1. Rural Development

USAID's Agricultural Strategy: Linking Producers to the Market — by webadmin — last modified 2006-09-21 16:20

Presentation by David Soroko of USAID Agriculture Office in Washington DC, at the AENRM Overview Training Course on August 31, 2005. Webcast time: 29 min. Best viewed by broadband. Note: prepared in Macromedia Captivate and exported to Macromedia Flash. The Macromedia Flash Plugin is required to view this presentation, and is available at http://www.macromedia.com/software/flashplayer/

USAID Agriculture Strategy — by USAID — last modified 2007-06-21 20:11

July 2004 publication "USAID Agriculture Strategy: Linking Producers to Markets" highlights the importance of Agriculture as part of the US development agenda and national security. "The world’s agriculture produces $1.3 trillion a year in food and fiber. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing account for one of every two jobs worldwide and seven of 10 jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia, and the Pacific. Maintaining the natural resource base that sustains these jobs is critical in the coming decades."

Common Ground - Common Future — by McNeely, Jeffrey — last modified 2007-06-21 20:16

IUCN and Future Harvest publication entitled "Common Ground, Common Future: How Ecoagriculture Can Help Feed the World and Save Wild Biodiversity" by Jeffrey McNeely and Sara Scherr. This report was commissioned by Future Harvest, an initiative of 16 food and environmental research centres around the world that work to promote food security, protect the environment, and eliminate poverty. Future Harvest commissions scientific studies on agriculture and its relationship to the environment, economic growth, peace, public health, and world population.

Ag-NRM Research Priority - Desktop Study — by USAID — last modified 2007-06-21 20:17

A 2005 "desktop" review study that gives a partial overview of current thinking by key donors, universities, and research organizations on development and research priorities in agricultural and natural resources management. It is intended to assist USAID in identifying the priority topics that would warrant Agency support in order to achieve the greatest impact on smallholder-oriented agricultural growth and rural development. There is an emerging consensus within the donor community that research on agricultural and natural resources management problems should play a key role in helping to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Sustainable Ag as a Tool for Conservation — by Margoluis, R. — last modified 2007-06-21 20:18

Publication produced under the USAID-sponsored BSP program entitled "Maximum Yield? Sustainable Agriculture as a Tool for Conservation" by Richard Margoluis, Vance Russell, Mauricia González, Oscar Rojas, Jaime Magdaleno, Gustavo Madrid, David Kaimowitz. Html file converted to pdf file.

Agricultural Technologies and Tropical Deforestation — by Angelsen, A. — last modified 2007-06-21 20:29

Book published by CABI and CIFOR, edited by A. Angelsen and D. Kaimowitz, 2001. Original source: CIFOR website. 436 pp.

Creating Markets for Habitat Conservation When Habitats are Heterogeneous — by Chomitz, K.M. — last modified 2007-06-21 20:30

A World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3429, October 2004, by Kenneth M. Chomitz, Timothy S. Thomas, and Antônio Salazar Brandão. ABSTRACT: A tradable development rights (TDR) program focusing on biodiversity conservation faces a crucial problem: defining which areas of habitat should be considered equivalent. Restricting the trading domain to a narrow area could boost the range of biodiversity conserved but could increase the opportunity cost of conservation. The issue is relevant to Brazil, where TDR-like programs are emerging. Current regulations require each rural property to maintain a forest reserve of at least 20 percent, but nascent policies allow some tradability of this obligation. This paper uses a simple, spatially explicit model to simulate a hypothetical state-level program. We find that wider trading domains drastically reduce landholder costs of complying with this regulation and result in environmentally preferable landscapes.

Avances y Perspectivas para la Investigacion Forestal en Bolivia — by Pena, M. — last modified 2007-06-24 14:46

PROGRAMA Y RESÚMENES Primera Reunión Nacional sobre Investigación Forestal Avances y Perspectivas para la Investigación Forestal en Bolivia 25 – 27 de Junio, 2002 Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia

IFAD targeting policy: Reaching the rural poor — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 20:40

Published by IFAD in 2006. The purpose of the policy is to: (a) provide a clear definition of IFAD’s target group and establish a shared conceptual understanding of targeting; (b) outline the general principles that will guide IFAD in identifying and reaching the target group, and the methods and means that it will use to this end; and (c) provide an overview of how targeting will be addressed in the context of IFAD’s operational instruments.

First Mile Project — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 20:44

The First Mile Project is about how small farmers, traders, processors and others from poor rural areas learn to build market chains linking producers to consumers. Good communication is vital. The project encourages people in isolated rural communities to use mobile phones, e-mail and the Internet to share their local experiences and good practices, learning from one another. While communication technology is important, real success depends on building trust and collaboration along the market chain. Ultimately farmers and others involved develop relevant local knowledge and experience and share it – even with people in distant communities – to come up with new ideas. Published by IFAD 2006

IFAD and the OPEC Fund: A partnership to eradicate rural poverty — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:01

It is 30 years since OPEC member countries set off the chain of events that led to the establishment of IFAD and the OPEC Fund for International Development. Created in response to the world food crisis that was devastating many developing countries in the mid-1970s, IFAD represented a recognition by the international community that a global alliance with shared goals was needed to eradicate poverty and hunger. The establishment of the OPEC Fund was a significant gesture of the solidarity of OPEC member states with the developing world. Published by IFAD

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: Rural investment and enabling policy — by Jean-Philippe Audinet — last modified 2007-06-21 20:56

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the most broadly supported, comprehensive and specific poverty-reduction targets the world has ever established, and the year 2005 is critical in that there are only ten years left to achieve these goals. Results so far have been mixed: significant achievements in some parts of the world, particularly in eastern Asia, but very limited achievements in others, where vulnerability to natural and man-made disasters and the silent tsunami of hunger and disease continue to claim millions of lives every year. But poverty and hunger can be cut by half over the coming decade in every country committed to the MDGs. Practical solutions exist. The cost is affordable. What is needed is political will and focused, concerted action.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Poverty Impacts of Agricultural Water Investments — by Mona Sur — last modified 2007-06-21 21:05

Agricultural water projects contribute in several ways to achieving the Millennium Development Goals of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and ensuring environmental sustainability. Increased yields and cropping area and shifts to higher-value crops help boost the incomes of farm households, generate employment, and lower consumer food prices. They also stabilize incomes and employment. Community participation and the creation of water user groups have become integral parts of these projects, which have empowered users and made them self-reliant. Mainstreaming monitoring and evaluating (M&E) will help generate the data to establish the cost-effectiveness of projects in reducing poverty and propose ways to improve it. Published by the World Bank June 2006

Credit Alternatives in Rural Finance — by AJAI NAIR — last modified 2007-06-21 21:10

Enterprises use credit to acquire productivity-enhancing assets. Rural enterprises in developing economies, however, often lack access to the credit they need. Key reasons for this lack of access include the low level and scattered nature of economic activity in rural areas, the enterprises’ lack of collateral, inadequate capacity among the country’s lenders to lend in rural areas, and legal and policy environments that discourage lending to rural enterprises. Traditionally, leasing has served as an alternative to credit for urban enterprises, but generally it has not been a feasible option for rural enterprises. This note argues that rural leasing can be viable and highlights the key factors to facilitate successful rural leasing. Published by the World Bank in May 2006

Alternative Approaches for Promoting Fertilizer Use in Africa — by Eric W. Crawford — last modified 2007-06-21 21:14

Preface Concerned by the low use of fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa compared to other developing regions, in 2004 the World Bank and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) jointly undertook an Africa Fertilizer Strategy Assessment, the objectives of which included: 􀂃 Identifying factors that have undermined demand for fertilizer in Sub- Saharan Africa; 􀂃 Identifying factors that have restricted the supply of fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa; 􀂃 Assessing lessons learned from past attempts to promote increased use of fertilizer in Sub-Saharan Africa; and 􀂃 Identifying entry points for supporting successful uptake of fertilizer by African farmers, particularly smallholders. Published by the World Bank in 2006

Rural Investment Climate: It Differs and It Matters — by World Bank — last modified 2007-06-21 21:16

The Rural Investment Climate: It Differs and It Matters discusses findings emerging from these pilot projects and provides guidance for further work on methodology, empirical analysis, and use of findings in policymaking. Published by World Bank in 2006

World Bank - Agriculture, Rural Development & Forests — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2006-12-09 22:38

This is the World Bank home page on the Forests and Forestry Programme. The site provides links to the Forest Strategy and Operational Policy resources; Partnership Programs; Forest Governance Programs; WB Projects, Publications, and Events. {http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/ESSD/ardext.nsf/14ByDocName/ForestsandForestry}

Enabling the rural poor to overcome their poverty — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:21

IFAD is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in developing countries. Through low-interest loans and grants, it develops and finances projects that enables rural poor people to overcome poverty themselves.

Western and Central Africa: Regional strategy for rural finance — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:24

The purpose of this strategy is to outline the challenges involved in increasing the access of the rural poor to sustainable financial services in the region and how IFAD, in partnership with key stakeholders involved in rural finance in the region, intends to respond to these challenges. A medium-term (2003 – 2006) Rural Finance Action Plan is presented to ensure that strategic orientations are translated into action on the ground.

Trade and Rural Development: Opprortunities for the rural poor — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:26

The global economy is changing in such a way as to increase the influence of non-local markets – but also to challenge the viability and profitability of existing relations with them among the rural poor. The rural poor need assistance to successfully meet these challenges. In order for that to happen poor rural producers, governments and donors will need to appreciate and develop answers to some fundamental questions, including: how to reduce small farmers’ dependence on traditional exports to developed country markets; how to diversify into higher-value products; how to enter the value-added chain – everything from improving processing and quality control to addressing tariff escalation issues; how to forge mutually beneficial relations with the larger-scale private sector; and, how much to focus on developed country markets – as opposed, for example, to focusing on regional, national and local markets in the developing countries themselves.

Achieving the Millennium Development Goals by Enabling the Rural Poor to Overcome their Poverty. — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:29

IFAD has realized that rural poor people can enhance their food security and increase their incomes only if project designs and activities are built upon their production systems and livelihood strategies, and resources allocated accordingly. To be effective, therefore, investments to reduce poverty must be linked to a proper understanding of poverty processes and how they affect different groups of poor people, and women as compared with men.

Promoting Market Access for the Rural Poor in Order to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:31

The crucial role of market linkages for rural poverty reduction has only recently received the attention it deserves in the development arena. More needs to be done, especially on the implementation side. IFAD is committed to the objective of improving the rural poor’s access to markets, and in this context, is seeking ways to: • effectively increase the market share of the rural poor and improve the terms in which they participate in markets; • achieve greater market access and market development for the rural poor; and • effectively improve at national, regional and international levels the rules of trade in favour of the rural poor.

Transforming Rural Institutions in Order to Reach the Millennium Development Goals — by IFAD — last modified 2007-06-21 21:33

Poor rural producers often do not have up-to-date and reliable market RURAL POVERTY AND INSTITUTIONS 4 information. They are thus at serious disadvantage, both in selling their produce and purchasing the goods and services they need, when they deal with traders and other market intermediaries who are few in number and with far greater economic power. There is therefore a serious risk that unless market and other institutions are effectively developed, and made more responsive to the needs of poor rural producers and consumers, the poor will draw little benefit from the reforms and could even be further impoverished. Developing such responsive institutions, those located in rural areas and those that affect the rural poor, is a crucial question for economic policy-making as governments try to accelerate rural development and poverty reduction in economies that are increasingly market-based.