A conversation with Bimla Kujur: The Samvidhan Saathi
By Vinitika Lal (PRADAN), Arpan Mondal (MetaMeta Research), Meghna Mukherjee (MetaMeta Research), and Iqra Khan (PRADAN) Meet Bimla Kujur. Bimla … Continued
The WaterBlog
No stings attached: bee biodiversity in the Amazon
by Pablo Fajardo and Frank van Steenbergen The biodiversity epicenter that is the Amazon is reflected in the almost endless number of species of bees. They play a major role in the cross pollination of the Amazon’s diversity of trees species, with several bee species uniquely specializing in specific trees. Most of the bees in the Amazon belong to families of stingless bees, such as Melipona, Trigona sp, Tetragonisca angustula. The latter are lovingly called angel bees – for all the goodness they bring. The honey of the angel bees is high in nourishment but also very high in anti-inflammatory properties, comparable to the famous Manuka honey from New Zealand that has many medical applications. The medicinal properties of all the different species of Amazon bees need to be further documented, but traditional knowledge has it that certain honeys are very effective for certain ailments, such as eye diseases and respiratory defects. The working is said to come from resin of… Continued
Previous posts
It’s just the tip of the iceberg!
By Meghna Mukherjee (MetaMeta), Ishan Agarwal (FES), Saheb Bhattacharya (PRADAN) … Continued
Stone arch bridges in Tanzania – Innovation rooted in history
By Enabel – Belgian Development Agency Rural communities’ access to schools, hospitals, markets and jobs depends on dangerous river crossings. … Continued
Flood-proofing the road network (2): roads for controlled drainage in Pakistan
Frank van Steenbergen, Popi Michelogiannaki and Mohammed Umar Karim Drainage: roads disrupt Floods are not only about excessive rainfall: they … Continued
Flood-proofing the road network (1): roads as flood shelters in Pakistan
Frank van Steenbergen, Popi Michelogiannaki and Mohammed Umar Karim … Continued
Down to Earth: Understanding the regenerative agricultural practices
By Meghna Mukherjee A green transition is underway in the Indian agricultural system…Policymakers and practitioners have been promoting different approaches … Continued
Reducing drought vulnerability of rainfed crop by using mechanized Zaï
By Jan Nederstigt In arid zones of Africa, smallholder farmers increasingly face problems with cultivation of rainfed staple crops. Irregular … Continued
Laths – key to rebuilding livelihoods after the floods in spate irrigation
By Mohammed Salah, Allah Bakhsh, Amjad Rasheed and Frank van Steenbergen What used to be a field is gone now. … Continued
The poor economy market
Postcard from Valencia in Spain, the beautiful historical city yet surrounded with huge non-descript outskirts. This post card is sent … Continued
Identity of Women Farmers in India
By Anushree Mitra In Jharkhand there is a common belief related to ploughing and tilling of the land that if … Continued
Ponds as an asset for agriculture: how to keep them full
Marijn van der Meer (MetaMeta), Femke van Woesik (MetaMeta), Nitesh Dhiman (PRADAN), Shubham Jain (MetaMeta), Lalit Kumar Nirmalkar (PRADAN), Laxmi … Continued
(Podcast) Understanding Pakistan Floods
More than a third of Pakistan is under water since mid-June. The floods have left 1500 dead; more than 13,000 … Continued
Floods are about rain, floods are also about drainage
by Mohammed Chandio Floods triggered by unusually heavy rain – more than 5 times average – have inundated Sindh Province … Continued
Hill Torrent Floods Impacting the Southern Punjab Pakistan
Blog by Khurram Mubeen1, edited by Reinier Veldman2 1Assistant Professor (Agronomy), Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan-Pakistan 2Coordinator FBLN … Continued
Urgent!! Salvaging the rabi crop in the spate irrigated areas of Pakistan.
By Frank van Steenbergen The incessant and extraordinary rains in Pakistan’s western mountain catchment have created havoc in one-third of … Continued
What to do when “the sun burns the earth”?
Drought and dry season grazing management strategies of Maasai herders By Esmee Mulder, MetaMeta The key to rangeland sustainability? Collaborate … Continued
Pakistan: Flooded Once Again
Ashfaque Soomro and Frank van Steenbergen Pakistan, a land of multiple geographies and cultural mosaic after a decade (12 years) … Continued
Establishing Ecological Based Rodent Management in Ethiopia – Part 3: Collective implementation and ways forward
By Tadesse Tilahun, Getachew Engdayehu, Bantamlak Wondmnow, and Luwieke Bosma This is the third in a series of blog posts describing the development and implementation … Continued
Establishing Ecological Based Rodent Management in Ethiopia – Part 2: Developing and testing a biological rodenticide
By Tadesse Tilahun, Getachew Engdayehu, Bantamlak Wondmnow, and Luwieke Bosma This is the second in a series of blog posts describing the development and implementation … Continued
Establishing Ecological Based Rodent Management in Ethiopia – Part 1: The potential of Farmer’s Indigenous Knowledge
By Tadesse Tilahun, Getachew Engdayehu, Bantamlak Wondmnow, and Luwieke Bosma This is the first in a series of blog posts describing the development and implementation … Continued