Small Farmers, Big Change

David Wilson, Kirsty Wilson, Claire Harvey

Support for smallholder agriculture is seen as increasingly important, both to boost the food security and incomes of the rural poor and to provide food for urban populations. But to achieve scale in agricultural interventions, NGOs must move beyond a project-by-project approach and instead enable f...

Supporting Rural Water Supply

Harold Lockwood, Stef Smits

Collectively, billions of dollars have been invested in the provision of rural water supply systems in developing countries over the past three decades. Although progress is being made and rates of coverage are increasing, users often find that, once installed, water supply systems are poorly mainta...

Designing and Building Mini and Micro Hydro Power Schemes

Luis Rodriguez, Teodoro Sanchez

Small hydro power installations have the potential to provide a renewable supply of energy to people in remote, hilly communities, far from the national gird. This book is based on the authors' considerable experience of installing hydroelectric schemes that produce up to 500kW for powering small co...

Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks

Using Practical Action's technical information, Andrew from Nairobi is developing many new enterprises using locally available resources. His most recent is the development of interlocking stabilized soil blocks.

Bio-sand Water Filters

This brief focuses on bio-sand water filters, which use sand and gravel to partly clean water with a simple approach.

Civil Society in Action

John Beauclerk, Brian Pratt, Ruth Judge

This book uses case studies from around the world which show a clear framework for understanding the nature and role of civil society, prove that civil society is alive and kicking, and makes recommendations for more effective civil society strengthening. Vibrant examples of action by indigenous...

Strengthening Rural Livelihoods

David Grimshaw, Shalini Kala

Enthusiasm amongst international development agencies about harnessing the potential of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for development has generated questionning of the impact and sustainability of such interventions. By presenting the findings of research specifically designed t...

RE Practices in Pakistan - Solar Thermal Technologies

Renewable energy practices and providers in Pakistan

Community Based Organization Formation and Operation

An orientation module on Community Based Organization Formation and Operation

Uncertain Futures

Jonathan Ensor

Community-based adaptation is a new concept whose meaning is still to be fully understood. Most agree that communities should be supported to respond to the challenges they face, and some see this as the goal of community-based adaptation. By contrast, Uncertain Futures proposes that community-based...