Indigenous Knowledge on Traditional Upland Rice Farming in Sierra Leone

“Learning can be acquired by reading books, but the much more necessary learning, the knowledge of the world, is only to be acquired by reading men, and studying all the various facets of them.” (Phillip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield).

Indigenous Knowledge in Traditional Upland Rice Farming is a result of living and studying the rice farmers in the southern region of Sierra Leone, West Africa, over years of extension and rural development work. It is a result of years of effort trying to unearth how farmers generate and share information from their knowledge which remained unknown to professionals who attempt intervention projects aimed at addressing the constraints the farmers faced.

These ventures often fail to get the desired results with a waste of time and resources due to the lack of knowledge and understanding on the underpinning knowledge in a system they want to correct. It gives an insight into this farming system in a way that can be applicable to other farming systems in the country and elsewhere around the world. Fortunately, the information collected into this book was done before the rebel war in Sierra Leone, which claimed the lives of the majority of the seasoned and knowledgeable farmers. There is currently a drive by the government of Sierra Leone to encourage entrepreneurship in agribusiness around the country to improve agriculture and food production, in order to alleviate the problem of food shortages in the country.

This book offers an opportunity for those with the capital to grasp the fundamental principles underlying the practices in the farming system, the major source of food production in the country, as an insurance for their capital investments. This book can be translated into the local languages for the adult education of young farmers in the country who have not had the opportunity to have learned from their parents and older farmers through the method of oral traditional learning, as a result of the decade of rebel war which may have claimed their lives.

Common Sense Science of Climate Change

Are you overwhelmed by the conflicting information and passionate debates surrounding climate change? Does the urgency in climate discourse leave you feeling anxious and concerned? Do you wish you had a clearer understanding of the science that underpins this global issue?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then this book is your essential guide.

This isn’t a manifesto pushing a political agenda. Instead, it aims to arm you with straightforward scientific insights to clarify the complexities of climate change. This knowledge will empower you to form educated opinions, devoid of emotional bias or unsupported belief.

Inside, you’ll unravel a wealth of information, including:

• The critical role of the Greenhouse Effect in sustaining life on Earth
• The criteria that make a gas a ‘greenhouse gas’
• The contributing factors to sea level fluctuations
• Innovative ways to reduce methane emissions from livestock
• The limitations of climate models in providing precise forecasts, and why they can only offer estimates
• The meaning and implications of ‘net zero,’ along with promising advancements in electric vehicles, green hydrogen, and nuclear energy that could help us achieve this goal
• A balanced roadmap for the future, integrating cutting-edge technology and renewable resources to secure economic prosperity without sacrificing our planet
• Equip yourself with the knowledge you need to navigate the intricate world of climate change, and be part of informed discussions and decisions that shape our planet’s future.

Climate Countdown

This is a true history of resistance. It is a story of climate protest at home and abroad. Climate Camps were the precursor for groups like Extinction Rebellion and Occupy in the UK, at annual week-long camps focussed on fossil fuel hotspots.It is a study in organisation method and state surveillance – and infiltration.

It is the history of the Climate Camp for Action from 2006 to 2010. The camp’s aims were to educate, live sustainably; and take direct action against the root causes of climate change.

Bugnificent!

Mini-Beasts are amazing; we need them to survive,

without their important roles, the world would not thrive.

They pollinate, provide food, they also decompose,

controlling pests, engineering soil, with oh so many pros.

They can be found under logs, rocks and bark,

some are diurnal and some come out after dark.

We must protect these creatures, not just the pretty ones,

all mini-beasts are needed, so treat them like your chums.

Please look after our bugs; I know I sound direct,

but all creatures have a job to do, so treat them with respect!

Balance on Nature's Commons

Balance on Nature’s Commons is a ‘must read’ for anyone aspiring to be an environmental activist, anyone concerned about anthropogenic altercation of environmental balance, and anyone involved in decision-making relevant to those issues.

The narrative is written in an easy-to-follow non-academic style that calls the cards as the author sees them. It is intended to be thought-provoking and is well studded with ‘curved balls’.

The author clearly explains the concept of ‘Natural Commons’ and their importance for maintaining the integrity of the ‘Web of Life’, which coincidently includes humanity.

Unlike much that is written about environmental priorities, the text also includes a substantive section suggesting how the priorities might be addressed. Have we the will?

The multi-disciplinary approach may bemuse the specialist, but it provides material that everyone can empathise with.

A Tale of Thirty Three Trees

A Tale of Thirty Three Trees

If you go down to the woods today

You’re sure of a big surprise

If you go down to the woods today

You’d better go in disguise

For every tree that ever you knew

Will be gathered there for certain

Because today’s the day all these trees

Will tell their tales so Sylvan

Tales of good and bad times

Prompted by sunny and shivery times

Tales of flood and drought

From which trees can hardly clear out

Tales of viruses, bacteria and mistletoe

That so often act as friend or foe

Tales of darkest dangers and sad times

Tales of brightest joy and happy times

If you go into this book today

You’re sure of a big surprise

If you read through its leaves today

You’ll be sure to become so wise

A Book of Rather Strange Animals

From the creator of the hugely popular @StrangeAnimals on Twitter comes A Book of Rather Strange Animals – a collection of one hundred remarkable animal specimens from around the world. With fascinating descriptions of nasty feeding habits, bizarre mating rituals and shocking defence mechanisms, you will marvel at both the splendour and gruesomeness of nature.

Meet the lizard that shoots blood from its eyes, the isopod that replaces the tongues of fish, the bug that stacks the corpses of ants on its back and the amphibian that looks like a penis.

Come and discover the world’s most peculiar species!