Books published by Practical Action Publishing

To mark the UN Year of Energy in 2012, Practical Action is publishing some of its best practical briefings and case study material for the benefit of energy development practitioners around the world. Practical Answers 1 is the first in a new series of handbooks that provide guides on a variety of subjects for international development workers.

This book presents 15 case studies and a variety of approaches to document the capacities and constraints to be encountered among communities facing changing climates in Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Ecuador, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malawi, Mexico, Mozambique, Peru, South Africa, Sudan, United States, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

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 adaptation must also address inevitable future uncertainty by supporting the ongoing ability to change. In this view, attention is focused on adaptive capacity, through which communities are able to make changes to their lives and livelihoods in response to emerging environmental change. Uncertain Futures argues that as greenhouse gas emissions continue to accumulate, a 'business as usual' approach to development practice is increasingly inadequate and the importance of securing adaptive capacity becomes more urgent. Uncertain Futures examines this challenge, and invites readers to rethink development policy and practice in terms of how adaptive capacity can be best supported. This book should be read by the staff of donor agencies, policy makers, NGO practitioners, academics and students of development studies and the environment.

This book reflects the implications of a social performance management agenda for the perspective of twelve partners from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, who participated in a three-year microfinance action-research programme known as Imp-Act

This book highlights the broad range of expertise that exists in rural areas. The book first gives a brief account of women's indigenous technical knowledge, and its extent. It goes on to explore women's role in the innovation process and how technical innovation has conventionally ignored this.

This booklet was the result of a workshop run by the Ahsania Mission. The objective of the workshop was to produce adult literacy booklets that covered practical subjects. This booklet covers how to set up a small business making pickles and drew on the work of Intermediate Technology Bangladesh

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 to measure impact on livelihoods, Strengthening Rural Livelihoods offers new evidence for the development benefits of ICTs. The book asks if ICTs enabled farmers to sell beyond local markets and at better prices, and whether there have been social gains in linking geographically disparate households and social networks. The authors have provided significant new insights into how to overcome the challenges of mainstreaming ICTs into rural livelihoods and more effectively measuring its effects. This book will appeal to academics, civil society organizations, practitioners and students who are interested in what works and what doesnΓÇÖt work when applying ICTs to rural livelihoods.

This book returns to the debates about farmer participation in agricultural R & D, looks to the future, and calls for a major rethink, boosting of knowledge and capacities of farmers' organizations to innovate, strengthening networks and alliances to support and share lessons on farmer-led innovation.

This books shows that women can be instrumental in expanding and democratizing national economies: creating wealth and family well-being. Through a history of UNIFEM, the author shows how the large-scale investments of governments, the World Bank, the United Nations and other organizations can become both more effectively and gender-sensitive.

Candlemaking for Profit covers the various materials and methods used in candlemaking. It includes step-by-step illustrations to explain methods appropriate for small-scale production. It advises on different wax types, wicks, dyes and scents and gives advice on dealing with material suppliers.

Commercial and Inclusive Value Chains includes case studies on fifteen profitable and inclusive value chains from different countries in Western, Eastern and North Eastern Africa, and from India, Cambodia, Peru.

Commercial and Inclusive Value Chains includes case studies on fifteen profitable and inclusive value chains from different countries in Western, Eastern and North Eastern Africa, and from India, Cambodia, Peru.