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
Liquid manure is good fertilizer
You can tell how much plant food a soil contains by simply looking at the colour of crops in a field. Some field crops look green while some are yellowish. Green crops show that the soil has enough plant food. A yellow crop usually indicates that the soil does not have enough plant food. Every…
Mulch Increases Yields at Sustenance Farm
Mulch has helped turn Sustenance Farm into one of the most productive farms in a hot, humid region of the southeastern United States. When Harvey and Nancy Harman moved to the farm a few years ago most of the topsoil had washed away and the soil was worn out. In less than two years they…
More with Mulch
Save and edit this resource as a Word document How can you increase crop yields, reduce erosion and improve the soil? By putting a layer of mulch on the soil around your plants. Most mulch is made from plant residues left behind after harvesting. Today we are talking about how mulch can benefit you, your…
Where to Find Compost Materials
Everywhere people are looking for cheap alternatives. Farmers are not left out in this search. They are looking for cheap alternatives to expensive farm inputs such as chemical fertilizers. Chemicals are not only expensive, they can also damage the soil and the environment, especially if used incorrectly. Farmyard manure is one alternative. It supplies all…
Growing Bamboo
The valuable bamboo plant has many uses. It can be used to carry water, as building material, and to control erosion on riverbanks. But it is always in short supply. This is because bamboo is not usually cultivated by farmers. It just grows wild. Most types of bamboo grow shoots from underground stems called rhizomes.…
How Trees Store Water and Protect Springs
Like good neighbours, trees and water help each other to prosper. Listen to the stories of your grandparents. They may say, “When we were children there were forests and trees all around, and there were cool springs of water that flowed from the hillsides or trickled into the rivers. We always said that spring water…
Starting a Community Seed Bank: Part 4 – Planting and Restocking the Seed
In Part 3, we explained how to keep important information about the seeds and how to store the seeds in the bank. In this final script, we talk about ways to restock the bank when seed supplies are low. Over time the seed bank will probably give some of its seed to farmers with poor…
Starting a Community Seed Bank: Part 3 – Keeping Records, Storing Seeds
A community seed bank protects rare and local varieties of plants. In Part 2, we explained how to organize a community seed bank, and how to collect, clean and dry the seeds. In this script, we explain how to keep important information about the seeds and how to store the seeds in the bank. Encourage…
Starting a Community Seed Bank: Part 2 – Organizing Workers, Collecting Seed
In Part 1 we explained how a community seed bank can protect rare and local varieties of crops. This script explains how to set up the seed bank. Some farmers put their savings in a bank. When they need extra money, they can take out their savings. This is the way most banks work. A…
Starting a Community Seed Bank: Part 1 – A Good Idea?
A seed bank protects rare and useful local crops. It is also an emergency source of seed if crops fail due to disease, pests, or bad weather. This series of scripts explains why a seed bank is useful and how to set one up. Everyone knows that a bank is where people save their money.…