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
Dams and Hydroelectricity
Everyone who has electricity knows how convenient it is. You turn on a switch and your home has light. Electricity seems so simple. But did you ever wonder how electricity gets to your home? Let’s see how. Hydroelectric dams create and supply electrical power. These dams are not like the dams you may be used…
Let’s Save our Tropical Forests
Tropical forests. Since the beginning of time they have been a peaceful paradise of huge trees, leafy plants and more birds, animals and insects than you can imagine. But, tragically, these forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, about 30 hectares a minute. In fact, 32 million hectares of tropical forests are destroyed each year.…
Agroforestry in Semi Arid Areas
Kenya’s semi‑arid areas are under increasing ecological pressure due to growing population and a lack of arable land. Grazing lands are threatened in places where the number of cattle, goats, and sheep is now more than twice the recommended maximum for the type of land. Rainfall is low, the land produces little, and there are…
Children improve health in their communities
During the l980s, educators and health workers became more aware that children can improve health and hygiene in their communities. Children often communicate and share more than adults, and often can read and write. Many children also look after younger brothers and sisters while their parents work. A new approach called “child‑to‑child” was developed during…
Raising Guinea Pigs for Meat or Money
When you think of guinea pigs you might think of cute, cuddly little pets. But for the highland people of South America, and people in parts of Africa and Asia, guinea pigs mean extra food and income. Maybe you would like to try raising guinea pigs. First of all, the meat is delicious. You can…
Choosing a Fishpond Site
A fishpond is an enclosed body of water used to raise fish. It can be made of concrete or earth and it has both an inlet and an outlet to allow water to flow through. Here are some things to consider when you select a site for a fishpond. Water supply is the most important…
Preserve Fruit by Making Jam
Isn’t it great to eat and sell fresh fruit right from the tree? But unless some of the fruit is processed and stored properly, half of it will rot on the ground or in the market. Processing fruit is a good way to store some of its nutrients. It is also a good way to…
No Pit Latrine Produces Fertilizer
A new type of latrine improves health by breaking the cycle of fecal contamination and the spread of diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis, typhoid, and parasitic infections. It also provides farmers with fertilizer for their crops. The high quality organic fertilizer produced by the new latrine reduces farmers’ costs and helps to avoid the long…
Hand Held Scale to Identify Low Weight Newborns
Millions of underweight infants are born each year. Because these babies run an increased risk of illness and death they need special care. Midwives and traditional birth attendants must be able to identify which newborns need special attention. The Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) has developed a simple scale for midwives, nurses, and…
Diffused Light Storage for Seed Potatoes
Save and edit this resource as a Word document. Potatoes are a staple crop in 130 countries and rank fourth in production after wheat, maize, and rice. In Peru and other countries in the Andean highlands, potatoes are the main crop. Traditionally, farmers store their potatoes at home in a dark room to prevent them…