Accelerating rural economic growth and
reducing rural poverty requires a comprehensive strategy
built on sound analysis covering all major aspects o f the
rural economy including agricultural output markets, input
markets (seeds, fertilizer, extension), factor markets
(land, water, labor and credit), the rural non- farm
economy, and targeted interventions. This report focuses on
one aspect o f this complex puzzle - rural factor markets.

Tariffs are low in Azerbaijan and need
to be raised to finance badly needed network maintenance and
to balance supply and demand. This study presents an
analysis of the short-term impacts of a 50 percent
electricity tariff increase on residential consumers. The
study starts by reviewing electricity tariffs, consumption
levels, and expenditure patterns compared to neighboring
countries. It then considers the welfare effects o f raising

This Fisheries Sector Approach Paper has
been written in recognition of the mounting challenges that
the World Bank and the developing world face in meeting the
fishery sector-related Millennium Development Goals and the
outcomes of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
Development. It augments the Bank's Rural Strategy,
Reaching the Rural Poor, which advocates a holistic approach
to rural poverty reduction, and support for equitable

The Mongolian cashmere industry has
experienced a series of booms and busts over the last
decade. Unsatisfactory public sector policies contributed to
this result. External factors such as the unfavorable
economic environment of the early 1990s, the East Asia
crisis, and weather conditions have also affected its
performance. Over 1993-96 cashmere exports doubled from
US$33.5 million to US$71.2 million, as cashmere's share

"Twenty-Seven Months - Intifada,
Closures and Palestinian Economic Crisis: An
Assessment" was prepared as a follow-up to a report
published in March 2002 ("Fifteen Months - Intifada,
Closures and Palestinian Economic Crisis" report no.
24931). The main objectives of this second Assessment are
once again to help donors and the Palestinian Authority (PA)
cope with the deep economic crisis in the West Bank and

The goal of this report has been to
assist the Kyrgyz authorities in designing and implementing
their National Poverty Reduction Strategy (NPRS). An interim
report focusing on the relation between growth and poverty,
with detailed analysis o f transmission mechanisms in labor
market and agricultural sector was presented to the
authorities in August 2002. The interim report delivery was
driven by the schedule of NPRS preparation. This final

Favorable economic conditions offer a
window of opportunity for the Ukrainian government External
factors served as a catalyst for the economic turnaround but
policies and reforms have also played a critical role.
Nevertheless, the positive trends will weaken without vision
at the top level of government. An "insider
economy" threatens to become a primary obstacle to
Ukraine's future development and also weakens the link

The major constraints to RNF growth,
according to a large survey of rural entrepreneurs,'
include (1) flood and natural disasters; (2) access to
electricity; (3) road conditions, (4) access to finance and
(5) transportation to markets. Bangladesh's
vulnerability to frequent floods and other natural disasters
severely hampers operations of more than a third of rural
firms. The next most important constraint to RNF growth is

This Policy Note has three main
objectives : a) formulate strategic choices related to the
sustainability of irrigated agriculture in Lebanon. b)
recommend institutional strengthening of water resource
management in the irrigation sector in general, especially
for operations and maintenance (O&M). c) define the
Bank's future involvement in the irrigated agriculture
sector. As demand for domestic, industrial, and agriculture

This regional study encompasses three
Central American countries: Nicaragua, Guatemala, and
Honduras. The focus of this report is Nicaragua. The
objective of the study is to understand how broad-based
economic growth can be stimulated, and sustained in rural
Central America. The study identifies "drivers" of
sustainable rural growth and poverty reduction, where
drivers are defined as the assets and combinations of assets

This regional study encompasses three
Central American countries: Nicaragua, Guatemala, and
Honduras. The focus of this report is Nicaragua. The
objective of the study is to understand how broad-based
economic growth can be stimulated, and sustained in rural
Central America. The study identifies "drivers" of
sustainable rural growth and poverty reduction, where
drivers are defined as the assets and combinations of assets

T his report analyzes natural resource
management and governance in the Philippines, identifying
recent trends, current challenges, and future goals. The
first half of the report summarizes the status of the
country's natural resources, describes sector policies,
institutions, and budget mechanisms, and identifies
impediments to improvements. The second half focuses on
three crucial issues for natural resource governance: