Writing a how-to book for Africa

Training Resources
#1

I’ve been a member on ECHOcommunity for years and forgot all about it. Now I have a reason to log back on, and…this place is awesome!!

Anyway, I work in Central Chad, and I’m writing a book. My goal is to write a compendium of illustrated “how-to” instructionals for as many regenerative ag techniques as possible. From banana circles to agro-forestry strips to biological fertilizers, farmers need the basic instructions with illustrations that will empower them to choose what is appropriate for their context.

There are lots of specialized books out there, but we cannot supply rural farmers with a library; they need one go-to resource that is light on philosophy and rich in information.

I have many years experience in African ag, but most of it from the central sub-saharan context. I also have experience gardening in the wet tropics of Asia, but I need more broad climatic experience. That’s where you come in. If this project sounds interesting to you please feel free to send me a message. I need people who can read what I’ve written and give input from your climate experience.

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#2

I am glad to read from you. I am also an author, member of MIT Alumni for Climate Action (MACA) and one of my books is Unity for Good Living Initiative that is a good idea and book for volunteers worldwide. Can we partner? If yes, what will be the target and how can our partnership produce optimum output

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#3

Hi Akpobome,
Looks like you have a great campaign going to improve the quality of life. This book is about agricultural techniques. The kind of collaboration I’m looking for is for people to read through the draft and suggest additions based on your experience and your particular climate in Africa.
For example: if you know a very effective compost technique that is not in the book, or if there are species of trees in your part of Africa that are good for biomass production, those are the kinds of inputs I need to make this how-to book useful on the whole African continent.

#4

It’s okay, please send me the draft but I hope your book will be launched? Please read my book and Initiative at https://cutt.ly/2ni4H5B , my speech in chapter one and the process in chapter three explain the organized and consistent process that can produce food trees that contributes most to health and can resist climate change in various countries.

In the climate region of southern Nigeria am from, my book explains a consistent and organized process for planting of food trees such as Avogadro peer, banana, plantain, orange, etc.

Our Partnership

While my book campaigns for the consistent and organized process of planning these, your book can teach us the planting skills to achieve optimum productivity. So that my book and yours can move together.
I invite you to share my book and also voluntarily pay a donation for my book.

Thanks

#5

Thanks Apobome,

I see you have written about Jack Beans and Black Soldier Fly larvae. What is your experience in agriculture?

#6

I do local subsistence farming with my family but I also promote legumes farming and consumption, especially among poor households.
Am a biochemist but am interested on how improved farming and nutrition can impact health among households.

#7

Intro Page Spread.pdf (812.1 KB)
Thanks Akpobome, I would be curious to learn about your farming methods and useful tree species in your region of Nigeria. Here is the introduction the book to get started.

#8

I hope your writing goes well. I wrote too and. I
have an idea for a children’s book

#9

Nathanael, this sounds great. I’d be happy to review if you’d like. I think you have my contact info

#10

Well don’t leave us in suspense: what’s your children’s book idea??

#11

Nathanael and Rachel what you are each doing sounds so exciting!
I am pointing out the agricultural bookshelf in Bloom library
Bloom Library: Home
which makes books available for people to translate into their own languages, free of charge (using the same pictures/ template) .
This might be useful to you in two ways

  1. Resources that you might want to use when you are authoring
  2. When you complete your book you could get your book uploaded to the library bookshelf so others could benefit and translate them into their languages
#12

Wow, thanks Michael. That resource looks fantastic!!