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
Women Know the World Around Them
Do you remember how your mother used to know just what kind of tea to make for you when you were sick? Or how she always knew where to find the best soil for planting vegetables? Chances are your mother knew a great deal more that could help your family stay healthy and well‑fed. In…
Conserve water: Apply water directly to plant roots, use waste for irrigation
When water is scarce, you need to make the most of every last drop. You can conserve water by applying it directly to plant roots, and by using waste water for irrigation. In times of drought, farmers have to struggle to make the most of every little bit of water. Nothing can be wasted. Here…
Treat Coughs with Ginger, Lime and Tamarind
For centuries, people have used plants to treat diseases and promote good health. Many manufactured drugs are made from chemicals found in plants. For example, aspirin was developed from a substance taken from the bark of a willow tree. Here is an example of a plant medicine you can make at home. It is easy…
Trees in Your Garden Give you Fertilizer
Do you have a vegetable garden but not enough fertilizer? Today we are going to talk about an idea especially for gardeners or farmers who do not have livestock to supply manure as fertilizer for their garden. At the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) in the Philippines they plant leguminous trees between garden plots.…
Women Co-Operate to Help Villagers: Case Study #2
Mama Nsalaba and Mama Disisa live with their families in the village of Kiombia. Their huts are nestled under the shade trees on seven hills in southwestern Zaire. In the past few years, these two women have become the leaders of an 11-member women’s co-operative in their village. It was not easy for them to…
Co-Operation Brings New Life to a Village: Case Study #1
Don Doo is a small village of 55 households in northeastern Thailand. It suffered drought for three years. During that time, more than half the households had no rice harvest. The head of the family–sometimes the entire family–had to move from the village to find jobs just to survive. Old people and children were left…
A Simple Fly Trap
Nearly every farmer in the world has trouble with stable flies (Stomoxys spp.) – those pesky blood-sucking flies that carry disease to cows and other livestock. Here’s an easy way to get rid of them. It comes from farmers on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. To start off, they keep their cows…
Good Soil Management Increases Harvests
Content: Take care of your soil. Use crop rotation, mulching and proper soil water management. A few simple steps can help increase crop yields. Let us think for a few minutes about how farmers should manage their soil to get better crop yields. Modern farmers Modern farmers know how to look after the soil. They…
Profit from Raising Rabbits in the City
Content: Keep rabbits in the city and profit from their meat, skin, fur, and dung. You can sell rabbits in the market to earn money, and eat rabbit meat to improve your family’s diet. Rabbits do not take up much space, they have lots of babies, and they are cheap and easy to feed. So…
Village-Based Forest Management in Ecuador
Today we introduce you to the people of Arenales, a small village of about 20 families in northwestern Ecuador. They are trying to save the tropical rain forest that is their home. Arenales is surrounded by one of the last remaining tropical rain forests in western Ecuador. Most of the rain forests in this region…