Backgrounders
Backgrounders are brief introductions to important and technical topics and Answers to frequently asked questions share key information on a topic.
Use this information to plan an episode or series of episodes on the topic, to prepare for an interview, or to answer questions from callers.
- All
- Agriculture
- Aquaculture
- Children and youth
- Climate change
- Community development
- Crop production
- Energy
- Environment and climate change
- Gender equality
- Health
- Hygiene and sanitation
- Land issues
- Livestock and beekeeping
- Marketing and market information
- Nature-based Solutions
- Nutrition
- Post-harvest activities
- Social issues
- Soil health
- Trees and agroforestry
- Water management
Tips About Tools and Transplants
Care of tools Are your tools in good shape? Are you taking good care of them? The care that you take with your tools directly affects your own health and safety. You can learn a lot about the condition of your farm tools by examining them. For example, have a look at the handles. If…
Equipment to Start Beekeeping
A few beehives can be an important addition to your farm. Bees produce honey and wax. You can sell the honey and wax to earn some money. And there are other benefits that honey bees bring. Bees pollinate crops. That means that they carry pollen from plant to plant which helps the new fruits and…
A Simple Way to Feed Baby Rabbits
Many times rabbit farmers lose young rabbits within five days of birth because the mother rabbit refuses to feed her young. The mother might be unwilling to feed her babies because she is nervous from too much heat or noise. As a farmer, you should do everything you can to make sure that the mother…
How farmers can prepare for El Niño
If you farm in a region that is affected by El Niño, you are probably preparing for uncertain weather conditions. You may be expecting very wet weather or very dry weather. Perhaps you are already feeling the effects of heavy rains or drought. What steps can you take to make sure that you still have…
What is El Niño?
It blows hot. It blows slow. It brings fire and rain, feast and famine. It affects weather around the world. It is called El Niño*. But what exactly is El Niño? Fishers off the far west shores of South America were the first to notice a dramatic climate change and name it. Usually, the currents…
How Bees Help You Make Money
Can you name four products that bees make? Honey, of course is one. Then there’s beeswax. Two lesser known products are pollen and propolis. In a few minutes, I’ll explain what these products are. Then I’ll discuss some ways you can use honey, beeswax, pollen, and propolis with your food for your health or to…
How Bees Make Honey
Bees always look so busy! Have you ever wondered what they are doing? How is it that they make such wonderfully sweet honey? If you keep bees, it is important for you to understand bees and how they work. Then you can manage them properly and get the most benefit from your work. Bees live…
Why Plants Make Good Neighbours
Plants can be good neighbours or bad neighbours. Some plants help each other and grow stronger when they are planted together. Some people call them good companions. Other plants growing next to each other do not benefit one another. In fact they may grow poorly side by side. They are bad neighbours and should not…
Compost – A Wonderful Food for your Garden
Today we’re going to talk about compost. We’ll explain what compost is, and why it is good for your soil and plants. Then we will tell you how to build a compost pile. Compost is a dark brown or black material that looks and smells like soil, but is lighter in weight and more crumbly.…
You Can Make Compost in Two to Three Weeks
Save and edit this resource as a Word document Imagine this. You will be ready to plant your garden in three weeks, but your soil is poor and needs fertilizer. You’ve heard that compost is good fertilizer and will make your soil rich and your plants healthy. But there’s a problem. It usually takes three…