Agrodoks

Agrodok 012, Preservation of Fish and Meat - 19.01.1994

This Agrodok is intended as a practical manual that reviews the simple techniques used to preserve fish and meat. The booklet gives guidelines for several preservation techniques. The methods described and the results achieved can, of course, differ locally.

The general introduction deals with the principles of preventing spoilage. Next, the various methods of preserving foods are explained and the main aspects of spoilage relevant to each method are covered. Special attention is given to the question of which method to choose given the local conditions.

The following topics are discussed: salting, drying and smoking of fish and meat; fermentation of fish; canning of fish and meat; and cooling and freezing fish and meat.

Version 3, 2004

Agrodok 013, Water Harvesting and Soil Moisture Retention - 01.01.1997

Water is one of the main requirements for healthy plant growth. Most arid and semi-arid regions, however, suffer from insufficient and unreliable rainfall. In these areas a high rate of evaporation in the growing season is also common. When it rains in (semi-)arid areas, the rainstorms are usually heavy. The prevailing soils generally cannot absorb the amount of water which falls in such a short time. As a result rainfall in (semi-)arid areas is often accompanied by a large amount of surface runoff.

These climatic characteristics of (semi-)arid regions mean that it is important to use the limited amount of rainfall available as efficiently as possible. One way to do this is to use surface runoff (water harvesting). Another is to encourage infiltration and storage of rainwater (soil moisture retention or conservation). The advantages of water harvesting and moisture retention techniques in (semi-)arid areas may be summarized as follows. A higher amount of water available for crops may lead to a greater reliability and a higher level of yields. In addition, it can tide a crop over an otherwise damaging dry spell and it can make crop production possible where none is viable under existing conditions.

Version 2, 2003

Agrodok 014, Dairy Cattle Husbandry - 01.01.1996

More Milk Through Better Management

This Agrodok provides information about the main aspects of dairy farming in the tropics such as feeding, breeding, health care, reproduction and recording. It is meant for smallholders with some education and some knowledge about dairy cattle. The second target group are technicians like extension and animal production officers, who as advisers can assist smallholders planning to start or improve milk production.

A production of 1500 to 3000 kg milk per cow per year seems feasible for smallholders and this is the assumed level of production in this booklet. A combination of improved management and genetic improvement of the herd can also contribute to increasing milk production. However, farmers who only have a few cows, a long calving interval and high calf mortality, have little scope for selection of replacement heifers. Furthermore, selective breeding may be difficult, especially when the choice of semen or bulls is limited. Seek expert advice from an animal breeding centre, if available.

Version 3, 2008

Agrodok 016, Agroforestry - 01.01.1994

Farmers in large parts of the tropics have no tradition of aiming at maximum production per hectare; their main concern was to reduce the risk of crop failure. The principal reason is that - except in the main population centres - there were no convenient markets for food surpluses. The traditional farming systems were integrated, based on self-sufficiency and hence on internal supplies and services between different farm components: mixed cropping with a legume supplying nitrogen to a cereal, field crops supplying fodder for livestock in exchange for manure, etc.

Version 4, 2007

Agrodok 017, Cultivation of Tomato - 01.01.1989

Production, Processing and Marketing

Tomato is one of the most widely cultivated crops in the world. It is an important source of vitamins and an important cash crop for smallholders and medium-scale commercial farmers. This Agrodok focuses on good practices for growing a healthy tomato crop and obtaining a reasonably steady yield. It provides practical information on small-scale cultivation, harvesting, storing, processing and marketing of tomatoes. Seed selection and conservation, integrated pest management methods and record keeping are also covered. We hope this information will be helpful to vegetable growers, whether beginners or more experienced farmers, extension workers and agricultural teachers.

Version 4, 2005 

Agrodok 018, Protection of Stored Cereal Grains and Pulses - 01.01.1985

This manual deals with problems concerning losses of stored products by storage pests: moulds (fungi), insects and rodents. It is targeted at those who are involved with providing information on storage to farmers and co-operatives. The Agrodok describes the main storage pests and gives explanations of preventive and protective practices. Special attention is given to the use of natural materials in protecting storage products. You will also find some information on chemical treatment of stored products against pests. Another title in the Agrodok series (No. 31): “The storage of tropical agricultural products”, is another useful book about storage. The two Agrodoks are complementary.

Version 5, 2004 

Agrodok 019, Propagating and Planting Trees - 01.01.1998

This Agrodok is a companion to Agrodok 16: Agroforestry. Trees and shrubs play important roles on the farm and in the environment. Unfortunately too many trees are lost because of overgrazing, excessive fuelwood collection and deforestation. Agroforestry supports the efforts of people in rural areas to plant more trees and to use them to greater advantage, also because of their favourable interaction with crops and livestock. It is fairly common for farm households to propagate a few trees and shrubs in tins, bowls or other containers under a tree or on the veranda. Where larger numbers of planting material are to be produced, it would be helpful do have a better understanding of: different propagation techniques, how to run a proper farm nursery, and planting out and aftercare of young trees. That is why this Agrodok was written. The emphasis is on propagation from seed or cuttings. The more complicated propagation methods used for horticultural crops, such as budding and grafting, are not dealt with.

Version 2, 2004 

Agrodok 020, Backyard Rabbit Keeping in the Tropics - 01.01.1983

While living in Indonesia many years ago, my wife and I wanted to become involved in some kind of animal husbandry, but our back-yard was too small to house large animals like goats or sheep, let alone cows. For this reason, we chose to raise rabbits. One of the results of that choice was the publication in 1983 of an Agrodok on the practical aspects of back-yard rabbit raising. Now, 25 years later, I am pleased to write the foreword to the 5th, revised, edition of this frequently ordered Agrodok.

Version 5, 2008