Organic Africa

Proper field establishment Fonio is grown in traditional rain-fed farming systems in areas with annual rainfall of 700 to 1000 mm. In areas with very low rainfall the crop is grown in valleys that be

212. Selection of suitable cultivars

Selection of suitable cultivars For good results farmers should select the most suitable cultivars, as this determines, to some extent, the yield that can be obtained from the crop. Cultivars should

213. Cyclical planning and monitoring of farm activities

Cyclical planning and monitoring of farm activities The farmer as the manager of the farm enterprise holds the vision of the farm (i.e. what the farm should become in future). The first key role of t

214. Investing in the long-term productivity of the farm

Investing in the long-term productivity of the farm The productivity of a farm depends on several factors (e.g. farm output, production risks, costs of production, access to markets). This implies t

215. Perceiving the farm as an enterprise

Perceiving the farm as an enterprise Most small-holder farmers in Africa do not treat their farms as businesses. In other words, they grow crops or animals the way their parents did or the community

216. Introduction

Introduction Management of an organic farm enterprise basically has the same underlying objective as any other business; it aims at improving the benefits to the farmer or group of farmers. This is g

217. Marketing and certification of organic maize

Marketing and certification of organic maize The great majority of maize produced in Africa is consumed locally, as maize is an important staple food in most areas. Average per capita maize consumpt

218. Choosing the right variety to plant

Choosing the right variety to plant Millet varieties differ in many respects. The time to ﬂowering, plant height and leaf numbers vary among varieties. Millet occurs with different shape, structure a

219. Diversiﬁcation strategies in millet production

Diversiﬁcation strategies in millet production There are many ways to diversify a millet cropping system. It can be achieved through growing different millet species or varieties, or growing millet t

220. General climatic and soil requirements for pearl millet

General climatic and soil requirements for pearl millet Pearl millet is a warm season crop and is sensitive to frost. Temperatures of around 28 to 30°C are regarded as suitable for crop growth. Pearl