Smartfolder: A. Agriculture and Rural Development

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Wold Bank Agricultural and Rural Development — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2006-12-18 15:21

In collaboration with colleagues in Environment and Social Development and across the Bank, agriculture and rural development (ARD) works to reduce poverty through sustainable rural development. To this end, ARD provides analytical and advisory services to the Bank's regions on a wide range of agriculture and rural development topics. These services include the preparation and implementation of the World Bank's corporate strategy on rural development, monitoring of the Bank's portfolio of agriculture and rural projects, and promoting knowledge sharing among agriculture and rural development practitioners, inside and outside the Bank, in order to continually improve the Bank's activities in rural areas.

Value chain analysis : mapping maize, sunflower and cotton chains -- final report — by Pelrine, Richard John — last modified 2008-05-30 20:10

Introduction USAID/Uganda’s 2002-2008 strategy calls for expanded sustainable economic opportunities for rural growth, promoting a connection between productive strategies by the private sector in rural areas and expansion of financial services. Rural SPEED (Savings Promotion & Enhancement of Enterprise Development) was designed to help meet this goal. Rural SPEED’s objective is to deepen and strengthen Uganda’s financial sector in response to demand for financial services in the rural economy. Increased availability of financial services would result in the growth necessary to achieve the goals of GoU’s Poverty Eradication Action Plan. Rural SPEED is engaged in four key activity areas: 1) savings mobilisation; 2) service delivery mechanisms; 3) agriculture finance; 4) new product development. This report is concerned with agricultural finance. In spite of agriculture’s being the main occupation of the majority of Ugandans and a principal engine of potential rural growth (services are also important), rural areas, and farming in particular, are not well-served by the financial sector. Currently agricultural credit accounts for less than ten percent of the total formal financial institutions’ loan portfolio. Agriculture finance has largely remained a poorly understood concept within the financial institutions. Furthermore, few actors in the financial sector realize that the full scope of agricultural finance extends beyond production to include, input supply, post harvest processing, transport, packaging, marketing, etc. Further even when considering production alone, there has been remarkable improvement in agricultural sectors, notably cotton, grains and oil seeds, over the past decade. This progress has been catalyzed by adoption of new technologies by the farmers through the past and on-going technical assistance support by development projects, improved market linkages, infrastructural improvements and better access to inputs. However, both regulated and self-regulated financial institutions largely continue to maintain the view that agriculture is risky and are thus reluctant to venture into, or reintroduce, agriculture finance products in their portfolios. This knowledge gap is largely perpetuated by the inadequate exposure to the costs and risks embedded at different points in the value chain of the agricultural commodities. Also, these institutions lack appropriate tools and mechanisms to adequately assess, mitigate and manage agriculture finance risks. With these tools agricultural finance may well become attractive, viable and sustainable. ...

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2006-12-16 19:20

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. Seventy-five per cent of the world's poorest people - 800 million women, children and men - live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related activities for their livelihoods. Working with rural poor people, governments, donors, non-governmental organizations and many other partners, IFAD focuses on country-specific solutions, which can involve increasing rural poor peoples' access to financial services, markets, technology, land and other natural resources.

Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Research Priorities Desktop Review — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2006-12-09 19:48

This draft report gives a partial overview of current thinking by key donors, universities, and research organizations on development and research priorities in agricultural and natural resource management. It is intended to assist the USAID Offices of Agriculture and Natural Resources in identifying which priority topics would warrant their support in order to achieve the greatest impact on smallholder-oriented growth and rural development. The first application of this report will be to help USAID identify Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) priorities as four of the current CRSPs are coming to an end in FY 2006. Stakeholder comments on this draft document are welcome.”

Agriculture, Rural Development, and Pro-poor Growth: Country Experiences in the Post-reform Era — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2007-01-02 16:28

This paper reviews the contribution of agriculture and rural development to pro-poor growth by examining the experience of 12 countries as documented in case studies commissioned for a multi-donor project on Operationalizing Pro-Poor Growth. The countries fell into three distinct regional groupings based on national statistics on the importance of agriculture and relative land and labor productivities: five are in Africa (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia), four in Asia (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam), and three in Latin America (Bolivia, Brazil, and El Salvador). Published by the World Bank in 2005.

Also see... Economic Growth / Agriculture and Rural Development (Livelihoods) — by webadmin — last modified 2006-09-21 15:32

 

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}

Measuring Impacts of HIV-AIDS on Rural Livelihoods and Food Security — by webadmin — last modified 2006-03-13 13:36

The main purpose of this paper is to examine general patterns of the impacts of HIV/AIDS on rural livelihood assets and to propose a set of indicators to measure these impacts. A related objective is to identify indicators for evaluating the effectiveness of mitigation efforts. The paper builds on previous work done by FAO on the linkages between the HIV/AIDS epidemic, agriculture, food security and rural development. The paper was developed by C. Shannon Stokes while a Visiting Scientist at FAO (presently Professor of Rural Sociology, Pennsylvania State University), in close collaboration with staff of the FAO Population and Development Service. We hope the paper will stimulate innovative thinking and inspire new interventions to effectively counteract the impacts of HIV/AIDS on rural livelihoods.

Welcome to NewsforDev | News for Development — by Rose Hessmiller — last modified 2008-05-30 18:10

NewsforDev is a project of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) that employs RSS and e-mail news technology to bring knowledge and information to agricultural development practitioners in ACP countries.

Welcome to NewsforDev | News for Development — by Rose Hessmiller — last modified 2008-05-30 18:12

NewsforDev is a project of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU (CTA) that employs RSS and e-mail news technology to bring knowledge and information to agricultural development practitioners in ACP countries.

Raise Plus — by Jon Dale — last modified 2007-02-01 21:19

"The Rural Agricultural Income and Sustainable Environment Plus (RAISE Plus) Program is a five year indefinite quantity contract (IQC) designed to provide USAID Missions worldwide with expertise to provide country-level design, implementation and evaluation services that will stimulate market-driven and environmentally sustainable agriculture and natural resource-based rural prosperity."

Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) — by Jon Dale — last modified 2007-01-25 13:14

"RAFI-USA is dedicated to community, equity and diversity in agriculture. While focusing on North Carolina and the southeastern United States, we also work nationally and internationally. RAFI-USA is playing a leadership role in responding to major agricultural trends and creating a movement among farm, environmental and consumer groups."

Energy Office: Rural Energy — by Jon Dale — last modified 2006-12-05 15:40

A select list of Technical Reports co/sponsored by USAID’s Office of Energy and Information Technology. To download/order all energy Technical Reports co/sponsored by USAID, please visit Development Experience Clearinghouse

MADAGASCAR AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANT VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS: COMBINING THE VALUE CHAIN APPROACH AND NATURE, HEALTH, WEALTH AND POWER FRAMEWORKS — by Juliard, Criss — last modified 2008-05-30 20:03

microREPORT #70. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Context of study. This assessment of Madagascar’s aromatic and medicinal plant (AMP) industry integrates the value chain approach (VCA) developed under USAID’s Accelerating Microenterprise Advancement Project Business Development Services (AMAP BDS) Knowledge and Practice Task Order and the Nature, Health, Wealth and Power (NHWP) framework developed under USAID/FRAME and adapted by the USAID/Madagascar Mission. The NHWP framework focuses on the nexus of natural resources, human health, economic concerns and governance as a driving force in rural development. It highlights the interlinked challenges of (a) facilitating sustainable utilization and improved management of natural resources, (b) improving standards of health and nutrition, (c) promoting economic growth and poverty alleviation, and (d) empowering rural producers and institutionalizing popular participation in public decision-making. The VCA addresses the potential of small firms and the industries they dominate to compete in global markets. It focuses on (a) the role of benefits in creating incentives or disincentives for performance, (b) the effect of relative power among firms on inter-firm cooperation and coordination, and (c) the impact of learning and innovation on the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises (MSE). The two frameworks share a concern with harnessing markets to reduce poverty and promote equity. VCA uses the industry sector as a starting point, and NHWP uses natural resource-dependent producers as a starting point. Combining the two analytical frameworks situates fundamental environmental and social issues within a broader context of competitiveness and long-term industry sustainability. One purpose of this study is to examine the potential advantages of a joint value chain–NHWP approach. Our analysis of Madagascar’s AMP sector suggests that value chain analysis can be enhanced through full consideration of the role of natural resource management, health concerns and governance issues. It also suggests that value chain analysis can be an important tool for understanding the linkages between local-level NHWP dynamics and broader market systems. ...

TRANSLINKS — by Rose Hessmiller — last modified 2008-03-13 15:38

Promoting Transformation by Linking Natural Resource Management, Poverty Reduction and Equitable Governance TransLinks is a 5-year Leader with Associates cooperative agreement that has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to further the objective of increasing social, economic and environmental benefits through sustainable natural resource management. This new partnership of the Wildlife Conservation Society (lead organization), the Earth Institute of Columbia University, Enterprise Works/VITA, Forest Trends, the Land Tenure Center of the University of Wisconsin and USAID is designed to support income growth of the rural poor through conservation and sustainable use of the natural resource base upon which their livelihoods depend.

Translinks — by Rose Hessmiller — last modified 2008-04-29 19:52

Promoting Transformation by Linking Natural Resource Management, Poverty Reduction and Equitable Governance TransLinks is a 5-year Leader with Associates cooperative agreement that has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to further the objective of increasing social, economic and environmental benefits through sustainable natural resource management. This new partnership of the Wildlife Conservation Society (lead organization), the Earth Institute of Columbia University, Enterprise Works/VITA, Forest Trends, the Land Tenure Center of the University of Wisconsin and USAID is designed to support income growth of the rural poor through conservation and sustainable use of the natural resource base upon which their livelihoods depend.

FAO: Biological Diversity in Food and Agriculture — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2006-12-09 22:29

This website provides information on the diverse benefits of biodiversity on natural and agricultural ecosystems.

Agriculture Office — by Jon Dale — last modified 2006-12-05 15:40

USAID works with all participants in agricultural development to support efforts to increase productivity …from farmers and their organizations (including cooperatives) to scientists working to develop new, more productive varieties; from agribusinesses seeking to develop new, profitable markets to governments providing the sound legal framework within which businesses can operate; from the schools and universities that train future farmers and businesspeople to the research labs where scientists develop new technologies; and from local communities working to manage their available natural resources for sustainable production to regional organizations seeking to lower barriers to trade between countries.

USAID's Agricultural Strategy: Linking Producers to the Market — by Portal Web Editor — last modified 2007-03-20 15:22

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/

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — by Stanzin Tonyot — last modified 2006-12-16 18:38

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information. We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. Since our founding in 1945, we have focused special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's poor and hungry people. FAO's activities comprise four main areas: putting information within reach, sharing policy expertise, providing a meeting place for nations, bringing knowledge to the field.

Contained Smart Folders:

Micro-enterprise Development — by Jon Dale — last modified 2006-12-13 21:21