Arelentless prevention strategy isneeded in the fight against locusts,especially in Sahelian countries, where swarms of these formidable crop pests tend to concentrate. In its first issue in 1986, Spore warned, “the fact that there have been no mass invasions….does not mean that the threat is over”, stressing that, “we clearly can- not afford to relax our guard.” These proved to be prescient words. For it was a weaken- ing of anti-locust systems, at both national and regional level, which contributed to two major desert locust invasions, in 1987-89, and in 2002-04, in Sahelian and Maghreb countries, as well as to an invasion of the migratory locust in Madagascar between 1997 and 2000. On each occasion, a delayed response resulted in soaring costs for donors: US$300 million in 1987-88 and $100 mil- lion in 2004. Added to those sums were expenses incurred by the affected countries, losses to farmers whose fields were ravaged, and the suffering of those no longer able to feed themselves. However, the past 20 years have seen sig- nificant developments in the tools available for locust prevention. The areas known as ‘gregarisation zones’, where locusts swarm, have been more accurately identified and techniques for collecting information about insect populations have been simplified. In Mauritania, amongst other countries, inspection units use palm-held computers linked to global positioning systems (GPS) and transmit their data via radio to the head- quarters at FAO in Rome. SPORE 121 • PAGE 1 Locusts No time to lower the guard Constant vigilance is needed, now as in the past, to avoid locust invasions, which are by nature, erratic. Even after a lull of several decades, there can be no let up and research efforts will have little impact if national and regional surveillance and warning systems are not up and running. Illu str at io n: In ta cti le D ES IG N In this issue Twenty years merits a celebration! Twenty years of information sharing among ‘Spore-fans’ deserves a special issue! Your favourite magazine has therefore pulled out all the stops and invites you on board. What’s on the programme? Some unusual Briefs where readers talk about ‘their’ Spore, a Viewpoint from Robert and Dominique, who steered the magazine’s first steps, a brief history of the best selling Publications and — Between Us — a light-hearted insiders’ view in words and pictures of the production team. This issue also invites you to take a fresh look at some of the topics presented by Spore since the outset: locusts, biodiversity, the role of women, advances in communication tools, and not forgetting a selection of star plants. All this comes, of course, with the usual new publications and useful addresses. In short, an extraordinary issue, specially produced for extraordinary readers! Happy Anniversary! Locusts No time to lower the guard 1 1986-2006 Tracking the themes 3 Plants in the spotlight 4 Readers’ voices 6 LINKS 11 PUBLICATIONS 12 BETWEEN US 14 VIEWPOINT Robert Delleré Long live Spore Dominique Hounkonnou A grain of hope for the youth 16 Website: spore.cta.int Information for agricultural development in ACP countries Issue 121 FEBRUARY 2006 There have also been rapid strides in improving the accuracy of aerial spraying. The new generation of organophosphate pesticides is less damaging to the environ- ment than organochloride chemicals such as dieldrin and DDT that were previously used and which are now banned by the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants signed in 2001 by 91 countries (see Spore 107, pages 4 and 5). Eliminating stockpiles of these obsolete pes- ticides, estimated to total 50,000 t in Africa alone, is an extremely costly procedure and much still remains to be done. The most recently developed products offer a barrier treatment which halts the progress of the locusts, an approach which saves time and allows a more targeted use of the product, which would formerly have been sprayed over entire regions. But more still needs to be done to improve prevention techniques. New avenues of research must be explored if there is to be a fuller understanding of how and why these formidable swarms of locusts form, so that early detection mechanisms can be set in place, based on the ecological conditions likely to favour an outbreak. Greener pesticides Studies on pheromones and biopesticides have come a long way in the past 20 years. Less damaging to the environment, these could soon represent a viable alternative to conventional products. Mycopesticides undoubtedly offer the greatest hope. After 10 years of research, the international Lubilosa consortium (Biological Control of Locusts and Grasshoppers), which brings together scientists from several continents, has developed Green Muscle, based on a pathogenic fungus. This green pesticide has proved itself in a series of field trials, and in 1997, it attracted the interest of FAO. The involvement of private companies in the programme has now led to production on an industrial scale. In 2000, Niger became the first country to use the product in its anti- locust operations. But questions linger over aspects related to the use of this living organism. Green Muscle takes between 4 to 10 days to kill the insects — time enough for the swarms to move on before dying. At present, there is no way of telling if locusts have been treated or not, so blanket, rather than barrier treatment is necessary. Another limiting factor is the as yet imperfect understanding of how long the product lasts and how long it remains effec- tive after manufacture. And doubts remain over existing capacities for large-scale pro- duction. Currently undergoing trials, the application of pheromones, which interfere with the communication signals between the insects to prevent them from swarming, could prove a useful addition to the present array of tools. Prompt action costs money But, however effective they may be, weapons used to fight locusts can only work if they are used in tandem with well functioning surveillance and prevention systems. Some organisations simply do not have the neces- sary clout. A case in point is the Joint Anti- Locust and Anti-Aviarian Organization (OCLALAV), launched in Dakar in 1965 by a dozen countries, and which, since the 1980s, has received no contributions from member countries and is now widely dis- credited on the international scene. The locust invasion that swept West Africa in 1987 was only brought under con- trol after a long delay, the response mounted with hurried and inadequate resources. Faced with the plague of 1997, Madagascar also reacted 6 months too late, the delay caused by a lack of materials and the author- ities’ reluctance to use pesticides, which could damage the island’s precious natural heritage. Since then, the new national locust control centre, the Centre national anti- acridien, has been working with the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) to set up a GPS surveillance system. In the mean- time, African countries are also trying to draw lessons from past failures. In 1994, the Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) launched a Desert Locust programme, hosted by FAO. In 1997, it received the funds needed to cover the nine countries of the Horn of Africa and the Near East. A reserve fund is crucial It was not until 2000 that the Commission for Controlling Desert Locusts in the Western Region, better known by its French acronym CLCPRO, was set up in Algiers. This system, on a smaller-scale and less costly than that of OCLALAV, relies on cooperation between the Maghreb and Sahelian countries. The former offer logisti- cal support (vehicles, planes, etc.) and the latter intensify local surveillance in areas where locusts swarm. The principle is based on the sharing of any information collected as well as tools for prevention. Intelligence gathering is supplemented by satellite monitoring. NOAA and Meteosat supply data about weather conditions while SPOT- Vegetation offers information about rainfall and vegetation. But, in 2003, CLCPRO had still not received any funding, so was not ready to handle a new invasion. Yet again, urgent appeals went out to the international com- munity. By the time the funds that were pledged finally materialised, a major opera- tion was needed: in the end, 13 million ha had to be sprayed. Today, the mechanism is working. “Responsibility for maintaining it rests with the African countries”, stresses Michel Lecoq of the Locust Ecology and Control (PRIFAS) at CIRAD, who strongly urges “the setting up of a reserve fund”. He claims this is a crucial step if funding and resources are to be mobilised quickly in case of an emergency. This locust expert believes that FAO should also set up its own reserve fund. Another pressing need exists for a system which can define varying degrees of alert and intervention. At present, EMPRES outlines what is needed for each country to carry out routine monitoring. But it is up to each country to establish its own emergency plan. A delicate task, given that the technical and legal mechanisms vary from one country to another. In the wake of the 2002-2004 crisis, EMPRES finally received funding in 2005. “If there is too much money, the various anti-locust units may be tempted to increase staff numbers or the quantity of vehicles, unnecessarily. But afterwards, they have to pay for their upkeep”, warned Lecoq. For that reason, he believes it would be better that “the donors be joint managers of CLCPRO” rather than having to devise last minute strategies when disaster strikes. See Links page 10 and Publications page 13 OCLALAV: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. CLCPRO: Algeria, Chad, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Senegal and Tunisia. Locusts • Ph ot o: M Le co q © C IRA D SPORE 121 • PAGE 2 A swarm of desert locusts in Madagascar Women’s long struggle If government and aid agencies could divert some of their funds to fulfilling the aims stated above, or at least ensure that the role of women farmers is not overlooked in their schemes, it would not only improve the welfare of rural women but, by increasing food supplies, would improve the well-being and wealth of nations as well. Spore 12 - January 1988 It is argued that because these programs concentrate on income-generation and the elimination of drudgery in the subsistence sector, instead of micro-enterprise develop- ment or cash crop production (projects which usually target men), these approaches tacitly accept the notion that women's pro- ductive work is less important than men's and, hence, that lower standards for women are acceptable. Spore 76 - August 1998 Across the ACP countries, women are coming out of their enforced ‘invisibility’. Through a tide of conference resolutions, commissions and fora over the decades, an awareness has grown of their economic and social role. Gender is now mentioned in all the speeches about development, and the notion of gender, which embraces a strategy to integrate women in development, is sow- ing its seeds just about everywhere. The Year of the Woman in 1975 triggered off a move- ment which the international women’s con- ference in Beijing in 1995 transformed into an unstoppable force. Spore 87 - June 2000 1986-2006 Tracking the themes SPORE 121 • PAGE 3 Biodiversity: a treasure to be shared Members of traditional African communi- ties have a unique understanding and inter- pretation of their surroundings. This includes an understanding of the crops and weeds that are used for food and medicine and their relationship to the environment. Today there is a double risk which threatens that understanding. There is a risk that in the quest to grow enough food, modern high yielding varieties (HYVs) will displace tradi- tional crops resulting in genetic erosion, and there is an associated risk that the knowledge of how to use those traditional crops may die out, even before the plants themselves disappear. Spore 43 - February 1993 One of the principal rec- ommendations of international organiza- tions is that efforts should be made to conserve the wild relatives of cultivated species. They are found in the species' areas of origin which still harbor many wild species, indigenous varieties and weeds related to modern cultivated plants. The wild species form a natural reservoir for breeders seeking genes for resistance, hardi- ness or adaptability. In developing countries it is farmers and other rural people who have the responsibility for the evolution of genetic resources: they grow the plants in their farms and gardens. Spore 54 - December 1994 In the field of agricultural innovation, there is in general too little dialogue between the farmer, the planner and the banker. Given the appeal of biodiversity, the urgency of its erosions, and the topicality of the issue (the Rio+10 summit in late 2002 will celebrate the tenth anniversary of the UN Convention on Biodiversity), surely here there are opportunities galore for find- ing ways to use credit, savings and finance instruments, all the way along to village level. It would be a brave person who tried to move such triangular dialogues into concrete actions, but, if they could talk, a few million species could be very grateful. Spore 90 - December 2000 From CD-ROM to cyberspace In ACP countries, where the emphasis has been primarily on rural development, it is often difficult to acquire technical informa- tion about agriculture. In Africa, for exam- ple, there are only a few documentation centres that are even partially computerized. In Europe and North America, however, it is now common for farmers to be made aware of the latest developments in agricultural science via well-developed, computerized information systems. Spore 9 - May 1987 The internet and the electronic informa- tion services to which it gives access have already shown phenomenal growth rates and have brought prosperity and economic development to users and providers alike. The ACP States should not be left behind. Some are already on-line and the chance is there for others to catch up. The internet, like information itself, should be available for all who need it, but it could be that many of the ACP States will be left further and further behind in a world that is accelerating fast along the world's information superhighways. Spore 72 - December 1997 While the techies have been twiddling away with the Internet, and you’ve been wondering if you’d be left out, the phone has still been getting on with connecting people. Yesterday’s future is tantalisingly close, today. Make that call. Send that email. Spore 92 - April 2001 Ploughing with compact discs Spore 9 - May 1987 Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l Plants in the spotlight Cattle just love calliandra Calliandra calothyrsus is an extraordinarily versatile species. In April 2002, Spore wrote about its useful ability to release allelopathic or growth inhibiting compounds into the environment, which can reduce infestations of striga weed. In Uganda where dairy farmers were supplied with imported cows, calliandra is helping to solve another problem — how to satisfy the bovine newcomers’ appetite for greenery without causing deforestation and erosion. Farmers found that a winning combination is zero-grazing with calliandra as high-octane fodder. Dina Twesase is one small-scale farmer who relies on this formula. She feeds her single Friesian cow with calliandra, which she began growing with the help of the Africare 2000 and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). Farmers in the region have learned the benefits of planting C. calothyrsus in contour hedgerows to conserve soil and water, improve soil fertility, and obtain fencing materials, firewood, stakes and bee forage. But, as Dina has discovered, calliandra really scores as a source of protein for dairy cattle. A supplement of 3 kg of calliandra is equivalent to 1 kg of expensive commercial dairy meal. She grows the calliandra amongst her crops, avoiding the need to convert any of her small property to pasture. In return for the fancy diet, her cow produces 20 l of milk per day. SPORE 121 • PAGE 4 Marvellous marula In parts of Africa, the marula tree is valued so highly that giving someone the seed kernel is considered a true sign of friendship. Its small golden fruit featured most memorably in Spore 90, which reported how elephants got tipsy when the berries fermented in their stomach. In its native southern Africa, the fruits of the marula tree (Schlerocarya birrea) are used to make a liqueur. More recently, producers have tuned into the potential of this valuable fruit — which has four times more vitamin C than oranges — as a basis for a whole range of other products. A community-based company in the Limpopo Province of South Africa makes fruit pulp, seed oil and skin conditioner from organic marula. Marula Natural Products Pty Ltd operates on fair trade principles and, as well as processing the fruit, acts as intermediary between African producers and export buyers. Cowpea Plants battle cowpea pests Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., needs no introduction. Spore has written about this useful grain legume on many occasions, and ACP farmers prize the crop for its high protein levels, resistance to drought and ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen. But while the cowpea’s virtues are well known, the plant does have a major drawback — it is highly susceptible to pests and diseases, with losses of up to 90%. Indeed, Spore has often examined this seemingly intractable problem. There are some encouraging signs, however. Scientists at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have developed high-yielding varieties with resistance to major diseases, insect pests, nematodes and parasitic weeds. Varieties with resistance to parasitic weeds such as Striga are currently being tested in farmers' fields and early maturing varieties with increased drought and shade tolerance are also being developed. Meanwhile, cowpea producers in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal are learning how to make and use plant-based insecticides. Projet Niébé pour l’Afrique (PRONAF) uses high-yielding varieties that are resistant to key pests, diseases and weeds — including flower thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti), pod borer (Maruca vitrata), storage weevils (Callosobruchus maculatus) and Striga — combined with botanical insecticides, solar drying, and triple bagging storage techniques. Effective plant- based pesticides include pawpaw, neem and extracts from pepper and tobacco. Ph ot os : © IC RA F Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l Ph ot o: © IC RA F SPORE 121 • PAGE 5 • Plants Grain amaranth makes a comeback Grain amaranth is one of the world's “forgotten foods”. Grown extensively by the Incas and Aztecs of Central and South America, this versatile, hardy grain is packed with vitamins and minerals and may hold out hope for improving food security in dryland ACP regions. Spore 119 wrote about Kenyan farmers who are planting Amaranthus hybridus — one of several varieties suitable for grain production — with the help of the local NGO Strategic Poverty Alleviation Systems (SPAS). In Nigeria, a USAID project is also helping farmers to discover the benefits of this long neglected crop. Grain amaranth is especially suitable for hot, dry conditions, and has good resistance to pests and diseases. It grows rapidly and with little water, and is exceptionally high in lysine, a critical amino acid often deficient in plant protein. SPAS has supplied certified seeds for planting, and the hope is to tap growing export markets, as well as domestic ones — more than 40 products containing grain amaranth are currently on the health food market in the United States alone. The magic grass vetiver For centuries, the oil extracted from the roots of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) has been used in the perfume trade. In October 2004, Spore wrote about how rural dwellers in Mali and Nigeria were selling vetiver to the cosmetics industry. This remarkably useful plant is also used for soil and water conservation, and increasingly, as an environmental tool. When planted as a contour hedge, vetiver acts as a filtering system that slows down rainfall runoff, reduces rilling and collects soil sediments at the hedge face. In ACP regions, vetiver is used to halt erosion, for example, in the Caribbean, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal and parts of the Pacific. In Ethiopia and Malawi, the grass is planted on sloping ground to reduce run off and sediment flows in upper watersheds, thus improving water quality further downstream. Spore 80 reported that trials in Thailand had shown that planting rows of vetiver grass could help absorb agrochemicals, particularly pesticides. Similar trials have since been successfully carried out in China and there is now interest in spreading this technology further afield. In South Africa, vetiver has been used to reclaim toxic mine dumps.Vetiver has the advantage of thriving in both wet and dry conditions, and on both highly acidic and alkaline soils. It also has a high tolerance to pests and diseases. Perhaps its most remarkable feature is its extraordinarily long roots, which will grow to depths of 3 to 4 m. Many cultivars are non flowering, which means the plant cannot become a weed. Once established, vetiver needs little maintenance, and its leaves and roots can be used for thatching and weaving. No wonder the Americans call it magic grass! The many uses of moringa Moringa oleifera, the oleaginous tree found in most tropical countries of Africa, Asia and America, is no stranger to the pages of Spore. It made its first appearance in Spore 19 when we wrote about its seeds, which offer an ecological solution to filtering and purifying water. Moringa is also a very generous ‘tree of life’. Its leaves, which are rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins, can be made into a sauce and eaten with cereals. Dried and powdered, they help combat malnutrition, especially in children. This tree may be used in many ways, whether traditional or innovative. In 2002, Spore 100 counted no fewer than 19 different applications. A number of other avenues of research are still being explored, including potential uses as animal fodder, as a vegetable growth hormone, as paper pulp, green fertiliser and as a phytopharmaceutical product. It seems as if moringa has yet to reveal the full range of its virtues. Ph ot o: © b io .u u. nl Ph ot o: © G ull y Ph ot o: R M ye rs © In sti tut e G ra in A m ar an th SPORE 121 • PAGE 6 :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: Ecofarming made easy Samuel Muhunyu, NGO official Closer and closer! For this anniversary issue, we decided to track down some of the readers who had shown an interest in Spore during the reader survey we carried out in 2001. On that occasion, we were inundated with replies, some of which greatly moved and encouraged us, and we are happy to share these with you now. Four years on, we visited some of those readers in their villages and associations, to get to know them better and see how they use Spore. It was not always easy to find them, some having no address and nothing but a post box number to go on! So here in these rather special In Brief pages, we offer you profiles of some of the people who find Spore useful. Many of you will almost certainly identify with them and we hope that you will have as much pleasure as we did in making their acquaintance. Readers’ voices Kenya ■ An agricultural engineer by training, Samuel Muhunyu works as country coordinator for Network for Ecofarming in Africa (NECOFA) in Kenya, an NGO that helps rural com- munity groups towards food and nutrition security and biodi- versity conservation. He has a strong practical streak and likes to translate words into deeds for concrete results. So when Mr Muhunyu read an article in Spore about urban agriculture (Urban Agriculture and Food Security, Spore 81), he immedi- ately sprang into action, setting up a project targeting urban households. After receiving training in small livestock rearing, 56 urban farmers in Molo Town, mostly women, have now begun rearing rabbits and chickens. In the following issue of Spore, another article caught his eye, this time on HIV/AIDs (AIDS and Agriculture, Spore 82). “Spore is an inspiring publication for me. In many instances it has triggered thought process in a direction I had not considered before,” reflected Mr Muhunyu. “It had not occurred to me that food. (especially that which is rich nutri- tionally and in some cases is also therapeutic) is indeed very important to people with HIV/AIDS.” After some discussion, the NECOFA team hit on the idea of setting up a Healthy Food for Healthy Living scheme, of which an important com- ponent was the domestication and use of the stinging nettle (Urtica masaica), a traditional vegetable — also used as a drink — that contains iron, calcium and vitamins. This latter prod- uct has proved successful as a source of nutrients but also as a cash earner for small-scale producers. But first, Mr Muhunyu and his team faced a problem. “Attempts to dry the nettle in open sun failed because the material lost the green colour (and we think nutrients too),” he explained. Again, Mr Muhunyu turned to Spore. “The article on Renewable Energy in Spore 100 came in handy in identifying a solution,” he said. “With one community group we have fabricated a simple, cheap and efficient drying system for the nettle, after which it is ground and packed for sale in towns. Our Stinging Nettle project is growing and so is demand for the nettle in urban centres like Nairobi.” When Spore comes out, Mr Muhunyu and his colleagues generally digest the information before presenting it to small-scale producers at their regular group meetings. Often, items give rise to fruitful discussions. A case in point was an In Brief article on natural pesticides (Biopesticides: a good recipe from Niger, Spore 81), which prompted a discussion on the use of botanicals in pest management. The Kenya farmers soon saw there were local products that they too could use. “Interestingly, they realised that the pyrethrum crop that they have farmed for decades is very effective as a biopesticide,” said Mr Muhunyu. “They were amazed by the irony of one going to town — at cost and taking time — to buy expensive and often harmful pesticides and leaving one’s own pyrethrum to go to waste.” “I translated into Amharicsome attractive articles and then sent them to some newspapers and radio broadcasting stations in Addis. For instance, see this photocopy of a newspaper which used the article ‘The future of fog (Spore 89).>Daniel Assefa Senior technical assistant, Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organisation Samuel Muhunyu (in the white T-shirt) with members of NECOFA Ph ot o: © N EC O FA SPORE 121 • PAGE 7 • Readers’ voices ■ Dr Frank E Lawrence has spent a lifetime helping rural people in his native Jamaica to understand more about sustain- able community development. And Spore has been his constant companion, he says, as he goes about his task of helping com- munities with agroforestry, small animal rearing, value added food processing, bee-keeping, rain water harvesting and alternative energy projects. “Spore is one of the most useful sources for pro- viding information in helping and motivating small-scale pro- ducers,” says Dr Lawrence, who is a minister of religion, an organic farmer and President of the Northern Jamaica Conser- vation Association (NJCA), an NGO which focuses on design- ing environmentally sustainable projects with income generating potential. “Due to information and ideas received from Spore, our community won the coveted 2005 Michael Manley Award for Community Self-Reliance and Sustainable Development.” In recognition of Dr Lawrence’s work, the Jamaican government also singled him out for a per- sonal award — the Badge of Honour Award for Meritorius Service in the field of Sustainable Community Development. Sturge Town, the community which won the award, is one of Jamaica’s oldest villages, set in a hilly, remote area. Its small-scale farmers rely on livestock rearing and the cultivation of vegetables, root crops, fruit, lumber and spices for a living. Lack of water and good roads hamper develop- ment, says Dr Lawrence, who believes local farmers need to be more involved in planning and decision-making. “But all these problems can be helped by con- tinuous motivation and creating greater awareness regarding self- reliance and sustainable develop- ment.” Once he has finished reading Spore, Dr Lawrence passes on copies and articles to other people. He particularly enjoyed the In Brief item on Turning back to Traditional Trees in Spore 117, and the feature on Covering the Soil to Make it More Fertile in Spore 112. “We found that very useful in reviving the prac- tice of mulching in our organic farming approach,” he comments. “Love at first sight” Simon Akonagbo, Executive Director of the Association des amis du village (AAV) farmers’ association ■ “Thanks to Spore, we learned how to make a solution based on neem leaves and soap to tackle cowpea pests. We taught the technique to farmers, who used it without too much difficulty. Since then, they are much happier.” Slim, and around 40-years-old, Simon Akonagbo, from Benin, is generous in his praise of the magazine. He finds it a valuable source of information for the Association des amis du village (AAV) farmers’ organisation, which he heads. Since 1997, AAV has worked to spread knowledge of farming techniques at Agamey in the rural district of Lokossa, 120 km west of Cotonou. Holding the latest issue, Mr Akonagbo recounts how he first came across Spore, “It was in April 1998, and I had gone to visit a friend in Lokossa. He had a copy...” Engrossed in the pages, he remembers being intrigued by two things, the two intertwined leaves of the logo and the name ‘Spore’. He found it a strange spelling, given that he was only familiar with ‘sport’, written with a ‘t’. As he delved further, his curiosity grew. A magazine with information on agriculture! For this farmer’s son, and member of a farmers’ organisation, it was love at first sight. “I asked how I could get hold of it and immediately wrote to CTA.” Several months passed before two copies arrived. The 20 or so AAV members soon shared his passion. “We used to divide into two groups of 10 to read Spore.” Hardly very practical. A new request was despatched to CTA, which has been sending five copies ever since. These days, the reading is done in groups of four, followed by a discussion on the content of the magazine. Methodically, Mr Akonagbo and his friends pull out the main points of interest and the most useful pieces of information before translating them into the most widely spoken languages of the region — fon, cotafon, adja and mina. Later, they organise meetings with the farmers. “We don’t impose our views on them”, insists Mr Akonagbo. “They tell us their problems and we offer them solutions suggested by Spore.” He believes that the magazine’s main merit is to have contributed to a change in thinking. “Farmers have always thought their misfortunes were caused by bad luck. Thanks to information from Spore, they are no longer fatalistic, as they have learned that in other climes, farmers are meeting and overcoming the same difficulties as they are.” AAV would like to spread its message further afield, especially in the remote rural areas, but it lacks the resources. Mr Akonagbo’s dream is to have a “small, local rural radio network, to be better able to share agricultural information.” A double honour Doctor Frank E. Lawrence, priest and environmentalist ■ Mathilde M'Nshangalume, an elderly farmer from the Bukavu region, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, cannot believe it: “To think that it took only a few meetings for us to change the way we grow crops and restore prosperity, as if by magic.” The hundred or so female members of the Samwaki association, which roughly means ‘The Voice of the Woman Farmer’, were inspired to take action against the terrible cassava mosaic disease after reading an In Brief article in Spore 115. The disease had ravaged their fields and people were forced to eat roots to survive, so the women planted cuttings of improved cas- sava varieties and their crops began producing good yields once again. Spurred on by this success, women from about 15 villages have regularly been walking seve- ral kilometres to take part in rea- ding clubs organised by the young people of the community to discuss new ideas and tech- niques found in Spore and other specialist publications. All of which is like music to the ears of the association’s officials, who, since Samwaki was launched in 2002, have been convinced that information is the key to development. Nourishing information The women of the Samwaki association, in Kivu DRC Jamai ca Benin Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l Ph ot o: © N JC A SPORE 121 • PAGE 8 ■ One of the most gratifying aspects of Spore is the way it creates a ripple effect, putting readers in touch with one another and acting as a catalyst. One clear example came when Samuel Harry Abiye, Principal Agricultural Officer at the River State Development Programme in Nigeria, wrote to us to tell us how he followed up an article in Spore 88 about the work of Dr Howard Bradbury of the Australian National University (ANU), who had developed a kit to determine potentially fatal levels of cyanide in cassava root and products. “This equipment formed part of the material and method of my post-graduate thesis work on relating total cyanogens to cyanide diseases,” wrote Mr Abiye. That was back in February 2002. Mr Abiye is still in touch with Dr Bradbury and has in fact now become a member of the Cassava Cyanide Diseases Network (CCDN), an organisation launched by Dr Bradbury in 2000 under the banner of “Working together to eliminate cyanide poisoning, konzo and tropical ataxic neuropathy (TAN).” Cyanide poisoning is a serious cause of death and disability, especially in Africa where many cassava varieties are bitter and high in cyanide levels. Konzo, a permanent paralytic condition of the legs, mainly affects children and young women in central and eastern Africa, especially in periods of drought, when cyanide levels in cassava are higher than usual. In West Africa, TAN is more common. It is a sensory disease, leading to difficulties in walking, numbness, deafness and blindness. Dr Bradbury developed his simple kit to measure cyanide levels in cassava plants and products and has so far distributed 400 of them. “I was able to use Spore very effectively to advertise the cyanide in cassava kits,” he said when Spore caught up with him recently. “Since then we have sent out about 400 kits, each with 100 analyses, to health workers and agriculturalists. There are many who have said that they read about them first in Spore, including Mr Abiye, who is still in touch with me.” Dr Bradbury has also developed a simple wetting method which greatly reduces the cyanide content of cassava flour. The flour is mixed with water and spread in a thin layer on a tray in the shade for 5 h. The flour’s cyanide content is reduced to between 1/6 and 1/3 of the original level. The damp flour is used for cooking within 24 h. Trials with users in Mozambique, where there is currently an outbreak of konzo due to drought, have proved successful. Further details of the wetting method can be found on the CCDN website, and the cyanide kits are still available, free of charge, for readers in developing countries, from the address below. Dr J H Bradbury School of Botany and Zoology ANU, Canberra, ACT 0020 Australia Fax: +61 2 61 25 55 73 Email: Howard.Bradbury@anu.edu.au Website: www.anu.edu.au/BoZo/CCDN Making waves with Spore Samuel Harry Abiye and Dr Howard Bradbury, united against cyanide Readers’ voices • Came roon ■ In the small office of the farm- ers’ association Communauté des exploitants agricoles (CEA), 14 km east of Douala, Engonga Prétextat is engrossed in the latest issue of Spore. Asked about his interest in the magazine, he raises his head and, after thinking for a few moments, admits, “I lost my job as assistant accountant in 1988. It’s thanks to Spore that I had the idea of turning to farm- ing. Since then, I’ve read every issue.” Off the top of his head, he cites some of the nuggets of information he has found in the magazine, on the palmyra palm, the plantain banana and other food crops. “That has been a great help to me in my job as a planter. I’ve also learned a lot of tips, for example, how to collect rainwater.” In the issue he is read- ing now, an article on cassava has caught his eye. The Groupe d'initiative commune (GIC), of which he is a delegate, has launched an initiative to promote cultivation of this crop. The office of Gilbert Konango, who is head of CEA, serves as the library, reception and reading room. Of the dozen or so people who have come to do some read- ing at the documentation centre on this particular day, three or four have chosen to stay indoors. The others have opted to sit on a bench in the courtyard. All of them are busy reading the few agricultural publications avail- able, among them Spore and sev- eral books from CTA. “Everyone who comes here reads it”, observes Gilbert Konango. “They learn about innovations, copy what others are doing and seek technical advice.” The association has been a sub- scriber since 1992. Through the years, Spore has proved an indis- pensable teaching tool for Mr Konango. He uses it to pre- pare training seminars for farm- ers. “We look through the back copies to find technical material for the chosen theme”, he explains. The magazine is also a rich source of information for the various reviews published by the association. Among them is the bimonthly Le manioc (Cassava), of which there are a few copies on the table. A useful way of spread- ing information among the 1200 or so farmers who are members of CEA. Well documented Gilbert Konango, of the Communauté des exploitants agricoles (CEA) farmers’ association “The rural radio in Kankan gives my service a weekly slot on theairwaves. The broadcasts are in Malinke. As part of this joint initiative, I offered the radio station the CTA publication Radio serving the rural areas of the ACP countries. This gift has galvanised relations between the rural radio in Kankan and my service.>Lamine Mohamad Bamba Agronomist, Guinea Afric a- Aust ralia Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l Photo: © Bradbury • Readers’ voices SPORE 121 • PAGE 9 Ghana For the young Edmond Mahuta, coordinator for the Association paysanne pour le développement social de Masi-Manimba (ASSOPADEM) community organisation Came roon ■ In Bolgatanga, Ghana, Samuel Apiiga is a well known face and a familiar voice for local farmers. An animal scientist, he works as an extension agent, training farmers in the production of cat- tle, sheep, goats, rabbits and pigs, as well as poultry, especially guinea fowl. But Mr Apiiga also wears another hat, as broadcaster of a rural FM station (URA-Radio FM). On his weekly programme, he gives tips to listeners on a whole range of issues, including soil and water conservation, animal husbandry and sustain- able agriculture. In both jobs, Mr Apiiga finds Spore a useful source of information. He remembers the time he visited one worried livestock farmer, whose goats and sheep were suf- fering from pneumo- nia. “The farmer did not know that you can use garlic water to treat pneu- monia in small ruminants,” recalls Mr Apiiga. “I had read a piece about it in Spore on ethnovet- erinary medicine. The farmer tried it, and it worked. The animals recovered.” Mr Apiiga’s favourite recent article was in June 2005, a feature on indigenous breeds. “It was excellent and I learned a lot from it,” he said. “Spore has helped me in so many ways,” said Mr Apiiga. “It has increased my knowledge on the latest improved agricultural technolo- gies, especially for animal hus- bandry. It helps me in my broadcasting work. It even helped me write my MSc thesis, on rural poultry.” High on his long wish list for the communities he serves are more opportunities for rural extension agents to receive train- ing abroad on information dis- semination. “As a broadcaster, I see how important it is to pass on information on agriculture and development,” he said, as he got ready to go on air for his Monday morning show. Goats and garlic Samuel Apiiga, broadcaster, animal scientist and extension agent ■ As head of his community in Batcham Sub Division, Cameroon, Chief Foudjou has long been concerned about the lack of education and informa- tion for young people in this remote rural area. In 1997, he helped found an NGO called the Rural Development Organisa- tion (RUDEOR) in an effort to address some of the community’s most pressing problems. To date, the organisation has helped improve dirt tracks to improve access to markets, encouraged the use of green fertiliser to improve soil fertility, and even built a school for local children, in the village of Tsopeua. “Our activities have been spurred on by Spore magazine,” says Chief Foudjou. “It has given us the real songs of agricultural knowledge and information.” Songs from the heart Chief Foudjou, community leader DRC ■ The story began in the early 1990s. And it must be said that it began rather badly! At the request of a German company, Edmond Mahuta and about 15 young people decided to start a business growing peppers in the Masi-Manimba region, 250 km east of Kinshasa. They harvested 30 sacks, each weighing 10 kg. Happily, they sent the first two parcels to Germany by post. Not a word! So they decided to sell their product on the local market, but there were no buyers there either. The group quickly became discouraged and broke up. Only Edmond and a friend called Gilbert remained, but they were determined to continue their struggle against unemployment and idleness, which befall many young rural dwellers in DRC. Gilbert stayed where he was while Edmond left for Bindungi, about 100 km further south, to grow peanuts on 2 ha of land. “The teachers and some other young people from the village approached me and asked if we could do something together”, he recalls. November 1995 saw the launch of the Association paysanne pour le développement social de Masi- Manimba (ASSOPADEM) community organisation, which Edmund coordinates to this day. This farmers’ NGO had a two-pronged goal — to ensure the food security of communities living in the region and to find work for its young people. With a background in humanities, Edmond studied a correspondence course on farming and community development from the Institut africain de développement social (INADES) in Kinshasa over the next 4 years. Out in the field, the members of the association carried on, season after season, growing maize, cassava, peanuts, soya, cowpeas, etc., until in 2001, a priest called Franklin Munguba introduced them to Spore. The magazine “changed our whole way of working the land”, explains Edmond Mahuta, with some emotion. The women of Bindungi, who used to grow a few meagre okras, grew 4 ha of vegetables in 2004. “It was all thanks to techniques learned in Spore”, claims Edmond. Each issue is read and dissected in groups, under the guidance of the association’s agronomist who, when necessary, offers explanations to the women, many of whom are illiterate. Fifteen, twenty, thirty… the numbers taking part in these sessions are growing all the time. Edmond Mahuta, chief coordinator of Assopadem (left) and the organisation’s project director Michel Mutombo absorbed in Spore Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l SPORE 121 • PAGE 10 Readers’ voices • ■ In 2007, Jean-Claude Minkala will be retiring, but he has no intention of remaining inactive for long. With the help of Spore, this health assistant from the University Hospital in Brazzaville is planning to become an ‘agro- pastoral farmer’. In his late fifties, Mr Minkala explains the reasons for his decision to change profes- sion. “I always said that when I retired I would not do a job that involved looking after people. The ancillary staff who work in the public surgeries don’t have a very good reputation. And I wouldn’t want to be mixed up with that lot.” Information and life can take some strange twists and turns. One day — in the mid 1990s — one of his brothers just back from Cuba talked at length about an agricultural magazine publi- shed in the Netherlands, and advised him to write and ask if he could receive it. He was quick to follow this piece of advice, which, as things turned out, ope- ned up new horizons for him. By reading Spore, Mr Minkala gra- dually learned how to breed pigs, fish, chickens, etc. “The maga- zine also helped me to start grow- ing fruit trees — orange, mango and safou…” It was at Mindouli, a place 180 km south of Brazzaville, that he decided to base his agricultu- ral activities, with his father on the spot to supervise. Then the war of 1997 wiped out all his plans. His father was killed, his livestock were slaughtered and his crops were devastated. Every- thing would have to be rebuilt from scratch. But Mr Minkala never stopped reading Spore. An open-minded person, he was loo- king for any experiences or solu- tions which might help his own situation. Faced with a local conflict over the management of pastureland, he found the address for the director of the development project, Program- me Sahel Burkinabé, who sent him a document about a joint management initiative between herders and farmer-herders from Kishi Beiga, in the north of Burkina Faso (Spore 85). “At Mindouli, we had the same pro- blem”, he explained. “When an ox strayed from its pastureland to go and graze in someone else’s field, the owner had to pay F CFA5 million (€7,622). That’s impossible! It poisoned relations between farmers. I used the experience from Burkina Faso, putting the idea before local communities. And we have managed to resolve the conflict.” When a fragile peace returned to The Republic of the Congo in 2003, Jean-Claude Minkala relaunched his activities, with his retirement in mind. He would love to visit other countries such as Burkina Faso to learn some of the recipes developed by NGOs and presented in Spore. “For example, I would like to go and see how you make mango liqueur and bread from cassava flour....” Changing tack Jean-Claude Minkala, prospective pensioner ■ Generally a reserved character, Tibi Guissou lights up when he talks about two topics — his research on micro-organisms which live in symbiosis with plants and…Spore. His first encounter with the magazine dates back to 1994. At the time, he was finishing his university studies and was doing an internship at the Institut de l’environnement et de recherches agricoles (INERA), the agricultural research institute in Burkina Faso where he now works. He found the magazine lying on a table, flicked through it and was captivated. But being a prudent suitor, he was at first happy just to read it, allowing himself occasional furtive visits to his beloved, of whom he still considered himself unworthy. “As a young student, I didn’t know how to get the magazine”, he recalls. “I never imagined that I too could receive it.” Mr Guissou took his time before subscribing to Spore in 1997. Ever since, his favourite magazine has had a special place on his desk. The issues have piled up over the years. When it fails to arrive on time, he rushes to the documentation centre. Impatient, he fears the worst. In the Netherlands, would the parents of his “beloved” prevent her from coming out? He could quite believe it, since in his country, a prospective husband must tend the fields of his future in-laws and make them gifts. And he knows he has done none of these things. Then, another thought comes to mind: could she have been carried off by some rival, perhaps by the postman? Comparing the magazine to a talented chef, he confides, “I want to discover what she has prepared, in the hope that this time, the dish will be even better than the one before.” Like any attentive companion, Spore, plies him with advice. Working on a water and soil conservation project in 1994, Mr Guissou began experimenting with living hedges. These natural barriers protect plants from strong winds in the dry season and ensure that market gardeners get a good crop of vegetables. But to introduce a new technique, it is not enough to shout it from the rooftops. You need to know how to put across the message, and engineers are not always very good at that. “The technical publications and leaflets I order help me to develop the right approach for dealing with rural communities. As a result, I am better able to judge what kind of message to get across to people, and can more easily assess their needs and take their concerns into consideration”, explains Mr Guissou. In the articles he writes for specialist magazines, he frequently quotes Spore. “Unlike other publications which focus too much on one aspect, Spore has a more multi-disciplinary approach”, observes the researcher, who has done work on the jujube, inspired by an article from the magazine. An ardent suitor Tibi Guissou, microbiologist at the INERA agricultural research institute. “Spore is, in fact, a networkingtool for our organisation. It speaks to us in the songs of agricultural development and touches our hearts in our commitments to raise the living conditions of the rural world. We read and file copies for rereading.>Daniel Sbotamoh Kuh Rural Development Organisation, Cameroon “You may not believe it, but itwas Spore that first told us about GMOs, hydroponics etc.! And it is also thanks to the magazine that we were able to contact the New Forest Project through which we obtained tree seeds to plant along the roads of our village and begin reforesting in our community.>Kouame Dary Farmer, Côte d’Ivoire Burkin a Faso Congo Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l SPORE 121 • PAGE 11 • Links Locust invasions, andmethods of tackling thisscourge, are a vast topic. Before turning to the internet, anyone new to this subject would do well to leaf through the French comic strip, Les dents du ciel, which offers an excellent introduction. Both informative and entertaining, it charts the fortunes of Boukari, an African farmer, who leaves his village to join a crop protection team. Though the first volume of this comic strip is out of stock, the second is still available at CTA. If you are affected by these highly destructive insects, either directly or indirectly, a look at the bilingual portal of the Locust Ecology and Control research unit at the French French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) is a must. Here you will find out everything there is to know about the lifecycle of locusts and will be kept up to date on current developments. From there it is a short hop to a new CIRAD site, in French only, dedicated to locusts. The on-line library set up by CIRAD together with the International Society For Pest Information (ISPI) is full of documents (arti- cles, reports, books) in both English and French. To track the path of locusts, visit the FAO website. Its on-line bulletin Locust Watch is updated every 2 weeks, to give the latest situation. Complete with maps, it also details the insects’ repro- ductive and migratory patterns and provides information on preventative operations. For an understanding of the last major invasion of 2002-2004, look at The Eighth Plague, a special dossier put out by IRIN, the United Nations information ser- vice. Also worth a read, though only available in French, is Histoire d’un siècle de lutte anti- acridienne en Afrique, a book which outlines the stakes for cur- rent and future research initia- tives, in the light of past invasions. The website of the research group Lubilosa contains copious information on the promising mycopestcide Green Muscle. Finally, if the issue of obsolete pesticides interests you, the Africa Stockpiles programme has a website which offers a pan- African inventory of stocks and initiatives to dispose of them. A swarm of information For further information Africa Stockpiles www.africastockpiles.org CIRAD www.cirad.fr/ur/index.php/acridologie _en/accueil http://locust.cirad.fr CIRAD and ISPI http://ispi-lit.cirad.fr/Introduction.htm FAO Locust watch www.fao.org/ag/locusts • Histoire d’un siècle de lutte anti- acridienne en Afrique. Contributions de la France. By J Roy L’Harmattan, Paris, 2001, 294 pp ISBN 2 7475 1330 0 €22 IRIN The Eighth Plague. West Africa's Locust Invasion www.irinnews.org/webspecials/Locust /Locust-webspecial.PDF • Les dents du ciel II ou la lutte intégrée contre les criquets en Afrique sahélienne By M Launois & T M Luong CIRAD-GERDAT-PRIFAS- CTA, 1996, 46 pp. ISBN 2 87614 222 8 CTA Number 719 10 credit points Lubilosa www.lubilosa.org Ph ot o: A . M on ar d © C IRA D :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: Plants between the lines The on-line encyclopaediaWikipedia is an excellentsource of information on all the plants featured in this issue. Below you will find other sources for each plant. Site Web : http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page Calliandra World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) United Nations Avenue Gigiri PO Box 30677-00100 GPO Nairobi Kenya Fax: +254 20 722 4001 Email: ICRAF@cgiar.org Website: www.worldagroforestry.org ICRAF has an excellent database on Calliandra calothyrsus: www.worldagroforestry.org/Sites/ TreeDBS/aft/speciesPrinterFriendly.asp ?Id=410 Cowpea International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) PMB 5320, Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria Fax: +234 2 241 2221 Email: IITA@cgiar.org Website: www.iita.org/crop/cowpea.htm Grain amaranth Strategic Poverty Alleviation Systems PO Box 7795-00200 Nairobi Kenya Email: spastrategysystem@yahoo.com The Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) Newsletter, jointly published by FAO and the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), has a search facility on its website, which will find recent articles on grain amaranthus. Website: www.ipgri.cgiar.org/ pgrnewsletter/editorial.htm Marula Marula Natural Products Pty Ltd 9th Floor, Devonshire House 49 Jorissen St, Braamfontein Johannesburg South Africa Fax: +27-11-403-0285/6496 Email: mnp@lantic.net Website: www.marula.org.za The Kew Garden Survey of Economic Plants for Arid Areas (Sepasal) database has a comprehensive entry on marula, including characteristics, uses and distribution. Website: www.kew.org/ceb/sepasal/birrea.htm Moringa Réseau Moringa PROPAGE 211, rue du Faubourg Saint-Antoine 75011 Paris France Fax: +33 1 40 09 04 79 Email: Armelle@moringanews.org Website : www.moringanews.org/index.html Vetiver The Vetiver Network 15 Wirt St NW, Leesburg, VA 20176 USA Fax: +1 503 771 8260 Website: www.vetiver.com Illu str at io n: © C IRA D- G ER DA T-P RIF AS Ph ot o: R M ye rs © In sti tut e G ra in A m ar an th :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: Protect crops naturally Publications • SPORE 121 • PAGE 12 Publications In its lifetime, Spore has seen the publication of all kinds of books, every one of them chosen with the aim of offering that extra touch — through references, tips or food for thought. But what do we really know about the genesis of these publications, and what happens to them after they are featured? At CTA, we have some idea of the titles which have most captured your interest. See our ‘Top Ten’ 2005. Some readers write to tell us how they have used the information. Our co-publishers also provide us with feedback. Sometimes, a book will give birth to an entire multilingual family, with translations into Arabic, Swahili, Portuguese or Vietnamese. To mark its 20th anniversary, Spore remembers some of the books co-published by CTA which have proved especially popular with readers. First aid — and more — for your animals ■ The idea first came to a British vet working in the Caribbean. In 1991, inspired by the success of Where There is No Doctor, Dr Hadrill suggested that CTA publish a manual which explained how to treat animals when there is no vet available, or when it is difficult to find one. “It has beco- me clear to me that there are many places in developing coun- tries where government veterina- ry services are unable to provide an adequate service to livestock owners because of lack of resources, human and financial”, he wrote. “This situation is worse in harsh environments where there is most need — in moun- tainous or semiarid areas live- stock are often vital to sustain human life.” Contact was made with Oxfam and with the publishing house, Macmillan. It took almost 10 years to produce Where there is no vet, in 1999 (see Spore 83), and a fur- ther 3 for the French version. The book was redrafted several times, as various prospective authors pulled out. It is, in fact, no easy task to describe in simple words the health problems of animals in developing countries and to explain how to deal with emer- gencies, carry out simple opera- tions and use remedies to good effect. The eventual author, Bill Forse, proved to have the rare ability to combine the expertise of a vet with the know-how of a livestock breeder and the skills of a writer. In the course of the pro- ject, he used an extensive net- work of contacts and travelled widely, from Ethiopia to Senegal and from Mali to Pakistan, passing through Uganda and Tanzania on the way. Since its publication, more than 7,000 ACP subscribers have ordered the book from CTA and thousands of readers have bought copies from co-publishers. And the family has grown, with trans- lations into Shona and Ndebele in Zimbabwe and an adaptation in Cameroon, amongst others. Where There is No Vet By B Forse CTA - Macmillan – Oxfam 1999. 390 pp. ISBN 0 333 58899 1 CTA number 917 20 credit points ■ At its birth, in 1986, it measu- red 14.8 x 21 cm and weighed 188 pages. Born to a German mother, it made its debut in English at CTA and in Spore, issue 11. “In natural crop protec- tion, we are applying nature’s own instruments. Even though they seem to belong to another age, they can still today contribu- te to an appropriate pest manage- ment, the more so as they minimize the risks for farmer, consumer and the environment.” It was with these words that Gaby Stoll introduced her book Natural Crop Protection in the Tropics. “At that time natural pest management really had no posi- tive reputation,” she recalls. The manual soon became much sought after, mainly due to the clarity of the information it con- tained, and its clear, easy-to-use style. “Having almost finished the first draft of the book, I was not satisfied with the logic of it. I imagined my father, a small- holder in the south of Germany. I wanted him to find the exact page in the book when he stood in a field with a pest-related problem. Today, I believe that this became the secret of the book.” The book’s initial success has never flagged. The manual has been translated into eight lan- guages, including French (in col- laboration with CTA in 1988), Spanish and Thai. Comments received over the years resulted in a revised edition being published in 2000, in both English and French. The manual has changed look and gained weight — it is now 386 pages. While not as light as before to take into the field, it stilI retains “a well- deserved place on — and off — the shelves of farmers and their advisors”, as Spore 91 observed. Natural Crop Protection in the Tropics Letting Information Come to Life By G Stoll. Margraf Verlag Agrecol-CTA, 2000. 386 pp. ISBN 3 8236 1317 0 CTA number 1005 40 credit points Small manuals with big ambitions ■ Of Dutch stock, it first saw the light of day at the Agromisa Foundation in the 1970s. From 1986 onwards, it had CTA as godfather, to watch over it as it grew. We are, as you may have guessed, talking about the Agrodok series. In English, French and Portuguese, the Agrodok manuals have won over thousands of producers, trainers and field agents. Whatever the subject, be it agroforestry, dairy products or rearing rabbits, their practical information is highly prized. The proof is that Agrodok titles always feature in the Top Ten of CTA’s Publications Distribution Service. The 40 or so titles are available on-line (www.anancy.net). In December, 2005, Agromisa and CTA formalised their partnership to encourage local reproduction and diffusion of Agrodok manuals. In the next issue of Spore, look out for the latest releases in the series, on beekeep- ing products and mushroom pro- duction. SPORE 121 • PAGE 13 In southern tropical Africa, Pterocarpus angolensis, also known as African bloodwood, is widely prized for its timber, which is used for making furnitu- re, flooring, wood carvings, boats and windows. The roots of this tree are also pounded to a powder to yield a colour-fast, brownish- red dye which is used in the cot- tage industry in Namibia and Zimbabwe, mainly to dye palm- leaf fibres for basket weaving. The tree is one of 30 species of wild and cultivated plants used for dyes and tannins in tropical Africa that feature in a new book in the Plant Resources of Tropical Africa (PROTA) series. A range of plant species are used for dyeing fibres, food or skin in tropical Africa, and many plant species also contain tan- nins. The advent of synthetic dyes, in the latter half of the 19th century, led to a decline in the commercial use of many natural ones, though they were often used locally. Recently, interest in natural dyes and tannins has been revived worldwide, mainly because these are less polluting and toxic than their synthetic counterparts. This volume offers a compre- hensive view of the main species used for dyes and tannins, as well as accounts of 43 species of lesser importance. Some of the main species described are widely known. Henna (Lawsonia iner- mis) is one of the world’s oldest dyes, with written records dating back 2,500 years. Originating in Asia, it has become widely natu- ralised in Africa, particularly on alluvial soils along rivers. Bixa orellana, also known as annatto or the lipstick tree produces an organic dye, often used in the food industry to give a red or orange-yellow colour to cheese, butter, oils, margarine, ice cream, bakery products and rice. But the book also gives useful insights into local uses. In West Africa, the Baoulé people of Côte d’Ivoire use a paste of crushed annatto seeds, lemon juice and water to colour doorposts, wooden masks and toys. In Kaokoland, Namibia, Ficus glu- mosa is an important tanning agent, used to give leather the red colour favoured by the Himba people. The bark also produces a brick-red dye, popular in Ghana, Mali and Sierra Leone for dyeing cloth and raffia. As well as describing the plants’ properties, uses and geographical distribu- tion, the book also offers infor- mation on husbandry methods. Plant resources of tropical Africa 3: Dyes and tannins Edited by D Cardon & P C M Jansen PROTA Foundation/Backhuys Publishers/CTA, 2005. 216 pp. ISBN 90 5782 159 1(without CD-ROM) / 90 5782 160 5 (with CD-ROM) CTA number 1266 (without CD-ROM) 40 credit points CTA number 1267 (with CD-ROM) 60 credit points Mauritania was badly hit by the desert locust inva- sion of 2004-2005. A reporting team for the Franco-German television station Arte visited the area on three occasions during this period to follow the relent- less progress of the swarms and the ravage left in their wake. With support from CTA, the crew produced a 52-minute documentary of the invasions. It shows villagers struggling to fight off these insects, as well as the means used – too late – by local authorities and United Nations representatives to halt their spread. The film documents how Garalla, a small village in the south of the country, a short dis- tance from the border with Mali, endured this scourge and the havoc that it wrought. With no harvest, young people were for- ced to leave for the towns and families fell into debt to buy food and seeds. Haunting images to keep in mind to ensure a faster and more effective reaction to the next invasion. The war of the locusts A 52' documentary by P Carcanade & L Cibien Arte/CTA, 2005 CTA N° 1285 (DVD) N° 1286 (videocassette) 20 credit points A locust invasion in pictures Sustainable soil fertility ■ Here is a clutch of useful resources on soil fertility. First, a CD-ROM containing a record of CTA’s October 2003 seminar on Information support for sustainable soil fertility management, with extracts from the debate and working groups. Another CD-ROM, this time from FAO, summarises the factors that control soil erosion and the methods available to mitigate the problem. Meanwhile, two titles from the Regional Land Management Unit (RELMA) of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) look at how agroforestry can improve the soil. Soil fertility and land productivity focuses on the eastern Africa region, highlighting some of the factors that lead to poor land productivity. Agroforestry for the montane zone of Uganda presents ideas on how to incorporate trees in the farming systems. Information support for sustainable soil fertility management CTA seminar, 21-24 October 2003 CD-ROM CTA number 1272 20 credit points Methods and materials in soil conservation CD-ROM, FAO, 2005 ISBN 92 5 105281 6 US$44 • €38 FAO Sales and Marketing Group Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome Italy Fax: +39 6 5705 3360 Email: publications-sales@fao.org Soil fertility and land productivity: Technical handbook N° 30 By C K K Gachene & G Kimaru ISBN 9966-896-66-X RELMA, 2005. 86 pp. US$8• €6.60 Agroforestry for the montane zone of Uganda: Technical handbook N° 31 By A. Lwakuba et al. ISBN 9966 896 55 4 RELMA, 2005, 74 pp. US$5• €4.20 RELMA ICRAF House UN Avenue-Gigiri PO Box 30677 Nairobi 00100 Kenya Fax:+254 524401 Email: relma@cgiar.org Website: www.relma.org African food security This CD-ROM contains proceedings from the 2004 CTA annual seminar held in Maputo, Mozambique, which focused on the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in food security, with emphasis on new actors identified by the Cotonou Agreement — farmers’ organisations, NGOs and small enterprises in the private sector. Role of information and communication tools in food and nutrition security in ACP countries CTA seminar, 8-12 November 2004 CD-ROM CTA number 1271 10 credit points Given the trend towards globalisation, farmers in the South have much to gain by taking more of an interest in the marketing of their products. The latest Agripromo Dossier aims to help them meet this challenge by offering tips on how to improve access to agricultural markets. This collection of five booklets comes in the form of a series of articles written by African agro- nomists and economists. The first booklet offers a short but useful historical overview and an assessment of the marketing of food crops, cash crops and export crops in Africa from the 1960s to the close of the last century. The second sets the scene for the new international trade picture, focusing in particular on the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and new agreements with ACP countries. A whole booklet is given over to examples of producer organi- sations involved in marketing: coffee growers in Burundi, cereal exchanges in Burkina Faso, onion farmers in Cameroon and the wholesale regional market in Côte d'Ivoire. Marketing of agricultural produce: Helping farmers to position themselves better in agricultural production and marketing Dossiers Agripromo n° 4 I Ouédraogo, F Ngang Fru, M-C Houédanou (eds) Inades-Formation/CTA ISSN 1018 8568 CTA N° 1280 20 credit points Keeping an eye on markets The colours of Africa • New Publications Between us • SPORE 121 • PAGE 14 The first editorial meeting I took part inwas a daunting experience — keepingup with the rapid French, the lively exchanges between team members and all the technical jargon. Gradually things became clearer, as I got used to the different topics on the table as well as to the personal- ities around the table. I well remember lively discussions with one French-speaking CTA staff member who was on the editorial committee. His version of spoken English sounded very much like French, and he was passionate about his opinions, often putting them across vehemently, and sometimes rolling his eyes when he thought something was boring or pointless. Another, on the other hand, always had a story or a parable to tell when explaining things, which made whatever he was talking about come alive. There were sometimes lengthy debates about translations of new terminology. A good example was the word “gender”. In one memorable article, for Spore 77, it was trans- lated into French as “la sexospécificité”! The magazine has evolved over the years from a top-down bulletin to the more acces- sible and attractive publication that it is today. It has been successful in efforts to innovate and increase its regional flavour and. has also adopted a more “how to” approach to articles. The layout has changed since I first joined. We used to have sections such as Speaker’s Corner tucked away on page 7 — we now have a Viewpoint on the last page. In at the deep end For any of you who wondered about the name Spore A spore is a reproductive corpuscle in fungi and the name given to a grain of pollen of certain plants, such as mosses and ferns. It is this image of the tiny seed, flying and multiplying wherever the wind takes it, that inspired the title of the mag- azine. A name which aptly reflects its call- ing to ‘disseminate information to inspire ideas’, a notion held dear by CTA ever since Spore was conceived and launched. Born in Sierra Leone, Jenessi Matturi joined the Spore editorial team in October 1991. She works as a Project Assistant in CTA’s Information Products and Services Department. Spore’s editorial team : CTA, English, French and Portuguese Spore Just this once, there is no Mailbox in this issue. But don’t let that stop your letters, and do let us know what you thought of this anniversary edition. Mailbox will be back in the next issue. The h idden face of Spo re Ph ot o: © S yfi a Int er na tio na l Ph ot o: © R . O bu bo /C TA Illu str at io n: In ta cti le D ES IG N Few people can ignore the pace ofchange in the development of informa-tion and communication technologies (ICTs). But harnessing these new technolo- gies so that people in the South can use them to manage their precious natural resources remains a considerable challenge. How can ICTs be used in natural resource manage- ment (NRM) by all stakeholders — from governments and planning authorities to local communities — without disenfranchis- ing the people whose livelihoods depend on their sustainable conservation? That was the main question on the table when CTA held its annual Observatory on ICTs from 26-28 October 2005 in Wageningen. The event, which was jointly organised by CTA, Alterra (Wageningen University) and the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC), drew experts from the three institutions, as well as some 20 over- seas participants from a range of back- grounds, including government ministries, universities, research institutions, farmers’ associations and NGOs. Four areas were identified for special attention, all of them related to issues of land tenure and access: ICT use in the context of customary land tenure and cadastre development, pastoralist and rangeland issues, community-managed forest issues, and applications of participa- tory geographic information systems (PGIS). A shift in direction ICTs should be combined with traditional techniques in a people-centred approach. Participants agreed broadly on a range of issues concerning better NRM in ACP countries. They stressed the importance of formally registering customary land tenure systems, called for a change in the way mod- ern surveyors operate with respect to land tenure issues and urged governments and local planning authorities to work more closely with communities. ICTs can help communities take greater control over their natural assets, make it eas- ier to plan activities for community forest- lands and add value to forest resources, the experts agreed. The imaging component of these tools can help communities, particu- larly indigenous peoples, to visualise NRM, and facilitate its monitoring and evaluation. The rules of the game While the gathering stressed the potential of ICTs in improving NRM, it also recognised the importance of documenting instances when these technologies have failed, so that mistakes can be avoided in the future. Indeed, the use of ICTs in NRM continues to pose significant challenges, and it is important to design the right tools and set the correct pace for different circumstances. Technical services should be included in any ICT package, and it is crucial to draw up clear guidelines on ownership and security of data. Local rules must be established to ensure that natural resources are fairly dis- tributed, and to see that power is not con- centrated into too few hands. An e-consultation carried out after the meeting identified a range of areas and potential NRM projects in which ICTs could be used. Spore magazine Spore is the bi-monthly flagship publication of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) – ACP-EU. CTA operates under the Cotonou Agreement between the countries of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group and the European Union. © CTA 2006 – ISSN 1011 0054 Publisher: Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) – ACP-EC Cotonou Agreement. CTA, PO Box 380, 6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands Tel: +31 317 467 100 Fax: +31 317 460 067; email: cta@cta.int Website: http://www.cta.int Editorial staff: Executive editor: Marie-Agnès Leplaideur Syfia International 20, rue du Carré-du-Roi 34000 Montpellier, France Fax: +33 4 67 52 70 31 Email: redaction.spore@syfia.info Editor of English version: Clare Pedrick Via dello Spagna 18 06049 Spoleto (PG), Italy Email: english_spore@hotmail.com Editor of French version: Denise Williams Syfia International (see above for address) Email: redaction.spore@syfia.info Contributors to this edition of Spore included: C Carroy, J Bodichon, F Le Meur, D Manley, D Kebongo, D Namujimbo, J V Ngoubangoyi, A Obul’ Okwess, S Ouattara, C Roko, E Tassé and with the editorial support of CTA. Layout: Intactile DESIGN, France Design: B Favre Design special issue: Intactile DESIGN Printer: Imprimerie Publicep, France SPORE 121 • PAGE 15 • Between us Natural resources New tools Reader services Write to Spore Spore Mailbox, CTA PO Box 380 6700 AJ Wageningen The Netherlands Fax: +31 317 460067 Email: spore@cta.int Subscribe to Spore ■ Subscriptions for the printed version are: • free to organisations and individuals in ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) and EU countries: CTA Spore subscriptions PO Box 173 6700 AJ Wageningen The Netherlands or spore@cta.int • for other individuals and organisations: €36 annually (6 issues) from commercial distributor (see below) ■ Subscribe to Spore Ennouncement Subscribe to the free Spore email summary (90 Kb) at: http://spore.cta.int or send a blank email to join-spore-en@lists.cta.int For text-only: join-spore-text-en@lists.cta.int ■ See Spore on a screen • Web distribution: spore.cta.int • Satellite distribution: capture Spore ‘n More broadcasts on the Afristar channels of the First Voice International’s multimedia programmes. Further information available from: spore@cta.int Reproduce Spore • Articles in Spore can be freely reproduced for non-commercial use, if credited as coming from Spore. Please send a copy to the editors. • Reproduction for commercial use requires prior permission. Publications How to obtain them CTA publications mentioned in Spore are marked by the green leaf symbol, and these are available free-of-charge to subscribers to CTA’s Publications Distribution Service (PDS). Other readers can buy these titles from CTA’s commercial distributor. Only agricultural and rural development organisations and individuals resident in ACP countries can apply for PDS subscriptions. Each PDS subscriber is assigned a certain number of credit points annually for purchasing publications on CTA’s list. The list of CTA publications can be consulted on CTA’s electronic catalogue: www.cta.int ■ All other publications, indicated by an orange square, are available from the publishers listed, or through commercial booksellers. Commercial distributor SMI (Distribution Services) Limited PO Box 119 Stevenage Hertfordshire SG1 4TP UK Fax: +44 1438 748844 Email: CTA@earthprint.co.uk Website: www.earthprint.com Ihave always taken a special interest inSpore. When I left CTA, that’s what I mostregretted — leaving Spore — because I know that it is one of the most popular technical magazines in Africa. Its great advantage is that it contains practical infor- mation and it arrives every 2 months right into the villages where people live. Now that I am often out in the field, I have a good idea of what attracts the aver- age reader. First, they rush straight to the In Brief items, which they devour before look- ing at the rest of the magazine. These briefs, as well as the technical articles, when they have a practical slant, offer information which readers can use on their own. That is especially important for the young, who are often tempted to try a new life in the city. Reading about other people’s experiences gives them hope. They draw on them to improve their own lives. Anything which helps limit the rural exo- dus is important. That emerged clearly from the Observatory on ICTs and youth at CTA last year. Above all else, young people are interested in anything that can liven up vil- lage life, and make it more attractive than it was in their parents’ day. They need activities which offer some interesting added value. That is where Spore can play a role, by giving concrete examples which can open up new horizons. Examples related to agricultural production and to small processing units, service enterprises, small-scale irrigation, solar energy, small plantations, market gar- dening, etc. And let’s not forget the role of ICTs. Farmers’ groups which open up multi- media centres to have access to information on the market price of products — all these initiatives help ferment ideas for other pro- jects. Spore has a role to play for these farm- ers of tomorrow, hungry for ideas that are original, and profitable. That is why I believe it is crucial that more and more people receive this magazine and that CTA contin- ues to widen its readership. These days, I spend more time in the vil- lages, and I can see even better than before — Spore is extremely useful to our rural pop- ulations, and it is also unique. It is up to CTA to make sure that it listens closely to its readers, so that it can serve them even better in the future! Nothing gives me greater pleasure thanto share my thoughts on this the 20thanniversary of Spore. My memories of those early days — the excitement of creat- ing a new magazine and with it, new friend- ships — are still very vivid. More than anything else, a magazine acts as a link between people — those who conceive, research and write and those who read, apply and react. Spore brings together men and women from widely different backgrounds. It is this human aspect which makes compil- ing a magazine such an absorbing task. Allow me to mention a few of the pio- neers: the inspiring Gunter Gruner, CTA’s guardian angel at the European Com- mission; the editorial team at Periscoop; Dominique Hounkonnou, who, laid the foundations for Spore’s production with me; Daniel Assoumou M'Ba, who gave the fledgling publication its short, bilingual name, which so cleverly conveys the idea of spreading information to the four winds; Michael Pickstock, who opened up the English-speaking world to us; the Lusophone team led by Álvaro Soares de Melo who, in 1993, launched the Portuguese version. One of Spore’s merits is to have built bridges between linguistic com- munities that are often worlds apart, and to have reunited the big ACP family. Now, 20 years later, I am happy to see how Spore has stayed its course. As a faithful reader, I have seen how improvements have been made, with small touches here and there. Before I left, Spore expanded from 12 to 16 pages and introduced colour photo- graphs, and the editorial teams who followed have had the wisdom to focus their efforts on the magazine’s presentation, as well as its content. Design and illustration play an important role in drawing the reader in. The excellent quality of the paper means that copies can be passed from one reader to another. As for the text, the introduction of the Mailbox has offered an interactive tool which has breathed new life into the maga- zine and which ably complements the Viewpoint column. The team has avoided the pitfall of allowing Spore to become an in- house magazine. Of course, it is the brain- child of CTA, and has quickly carved its place as the Centre’s flagship publication. But by tapping a wide variety of information sources, Spore has broadened the scope of its coverage, as well as its readership. Several university professors have told me that they use it to find examples to illustrate their courses; extensionists read it to find new and appropriate techniques and farmers value it for its very useful practical advice. The remarkable thing about this magazine is its consistency through the years. As CTA developed, Spore has maintained its look and feel. Readers are loyal and are creatures of habit. My hope is that though it carries on changing in keeping with the times, Spore will continue for a long time yet to follow the formula which has made it so successful. The French have a charming slang for a newspaper. They call it a duck. So let us wish long life to our little duck! Having come of age, it deserves not just one, but two awards, so it may continue to swim upstream to accomplish its destiny. SPORE 121 • PAGE 16 Viewpoint • An agronomist, Robert Delleré was head of CTA’s Technical Division for 10 years, and became Spore’s first editor-in-chief. Now working as a freelance consultant, he traces the magazine’s journey since the pioneering days of those first issues. Dominique Hounkonnou, who comes from Benin, is an agronomist with a doctorate in social sciences. A former head of the Operations Division at CTA, he took over from Mr. Delleré as director of Spore’s editorial committee. Now working as a freelance consultant in Benin, he is well placed to talk about the expectations of readers, especially the young ones. Dominique Hounkonnou A grain of hope for the youth Robert Delleré Long live Spore Ph ot o © L. D ev lin