ECHO Development Notes (EDN) EDN Issue #50

Improving Backyard Chicken Production

“Probably more people are directly involved in chicken production throughout the world than in any other single agricultural enterprise.” Maintaining and improving the productivity of backyard chicken flocks is important for the wellbeing of rural families.

Backyard producers value chickens for their adaptability, contributions to the family’s income and nutrition, and for insect control and fertilizers in the garden. In most family flocks, chickens scavenge plant or food residues and insects around the home. With minimal care, they can hatch and raise chicks, produce highvalue meat, and give eggs which meet a strategic nutritional need of children. Live chickens sold for meat bring a good price and are a primary source of household income. 

Capturing Water From Fog

Capturing water from fog for household or agricultural use is a promising technology. 

Leaf Concentrate (LC)

Leaf Concentrate is an extremely nutritious food used to alleviate malnutrition. The process of making LC separates the protein, vitamins, and minerals from the fibrous portion of fresh green leaves. 

LC is very rich in vitamin A, iron, calcium, high-quality protein, and other key dietary elements. Green leaves are very efficient producers of these nutrients, and leaf products can be the lowest cost source of iron and vitamin A, critical nutrients often missing in poor diets. 

Ideas For Controlling Chickpea Pod Borer

 Chickpea leaves and pods exude extremely acidic (pH 2) droplets which repel most pests from attacking the plant. But recently the pod borer, which eats the contents of the pods, has become tolerant to the acid and has devastated crops in Asia. 

The Woodmizer Company Helps Christian Missions and Schools With Portable Sawmills

At Wood-Mizer, our workers truly believe in doing the right thing for the right reasons. Since the company's beginning, Wood-Mizer's shareholders chose to donate a portion of the profits that the company made. Over the years, Wood-Mizer's 10% tithe has benefited Indiana schools, and schools as far away as Africa and the South Pacific.

For twelve years the WoodMizer Sawmill Company has helped missionaries and organized local Christian ministries who need wood for building schools and churches by donating half of the cost of a portable sawmill. They also like to see the local people reap more of the benefits from their own trees. 

Fruits of Warm Climates

Julia Morton

"Fruits of Warm Climates" is an authoritative source for information on sub/tropical fruits from around the world.