FAO Publications

Save and Grow: Cassava - A guide to sustainable production intensification - 20/01/2013

The adoption of “Save and Grow” agriculture will require significant improvements in the provision of extension, inputs and production credit to small-scale producers. Moreover, FAO recognizes that improved productivity may not bring about sustainable, long-term development outcomes: a major effort is needed to integrate smallholders into higher levels of value addition. Transforming cassava into a multipurpose subsector that generates income, diversifies economies and ensures food for all will require political commitment, investment, institutional support and a demand-driven approach to technology development.

This guide will be a valuable resource for policymakers in assessing how a dynamic cassava sector can help them to achieve their goals of poverty alleviation, economic development and food security, and of practical use to agricultural researchers, technicians and other professionals in preparing programmes for sustainable cassava production intensification.

Good Emergency Management Practice : The Essentials - 20/01/2011

A guide to preparing for animal health emergencies
Nick Honhold, Ian Douglas, William Geering,
Arnon Shimshoni, Juan Lubroth

An animal disease emergency, such as an outbreak of a transboundary animal disease (TAD), can have serious socio-economic consequences which, at their extreme, may affect the national economy. If a new disease can be recognized quickly while it is still localized, and if prompt action is taken to contain and then progressively eliminate it, the chances of eradication of the disease are markedly enhanced. Conversely, eradication may be extremely difficult and costly, or even impossible, if the disease is not recognized and appropriate control action is not taken until the disease is widespread or has become established in domestic animals or wildlife.

Planning for emergency disease eradication or control programmes cannot be left until a disease outbreak has occurred. At that point, there will be intense pressure from politicians and livestock farmer groups for immediate action. In such a climate, mistakes will be made, resources will be misused, deficiencies will be rapidly amplified and highlighted. Delays will result in further spread of the disease and higher costs. If there is inadequate advance planning, national animal health services will face a disease emergency with poor training and little or no previous experience. These severe problems can be avoided if there is adequate advance planning and preparation.

Frost Protection: fundamentals, practice and economics - Volume 1 - 20/01/2005

The book comes in two volumes. They describe the physics and biology of frost occurrence and damage, passive and active protection methods and how to assess the cost-effectiveness of active protection techniques. Nighttime energy balance is used to demonstrate how protection methods are used to reduce the likelihood of frost damage. Simple methods and programs are provided to help predict temperature trends and to help determine the timing for active methods. Plant physiology related to freeze d amage and critical damage temperatures for a wide range of crops and ornamentals are presented. Finally, an economic analysis program with examples is included to assist users to evaluate cost-effectiveness of various active methods. Although the book contains considerable technical information, it was specifically written for growers rather than scientists as a practical guide for frost protection. The volume 2 reviews concepts of probability and risk of frost damage and uses that informati on to help readers make economic decisions about frost protection. Computer application programs are included in the CD-ROM to help simplify complex calculations. The application programs are written in Microsoft Excel and sample calculations are presented in the text.

Frost protection: fundamentals, practice, and economics - Volume 2 - 20/01/2005

The book comes in two volumes. They describe the physics and biology of frost occurrence and damage, passive and active protection methods and how to assess the cost-effectiveness of active protection techniques. Nighttime energy balance is used to demonstrate how protection methods are used to reduce the likelihood of frost damage. Simple methods and programs are provided to help predict temperature trends and to help determine the timing for active methods. Plant physiology related to freeze d amage and critical damage temperatures for a wide range of crops and ornamentals are presented. Finally, an economic analysis program with examples is included to assist users to evaluate cost-effectiveness of various active methods. Although the book contains considerable technical information, it was specifically written for growers rather than scientists as a practical guide for frost protection. The volume 2 reviews concepts of probability and risk of frost damage and uses that inform ation to help readers make economic decisions about frost protection. Computer application programs are included in the CD-ROM to help simplify complex calculations. The application programs are written in Microsoft Excel and sample calculations are presented in the text.