Resource Pack 86
Water is an important and basic requirement for human survival, and is usually regarded as “life.” However, availability and safety of water are two important factors for a good life. Access to clean water is crucial, especially these days when we are facing the effects of climate change.
Resource Pack 85
For a good rice harvest, healthy seed is essential. Unripe grains or grains that have been damaged by insects are lighter in weight than healthy grains so they can be removed if you float them in water before sowing. Grains with black or brown spots are also unhealthy but these grains are not necessarily lighter so they can’t be removed by the floating method.
Resource Pack 84
An increasing number of natural phenomena that are completely unexpected by rural communities are occurring today. In some regions, there is unexplained flooding. In other regions, communities are powerless in the face of drought and desertification that is getting more serious from day to day.
Resource Pack 83
When a large percentage of a nation’s population is employed in agriculture, development practitioners often argue that this is a sign of underdevelopment. As a result, government programmes have focused on reducing the number of people employed on the farm by encouraging investment in other sectors of the economy, such as the services sector.
Resource Pack 82
This package addresses a range of rural women’s health issues, including the intersection between HIV/AIDS and domestic violence; the impact of selenium consumption on HIV positive individuals; maternal and child depression; female genital cutting; the loss of agricultural knowledge when parents die of AIDS; the health (and economic and social) benefits of fonio in West Africa; health concerns related to women and farming tools; a story of women improving their lives through processing shea butter; modifying old traditions so that they work today; and the practice of “breast ironing” in Cameroon and other West African countries.
Resource Pack 81
The African Rice Centre (WARDA) recently coordinated a contest in which prizes were awarded to top local agricultural innovations from Gambia, Ghana, Guinea and Mali. On April 20, 2007, representatives from each of the countries involved in the competition took part in a one-day scriptwriting workshop at WARDA in Benin. In this workshop they learned how to share the winning agricultural innovations through radio scripts.
Resource Pack 80
Niche agricultural products are specialized crops or livestock for which there is a very particular but limited market. For example, mushrooms, potatoes and other vegetables are considered niche crops in many parts of Africa, as are flowers, spices, fruits and medicinal herbs. Snails and rabbits are examples of animals that are considered niche products in parts of Africa.
Resource Pack 79
Growing and harvesting a crop is only half of the battle for farmers around the world. Depending on the crop, there can be several steps a farmer must complete before selling it, including processing, storage, transport and marketing. Unfortunately, each step can pose problems for farmers, and can result in the loss of some or much of the crop.
Resource Pack 78
Broadcasters were invited to submit scripts on one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A total of 26 scripts from broadcasters based in 15 countries were received and evaluated by a panel of international judges. Each of the seven winning scripts and three runner-up scripts are included in package 78.
Resource Pack 77
This year is the International Year of Deserts and Desertification! Many organizations and communities all across Africa are mobilizing to prevent or reverse the impact of land degradation which is contributing to desertification.