Using the farm as unit of analysis, diagnosis processes aimed at improving production systems are reviewed. Within a country, diagnosis should be conducted at different hierarchical levels: local (interaction between the production system and the input distribution sector, the marketing sector, possible forms of processing, and consumption characteristics); regional (appropriate selection of target site); and national (development trends and governmental policies at the macroeconomic and sectorial levels).

Investigates the effects of improved surface drainage on the productivity of Vertisols in a wheat-and-chickpea cropping trial conducted in 1987 at ILCA;s Debre Zeit research site in the Ethiopian highlands. Chickpea plots were subjected to four irrigation treatments, viz, no irrigation, irrigation at planting, 35 days and 70 days after planting. The trial showed that with a starter irrigation to aid the germination of a second crop, sequential cropping of two crops in the same growing season is feasible in the Debre Zeit.

This paper focuses on the improvement of statistics on agriculture producer prices. The agricultural sector is even more vital in Africa where the majority of the population live and depend on this sector and its improvement is specially essential, in order to improve the socio-economic conditions of the majority of the African population.

L’atelier qui est intitulé : ‘’Fabrication des machines et équipements agricoles dans les pays de l’Afrique du Nord’’ permet aux experts de la sous-région d’échanger les expériences vécues dans le domaine de la conception, de la fabrication, de l’adaptation et de la vulgarisation des machines et équipements ainsi que dans le domaine de la maintenance.

Cette étude essaye de réviser la situation quant à la production, la fabrication de la pièce de recharge, la formation et la vulgarisation, la mécanisation et la recherche-développement en matière de machinisme agricole en Afrique du Nord. L’étude porte principalement sur trois pays : l’Egypte, le Maroc et l’Algérie.

The main objective of the symposium was to assess the performance of Farming Systems Research (FSR) in the sub-region in terms of new knowledge generated, technical agricultural research results, research methods and techniques, multi-disciplinary practices, the participation of farmers and extension workers in the research process, and the degree of institutionalization of the approach itself. An additional objective of the symposium was to identify priority areas and themes for collaborative research projects and research funding requests in the sub-region.

In Africa, agriculture is the most important sector in national economies. About 80 per cent of the active population works in agriculture. Further, apart from few exceptions, agriculture makes up more than 50 percent of gross national product. Nevertheless, Africa remains the only region in the world in which agricultural production declined between 1970 and 1980, when the growth rate was less than 2 per cent and moreover the gross national product (GNP) per head is one of the lowest in the world.

Outlines an economic evaluation of an improved surface drainage technology, using the broad-bed-maker (BBM) on-farm in four different vertisol areas of the Ethiopian highlands. Presents data on crops and number of areas covered for the on-farm drainage technology, on cost structure of the BBM, and on human and oxen labour input in traditional seed covering and the construction of the BBM.

Presents papers dealing with the use of crop residues as livestock feed in smallholder crop/livestock farming systems, and the role of plant breeding in maintaining or improving their nutritive value. Discusses factors limiting the nutritive value of crop residues, and the effect of genotype and environment on the nutritive value of crop residues. Outlines perspectives and implications for crop improvement programmes. Includes recommendations.