Monitoring land cover dynamics in sub-saharan Africa
Over the last 25 years civil disturbances, drought, population increases and global market pressures have all contributed in direct and indirect ways to a modification of Sub saharan African land cover.
Pastoralism on the margin
This report focuses on the sustainability of pastoralism in the lowlands of the Great Rift of East Africa and the Horn, arguing that pastoralism as a mode of production and a way of life has entered a phase of decline, often accompanied by conflict, drought, famine and flooding.The report details the historic evolution and chief characteristics of pastoralism, discussing the eras of colonialism and independence, livestock development, land tenure and conflict, as well as local and regional politics.
Mitigating the impact of climate change and land degradation through IFAD’s COSOP in Viet Nam.
This report analyses the impact of climate change and land degradation on agriculture and related sectors in Viet Nam. It intends to guide the project based on the design of the Country Strategic Opportunities Paper (COSOP) priorities and to identify supplementary financing for International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) projects from the UNFCCC and other carbon related financing mechanisms. It is explained that the harmful effects of climate change are already being experienced in Viet Nam, and farming communities have begun to respond by:
Agriculture in urban planning: generating livelihoods and food security
This report, by researchers working in urban agriculture (UA), examines concrete strategies to integrate city farming into the urban landscape. Drawing on original field work in cities across the rapidly urbanising global South, the book examines the contribution of UA and city farming to livelihoods and food security. The case studies covered by the authors, focus on the following aspects of urban agriculture:
Conserving land, protecting water
Following from the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture project, this book examines the relationships and linkages between land use and water management and social systems. Given that agriculture is the largest economic sector in many developing countries, this volume provides innovative ideas for the prevention of land degradation and for improving the sustainability of food production in the developing world.
Training manual on agricultural water management
This training manual on agricultural water management has been prepared with the aim of providing reference and guidance materials on smallholders' agricultural management, primarily for Ethiopian farmers, with support of development agents and technical personnel. The documents use existing knowledge in the form of texts, figures, demonstration materials derived from various sources such as books, grey literature such as web material, reports, manuals, etc.
Soils on the global agenda: developing international mechanisms for sustainable land management
This report contributes to the aim of the International Union of Soil Sciences to put sustainable land management higher on the global agenda. The report is divided into three distinct sections:Part I discusses the global soils agenda and outlines experiences and strategies for sustainable land management. It also highlights challenges related to implementing this agenda globallyPart II presents summaries of papers on the development of international mechanisms and instruments for sustainable land management (SLM).
Soil conservation in Tigray, Ethiopia
This report presents a review into soil erosion and conservation research and efforts made in Tigray.The report includes both traditional measures and activities promoted by non-government organisations (NGO's) and government projects. Main emphasis is placed on stone terracing and stone bunds since these are the most widely used soil conservation measures in the region.
Farmland utilization and improvements for agricultural production infrastructure: farmland consolidation
Farmland consolidation is the act of consolidating a series of fragmented and irregular farmland plots to enlarge plot their size and support sufficient irrigation. Farmland consolidation also combines and groups the proprietor’s farmland into one area by administrative give-and-take as well as division-and-junction of their land. Moreover, it also includes the rearrangement of farmland, which is small or lacks sufficient infrastructure due to farmland consolidation or earthwork waterways projects that were done in the past.
Allocation and tenure instruments on forest lands: a source book
This book, prepared by the Philippine Environmental Governance Project, serves as a reference guide for field personnel in guiding communities, investors, local government units, private persons and other organisations desiring to apply for tenure instruments on forest lands.The book covers all existing tenure and allocation agreements for the management and use of forest resources in forest lands. Agreements generally refer to long-term tenure instruments in forest lands with right of occupation.
Property rights reform in Philippine agriculture: framework for analysis and review of recent experience
This paper constructs a framework for and reviews studies on property rights reforms in the agricultural and natural resources sector. In the case of agrarian reform, several hypotheses are posited: that agrarian reform will increase the rate of capital accumulation of beneficiaries and improve tenurial security, but may have negative impacts on land access, investments of landowners, and efficiency of land use. For the natural resources sector, the implications of open access and promotion of property rights are surveyed for the Philippine case.