The work described in this report is a
first step to addressing the longer-term issues related to
the competitiveness of South Sudan's farmers in a
regional context. It focuses on the options for increasing
the amount and value of agricultural production in the crop
sector, the potential contribution of rural roads to
increasing crop production and how to sequence and
prioritize rural road investments in a way that maximizes

Over the last several years, the
Government of Togo has made important advances in the area
of social protection. Although Togo has had limited social
insurance and social assistance programs, the economic shock
and natural disasters starting in 2008 brought the need for
better mechanisms of social protection to the fore. The
Government response has focused on measures to address the
needs of the affected populations, while building the

The objectives of the study are to
assess the impact of operational efforts in farmland
restructuring and sustainable agricultural land management
on vulnerability amongst rural households in Tajikistan; and
to provide context and improve strategies for current
operations in land reform, rural growth and sustainable land
management given the challenges of economic transition,
institutional, economic and environmental fragility, and the

One of the legacies of saffron farming practice for centuries in and around the Pampore Karewas of Kashmir in India is that this ancient farming system continues to inspire family farmers and local communities through their livelihood security that it provides for more than 17,000 farm families. Kashmiri village women contribute to this agriculture heritage site through traditional tilling to flower picking over 3,200 hectares dedicated to the legendary saffron crop cultivation at Pampore.

Saffron production is confined to a limited geographical area in the State. Saffron has traditionally been associated with the famous Kashmiri cuisine, its medicinal values and the rich cultural heritage of Kashmir. Its role in enriching the local cuisine, its medicinal value and its use in important religious rituals is well known. However, Saffron production is currently suffering on several counts, especially those relating to productivity as well as post harvest management. This has resulted in lower production and poor quality.

This publication is a baseline assessment reviewing the current knowledge of land degradation in the rangelands of Jordan - known as Badia - with a special focus on its causes. It includes a review of current legislation and on-going initiatives to combat land degradation, along with an analysis of the main constraints limiting their effectiveness.

The UNEP foresight report contains a description of the 21 emerging environmental issues identified through the UNEP Foresight Process. The process resulted in a list of 21 emerging environmental issues tagged 21 Issues for the 21st Century covering the major themes of the global environment including food, land, freshwater, marine, biodiversity, climate change, energy, waste, and technology, as well important cross-cutting issues ranging from the need for better environmental governance, to the need for human behavioral change towards the environment.

This report suggests that a new and explicit goal of sustainable development to be agreed as a result of Rio+20 should be the reduction of the rate of land degradation to achieve land degradation neutrality, which we refer to as “Zero Net Land Degradation” or ZNLD.

We recognize the economic and social significance of good land management, including soil, We stress that desertification, land degradation and drought are challenges of a global dimension and continue to pose serious challenges to the sustainable development of all countries, We recognize the need for urgent action to reverse land degradation. In view of this, we will strive to achieve a land-degradation neutral world in the context of sustainable development. Measuring Land degradation is a challenge ①Declining land-productivity ≠ Land degradation e.g.

The five components of the toolkit - Land, Extractive Industries, Renewable Resources, Strengthening Capacity & Resource-Rich Economies - all aim to demonstrate how well-managed natural resources can prevent conflict or contribute to peace and sustainable development in war-torn nations. The linkages between natural resources and violent conflict are a critical challenge faced by many countries today.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF)/United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/United Nations University (UNU) PALM project is an initiative of the governments of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan which aims to restore, sustain and enhance the productive and protective functions of the transboundary ecosystems of the High Pamir and Pamir-Alai mountains, so as to improve the social and economic well-being of the rural communities and households utilizing the region's ecosystem resources to meet their livelihood needs, while preserving its unique landscape and globally important biodiversity.