The nutrition cluster is a very
important entity to coordinate actions during emergencies.
It is important that the nutrition cluster know in advance
which institutions work where and what kind of inputs are
pre-positioned. Risk management plans need to be ready at
the local level in advance of emergencies. Although
emergencies occur every year in Guatemala, the emergency
response often fails to incorporate the management of

Water is a fundamental platform for
economic and social development, and contributes to reducing
multiple dimensions of poverty. It is essential to food and
energy security, industrial growth, and the protection of
ecosystems. Water has been going through unprecedented
pressures as growing populations and economies have
increased demand and at the same degraded supplies. As a
result, water insecurity has become one of the greatest

Groundwater is playing an increasingly
important role in domestic, industrial and agricultural
water supply. With the advent of the tube well and driven by
the rapid growth of demand for agricultural and municipal
water, annual global groundwater extraction has increased in
recent decades from 100 k

Interest in farmland is rising. And,
given commodity price volatility, growing human and
environmental pressures, and worries about food security,
this interest will increase, especially in the developing
world. One of the highest development priorities in the
world must be to improve smallholder agricultural
productivity, especially in Africa. Smallholder productivity
is essential for reducing poverty and hunger, and more and

In Africa, most development strategies
include efforts to improve the productivity of staple crops
grown on smallholder farms. An underlying premise is that
small farms are productive in the African context and that
smallholders do not forgo economies of scale -- a premise
supported by the often observed phenomenon that staple
cereal yields decline as the scale of production increases.
This paper explores a research design conundrum that

Finds that food insecurity has clearly contributed to outbreaks of social unrest or worse, while conflict has induced situations of food insecurity. The factors of population growth, competitive pressure on land and water use, climate change, and price volatility tend to increase stress, raising the risk of civil unrest or conflict. The most fragile countries often have the least capability to respond, falling victim to the vicious circle of conflict and food insecurity.

Pakistan experienced severe flooding
after torrential monsoon rains hit southern Sindh and the
adjoining areas of Punjab and north-eastern Balochistan in
August 2011. Flash floods triggered by the monsoon rain
caused severe damage to infrastructure in the affected
areas. Entire villages and urban centers have been flooded,
homes have been destroyed, and over a million acres of crops
and agricultural lands have been damaged. A Damage and Needs

Around the world, countries are becoming
urbanized at an astonishing pace. As countries develop
economically, their economies shift from mainly rural and
agrarian to increasingly urban and nonagricultural. This
rural-urban transformation presents both opportunities and
challenges for development. When managed effectively, the
transformation spurs growth and reduces poverty. When
managed poorly, however, the process can result in stark

This paper is one of a series of
analytical studies commissioned by the World Bank's
Africa Region and Water Anchor which are intended to
identify and address the future challenges of urban water
supply, sanitation and flood management in Sub-Saharan
Africa's (SSA) cities and towns. Following the terms of
reference for the assignment, and as indicated by its title,
the paper is directed at understanding and describing the

In Europe, it can be estimated that hydro-meteorological information and early warning systems save several hundreds of lives per year, avoid between 460 million and 2.7 billion Euros of disaster asset losses per year, and produce between 3.4 and 34 billion of additional benefits per year through the optimization of economic production in weather-sensitive sectors (agriculture, energy, etc.).

In 2006, the government approved a
national livestock policy based on the premise that the
livestock industry has an important role to play in building
a strong national economy and in the process, reducing
inequalities among Tanzanians by increasing their incomes
and employment opportunities. This report presents an
analysis of rural livelihoods in Tanzania, with particular
emphasis on the livestock sub-sector, smallholder

Executive Directors continued to play an
important role as the World Bank faced many challenges in a
global post crisis economy. The Board considered a number of
key documents in preparation for the committee on
development effectiveness meetings. These included the World
Development Report 2011, which focuses on conflict,
security, and development, and responding to global food
price volatility and its impact on food security, which