Access Agriculture

Nurturing a love of nature and gardening in kids

Audio podcast of Paul Van Mele, Access Agriculture Co-founder and International Director, speaking with Naresh N.K., Senior Administration Assistant at the University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU), in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, who is involved in a joint Access Agriculture-TDU study on the impact of Access Agriculture farmer-to-farmer training video on improved dairy farming practices. In this audio podcast, Naresh speaks about his successful experience in growing many types of vegetables in his terrace garden without the use of chemicals. He also recounts how his passion for natural farming, which attracts many beneficial birds and insects, has inspired his 4-year-old son to follow in his footsteps.

Improving farmers’ access to smart learning using videos: Insights from a young Indian changemaker

Audio podcast of Access Agriculture Co-founder Phil Malone in conversation with Neeraj Kumar, Co-founder of Khetee, an NGO in Bihar, India, on his experience as Access Agriculture’s Entrepreneur for Rural Access (ERA).

 

Related links:

Blog: Young entrepreneur brings smart farmer learning to Bihar, India
https://www.accessagriculture.org/blogs/young-entrepreneur-brings-smart-farmer-learning-bihar-india 

Video: Entrepreneurs for Rural Access
https://www.ecoagtube.org/content/entrepreneurs-rural-access-india-0

 

 

 

Effective weed management in rice (Summary)

Effective weed control can increase yields by more than 50%. As a farmer it is therefore worthwhile taking a closer look. In this podcast you can learn how to control weeds most effectively.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at :  www.AccessAgriculture.org

 

Available languages : 

Arabic | Ateso | Bangla | Bariba | Burmese | Chichewa / Nyanja | English | Fon | French | Fulfulde (Cameroon) | Ghomala | Hindi | Kannada | Kinyarwanda / Kirundi | Kiswahili | Luganda | Lugbara | Luo (Uganda) | Peulh / Fulfuldé / Pulaar | Runyakitara | Telugu | Tumbuka | Wolof | Yao

Animals & trees for a better crop (Summary)

In semi-arid West Africa, farmers and herders explain why and how trees and livestock play a crucial role in obtaining a productive soil and crop. In Niger and Ghana this is one of the strategies of integrated striga and soil fertility management that has a positive effect across agroclimatic zones. 

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at :  www.AccessAgriculture.org

 

Available languages : 

Amharic | Arabic | Ateso | Bambara | Bariba | Bemba | Bomu | Buli | Chichewa / Nyanja | Chitonga / Tonga | Dagaare | Dagbani | Dendi | English | Frafra | French | Fulfulde (Cameroon) | Gonja | Hausa | Hindi | Kannada | Kanuri / Kanouri | Kikuyu | Kinyarwanda / Kirundi | Kiswahili | Kusaal | Luo (Uganda) | Mooré | Nago | Ngakarimojong / Karamojong | Peulh / Fulfuldé / Pulaar | Portuguese | Serer | Sisaala | Spanish | Tamil | Telugu | Wolof | Zarma

 

Drip irrigation for tomato (Summary)

Farmer groups and individuals in Burkina Faso explain the benefits and challenges of a low-cost drip irrigation system, and show how such a system is set up. A social innovation is included that relates to organic matter management.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at : www.AccessAgriculture.org 

Available languages :

Adja | Bambara | Bangla | Bariba | Buli | Chichewa / Nyanja | Chitonga / Tonga | Dagaare | Dagbani | Dioula | Español | Ewe | Fon | Frafra | Francés | Gonja | Gourmantche | Hausa | Hindi | Idaatcha | Inglés | Kabyé | Kannada | Kanuri / Kanouri | Kinyarwanda / Kirundi | Kiswahili | Kusaal | Lobiri | Luganda | Moba | Mooré | Persa / Farsi | Peulh / Fulfuldé / Pulaar | Portugués | Sisaala | Telugu | Tumbuka | Wolof | Yoruba | Zarma | Árabe

Dr. P. Chandra Shekara delivering keynote address at Access Agriculture training programme

Dr. P. Chandra Shekara, Director General, National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), 
delivering keynote address at the Access Agriculture training programme of young rural entrepreneurs and key partners, 23-25 January 2023, in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.

For more information : https://www.accessagriculture.org/Access_Agriculture_MANAGE 

Josephine Rodgers speaking at the Millets & Organics International Trade Fair 2023

Josephine Rodgers, Executive Director, Access Agriculture, 
speaking on ‘Scaling Organic and Ecological Farming through Entrepreneurs' at the 'Millets & Organics International Trade Fair 2023,' 20-22 January 2023, in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.

For more information : https://www.accessagriculture.org/Millets_Organics_International%20_rade_Fair_2023 

How to scale agroecology

Special webinar marking the 10th anniversary of Access Agriculture

(Organised by Access Agriculture and the Agroecology Coalition)

 

25 October, 11.00 AM GMT / UTC

 

As part of its 10th anniversary celebration this year, Access Agriculture (www.accessagriculture.org) organised a webinar on “How to scale agroecology” on 25 October 2022, in partnership with the Agroecology Coalition (www.agroecology-coalition.org).

 

Since it started in 2012, Access Agriculture’s video-led learning approach has reached an estimated 90 million people, mainly smallholder farmers, in over 100 countries, enabling them to learn about agroecological principles, leading to improved rural livelihoods and sustainable food systems. The organisation is filling a unique and valuable niche in supporting horizontal farmer-to-farmer learning and the scaling of agroecology across the Global South.

 

The Agroecology Coalition vision envisages an inclusive food system based on the principles of agroecology. The Coalition is a major outcome of the UN Food Systems Summit held in September 2021, and has already over 113 members (39 countries and 74 organisations), committed to making agroecological transitions a widespread reality.

 

The objectives of the webinar were to celebrate the achievements of Access Agriculture in the last 10 years and help shape its future strategy as a global service provider and scaling agent to help mainstream agroecology and transition towards more resilient food systems.

 

The webinar featured an eclectic line-up of distinguished speakers and panelists, including representatives from the Agroecology Coalition, FAO Family Farming Knowledge Platform, ANTHRA, Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) at McKnight Foundation, PROLINNOVA, academia, community radio and TV stations, in addition to Access Agriculture.

 

How to scale agroecology
https://youtu.be/j21LcQkscoA 

Reaching the unconnected through digital empowerment

As part of the FAO Science and Innovation Forum 2022 side events, Access Agriculture and IFOAM Asia jointly organised a webinar “Reaching the unconnected through digital empowerment” on Friday 14 October 2022, 08:00 AM GMT (10:00 AM CEST).

Sharing knowledge on agroecology and organic farming between communities across the Global South is vital to cope with changes and crises. Small farmers, in particular rural women and youth, living, in remote areas have limited access to relevant information and knowledge on ecological practices. To help such farmers, a growing network of young rural entrepreneurs across Africa and Asia are using solar-powered smart projectors to show quality farmer-to-farmer training videos in local languages in remote areas where there is no electricity or internet. 

The side event focused on how youth empowerment, combined with the power of digital technology, can be a powerful force to connect people from remote communities and contribute to the creation of more inclusive and sustainable food systems.

Title of the Session and Speakers

Welcome remarks
Speaker: Jane Nalunga, Entrepreneur Coach Coordinator, Access Agriculture

Reaching the unconnected through digital empowerment
Speaker: Josephine Rodgers, Executive Director, Access Agriculture   
 
Youth as future leaders in the organic sector
Speaker: Julia Lernoud, Vice President of IFOAM - Organics International

Value of digital skills and tools for agricultural entrepreneurship – Perspective from a young changemaker from India
Speaker: Kumar Neeraj, Founder of Khetee and Access Agriculture ERA from India

Value of digital skills and tools for agricultural entrepreneurship – Perspective from a young changemaker from Kenya
Speaker: Maureen Njeri Maina, Field Trainer at Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) and Access Agriculture ERA from Kenya

Q & A Session
Moderator:  Blessings Flao, Malawi & Southern Africa Co-ordinator, Access Agriculture

Wrap-up and Concluding remarks 
Speaker: Phil Malone, Communications Specialist, Access Agriculture, Global South, 

Website  https://www.accessagriculture.org/ 

Arrell Award Ceremony: Access Agriculture shines spotlight on farmer empowerment through local language videos

On 7 June 2022, the Access Agriculture team received the 2022 Arrell Global Food Innovation Award in the category of Community Engagement Innovation in Toronto, Canada. The team comprised Josephine Rodgers, Executive Director; Paul Van Mele, Director for International Development; and Jane Nalunga, Coordinator of the Rural Entrepreneur Programme, who joined the event remotely.

“Local indigenous languages and indigenous knowledge really are at the core of what Access Agriculture does,” said Josephine Rodgers, accepting the Award. She emphasised that sharing knowledge between communities across countries is vital to cope with changes and crises. “We are partway through the UN Decade of Family Farming and in the first year of the UN Decade of Indigenous Languages, and we aim to make both count.”

The Arrell Global Food Innovation Awards recognise global excellence in food innovation and community impact. The Awards are adjudicated by a group of internationally respected scientists and community activists. 

Handing over the Award, Adrianne Xavier, Acting Director, Indigenous Studies Programme at McMaster University, who served as an adjudicator of the 2022 Awards, remarked, “The Access Agriculture video resources provide information and relevant content to farmers in small communities, which is critical to local food systems in the Global South.” 

The Award ceremony was held during the 5th Annual Arrell Food Summit, which bought together food leaders and experts to co-create solutions and discuss how to work together to ensure a healthy and resilient future of food.

In keeping with the Summit’s focus and Access Agriculture’s vision, Paul Van Mele said, “We try to strengthen farmers’ knowledge, but also society at large to produce, process and consume food with greater respect for nature and local culture. This award is a recognition of the contribution of our staff and the hundreds of partners, who make use of our videos to train farmers in their own communities to promote agroecology and regenerative farming.”
The Award panel highlighted that Access Agriculture was selected for its model, outreach, and delivery of training videos in local languages, along with the engagement created at the community level, all of which contributes to healthier and more resilient food systems. 

Thanking the panel for its support and encouragement, Jane Nalunga said, “This is a great recognition of the young people, who are providing services to remote rural communities across Africa and now in South Asia too, using solar powered smart projectors to show videos of farmers inspiring other farmers in local languages. We are delighted to be recognised and aim to expand our activities with these wonderful rural people.”

 

Related links:
Video podcast : Access Agriculture receives 2022 Arrell Award

Managing rust diseases in wheat and barley (Summary)

Rust diseases spread through wind and can rapidly develop in cool, wet weather. To know if your crop has rust disease, rub over the infected plant part to see if a yellow, brown or black powder sticks to your fingers. By combining organic methods, you will be able to grow a healthy crop, produce more and make more profit.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Increasing production of local chickens (Summary)

Local chickens often produce few chicks because of various reasons. To improve both eggs and chick production, there are some simple measures you can take. By producing more local, healthy chickens, you can better feed your family and make some money.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Coir pith (Summary)

Coir pith degrades so slowly that it is often considered useless for agriculture. But well-decomposed coir pith can absorb five times its weight in water. So when applied to your soil, it can hold water much better. To prepare compost out of coir pith you need to break down the lignine. This can be done by good microbes.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Cassava harvest made easier (Summary)

Ensure your soil is rich in organic matter and grow a legume intercrop to help keep your soil loose. Plant your cuttings horizontally or at a slant so the roots grow closer to the surface. With a simple tool you can uproot your cassava twice as fast.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Stronger plants with raised beds (Summary)

Raised beds must be 20 to 30 centimetres high, 80 to 100 centimeters wide and the furrows 30 to 40 centimeters wide. The beds can be 50 to 100 meters long depending on the slope of the field. Because the beds are wide, water is channelled faster through the land, while seeping into the soil and reaching the roots of the crop directly.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing false smut of rice (Summary)

By applying a range of agroecological practices, you can avoid disease infestation in  your rice crop.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing the rice leaf folder (Summary)

By combining different organic methods, you will harvest a lot more rice and make more money.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Pitcher irrigation (Summary)

With pitcher irrigation, round porous clay pots are buried into the soil near the crop and filled with water. The water seeps out slowly through the porous walls of the pot and reaches the roots of the plants. As the plants consume the water, more water will seep out from the pot. In this way, the pot provides exactly the right amount of water needed for the plants.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Natural ways to keep chickens healthy (Summary)

Dirty drinking water, unclean surroundings, and improper food cause many diseases in chicken. Clean the coop area and remove the poop and spoiled feed every day. You can purify the drinking water with turmeric powder or potassium permanganate. Feed chickens a balanced diet. Add some garlic or onion to the feed to build up their immunity. Leaves of bitter medicinal plants help to prevent intestinal parasites. Deworm the chickens with the help of papaya sap, betel nut or pomegranate fruit peel. Prevent calcium deficiency by giving the chickens some lime or crushed eggshell. Tie a small bouquet of aromatic leaves in the hen house to repel external parasites.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Fattening sheep and goats (Summary)

Usually, farmers fatten male sheep and goats because they grow faster. To fatten the animals, it is important to find the right animals. To fatten sheep and goats, also give them protein rich feed for about 3 to 6 months. Along with good food, you must also make sure that the animals are kept in a healthy environment. Vaccinate and give them deworming tablets every three months to help keep them healthy. 

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Organic biofertilizer in liquid and solid form (Summary)

For healthy crops you need a healthy soil, because a healthy soil contains many good microbes and earthworms. To prepare biofertilizer for half a hectare, you need 10 kg fresh cow dung, cow urine, flour from chickpeas or another pulse, jaggery or unrefined sugar, and a handful of healthy soil.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Making balanced feed for dairy cows (Summary)

Based on how much milk each cow gives you can calculate the amount of balanced feed needed for your cows. You should also feed your cow green grass each day. This helps to increase the total quantity of milk as well as the amount of fat in the milk. It is also good for their digestion.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

The clod breaker: a rolling harrow (Summary)

The clod breaker is a simple wooden tool made out of a cylindrical log with iron spikes. It can be pulled by animals or even by an adult person. By driving the clod breaker over your field in opposite directions, the soil will become loose, aerated and absorb more water.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Proper handling of baobab fruits at harvest (Summary)

Baobab fruit juice made from the pulp is very healthy, and can be added to porridge and sauces. However, the quality of the pulp can be greatly affected if fruits are not handled well during and after harvest. When baobab pods are damaged and have splits in the shell, moisture and insects can easily get to the pulp and spoil it.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Enriching porridge with baobab juice (Summary)

Compared to other foods, baobab pulp contains very high levels of minerals such as calcium, iron and magnesium as well as vitamin C. Furthermore, it is rich in fibre. It is good for human health and reduces the risk of diseases. Due to these properties, baobab fruits are often called a super food.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Housing for pigs (Summary)

Farmers in Uganda started taking care of pigs in their sties because of problems with the pigs that were free roaming. Farmers would not know where the pigs had gone and what they had eaten or whether they had contracted any disease.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Hardening crabs in floating cages (Summary)

You can make a cage from bamboo to contain the crabs. Soft crabs must be separated so they do not fight and damage each other. Give each crab half of a tiny fish per day. If the crab has not eaten its food, it is sick and must be removed. In 10 to 15 days, the crabs will have a hard shell and can be sold.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Vermiwash: an organic tonic for crops (Summary)

Vermiwash is the liquid that is collected after water passes through compost made by  earthworms. It is rich in plant growth hormones, micro-nutrients, and major nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Management of Newcastle disease (Summary)

In this audio podcast, we will learn how to recognise Newcastle disease, and the signs, causes, prevention, control and management of this devastating disease.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Spineless cactus for fodder (Summary)

Cactus pads are rich in minerals like calcium, phosphorous and magnesium, and have moderate levels of protein and fibre. You can start harvesting cactus pads one year after planting and harvest pads every 4 months as per your needs. Cactus will give fodder for more than 20 years.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Harvesting and storage of green gram (Summary)

Green gram or mung bean seed and grains need special care during harvesting and storage. Coat the seed with vegetable oil and store them in an earthen pot. Add neem leaves and dry red chillies. Cover the pot with a cotton cloth and a wire mesh to keep out rodents.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Natural ways to manage bloat in livestock (Summary)

Bloat is caused by eating too much wet grass during the rainy season. In the stomach, the wet grass ferments and releases gas which becomes like bubbles and cannot escape. It is also caused by a sudden change in diet or by eating overripe or fermented fruit, young sorghum leaves and vegetables like cabbage or cauliflower.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Taking care of okra (Summary)

Too much drought can slow down growth and cause young fruits to fall. Water your okra regularly to avoid slowing down its growth. Get rid of weeds. Nourish okra crops by periodically applying a little compost, well-rotted manure or litter around the base of each okra plant.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org

Making a good okra seeding (Summary)

In Benin, producers tell us how to plant okra properly. Put no more than 2 to 3 seeds in each hole and plant at proper spacing to let in air and allow the plants to develop well.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Making mango crisps (Summary)

Dried mango crisps are a tasty and a healthy snack that can be sold even out of season at a good price.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Proper handling of mangoes at harvest (Summary)

If proper care is taken at harvest, losses can be minimized, consumers will have better quality fruit, and the farmers will earn more money.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Better seed for green gram (Summary)

Coating seed with good microbes and organic fertilizer protects crops from diseases and gives them a healthy start. You can also prepare your own organic solution with cow dung, cow urine, lime, cow milk or yoghurt and water.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

The wasp that protects our crops (Summary)

By keeping live barriers with flowers around your fields, you help to protect the wasps and the other good insects. And it is easier to produce quinoa without insecticides while conserving our fertile soil.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing birds in climbing beans (Summary)

Birds learn quickly and will come back, so regularly change the way you scare birds. All farmers in your community should plant their bean crop within a period of two weeks so that the beans are all growing at the same time, so most of the crop survives. By having banana and flowering plants nearby your fields the birds will less disturb the beans.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Herbal medicines against mastitis (Summary)

Mastitis makes the teat painful, so cows do not want to get milked. If not treated soon, the other teats will also become affected and the udder may get damaged. When a cow has mastitis, her milk is not good to drink.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Making a cooling chamber for tomatoes (Summary)

When you pick your tomatoes, if you want to keep them longer, you have to find a way of reducing the temperature. As availability of electricity at village level can be a problem, ways have to be found to lower the temperature of this fragile crop. Some farmers at Dambatta in Kano State, Nigeria have used local mud bricks to make a very effective cooling chamber.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Staggering production of tomatoes (Summary)

If you are growing tomatoes you need to make sure that you don’t just grow when everyone else is, or you will probably suffer from very low prices. Working in a group and staggering your production can provide a constant market supply of fresh tomatoes.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Good handling of tomatoes (Summary)

As soon as you pick your tomatoes their quality can only ever decrease. The best you can do is to slow down the reduction of quality, by following some practices which reduce damage and harm. The key to getting good quality tomatoes to sell starts with the pickers. If they can avoid damaging the crop, we have a chance.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Root and stem rot in groundnut (Summary)

Crop rotation, and the use of gypsum, herbal mixtures or beneficial fungi like Trichoderma can control root and stem rot diseases.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

How to calculate yield of cassava (Summary)

Cassava is a plant with valuable roots which are hidden below the soil. One of the main issues for cassava farmers is how do you estimate the value of your crop… but it is possible to work out the size of your cassava yield before harvest.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing aphids in beans and vegetables (Summary)

You can easily control aphids by using some organic practices, such as sprinkling ash, spraying a neem solution or planting trap crops.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Deworming goats and sheep with herbal medicines (Summary)

In this audio podcast, we will learn from farmers in Southern India how internal worms spread to goats and sheep. We will also see how to prevent and cure the animals with a few simple methods.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Keeping sheep healthy (Summary)

A sick sheep does not grow fast and will sell at a low price because it is thin and the meat will be of poor quality. Some diseases such as PPR and pasteurellosis are mainly transmitted through inhalation and contaminated drinking water. Parasitic worms spread to healthy animals through unhygienic conditions in the shed or by grazing on contaminated pasture.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing the mango seed weevil (Summary)

The best way to check if you have mango seed weevils is by using sticky bands. Put a sticky band around each tree trunk, at the upper end of the trunk before it branches. The best way to control mango seed weevils is to burn an aromatic mixture to smoke out the pest. Also regularly remove and destroy dropped fruits in your orchard.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org

Managing tomato late blight (Summary)

Late blight is caused by moulds that survive in the soil and in residues of crops that had the disease. As the disease spreads very fast, inspect your field every day. If you see sick plants, cut of the sick parts of the plant and burn the affected parts. Never put sick plant parts on your compost as the mould will continue to grow and spread to your field.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Forecasting the weather with an app (Summary)

Weather Underground is the name of a weather app which is easy and free to download on your cell phone. The app makes weather forecasts every day for a week. The data is updated constantly if you have an Internet connection.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Recording the weather (Summary)

In a notebook, you can write down the predictions of the weather based on natural indicators, the actual daily weather, the farm activities and crop performance. This allows you to learn from year to year, share experiences with others and better plan for the future.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing mealybugs in vegetables (Summary)

Unlike most botanical insecticides, the plants can take up neem extracts through their roots and leaves, spreading the material throughout the plant tissues. For this reason, neem can help control pests like leaf miners, which feed inside leaves and are normally not affected by sprays that only cover the outside of the plant.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Neem seed kernel extract (Summary)

Unlike most botanical insecticides, the plants can take up neem extracts through their roots and leaves, spreading the material throughout the plant tissues. For this reason, neem can help control pests like leaf miners, which feed inside leaves and are normally not affected by sprays that only cover the outside of the plant.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Living windbreaks to protect the soil (Summary)

Live barriers are made up of lines of native grass, bushes and trees. The native plants are adapted to living with little water and they withstand the strong winds.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Quality cassava planting material (Summary)

To produce quality cassava planting material, we need to: select a suitable site and prepare the land early, ensure good soil fertility, decide what varieties to grow, and properly handle the planting material.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Good microbes for plants and soil (Summary)

In this audio podcast, we will learn about a solution that boosts the crop’s growth, and at the same time protects the crop from pests and diseases.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Using sack mounds to grow vegetables (Summary)

The best compost for sack mounds is the one made using poultry manure and plant remains. If you use such compost, the sack mound will yield a lot of vegetables for a long time.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing aflatoxins in maize during drying and storage (Summary)

As our health and the health of our animals are at stake, let us learn from experienced farmers in Tanzania how to properly dry and store our maize.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing aflatoxins in maize before and during harvest (Summary)

By keeping your soil healthy and by planting early, your plants will be strong and less vulnerable to insects and moulds. Once the maize is dry, harvest within the next two weeks. Keep the healthy ears off the ground, otherwise moulds will get on your maize and damage it during storage. Burn all the bad ears. Never feed them to your animals. 

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Making groundnut oil and snacks (Summary)

Women in Benin tell us that there are three important things: select good groundnut varieties, follow good harvest and postharvest practices, and use good processing methods. 

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Mulch for a better soil and crop (Summary)

You can make mulch from any locally available, dry plant material such as grass, or straw. Mulching is easy. And above all, it helps to save you water, time and labour whilst at the same enriching your soil and giving you a better harvest.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Killing fall armyworms naturally (Summary)

By making best use of farmers’ friends and local plants on the farm, nature will help you control the fall armyworm and reward you with a good and healthy crop.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Scouting for fall armyworms (Summary)

Spraying pesticides is expensive and usually cannot control this pest. Visit your field twice a week for the first 6 weeks and kill any egg masses and young armyworms by hand. It is important to do scouting because without it, you will not have a harvest at the end of the day.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Herbal medicine against fever in livestock (Summary)

In this audio podcast, we will learn what causes fever, how to recognise an animal with fever and how to handle a simple case of fever on your farm using a few simple tips.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org

Making a modern beehive (Summary)

In traditional hives, the bees make their own wax combs that are often attached to each other, so harvesting the honey is difficult. Honey can be extracted only two or three times a year from a traditional beehive. A modern beehive produces double to triple the volume of honey compared to a traditional hive.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Managing black rot in cabbage (Summary)

Most farmers confuse black rot disease with downey mildew. Whereas mildew starts as purplish irregular spots on the leaves, black rot starts as small, yellow-brown, V-shaped areas at the leaf margins.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org 

Making a vermicompost bed (Summary)

With empty fertilizer bags you can sew a container. Place layers of decomposable material in the container and water it. Put the earthworms in after one week. Cover the top of the bed with gunny bags and water it regularly. Make sure the compost is shaded from direct sunlight.

Download the full audio podcast in different languages at: www.accessagriculture.org

Managing bacterial leaf blight in rice (Summary)

Farmers in India tell how the disease first appears in the leaf tip. Finally, the plant dries up. Non-chemical methods can be used to control this disease.

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Storing and managing maize in a warehouse (Summary)

Storing and managing stock in a warehouse involves three important steps. We should first prepare the warehouse, then store your products on pallets and third, follow and manage the stock in the warehouse.

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Harvesting maize in a good way (Summary)

Your maize is mature when the leaves and the husks start to dry and turn yellow. Start harvesting improved varieties first and end with local varieties which are more resistant to pest attacks. Dehusk your maize in the field to avoid bringing pests to your home. Properly sort your maize in the field, burn the cobs that have been attacked and store the healthy ones.

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Digital Extension Systems: Presentation by Dr Paul Van Mele

Dr Paul Van Mele, Access Agriculture Director for International Development, speaking on "Digital Extension Systems" at the MANAGE International Conference on “Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services: Innovations to Impact”, 25-27 February 2021. The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) is an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, Hyderabad, India.

Watch the presentation on EcoAgtube: https://tinyurl.com/PaulVanMele 

 

Managing tomato leaf curl virus (Summary)

Tomato leaf curl cannot be cured by any product. The disease is spread by whiteflies. The best way to control the disease is through prevention. A net house can protect your nursery. A border of cereals around your vegetable field helps keep whiteflies out. Farmers in southern India tell us yellow sticky traps, natural pesticides and various other methods.

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Floating vegetable gardens (Summary)

As our land remains under water during the rainy season, our ancestors were already thinking of ways to produce crops in order to survive. They invented the floating garden by using crop residues. We do not need any chemical fertilizers or pesticides, because the floating bed is fertile by nature.

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Farmers' rights to seed: experiences from Guatemala (Summary)

We farmers, men and women, have the right to sell our seeds, and to conserve and exchange them. If they would forbid us from marketing or selling our potato seed, this would simply end our lives, because that is what we depend on.

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Herbal treatment for diarrhoea (Summary)

Keeping healthy livestock is a tough task because animals fall sick easily. Many people spend lots of money on medicine to treat their animals. In this audio podcast we will see how to prevent animals from getting diarrhoea and we will also learn how to treat sick animals with herbal medicine.

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Conserving bean leaf vegetables (Summary)

Bean leaves are rich in proteins and vitamins. To have them available during the dry season, you can dry and store them. 

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Farmers' rights to seed - Malawi (Summary)

For centuries farmers all over the world have been the guardians of crop seed and the breeders of new varieties. Policy-makers often find it challenging to recognize farmer’s ancient rights to keep and grow their own seed in the face of commercial varieties. But farmers are increasingly aware of their rights and the importance of their own varieties. 

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Village savings and loan associations (Summary)

From the moment a member has saved a certain amount, he or she can start borrowing money to run any kind of business. By saving money together as a group, we can help small businesses to flourish and help each other out in the village.

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Storing fresh and dried tomatoes (Summary)

You can store fresh tomatoes in a local fridge for a few weeks. A local fridge consists of two earthen pots, placed one inside the other and separated with sand. In addition to storing fresh tomatoes, they can also be dried and used any time. Dried tomatoes can be stored for a year.

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Compost from rice straw (Summary)

Small scale farmers can struggle to keep their soil healthy, and often resort to buying fertilisers to improve their yield, but with a bit of extra work to make compost, yield can be increased naturally and the soil improved year by year. To turn your rice straw into compost, requires a series of steps that control and accelerate the decomposition by microorganisms. With the right conditions, your compost will be ready in 4 months.

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Silage from maize (Summary)

Without any air, finely chopped green maize ferments without rotting. This is because micro-organisms digest the sugars in the fodder and produce lactic acid, which acts as a natural preservative. The key to making silage is to create the right conditions for a good fermentation.

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Making rennet (Summary)

The key ingredient to making cheese is rennet. This triggers the fats in the milk to bind together as curds, and the rest of the liquid runs off as whey. Whilst you can buy ready-made commercial rennet in liquid or powder form, in Egypt, rural women prefer to use natural rennet from the curds found in a calf’s stomach.

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Making fresh cheese (Summary)

A soft fresh cheese can be made and ready for consumption  in less than 1 hour and, and is easily made with some basic kitchen equipment, as we will learn from rural women from the village of Sakkara in Egypt.

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Tomato concentrate and juice (Summary)

During the lean season, tomatoes become very scarce and consumers buy canned tomatoes at high prices or no longer eat tomatoes. But by processing tomatoes into concentrate, you can use it for one year. And tomato juice can be used for 2 to 3 weeks.

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Hydroponic fodder (Summary)

Saving water, minimum land use, less labour, faster growth, giving a high yield of highly nourishing fodder that will improve your livestock. These are the key benefits in hydroponic fodder production.

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Intercropping maize with pigeon peas (Summary)

Legumes like pigeon peas take nitrogen from the air and deposit it into the soil.  When pigeon peas are intercropped the root nodules release valuable nitrogen to the other crop.  
Any roots, leaves or stems of the pigeon pea plant that stay in the field also help to improve the soil.

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Grafting mango seedlings (Summary)

With grafting, a young shoot from a preferred mango variety is attached to a seedling. The seedling will develop the root and base of the tree. This is called the rootstock. The young shoot that is grafted onto the rootstock is called the scion. This will develop into the canopy.

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Making a raised platform for sheep and goats (Summary)

In traditional sheds, sheep and goats are often kept on the ground. The animals are in direct contact with their urine and droppings. Because of poor hygiene many animals get sick. You can easily make a raised platform inside your existing shed to solve these problems.

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Sorting and storing pumpkins (Summary)

Farmers selling pumpkins right after harvest get a low price because there are so many.
They can sell them at a better price during the off-season by storing them.

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Making a condiment from soya beans (Summary)

All across the world, people add condiments to their cooking to make it taste better. In West Africa, many sauces are prepared using a condiment made with seeds from the Néré tree, also known as the African locust bean. In Mali, this condiment is called soumbala. Due to excessive tree cutting in the Sahel region, soumbala has become a scarce and expensive product. Although stock cubes are often used, some women in Mali have developed a good alternative by making soumbala from soya beans.

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Staking and pruning passion fruit (Summary)

A well-managed passion fruit orchard can provide farmers with some good money throughout the year. In this audio podcast, we will learn how to stake passion fruit plants and prune the vines systematically so as to get good yields.

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Growing lupin without disease (Summary)

Lupin can be grown in high or cold areas. Lupin is healthy food, rich in proteins, and good for the soil. In this audio podcast, farmers in Bolivia tell how to keep your field free from anthracnose disease.

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Managing aflatoxins in groundnuts during drying and storage (Summary)

Certain moulds grow on groundnut, maize and other foods. These moulds produce a poison called aflatoxin. To have healthy groundnuts it is important to care for the groundnut during its whole growth, but especially during drying and storage.

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Selective harvest of mangoes (Summary)

Harvest is a very crucial part of your work as a farmer. If you get it right you will be rewarded with higher yields and better fruit quality – which translates to more income. In this audio podcast, we will explain to you what you need to do to improve your harvesting practice.

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Making better shea butter (Summary)

Shea butter is used a lot in cooking, traditional medicine and cosmetic products. However traditional extraction of shea butter doesn’t follow required hygiene rules, this results in unsafe butter that can cause illness in consumers. In this audio podcast, we will learn how women in the South of Mali have improved the production of shea butter.

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Preparing low-cost concentrate feed (Summary)

By making a base mix that can be fed to all animals, you save time and money. Two thirds of the mix is made from grains, like paddy, maize, sorghum and millet. One third of the mix should be rich in protein and fat. Mill the base mix into a coarse flour. Depending on the type of animal, you then need to add a few other ingredients.

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Stocking fingerlings in a nursery pond (Summary)

Fingerlings are extremely delicate. They must be transported, kept and fed well if you want a good harvest. If not, you may lose all the money you invested. Using a nursery pond you can easily grow quality fingerlings to make more profit.

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Growing azolla for feed (Summary)

Azolla fixes nitrogen from the air and stores this in its leaves. Azolla is richer in protein, vitamins and minerals than grains and most green fodder. Because of this and because azolla grows fast and easily in a small area, it makes an ideal addition to feed.

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Preventing diseases in rabbits (Summary)

Coccidiosis and colibacillosis are the most dangerous diseases in rabbits because they are highly contagious. Veterinary products cannot cure rabbits that have been infected with these disease. Luckily, they can be prevented, as we will listen in this audio podcast.

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