New crop of ISFM guides drafted
“ASHC is please
d to announce the completion of the first drafts of four ISFM cropping guides,” explains Lydia Wairegi, ASHC systems agronomist. “These guides are an important contribution to the ISFM literature. The starting point for each was to find the leading thinkers and researchers in ISFM for specific crops and to consolidate every thing that was known into one practical reference guide.”
In 2012 ASHC launched the ASHC Handbook for ISFM to give an overview of the principles of ISFM. But the needs assessment carried out the beginning of the ASHC project, identified that the big gap in the literature was practical, actionable information based on specific crops. Lydia continues: “the literature reviews we did exposed that most ISFM materials are written as reference works or textbooks. These are strong on analysis – but light on practical advice. The question we kept asking as we developed these guides was “so what can we do with this information?” As a result we have a very action orientated guide designed for extension teams, ISFM trainers and ISFM researchers.”
The first four guides cover the following cropping systems:
- Coffee banana (colour A5 version)
- Coffee banana (black & white – easy print A4 version)
- Sorghum & millet with legumes (colour A5 version)
- Sorghum & millet with legumes (black & white – easy print A4 version)
- Rice (colour A5 version)
- Rice (black & white – easy print A4 version)
- Cassava (colour A5 version)
- Cassava (black & white – easy print A4 version)
ASHC is looking for feedback on the first crop of guides.
The maize with legumes cropping system guide will be ready in late 2014.