Increasing production from the land : a source book on agriculture for teachers and students in East Africa

African agriculture faces major challenges with growing population pressure and the impact of climate change. Until now food production overall has broadly kept pace with demand. To maintain this impressive achievement, production from the land needs to be intensified, soil fertility must be enhanced, forests and water resources must be conserved, and land use practices must be sustainable over the long term. This book shows what needs to be done, and points to how best to achieve this. The book starts with a brief guide to what plants and animals need to grow well, how farmers currently use the land, and the research that is being conducted on new agricultural technologies. A comparison is made of productivity on small and large farms, which demonstrates that, contrary to some suggestions, small farmers, properly serviced, can be as productive or even more productive than larger farms. Subsequent chapters discuss issues of land tenure, pastoralism, training, the importance of women farmers, access to finance, markets, value chains, and contract farming as a partnership between small-scale producers, processors and traders in agricultural products. The final section of the book discusses whether a new “green revolution” is feasible or desirable for Africa. The potential risks and benefits of dependence on purchased agrochemicals, genetically modified varieties, and multinational seed and chemical companies are examined. A series of twelve broad policy proposals for achieving a sustainable agriculture sector is presented for consideration. Fifteen case studies illustrate the issues discussed in the book. Most of the examples are from East Africa, particularly Tanzania, but the principles addressed are relevant across the African continent. Each chapter of the book includes references and suggestions for further reading, most of them freely available to anyone with internet access. A set of essay questions exploring the issues covered in each chapter is included, to provide practical help for students of agriculture and their teachers. Cover Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Acknowledgements The Authors Foreword Abbreviations and Acronyms Measure Conversions INTRODUCTION. Why this Book, and How to Use it MYTHS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS THE ARGUMENT OF THE BOOK HOW TO USE THIS BOOK REFERENCES PART 1 - A GUIDE TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION CHAPTER 1. How Plants Grow, and What They Need To Grow Well HOW PLANTS GROW SOIL PROVIDES AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THESE CHEMICALS ARE AVAILABLE THE EFFECTS OF WATER, SUN AND CULTIVATION CONTROL OF SOIL EROSION SHIFTING OR CONTINUOUS CULTIVATION PESTS AND DISEASES CONTROLLING PLANT AND ANIMAL DISEASES CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING CONCLUSIONS Case Study 1: How Villages in North-East Tanzania Can Adapt to Climate Change Further reading on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 2 - Crops and Livestock: How People Use the Land FORMS OF LAND USE THE LAND AVAILABLE FOR AGRICULTURE IN AFRICA USING AGRICULTURAL LAND SUSTAINABLY CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE THE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF SOME KEY CROPS OF TROPICAL AFRICA ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITH LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION HIGH YIELDING BREEDS PASTORALISM OR RANCHING COMPETITION FOR WATER LIVESTOCK DISEASES LIVESTOCK SALES GLOBAL WARMING AND POPULATION GROWTH CONCLUSIONS Case Study 2: Sweet Potatoes – the Perfect Crop? Further reading on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 3 - Water and Irrigation WATER IS LIFE NATURAL OR FLOOD IRRIGATION SIMPLE LIFTING DEVICES GRAVITY IRRIGATION GRAVITY IRRIGATION – PROBLEMS DAMS BOREHOLES AND GROUNDWATER SPRINKLERS DRIP, OR TRICKLE, IRRIGATION OTHER SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES URBAN AGRICULTURE THE ECONOMICS OF IRRIGATION CONCLUSIONS Case Study 3: Dakawa Rice Farm Further reading on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 4 - Agricultural Research WHAT DO WE MEAN BY “TECHNOLOGY”? THE CREATION AND TRANSFER OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES AGRICULTURE RESEARCH IN AFRICA MULTIPLYING AND DISTRIBUTING SEEDS THE INTERESTS OF LARGE COMPANIES IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS Case Study 4: Research and Development of Cassava in Tanzania Conclusions Further reading on open access on the internet Further reading not on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions PART 2. GETTING THE MOST FROM THE LAND. How to Raise Agricultural Productivity CHAPTER 5 - Small Farms WHAT IS A SMALL FARM? LAND REDUCING RISKS FARMING IS A BUSINESS SMALL FARMERS DO MORE THAN FARM HOW FARMERS MAKE DECISIONS MYTHS, FALSEHOODS AND THE MISLEADING USES OF WORDS WORDS USED AS WEAPONS CONCLUSIONS Case Study 5: Profitability Analysis of Small Farms in Northern Tanzania Further reading on open access on the internet Further reading not on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 6 - Large Farms WHAT IS A LARGE FARM? LARGE FARMS: A CATEGORISATION COMPARISON OF LARGE AND SMALL FARMS THE ADVANTAGES OF LARGE SCALE FARMING THE DOWNSIDES OF LARGE-SCALE FARMING LAND TENURE LAND ACQUISITION – OR LAND GRABBING? CONCLUSIONS Case Study 6: Upper Kitete Co-operative Farm Further reading on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 7 - Market Access and Value Chains ROUTES TO MARKET THE MARKETING CONCEPT MARKETING FUNCTIONS AND VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS MARKET IMPROVEMENT INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS IN THE MARKETING EFFORT FIRST AND SECOND STAGE PROCESSORS MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND MOBILE PHONES CONCLUSIONS Case Study 7: Tanzania’s Co-operatives Look to the Future Conclusions Case Study 8: Cafédirect – Fair-Traded Tea from Tanzania and Uganda Further reading on open access on the internet Reference not on open access on the internet Topics for Essays or Exam Questions CHAPTER 8 - Resources for Agriculture – Credit and Contracts CREDIT AND CONTRACTS AGRICULTURAL CREDIT HOW BANKS WHICH LEND TO FARMERS GET THEIR MONEY BACK CROP FINANCE FINANCE FOR FIXED AND MOVABLE ASSETS CONTRACT FARMING CONTRACTS AND AGRIBUSINESS WHAT CAN BE INCLUDED IN A CONTRACT? ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CONTRACT FARMING WAREHOUSE RECEIPT SCHEMES CONCLUSIONS Case Study 9: Credit and Contracts – Contrasting Experiences with Cotton and Tobacco in Tanzania Case Study 10: Dairy Quality Chain – Tanga Fresh Limited Case Study 11: Cultivation of the Antimalarial Plant Artemisia Annua Under Contract to a Processing Company Further reading on open access on the internet References not on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 9 - Agricultural Extension: Getting New Technologies to Where They are Needed MARKET FORCES – A POWERFUL DRIVER OF INNOVATION EXTENSION OFFICERS, OR ADVISORS? THE ORGANISATION OF AN EXTENSION SERVICE A DEEPER CRITIQUE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION ANOTHER APPROACH: IDENTIFYING INNOVATORS AND THEIR INNOVATIONS CONCLUSIONS Case Study 12: Cashew Nuts in Vietnam and Tanzania Case Study 13: Potatoes in Njombe: Dissemination Without Extension Further reading on open access on the internet Further reading not on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions PART 3. PRACTICE AND POLICIES CHAPTER 10 - Purchased Chemicals, Genetically Modified Seeds – and the Alternatives THE GREEN REVOLUTIONS OF THE 1960S AND 1970S A NEW GREEN REVOLUTION IN AFRICA? THE PROBLEMS AND RISKS OF INORGANIC FERTILISERS INSECTICIDES, FUNGICIDES, ACARICIDES AND OTHER CHEMICALS ALTERNATIVES TO INORGANIC INSECTICIDES THE LONG-TERM RISKS OF LOSING BIODIVERSITY THE MISUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN INTENSIVE LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION GENETIC MODIFICATION THE ECONOMICS OF ORGANIC FARMING CONCLUSIONS Case Study 14: Data on the Profitability of Organic Farms Further reading on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 11 - Gender Myths and Half-Truths TEN MYTHS OR HALF-TRUTHS ABOUT WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT IMPROVING THE POSITION OF WOMEN Case Study 15: Labour Allocation of Women, Men and Children in Tanzania Further reading on open access on the internet Topics for essays or exam questions CHAPTER 12 - Agricultural Policies TWELVE ESSENTIALS FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE END GAME. A Short Quiz INDEX Back cover