Gender Marker 1

An introduction to the GIZ-ACCRA Programme.

An overview of the history and mandate of the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in Southern Africa (CCARDESA).

Farmers tell their stories about using various new and helpful technologies such as Green Super Rice, the Superbag, direct seeding of rice using a drumseeder, using flood-and salt- tolerant rice.

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.

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.

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.

The Compendium provides examples of more than 20 different approaches of how agricultural extension can support climate-smart agriculture, with contributions from seventeen institutions and over 30 contributors worldwide.

The book contains seven chapters that exhaustively covers the subject matter and make a smart proposition on the plausible pathway to ensure that agricultural technologies delivers a vibrant and economically sustainable agrarian sector.

The present report by the Joint Research Centre (MARS Unit - FoodSec action) is the result of 2 studies launched by the JRC in the frame of its scientific support to the European Food Security Thematic program, and carried out in 2008-2010 by a consortium of European and African partners:

• NRI (Natural Resources Institute, UK)
• ISICAD (Information Systems for International Cooperation in Agricultural Research andRural Development) of BLE (German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food),
• ASARECA (Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa)
• and SADC (Southern African Development Community).of the European Commission’s.