This article solves and characterizes optimal decision rules to invest in irreversible land improvements conditional on land tenure insecurity. Economic model is a normative dynamic programming model with known parameter for the one period returns and transition equations. The decision rules are solved numerically conditional on alternative scenarios on the likelihood that the lease contract and, thus, farmer access to land is either renewed or expires. The model parameters represent Finnish soil quality and production conditions.

Western Kenya is one of the most densely populated areas in Africa. Farming there is characterized by low inputs and low crop productivity. Poverty is rampant in the region. Yet the potential for agriculture is considered good. In the study described here, researchers looked specifially at soil fertility replenishment (SFR) systems...Focused on two specific systems -- the tree-based "improved fallow" system and the biomass transfer system -- the study compared rates of adoption in poor and nonpoor communities and evaluated the extent to which their adoption reduced poverty.

Western Kenya is one of the most densely populated areas in Africa. Farming there is characterized by low inputs and low crop productivity. Poverty is rampant in the region. Yet the potential for agriculture is considered good.

Farmer Field Schools (FFSs) have been used in many countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa as a way to deal with constraints such as crop pests, soil fertility depletion, health issues like HIV/AIDS and the communal management of natural resources. They often work in partnership with local NGOs or Government institutions to develop solutions to complex problems facing farmers. In Lukwanga parish, Wakiso District, FFSs have encouraged the creation of new institutions and led to the development of stronger and more cooperative relationships within the community.

Wonseradeel-Noord en Twijzel-Buitenpost, twee agrarische gebieden in Friesland, kunnen als voorbeeld dienen voor het drielagenmodel van Minister Veerman. Het ene gebied heeft kansen voor agrarische productie voor de wereldmarkt en het andere is door natuurlijke handicaps aan beperkingen gebonden. Dit artikel brengt de ontwikkelingen en perspectieven in beeld.

In het gebied De Venen wordt getracht de knelpunten rond natuur, recreatie en landbouw via een gebiedsgerichte aanpak op te lossen. Uit de opgestelde indicatoren blijkt dat het gebied goed op weg is, maar dat er toch ook nog witte vlekken bestaan.

Since 1991, Moldova has carried out a wide range of radical reforms affecting its social and economic system. The land reform, which was practically completed in 2000, created over 1 million landowners among the rural population. Many of them entrusted their land to managers of newly created corporate farms. Others used their privately owned land to establish independent family farms. The creation of independent family farms (so-called "peasant farms") was one of the primary goals of the land reform. More than 280,000 peasant farms have been created, averaging 1,86 hectares in size.

Presentation Overview:Convey key OECD findings about agriculture in Brazil and China; Identify the key results of policy reform; Present implications for the future.

Focuses on the situation of farm workers after the fast-track land resettlement programme, including issues of housing and tenure security. Includes presentations from GAPWUZ, FCTZ, and some researchers, and a report of the discussions. Annexes contain full presentations. Recommendations include that under-utilised land be made available to farm workers. The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture has since asked FCTZ to facilitate public hearings on the issue in January 2006.

Este relatório representa uma actividade do Programa de Legislação de Terras (LLPII) de Timor-Leste da United States Agency for International Development (USAID), que exige um estudo comparativo da organização, jurisdição e coordenação das instituições governamentais que se ocupam das questões da terra.

Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank, congratulated the editorial team of National Geographic for the special issue on Africa. National Geographic has played a unique role in broadening the knowledge of the world. The World Bank partnered with National Geographic to produce a full-color wall map to raise awareness of the millennium development goals (MDGs) and to highlight each country's progress. We often hear about an Africa that is ravaged by poverty, disease and conflict. There is another face to Africa, one of hope, ambition, energy, intelligence and achievement.