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Material matters… 25 free soil health and cropping manuals to download

Material matters is a bi-monthly feature which reviews materials that can be freely downloaded from the ASHC website. This month we are reviewing the manuals that we have been developed by ASHC and its partners.  There is a wealth of information here.

The handbook for ISFM outlines the principles of the approach – giving details of all of the key components including improved seeds/varieties; organic and chemical fertilizer application, growing legumes and the use of green manure products.

The cropping guides look at the principles of ISFM as applied to a particular crop. The nutrient guides are based on the cropping guides but focus down on the issues of getting in place the nutrients required by a particular crop.

These manuals are invaluable to trainers and educators, researchers or anyone wanting to develop new guidance material for small-scale farmers in Africa. if you find them useful let us know, if you have ideas for how the materials could be improved we would like to hear that too. But, most of all, we would like to here how you have used any of these materials in your work or studies.

Manuals are just one of the forms of materials available to download from the ISFM materials library there are also lots of different formats for farmer-friendly development communications. The resource now contains nearly 500 different materials. 

The ASHC manual for ISF 156 page that provides a detailed explanation of ISFM principles as applied in a number of African countries. Commissioned by ASHC and produced by technical advisory group members. It is available in three languages: 

The table below contains links to a wealth of material on key crops grown across sub-Saharan Africa. 

Cropping guides and nutrient management guides developed by ASHC and partners 
Crop or cropping system Cropping guide  Nutrient management guide 
Cassava
Coffee:banana
Groundnut

Groundnut system (B&W) cropping guide – Under development

Note the groundnut guides are available in English only

The team can provide artwork to anyone interested in developing translations into other languages

Groundnut nutrient management guide – Under development
Maize:legumes 

Maize-legume system (b&w) cropping guide – Under development

Sorghum & millet 

Sorghum & millet-legume (b&w) Portuguese and colour and b&w French under development

Sweetpototo

Sweetpotato system cropping guide (B&W)- Under development

Note the sweetpotato guides are available in English only

The team can provide artwork to anyone interested in developing translations into other languages

Sweetpotato nutrient management guide – Under development
Rice 
Technical briefs 
Common bean  
Soybean
 Other manuals 
 Legume publications from N2Africa 

African Indigenous Vegetables training manual developed by CABI

 Pest management manual developed by CABI