Quando do Ministério da Planificação e Desenvolvimento veio a solicitação para que apresentasse uma palestra sobre os desafios do desenvolvimento rural, foi-me dito que deveria usar uma abordagem que provocasse a reflexão e a discussão crítica. Evidentemente, sem que eu próprio reflectisse criticamente sobre os desafios do desenvolvimento rural estaria incapaz de ajudar quem quer que fosse a fazer o mesmo. Lancei-me, então, na tarefa de construir um quadro analítico provocador e crítico que servisse para construir esta conversa. É este raciocínio que aqui pretendo apresentar.

This report is about how to progressively reduce over time Afghanistan's dependence on opium - currently the country's leading economic activity - by development initiatives and shifting economic incentives toward sustainable legal livelihoods. Specifically, the report identifies additional investments and policy and institutional measures to support development responses that can counterbalance the economic advantages of opium.

AFA Field Visits and Farmer Interactions 2006-2007

Learning good practices in land reform, organic agriculture and pro-small farmer marketing and trading.

Judging by the increase in landing volume, Myanmar fisheries is developing fast. Due to
the amount of export earning fisheries sector have its role as one of the main contributors to
the national GDP. Thus fisheries are recognized as an important economic sector for the
country. The fisheries landing is significantly increasing in recent years. It is more than three
times larger than that of 1990s.
In 1990-91 the earning form fisheries export was only US$ 13 million. It has been

Toward sustainable livelihoods after war:
Reconstituting rural land tenure systems. Jon Unruh 2008. 32 103-115

[adapted from UNDP] May, 2008- This UNDP discussion paper ‘Pro-Poor Land Tenure Reform and Democratic Governance’ provides a review of how different types of land tenure reform relate to decentralization and local governance, in theory and in practice.  The discussion suggests that in order to create more democratic and transparent local management of land resources, special mechanisms to protect women against direct and indirect discrimination, as well as the establishment of local land committees and land tribunals for conflict resolution are needed.

[via UNDP, 2008] These 4 Policy Briefs from UNDP show how increasing knowledge about gender relations and empowerment has highlighted the importance of access to and control over land within intra-household gender relations, and what this implies for broader concerns about empowerment of the poor.  Moreover, significant knowledge gaps are also found in discussions on the link between land policies and cultural, territorial and gender empowerment issues.

[September 2008]

Within this report, the FAO outlines its efforts to reinforce local institutions and promote policies and legislation that aim for fairer access for both women and men to natural resources (particularly land, water, fishing and forestry) and to the relevant economic and social resources.

It goes on to approach the reasons why land tenure should be taken into account in project design, highlighting ecological issues, questions of gender, conflict and migrations, and the relationships between them.

A short video documentary of AFA's participation (through its Indonesia member Aliansi Petani Indonesia or API) in activities organized by civil society organizations (CSOs) parallel to the conferences of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), such as the thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) and the third session of the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 3), in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia last December 3-14, 2007. API has been invited by some CSOs who organized the parallel activities to UNFCC.

A short video documentary of AFA's participation (through its Indonesia member Aliansi Petani Indonesia or API) in activities organized by civil society organizations (CSOs) parallel to the conferences of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), such as the thirteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 13) and the third session of the meeting of the parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 3), in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia last December 3-14, 2007. API has been invited by some CSOs who organized the parallel activities to UNFCC.

The position paper provides an updated insight on the role that urban agriculture can play in pursuing the Millennium Development Goals and more specifically MDG 1 and 7, related to poverty reduction, food security, and environmental sustainability. It intends to raise awareness and inform decision makers and planners of the different aspects of urban agriculture, which entails a broad range of activities, related to the food production and distribution chain, within natural resources planning and use including urban and peri-urban forestry.

This report for GTZ, published in May 2008,  analyses the potentials and risks of Jatropha plantation. With regards to land issues, it highlights the risks of land degradation and intransparent investment and lists a number of large-scale investors. The study also gives an outlook on the potential for small-scale farmers.

Published by www.jatropha.de