed in three Andean farming communities in a co-design of targeted action–research. Baseline questionnaire surveys elicited pesticide-related knowledge, practices, and exposure [...]

Workshop Report Under the project “Pesticide Risk Reduction in South East Asia”, an impact assessment workshop was held in Ho Chi Minh City from 23 to 25 July, 2007. It was attended by 10 participants from China, Cambodia and Vietnam. The participants included independent impact assessment leaders from the Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom [...]

The workshop focused on the development of a regional conceptual framework for curriculum development for pesticide risk reduction training. The workshop was also aimed at strengthening capacities of member countries to carry out these activities. The workshop included introductory presentations on risk reduction and the link between impact assessment and curriculum [...]

Agricultural extension systems in sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly using participatory approaches to improve technology adoption by smallholder farmers. This approach has been successful particularly in low-rainfall areas, where adoption is traditionally slow. Crop productivity, farm incomes and food security have improved as a result. ICRISAT worked with Zimbabwe’s Department of [...]

The objective of this ecological guide is to provide general technical background information on eggplant production, supplemented with field experiences from the National IPM programmes connected to FAO’s Vegetable IPM Programme, and from related organizations active in farmer participatory IPM. The information in the guides is not specific for one [...]

This is a trainer's reference guide on crop development, major agronomic practices, disease and insect management, written for small-holders' tea cultivation in northern Vietnam. The guide will also be of interest to tea producers in other parts of the world who want to apply an ecological approach to crop [...]

The ecological guides are technical reference manuals. They give background information and refer to exercises/studies that can be done in the field during training of trainers (TOT), farmers field schools (FFS) and action research to better understand a topic. The information in the guides is not specific for one country. [...]