Organic Africa

251. Management at harvest and post-harvest

Management at harvest and post-harvest Farmers commonly invest a lot of effort in maize production and pay less attention to groundnut production. Groundnut requires a lot of labour especially during

252. Field management

Field management Weed management Groundnut cannot compete effectively with weeds, particularly at the early stages of growth, from 3 to 6 weeks after sowing. Therefore, noxious weeds like couch gra

253. Resources and further readings

Recommended further readings FiBL, Organic cotton crop guide. A manual for practitioners in the tropics. 2005. www.fibl.org Helvetas, Guide de production du coton biologique et équitable. Un manu

254. Resources and further readings

Resources and further readings International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA). Starting a Cassava Farm – IPM Field Guide for Extensions Agents. 2008. Free download available at http://old.i

255. Marketing and organic certification of cassava production

Marketing and Organic certification of cassava production Much of the cassava production is used for household food consumption either nationally or regionally. It is also increasingly becoming a raw

256. Reducing postharvest losses

Reducing postharvest losses Proper postharvest handling of organic cassava aims at maximizing tuber quality by minimizing any damage or cuts on the tubers during harvesting and transportation of the

257. Effective disease management

Effective disease management The main diseases affecting cassava can be divided into two groups: leaf and stem diseases and stem and root diseases. However, the major diseases in sub-Saharan Africa a

258. Effective pest management

Effective pest management The major pests of cassava in sub-Saharan Africa are the cassava mealybug, the cassava green mite, the variegated grasshopper, whiteflies and vertebrate pests (rodents). So

259. Proper weed management

Proper weed management Weeds can reduce cassava yields by competing with the cassava crop for moisture, nutrients, space and light. Slow initial development of stem cuttings/sprouts makes cassava su

260. Improving soil fertility

Improving soil fertility As already mentioned, cassava is known for its ability to produce good yields where other crops fail. This has led many farmers to believe that soil fertility is not importa