Over the past two decades, the Mekong region has experienced significant transformation of its agricultural sector from subsistence farming to export crops driven by the expansion of agricultural land and of irrigation, plus intensification thanks to mechanization and the use of chemical inputs. In the context of agrarian transition, maintaining...

Topic outlineThe course explores effective practices for coping with soil salinity in the Asia-Pacific Region. Some practical examples and case studies of successful salinity management practices are introduced and analysed, to identify implementation features, benefits, challenges and applicability to similar contexts. You will learn about Irrigation and drainage practices for soil salinity...

Agrobiodiversity is the subset of biodiversity found within agricultural ecosystems. It feeds us with nutrients vital to our health. It fuels and furnishes our homes. It underpins cultural traditions. It sustains farm productivity in the face of climate change. But agrobiodiversity is rapidly being lost.  Just three crops account for half...

Gender Transformative Approaches address root causes of gender inequality by fostering lasting changes in decision-making and resource control, offering a strategic framework to enhance women’s empowerment in accessing and managing land and production means, as well as natural resources.

The interplay between infectious diseases and wildlife, people and their livelihoods has always been an intrinsic part of human existence. Until recently, however, this nexus has been minimally considered in research and policy. The need for change is increasingly recognized following the emergence of zoonotic diseases such as severe acute...

Agroecology is a promising approach that is transforming agrifood systems across the Asia-Pacific Region. Indeed, there is increasing evidence of positive results with the transition to agroecology, and these include stable yields, crop resilience, higher incomes for farmers, fishers and producers, improved nutrition and food security and enhanced biodiversity (Global...

The more pigeon peas produce secondary branches, the more pods it will produce, leading to higher yields. 6 to 7 weeks after sowing, remove the tips of the main branches. This is called nipping. After a week, use half a mug of biofertiliser per plant or add it to irrigation...

Informal trade Informal cross-border trade plays a major role in the BIMSTEC region, given the shared borders between member countries such as India with Bangladesh and Nepal. Informal trade is defined through the exchange process and consists of unrecorded trade flows that escape official statistics. “Informality” refers to the nature of the...

Different crops and tree leaves provide different levels of micro and macro-nutrients when incorporated into the soil. This adds organic matter, boosts beneficial soil micro-organisms and enhances soil fertility.

Sustainable food systems require mechanisms that assure consumers about the sustainability of agricultural production. Building on the existing literature on the impact of sustainability standards, this study is the first to assess the effectiveness of participatory guarantee systems (PGS) for the certification of organic produce. The study uses representative farm-level...

The bad smell of pig waste undermines the health of your animals and your own health and can create tensions with your neighbours. Washing the dung and urine into waterways also pollutes the environment. By using deep bedding sprayed with good microorganisms you can avoid all of this. You can...

As the number of enterprises on a farm increases, it becomes harder to keep track of the cost of inputs and the revenues earned. Keep detailed records to see how your farm evolves over time. By comparing different farms of similar size with fellow farmers, you can decide if changing...

Besta Pulum cannot contain his excitement about the tablet computer he is holding in his hands. “When I was young, I never saw that kind of computer. Now I’m seeing it; I didn’t sleep [from excitement],” says the community chief, who reckons his age at around 60. Like his father before...

An assessment of seven innovation case studies in Pakistan in 2022 found that agriculture innovation systems show limited collaboration and networking, and a supply-driven rather than market driven approach to innovation. This limits the potential for scaling innovations such as the ‘Super Seeder’, a machine that sows wheat directly in...

Forests harbour a large proportion of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity, which continues to be lost at an alarming rate. Deforestation is the single most important driver of forest biodiversity loss with 10 million ha of forest converted every year to other land uses, primarily for agriculture. Up to 30 percent...

The publication offers a rich diversity of perspectives and insights from real-life experiences of 42 inspiring teams of youths in Africa and India who are blazing a trail as private extension and advisory service providers promoting agroecology through farmer-to-farmer learning videos. Each of the deeply compelling stories presented in this...

Research by the Center of International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) shows promising results from taking a jurisdictional approach to increasing the sustainability of palm oil plantations in four districts/regencies in Indonesia: Pulang Pisau (Central Kalimantan Province), Kutai Kartanegara (East Kalimantan Province), Pelalawan (Riau Province), and Sintang (West Kalimantan...

Bees are known to vital pollinators essential for the growth of many plants, including the fruits and vegetables we rely on for food. According to Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA), honeybees play a crucial role in pollinating nearly 95 different kinds of fruits and nuts in North America which...

The purpose of this manual is to give the reader a foundation of practical knowledge regarding all aspects of Pacific oyster cultivation. It is targeted at new entrants to the market wishing to establish a farm, and existing operators who wish to develop their farms and explore new cultivation techniques....

Organic feed that is free from harmful chemical residues and antibiotics is often not available in the market. With organic feeds, you can double up the volume by mixing a variety of grasses and leaves that can be found all around the farm. This is where you can get your...