In 1962 the environmentalist Rachel Carson published her seminal book Silent Spring that criticized the pesticide industry and the impact of its products on both nature and human health. The book marked an important milestone in the development of the crop protection industry as it emphasized the need to improve and invest in the safety … More Changing Face of the Pesticide Industry
Computer technology has been around for decades, but the machines we use today are light years ahead of where we were even a decade ago. They are faster, more accurate and easier to use. This is cutting-edge technology. Machine learning and artificial intelligence help plant scientists to run millions of “microsimulations” that give researchers insights … More How artificial intelligence can speed up innovation – Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
What makes a rose red? It has a gene, which tells it which color to be. In a major scientific breakthrough 20 years ago, scientists discovered how to turn down the red gene and introduce a new blue gene, from a petunia, to produce the world’s first blue rose. This process, where scientists have learned … More Technology to Revolutionize Agriculture – Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
Imagine spending $50 every minute for 11 years! That’s what the crop protection industry does to develop cutting edge products for farmers. Only through investment in innovation can we help farmers deal with the ever-increasing threat from crop pests, while also meeting more exacting societal expectations for pesticide products that are safe for human health … More Innovating for Safer Pesticides – Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
Did you know that in one handful of soil there are more microbes than humans on planet earth? Microbes are tiny micro-organisms like viruses, bacteria or fungi, some of which can have pesticide-like qualities that can be used by all farmers, large and small-scale. These pest-fighting microbes can be found all over the world in … More Nature at the Heart of Crop Protection -Partner Spotlight on CropLife International
Persistent global hunger and undernutrition have underscored the need for urgent action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to end all forms of malnutrition and double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers by 2030. In sub-Saharan Africa, lack of dietary diversity is a key causal factor of malnutrition since … More Veggies offer new opportunities to farmers in Tanzania
Down in the valley in the village of Kasuza in the Eastern Province of Zambia, along the border with Mozambique, Aaron and Mervis Mumba are legends. The couple, who have two children, are literally turning on its head the negative connotation associated with the phrase ‘reaping where you did not sow’. Through meticulous analysis of … More Zambian farmer finds the sweet spot during dry season
In the Ethiopian Highlands, where yields have been only about one third of their potential, diffused light storage of seed potatoes is getting results. Mrs Tadelech Lachemo, a farmer in the Ethiopian Highlands, had a dream to increase her agricultural productivity and run a profitable restaurant. Taking part in Africa RISING’s potato seed multiplication training … More Potato farmers see the light in Ethiopia
At nutrition field schools in southern Mali, young mothers are learning and teaching about the building blocks of life. Fighting child malnutrition in the Sahel has always been a daunting task. In southern Mali, over 28% of children under five are stunted – despite this area being the grain basket of the country. Iron … More In Mali, field schools educate mothers, nourish children
Farmers in Babati District of northern Tanzania had been reluctant to use fertilizers due to a belief, handed down the generations, that inorganic fertilizer ‘kills’ the soil. This myth was born out of a poorly implemented fertilizer scaling exercise decades ago – the ammonium sulfate that was recommended then isn’t good for the soils in … More In Tanzania, farmers restore faith in fertilizer
Focusing research on farmers’ preferred practice has resulted in tripled faba bean yield. Africa RISING researchers in the Ethiopian Highlands were intrigued to see that smallholders growing faba bean chose to weed only once in a season, even though they were aware that weeding twice gave consistently higher yields. So to find out why, in … More When is a weed not a weed?
Pigeon pea–groundnut doubled-up legumes intercropping in Malawi. Photo credit: Jim Richards Intercropping two legumes – groundnut and pigeon pea – means two grain harvests plus two crop residues to improve soil fertility. Smallholder farmers in southern Africa face a conundrum. They need to get more crops onto their limited land – but without reducing the … More Double grain, double gain
In 2011, USAID’s Agricultural Research Division solicited brief proposals from IITA and ILRI as to how they would lead research efforts offering solutions to the numerous constraints to smallholder farm productivity while simultaneously achieving multiple objectives around food and nutritional security, improved incomes, and soil and water conservation. Three key production regions across sub-Saharan Africa … More Africa RISING: a multidisciplinary program using an integrated systems research
It may be small, but the Fall armyworm is a big deal. As far as being a pest and a threat to African farming and farmer’s livelihoods, the Fall armyworm has a lot going for it. It eats 80 different plant species and travels and reproduces at a rapid rate. Considering this, it is easy … More Uliza and the Fall Army Worm
Radio is a great tool for reaching people that other communication methods often cannot. It’s cheap, portable, shareable, and easy to understand. It doesn’t require sophisticated literacy skills. Good radio is also captivating and fun. Paired with a mobile phone, radio allows an opportunity for conversation, so that anyone listening to the radio can have … More Putting Her Voice on Air
At Farm Radio International, our work requires great partnerships to get great results. We partner with radio stations, key stakeholder groups, and knowledge experts to make informative and entertaining interactive radio programs. These programs share agricultural knowledge and amplify the voices of listeners so rural communities can be empowered in their own development. We know … More Opening the debate on scale and sustainability
If every radio broadcast had the same format, people would get bored and stop tuning in. When Farm Radio International designs a radio campaign, we try to use a variety of segments to keep listeners entertained and engaged in the program. ‘Drama+Discussion’ is one great program type that combines education and entertainment in the perfect … More Drama Queens
At Farm Radio International, we are constantly trying to improve our programs and get the most out of the technologies we have on hand. Radio is a great tool for circulating information, and broadcasting a message to millions of listeners. But how do you hear back from those listeners to understand their questions or expertise? … More Closing the feedback loop with interactive radio
One first step to supporting farmers is to understand their information needs. Farm Radio International aims to strengthen small-scale farming and rural communities, and a key step in doing so is to know the communities better. This is where formative research comes in. We collaborate and learn about the community in order to understand its … More Meeting Our Audience
Workshop participants in Bogra, Bangladesh come together to formulate a multi-stakeholder platform with the potential to establish the Barind Tract as a global leader in practical, integrated strategies for achieving the SDGs. From December 3rd to 5th, 2017, EcoAgriculture Partners led a Landscape Leadership Workshop, Transforming Barind Agriculture: Achieving SDGs and Climate Resilience through Water-Centric … More Achieving the SDGs and Climate Resiliency in the Barind Tract: First Steps Towards a Multi-Sector Strategy
