A potent argument for bioenergy development lies in the ability of the sector to unlock agricultural potential by bringing in much needed investments to raise agricultural productivity to spur food security and poverty reduction. This document presents the BEFS Analytical Framework (AF) developed to test this argument. Agriculture lies at the heart of the BEFS AF and allows governments to consider viable pro-poor strategies for bioenergy development.

L’eau nécessaire pour produire notre nourriture quotidienne représente mille fois le volume d’eau que nous buvons chaque jour et cent fois celui nécessaire pour satisfaire les besoins domestiques des ménages. L’agriculture pluviale ne peut assurer seule l’approvisionnement en nourriture de la population du monde, et plus de 70 pour cent de l’eau que nous prélevons des rivières et des nappes aquifères sont destinés à l’agriculture irriguée. L’agriculture est la principale source de nourriture et de loin le premier secteur consommateur d’eau dans le monde.

Agriculture is coming under more and more pressure to justify its use of the world's freshwater resources and to improve its productive and environmental performance. The allocations of raw water to agriculture (and the allocations within the agriculture sector) all need to be negotiated in a transparent way. This report reviews the large set of literature on the subject and makes the case for the adoption of a functional approach to water valuation as a basis for such negotiation.

The purpose of this paper is examine the notion of tenure in connection with water resources and to explore whether the concept of water tenure has the potential to make a useful contribution towards resolving the world’s water resources challenges. It seeks to provide answers to the following questions: (a) What is water tenure? (b) Does water tenure really exist or is water simply too different from other natural resources? (c) Could the concept of water tenure be useful in terms of the development of natural resources policies and practices?

The Agricultural Water Solutions Project aims to unlock the potential of smallholder farming by identifying, evaluating and recommending a variety of agricultural water management (AWM) solutions - including technologies as well as the necessary supporting policies, institutions, financing arrangements and associated business models. This is being achieved through a series of interlinked activities in the seven project sites in Africa (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia) and in India (Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal).

This document is prepared for fisheries biologists, managers and administrators concerned with lagoon fisheries and aquaculture. Our main objective is to draw attention to the need for greater understanding of relationships between the hydraulics and productivity of lagoon fish and shellfish. The fishery yields from lagoons vary widely, and, probably, predictably, once such relationships are understood. Furthermore, the productivities of many lagoons could probably be enhanced by hydraulic manipulations, but the hydraulic manipulation is presently risky, except in dystrophic lagoons.

This month, we invite you to participate in the e-consultation on Voluntary Guidelines on Responsible governance of tenure of land and other natural resources. Following a lengthy regional consultation process, additional input is being requested prior to the drafting of the Zero Draft Guidelines. FAO Headquarters marked World Water Day 2011, examining the urgent need for safe water supplies for the world’s rapidly growing urban populations.

The Seventh Session (Special Meeting) of the FAO Agriculture and Land and Water Use Commission for the Near East (ALAWUC) was held in Cairo, Egypt, during 8-9 May 2012. The Opening Ceremony of the Commission was attended by (35) persons, including (20) participants from (13) Member Countries, (3) Observers representing regional organizations in the Near East; in addition to (2) Observers from Algeria and Palestine. SUMMARY OF MAIN RECOMMENDATIONS 1.

The Agricultural Water Solutions Project aims to unlock the potential of smallholder farming by identifying, evaluating and recommending a variety of agricultural water management (AWM) solutions - including technologies as well as the necessary supporting policies, institutions, financing arrangements and associated business models. This is being achieved through a series of interlinked activities in the seven project sites in Africa (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Tanzania and Zambia) and in India (Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal).