peer reviewed | La productivité des chevreaux hybrides F1 en élevage extensif à Lubumbashi a été estimée à partir des taux de mortalité et des performances de croissance, en comparaison avec celle des chevreaux Boers «purs» et des chevreaux locaux. Le taux de mortalité pré-sevrage (0-90 jours) observé pour les chevreaux locaux, Boers et hybrides était respectivement de 14,65 % (17/116) (voir partie 2: analyse de la croissance des chevreaux locaux), 16,1 % (10/62) et 8,98 % (15/167) dans l’ensemble pour les deux sexes. Les performances de croissance des Boers étaient de 2,40 ±0,31 kg à la naissance; 6,80±0,84 kg à 1 mois; 14,2±1,59 kg à 3 mois; 17,9±1,15 kg à 6 mois et, 24,7±1,39 kg à 9 mois. La variance de poids moyen était plus élevée à 3 mois, ensuite à 9 mois. Les gains moyens quotidiens étaient respectivement de 143 g/j (0-1 mois); 123 g/j (1-3 mois); 41,1 g/j (3-6 mois) et 75,5 g/j (6-9 mois). Les performances de croissance des chevreaux hybrides étaient de 2,18 ± 0,46 kg à la naissance; 5,10±1,22 kg à 1 mois; 9,17±1,94 kg à 3 mois; 14,2±2,64 kg à 6 mois et, 21,6±2,59 kg à 9 mois. La variance de poids moyen était plus élevée à 3 mois, ensuite à 9 mois. Les gains moyens quotidiens étaient respectivement de 94,1 g/j (0-1 mois); 65,7 g/j (1-3 mois); 56,5 g/j (3-6 mois); 83,9 g/j (6-9 mois). Le gain moyen quotidien était plus élevé en saison sèche avant sevrage; après le sevrage les chevreaux nés en saison de pluies ont eu un gain moyen quotidien plus élevé que ceux nés en saison sèche. Ainsi, l’introduction de sang Boer doit s’accompagner préalablement d’une amélioration des conditions d’élevage.

Promotion of 'improved' conservation practiced in sub-Saharan Africa have rarely taken account of the practical, social and economic constraints faced by resource poor farmers. New technologies need to improve the supply and utilization of limited resources in these environments to satisfy the specific demands of the growing crop. At the same time they must not require costly inputs, unavailable skills or increase the demand on labour. Farmer uptake is therefore dependent upon the innovative use of existing implements, and thereby making the best use of what is generally available. This paper describes some of the lessons learned over the years and results from a five-year collaborative project between the Department of Research and Specialist Services (DRSS), Zimbabwe and Silsoe Research Institute, UK. The project aims to develop tillage systems that conserve water without increasing energy and labour requirements. Results of farmer managed trials sofar indicated that effective, low cost, conservation tillage practices can be achieved using existing implements to enhance water conservation, which will allow: i) earlier and more even crop establishment; ii) reduce effect of mid-season droughts and iii) extend the growing season where there is an early cut off to the rains. In order to identify whichh systems are appropriate and acceptable to dryland conditions, smallholder farmers have been fully involved in the selection and development of those technologies under investigation

The pre-independence transfer systems were a result of well-calculated strategy to civilise and Christianise the native farmer so that he would not compete with his white counterpart. Politics play a predominant role in reinforcing a culture of top-down extension in which the farmer did not play any meaningful role in technology-generation. the resultant system was so entrenched in the concept of technocentricism that African Agriculture became a shadow of European agriiculture and its commoditisation process. What we see today and probably for a long time in the future, is a perpetuation of seventy years of a well-orchestrated agenda in which knowledge is believed to flow from one source to the user in a hierarchical order. The fifteen years of independence have not made much change yet in influencing the systems.

The CCAFS Climate Information Services in West Africa project, in collaboration with meteorological services, radio stations, and mobile phone companies, was instrumental to the development of a component dedicated to the use and dissemination of climate information for VALPAPE program in Burkina Faso. A study tour to was organised to the Climate-Smart Villages of Tibtenga (Burkina) and Cinzana (Mali), made up of a group of 20 people from local communities, agricultural services, farmers' associations, national extension services and agricultural research.

"The original research contained in this volume identifies the options for the provision of modern and improved energy services, based on renewables, to low-income rural areas, with special emphasis on the productive uses of energy. In the five countries represented - Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Zambia and Zimbabwe - the book focuses on three themes: whether a decentralized approach to energy delivery is better than more centralized provision, on the role of income-generating activities in attracting modern energy services in rural areas, and on the barriers as well as opportunities that exist in the promotion of renewable energy technologies in the rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa."--Jacket.