This paper examines case studies from Asia and Latin America to show the possibilities for states to tap into community-level energies and resources for development if they seek to interact more synergistically with local communities.Using case studies from Asia and Latin America, the report shows how: State efforts to bring about land reform, tenancy reform, and expanding non-crop sources of income can broaden the distribution of power in rural communities, laying the basis for more effective community-driven collective action; and Higher levels of government can form alliances with commun

To achieve an integrated approach to the planning and management of land resources, cooperation among experts from the
disciplines involved and integration of the respective results are required in order to identify and evaluate all biophysical, socio-economic and
legal attributes of the land. The glossary aims to contribute to the development of a common technical language. The terms, methods and

Is land reform compatible with wildlife management? Zimbabwe is seeking to combine the redistribution of large, 'under-utilised' landholdings to smallholders, with wildlife management, which needs extensive land holdings to be viable. Whilst one stresses direct redistribution, equity and land for crops, the other emphasises maximising foreign exchange earnings, encouraging public-private partnerships and relies on trickle down.

This paper analyses the effect of ethnic conflict on economic growth. It presents an econometric approach which develops a simple growth’s model with four ethnic variables and institutional regressors (a democratic and a rule of law index) along with two production factors (capital and labour).The report argues that these events shed light on how multi-ethnic societies are subject to “the tragedy of the commons” as each ethnic group seeks to benefit alone from common resources.

The report is based on information collected in the aftermath of the 1999 famine. It presents some basic information on North Wälo, as well as relevant impressions from the authors journey. Statistics from the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission show that all of North Wälo is exposed to famine, but the picture varies much from year to year.

Assesses the process to establish a system of land registration and improve land tenure security, and its outcomes for poor and marginalised groups in Amhara, Ethiopia .The registration process is found to be generating conflict at the local level, due to illegal land grabbing, encroachments into common lands and land sales.

This bi-annual addition of id21 Natural Resources Highlights looks specifically at rural livelihoods. It contains the following three articles:

New thinking needed to tackle the rural employment crisis

A further 106 million people will have joined the rural labour force in the developing world by 2015. This article asks whether enough jobs can be created in rural areas to meet this demand, or whether further urban migration is the only answer.

How can small-scale producers compete globally?

Starting with a discussion of the scientific versus the traditional methods of land evaluation and perception, the authors formulate a methodological framework to integrate both perspectives into a geographic-information/expert-system environment aimed at sustainable development of a rural community, and present a case study in Central Mexico.

This paper examines the experiences of implementation of land reform policies in the Eastern Cape through a series of case studies.It looks at how attempts at redistribution, restitution and land tenure reform have resulted in a variety of models and approaches.

This document contains a collection of critical comments by experts working in the field of pastoralism with regard to several PDN papers.

The injustices of the land issue in South Africa under apartheid are well documented. A programme of land reform since then has had varied success. The authors argue that there is a great deal of empirical evidence to show that the private sector and markets make major contributions to South Africa’s development in general and to land reform in particular. It is in this light that this report looks at the contribution made by the private sector to land reform, both through organised land reform initiatives and in the ordinary course of their business.

This paper is concerned with understanding cattle production in Zimbabwe's Communal Lands, in so-called communal farming systems. Although commercial offtake from Zimbabwe's communal cattle herd is low, communal farmers are productive and rational in their cattle herd management. The economic rationale for cattle ownership is firstly to provide draught power and manure for tillage and secondly to provide milk and meat for local consumption, although the role of livestock in the farming system varies significantly from one part of Zimbabwe to another.