Curated Content

The Agroforestree Database provides information on the management, use and ecology of a wide range of tree species which can be used in agroforestry.

While the database provides information on native and exotic trees globally, it also provides a searchable interface where users can search by country, native or exotics species, products and/or services provided, as well as the first letter of the species.

Currently, the database holds information on 600 tree species useful in agroforestry systems. The details on each of the species covered by the database include a species botanic description detailing the tree's characteristics, details on climate, distribution range, and ecology. Each species documentation also provides information on tree propagation, management and uses.

The timeliness and quality of land preparation are critical to ricenproduction. NERICA varieties are no exception. Good soil tillage practices generally enhance efficient 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 on what individual farmers can do at the field level, with a brief discussion on response options at the irrigation system level. The manual is meant as a support document for training on water management in rice production. It combines scientific background information (with many literature references 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 water management practices to rice farmers (such as staff of agricultural colleges and universities, scientists, irrigation operators, and extension officers).

This manual has been written with the intention of providing technicians and extension workers with practical guidelines on the implementation of water harvesting schemes. However it will also be of interest to a wider audience, such as rural development specialists and planners.

Solar-powered irrigation systems (SPIS) are a clean technology option for irrigation, allowing the use solar energy for water pumping, replacing fossil fuels as energy source, and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from irrigated agriculture. The sustainability of SPIS greatly depends on how water resources are managed.

This guide was prepared as a result of training sessions conducted between May
and August 2012 in Kenya and Tanzania for extension agents from the Ministry of Agriculture, Landcare and World Vision in Kenya; and from the Ministry of Agriculture
& Food Security, Division of Forestry & Beekeeping, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism in Tanzania as well as those from World Wildlife Fund (WWF). These agents work in partnership with the IFAD funded EverGreen Agriculture (EGA)project areas of Machakos County in Kenya, and Mbarali District in Tanzania. It is expected that they will be able to stay in touch and support farmers with knowledge gained at these trainings, to increase the adoption of Conservation Agriculture (CA) and Agroforestry (AF) as well as participation in Landcare approaches.

This publication provides practical and comprehensive information to IPM workers in rice fields throughout tropical Asia. It briefly discusses rice plant structure and growth stages and stresses their relation to pest management. There are separate sections on cultural control of rice pests, resistant rice varieties, natural enemies of rice insect pests, and pesticides. The biology and management of the major groups of rice pests — insects, diseases, weeds, and rodents — are discussed in separate sections. Finally, integrated control measures for the entire rice pest complex and the implementation of IPM strategies at the farmer level are described.

CABI and FRI’s Upscaling Technologies in Agriculture through Knowledge and Extension (UPTAKE) project uses SMS messages to increase awareness and adoption of agricultural technologies in maize value chains. The project seeks to strengthen the adoption of improved maize varieties. Continuous learning and improvement of the SMS campaign strategy is at the foundation of the success of the project. Lessons from farmers, extension agents and the entire maize value chain are being incorporated in the system regularly.

There are rich communities of beneficial insects, spiders, and diseases that attack insect pests of rice. The beneficial species often control insect pests, especially in places where use of broad-spectrum pesticides is avoided. Without these beneficial species the insect pests would multiply so quickly that they would completely consume the rice crop.

Pests have high reproductive capacities to offset the naturally high mortality that they face in nature. For example, a brown planthopper female produces many offspring, but because of the action of predators, parasites, and diseases, only about 1 or 2 will survive after one generation. It is not unusual for 98-99% mortality to occur; otherwise, a pest population explosion can be expected.

Natural enemies also have enemies of their own. Parasites and predators each have predators, parasites, and pathogens. Most predators are cannibalistic, a behavior which ensures that, in the absence of prey, some will survive.

The natural balance between insect pests and their natural enemies is often disrupted by indiscriminate use of chemical insecticides. Although insecticides are needed in some cases, they must be used judiciously to save these vulnerable natural control agents.

The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), a joint international institution of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the European Union (EU), launched a call for papers on failed information and communication technologies (ICTs) for agriculture (ICT4Ag) projects/initiatives – projects that showed early promise and received third-party support (from governments, donor agencies, or private sector investors) but did not reach fruition. What resulted was the stories in this booklet, which stress the importance of understanding the intended users, ensuring economic viability, fully promoting the service, and making sure the technology offered is the right solution to the problem.