In response to government concerns, FAO has begun to develop more information on the nature of small forest enterprises, their contributions to rural incomes, the constraints that hold the small entrepreneur back, and the opportunities that strengthening this sector hold for improved rural incomes. An initial step was the commissioning of a number of case-studies.

This paper offers an overview of land reform processes in the CEECs and their outcomes and impacts and analyzes current and emerging structures in rural areas. Different types of land consolidation are defined and their potential impacts are assessed. The paper then looks in depth at land consolidation processes, especially in the context of land management, and outlines preconditions and cornerstones for various approaches. Environmental aspects and principles for land funds and land banking are also drawn in.

In December 1997, FAO hosted a workshop, Pluralism and Sustainable Forestry and Rural Development. to exchange information and experiences and to explore mechanisms, methods and fore for optimizing cooperation among the different groups concerned with the management of forest resources. The workshop was attended by 35 participants representing different organizations (and organizational types, geographic regions and disciplines). The articles in this issue of Unasylva are adaptations of papers presented at that workshop.

Meeting Name: European Commission on Agriculture
Meeting symbol/code: ECA 36/10/3
Session: Sess. 36

This guide on Land tenure and rural development has been prepared to familiarize readers with key issues in land tenure, especially as they relate to food insecurity and rural development situations. Land tenure issues are frequently ignored in rural evelopment interventions, with often long-lasting, negative results. Analysis of how land tenure works in practice – as evidenced by who has what type of access to land and under what conditions – is essential.

This background paper intends to highlight key issues surrounding the impact of HIV/AIDS on land, particularly at the rural household level in Southern and Eastern Africa. It also serves as an introduction to three country reports commissioned by the Sub-Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the impact of the epidemic on land issues. These studies are focused on Kenya, Lesotho and South Africa.

The partnership between FAO and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has grown steadily since the country became a member of the Organization in 1993. Cooperation has spanned a wide array of country and regional initiatives in areas such as the wine sector, land tenure and management, obsolete pesticide management and climate change adaptation in rural areas. Across the spectrum, there has been a continual emphasis on national capacity building, with a more recent focus on aligning Macedonia’s agriculture and rural sectors with European Union standards.