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Apps4Ag is a comprehensive, up-to-date, and responsive Apps4Ag database to better support access to, and uptake of ICT and mobile applications by individuals and institutions involved in value chain development.

The CCAFS Mitigation Options Tool estimates greenhouse gas emissions from multiple crop and livestock management practices in different geographic regions, providing policy-makers across the globe access to reliable information needed to make science-informed decisions about emission reductions from agriculture. CCAFS0MOT joins several empirical models to estimate GHG emissions from different land uses and suggests mitigation options that are compatible with food productions. Researchers at the University of Aberdeen, in partnership with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the University of Vermont’s Gund Institute of Environment, are developing the tool. CCAFS-MOT has also received support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). CCAFS is carried out with support from CGIAR Fund Donors and through bilateral funding agreements. For details please visit https://ccafs.cgiar.org/donors.

This handbook has been prepared by CropLife International as part of a training course on Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The objective of the course is to provide an overall understanding of the concepts of IPM, together with the principles for implementation in all crops. In this handbook, and during the course, it is assumed that participants are aware of IPM, but are not fully familiar with the concepts, and practical principles of implementation.

The handbook contains all the information that should be presented in the training course, together with some additional background information.

The main target groups of the course are pesticide retailers and agricultural extension officers, although farmers could also be included. With the understanding of IPM provided by the course, participants should be able to understand the practical implementation of IPM in actual farm and crop situations.

We began the year with the creation and announcement of a new strategic plan to take us forward through 2021 (page 2). This new plan sets goals for us both internally and externally to help us succeed as we carry out our mission to help smallholder farmers succeed.

To bridge the gap between research and practice in rice production, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) developed the Rice Knowledge Bank (RKB)—a digital extension service that provides practical knowledge solutions, specialized for small-scale farmers in developing countries.

RKB showcases rice production techniques, agricultural technologies, and best farming practices based on IRRI’s pool of knowledge from research findings, learning and media resources, and in-country projects.

The timeliness and quality of land preparation are critical to rice production. NERICA varieties are no exception. Good soil tillagepractices generally enhance ef cient fertilizer-use, soil porosity and aeration and then have positive impacts during germination, seedling emergence and stand establishment stages of plant growth,in addition to weed control.

This manual provides an overview of technical response options to water scarcity. It focuses onwhat individual farmers can do at the eld level, with a brief discussion on response options at theirrigation system level. The manual is meant as a support document for training on water manage-ment in rice production. It combines scienti c background information (with many literature refer- ences for further reading) with practical suggestions for implementation. The target audience is people involved in agricultural extension or training with an advanced education in agriculture or water management, who wish to introduce sound watermanagement practices to rice farmers (such as staffof agricultural colleges and universities, scientists,irrigation operators, and extension officers).

This book is meant for training of extension workers in soil fertility management techniques in SSA and for workers involved in rural development that would like to learn more about the principles and practices of ISFM. This handbook is also a useful primer on ISFM for education organizations such as universities and technical colleges, organizations involved in the development of policy on agriculture and rural development that need reference materials on ISFM techniques, and other government and non-government organizations (NGOs) seeking to implement ISFM.

This manual aims to provide clear, actionable information on the most important pests and diseases that affect the major food crops grown by smallholder farmers in Africa.

For each pest or disease, information is provided on how to recognise the problem, what to do to prevent it occurring and how to control it when it occurs. The management options for each pest or disease are divided into ‘cultural approaches’, such as use of resistant varieties, clean seed, crop rotations and good hygiene in the eld, and ‘chemical approaches’, which involve the use of appropriate pesticides. In addition information is provided on the organism that causes the problem and its impact. Finally, a short list of publications and websites is given where additional information can be obtained.

A team of plant health experts has compiled this information; in doing so they have drawn upon the latest research and information available in 2015.

This manual is targeted at extension workers and anyone else who needs access to clear, actionable information on the most important pests and diseases affecting the major food crops grown by smallholders.

Livestock production is the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture (Smith et al. 2014, Tubiello et al. 2014). In terms of global averages, the emission of methane as a result of enteric fermentation in the digestion process of ruminants produces about 40% of the total emissions. In Africa, although total emissions from livestock are still lower than in the member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the emissions intensities per unit of animal product produced are very high (Herrero et al. 2013), which is a cause for concern given the rapid growth projected for the sector.