1 - On-farm Energy
Agriculture is about converting solar energy into energy forms that are useful to feed humans and animals. To achieve energy efficiency in the farming system, it is important to integratethe different components so that they support each other and maximise the flow of energy and nutrients in the farm.
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1 - 1this is the abstract
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4 - 4Editorial
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5 - 7written by David Pimentel , Marcia Pimentel
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8 - 12written by T.R. PrestonIn the past, biodigesters have been considered mainly as a way to produce combustible gas from waste organic matter. If integrated into an ecological farming system, however, a biodigester can provide many other benefits, in particular the recycling of nutrients into high quality fertilizer. This article provides a description of the design and function of a lowcost plastic biodigester.
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13 - 14written by Luis Gomero Osorio
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14 - 14written by Dave O'Neill
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15 - 15In the semi-arid Mwingi District in Eastern Kenya, Joseph Ututu and his three brothers have revolutionized the local water supply by digging wells and constructing a windpump. The ingenious windpump that the brothers constructed from old bicycle parts and roofing materials was designed by Joseph Ututu, who had spent four years at technical college. The wells have solved the brother’s water problems and provided considerable additional income. Since they began, more than 30 wells have been dug by neighbours.
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20 - 21written by Thomas Mansouri , Alain Guinebault
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22 - 23written by Víctor M. Berrueta Soriano , Fernando Limón AguirreDrying is a critical aspect of coffee processing, since the quality and price of the coffee beans depend on how dry they are and also the way in which they have been dried. Even though coffee has been cultivated for decades the technologies usedfor drying are limited. In 2001 El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) initiated a participatory research process to develop a solar coffee dryer with a group of organic coffee producers in Tziscan, Chiapas. Exchange of ideas and dialogue between different disciplines and traditions was a fundamental part of the process of creating an appropriate technology. Apart from improving the quality of the coffee beans, the resulting dryer proved to be useful for many different purposes in the daily lives of farmers.
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24 - 25The article highlights the proces adopted in integrating energy interventions as part of the overall development of the local communities. People centered approach in terms of providing technological solutions, institutional arrangements, awareness creation and building local capacities, have been emphasized for ensuring energy transitions in line with the development needs of the community.
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26 - 27written by Ian Cherrett
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28 - 28written by L. Narayana Reddy
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30 - 31
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32 - 33
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34 - 34
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35 - 35written by Rik Thijssen
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