FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Germany, IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development), Finland, GTZ (Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), UN-Habitat, World Bank and UNDP, and IPC (International NGO/CSO Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty), Food First International Action Network (FIAN), ILC (International Land Coalition), FIG (International Federation of Surveyors) and other development partners are working together with countries to prepare Voluntary Guidelines that will provide practical guidance to states, civil society, the private se

Issues relating to land and land reform have been moving up the agenda of rural poverty and food security in recent years with the increasing acceptance that the prerequisites for broad-based and equitable development include the essential need for people to have access to land and other natural resources. Access needs to be on an equitable basis allowing the poor and the disadvantaged, including women, to secure the assets needed for them and their families to generate sustainable livelihoods.

The articles in this issue supplement the recent publication "Good governance in land tenure and administration" (Land Tenure Studies No. 9), which provides practical advice for land professionals on improving governance in a land administration system or other land tenure arrangement.

Cette étude propose une analyse de la dimension de genre au sein de la législation relative à l’agriculture et examine le statut juridique des femmes dans trois secteurs clés. Le résultat est une analyse qui identifie les principaux facteurs juridiques et certains facteurs non juridiques ayant une incidence sur l’existence et l’exercice des droits des femmes liés à l’agriculture.

Este documento describe la perspectiva de las partes interesadas sobre el desarrollo de las Directrices voluntarias sobre la gobernanza de la tenencia. Estas directrices representan la mayor medida de un “terreno común\" sobre la gobernanza de la tenencia que se ha encontrado hasta el momento en el foro mundial. El consenso fue desarrollado por medio de negociaciones intergubernamentales con la participación de la sociedad civil, el sector privado e instituciones académicos y de investigación.

Women make significant contributions to the rural economy in all developing country regions. Their roles OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE differ across regions, yet they consistently have less access than men to the resources and opportunities they need to be more productive. Increasing women’s access to land, livestock, education, financial services, extension, technology and rural employment would boost their productivity and generate gains in terms of agricultural production, food security, economic growth and social welfare.

The Livelihood Support Programme (LSP) evolved from the belief that FAO could have a greater impact on reducing poverty and food insecurity, if its wealth of talent and experience were integrated into a more flexible and demand-responsive team approach. This paper represents part of an area of work which examines ways in which the poor can use small amounts of land to establish homegardens to support their livelihoods.

This joint FAO-World Bank publication aims to draw attention to the negative impacts of weak governance in land administration and to point out the manifold benefits of good governance in the protection of property rights and the development of efficient land and property markets. It provides positive examples of good practices from around the world, as well as an overview of principles and key questions to be applied in any country for the evaluation of governance in land administration.

Esta guía presenta una visión de conjunto de las Directrices voluntarias sobre la gobernanza responsable de la tenencia de la tierra, la pesca y los bosques en el contexto de la seguridad alimentaria nacional. La guía describe la naturaleza, propósito, contenido y destinatarios deseados de las Directrices; explica qué se entiende por tenencia, e indica de qué manera el mejoramiento de la gobernanza de la tenencia puede servir para reducir el hambre y la pobreza y conducir al uso sostenible de los recursos naturales.

A humanidade tem sido testemunha e participante nas múltiplas mudanças pelas quais a agricultura passou no decorrer dos séculos. Desde os primórdios desta antiga prática, o cultivo tem sido a espinha dorsal do desenvolvimento econômico de muitas sociedades e a principal fonte de preservação e evolução da vida. Nas civilizações pré-históricas e agrárias mais antigas, a agricultura não somente era uma fonte de alimento e de matérias-primas, mas também representava uma fonte de expressão da ordem inata da natureza.

Política de Desarrollo Agrícola – Conceptos y Experiencias forma parte de las actividades de la FAO destinadas a generar contextos de política favorables a la agricultura, tanto globales, en el marco de regulaciones y compromisos internacionales, como nacionales, mediante estrategias y políticas adecuadas.