The present Report is motivated by the
coming together o f three widespread perceptions about
inequality, two somewhat newer and one long-standing. The
two newer ones are; (i) that inequality may matter for the
country's economic development, and (ii) that public
policy can and should do something about it. The old
perception, which is well borne out b y the facts, is that
Brazil occupies a position o f very high inequality in the

This week marks the 10-year anniversary of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KP), an international certification process that regulates trade in rough diamonds in an effort to prevent conflict diamonds from entering the market and fueling rebel movement.

This report provides recommendations on
how to better manage ongoing changes in livestock
development. First, it presents an overview of the main
trends that can be expected to drive the sector over the
next decades. Second it discusses the negative or positive
social, environmental, and health repercussions of those
trends, and the institutional, policy, and technical
requirements needed to manage them. It concludes with a

A development policy opting exclusively for value chain development and the integration of producers in modern markets overlooks the reality for the majority of smallholders, our author maintains. Policy should pay greater attention to addressing the area most small-scale producers are active in: the informal sector.

On May 17, Liberian President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will discuss her administration’s goals, her perspective on land rights and land tenure security, and some of the challenges facing Liberia at a Thomson Reuters Newsmaker in Washington DC. A live stream of the event will be available at 2:30 p.m. EDT on May 17.

On April 19, USAID released its first-ever Water and Development Strategy: 2013-2018, which emphasizes how sustainable use of water is critical to save lives, promote sustainable development, and achieve humanitarian goals. USAID’s development of this water strategy highlights the importance of sustainable resource governance across a wide range of strategic development objectives. According to USAID Administrator Dr.

In erosion- and drought-prone Nyando, self-help groups affiliated to large umbrella bodies are working with extension agents, researchers and development partners to improve local livestock and diversify crops, to improve soil and water management, and to pool financial and labour resources.

Last week, the World Bank's 14th Annual Conference on Land and Poverty – which was sponsored by USAID along with several other organizations – brought together more than 800 participants from 90 countries, representing government, private sector, civil society, academia, and development partners. The large attendance from a diverse set of participants reinforces the increasing recognition that good land and resource governance is central to a variety of development objectives. The theme of this year’s conference was “Moving towards transparent land governance: Evidence-based next steps”.

This Guidance sets out the steps companies involved in minerals supply chains should take to identify and address actual or potential risks in order to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts associated with their activities. It provides guidance on how they can apply due diligence for responsible supply chains of minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas as an on-going, proactive and reactive process through which they respect human rights and do not contribute to conflict.

Cities contribute an estimated 70
percent of the world's energy-related greenhouse gases
(GHG). Their locations, often in low-elevation coastal
zones, and large populations make them particularly
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. But cities
often take steps, even ahead of national governments, to
reduce GHG emissions. So it is with China's cities,
which are well placed to chart a low-carbon growth path to

The 2007 transport sector strategy note
identified that transportation in the West Bank and Gaza
faces extreme challenges, to the extent that mobility for
people and goods is severely curtailed, with consequent
impacts on the broader functioning of society and the
economy. The constraints on personal mobility within the
West Bank and Gaza has greatly reduced the market for
travel, and hence the business and viability of the

For ICARDA, 2012 has been a time of change and evolution. We have been busy tackling the many issues of dryland agriculture and global food production against a backdrop of focusing our efforts as a force for change for people living in the world's drylands and our areas of scientific expertise.