COVERED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Growing vegetables under protective structures to shield them from pests and weather is becoming more common. Nylon net tunnels, net houses or plastic houses are increasingly used by smallholder farmers for growing leafy vegetables in peri-urban areas, and plastic houses or rain shelters are also used for tomato production during the hot-wet season.
Net houses/net tunnels
The Center’s research on appropriate mesh sizes and cultural practices to control pests have helped turned net houses and tunnels into effective means of controlling pests and reducing pesticide use.
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Rain shelters Tomato production is difficult during the hot-wet season in tropical and subtropical climates. Rain shelters protect tomato plants against the impact of heavy rainfall and can reduce disease spread. The shelters are generally used in conjunction with raised plant beds to minimize flooding damage and water logging. |
Plastic houses
These are simple low-cost structures that can provide many of the benefits of rain shelters and glasshouses.
Greenhouses
Our partners in the Middle East have developed systems which can reduce crop water use very significantly. The Taiwan Technical Mission has also developed a greenhouse cooling system based on flowing water that is suitable for regions with high temperatures and low humidity that can reduce the temperature inside to 28ºC when it is 50ºC outside.
View Vegetable production under protective structures — a PowerPoint overview of the main covered production options available and their advantages.