Biofuel demand is increasing because of a combination of growing energy needs; rising oil costs; the pursuit of clean, renewable sources of energy; and the desire to boost farm incomes in developed countries. In turn, the need for crops-such as maize and sugarcane-to be used as feedstocks for biofuels has increased dramatically. That demand has had a significant and increasing impact on global food systems. The effects of growing biofuel demand are interwoven with tightening grain markets, which reflect demographic shifts and improved diets.

"Contract farming is conventionally thought of as a form of industrial organization that helps to overcome high monitoring, supervision, and environmental mitigation costs incurred from ensuring a reliable and uniform-quality supply (from the standpoint of integrators) and high capital and small-scale input and service purchase costs (from the standpoint of individual farmers). But contract farming is also a private sector vertical coordination response to the changing demand for certifying the use of quality inputs to produce quality outputs and of safe production procedures.

Der Welthunger-Index (WHI) 2014 stellt die nationale, regionale und weltweite Hungersituation zum neunten Mal in jahrlicher Folge multidimensional dar. Er zeigt, dass bei der globalen Hungerbekampfung seit 1990 Fortschritte erzielt werden konnten, jedoch angesichts sehr ernster oder gar gravierender Hungerwerte in 16 Landern noch immer groser Handlungsbedarf besteht. Der Schwerpunkt dieses Berichts liegt auf einem entscheidenden Aspekt des Hungers, der haufig ubersehen wird, dem verborgenen Hunger.

Las instituciones de acción colectiva y los sistemas de derechos de propiedad moldean la forma en que la gente usa los recursos naturales.A su vez, estos patrones de uso afectan los resultados de los sistemas de producción agrícola de la gente. Juntos, los mecanismos de acción colectiva y los sistemas de derechos de propiedad definen los incentivos a los que la gente accede por llevar a cabo estrategias de gestión sostenible y productiva, y afectan el nivel y distribución de los beneficios de los recursos naturales.

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is based on three equally weighted indicators: > Undernourishment: the proportion of undernourished people as a percentage of the population (reflecting the share of the population with insufficient caloric intake); > Child underweight: the proportion of children younger than age five who are underweight (that is, have low weight for their age, reflecting wasting, stunted growth, or both), which is one indicator of child undernutrition; and > Child mortality: the mortality rate of children younger than age five (partially reflecting the fatal synergy o

Le rapport de l’Indice de la faim dans le monde 2014 – neuvieme edition – propose une mesure multidimensionnelle de la faim au niveau national, regional et mondial. Le GHI 2014 montre les progres effectues en matiere de reduction de la faim depuis 1990, mais des efforts restent a faire, le niveau de la faim restant alarmant voire extremement alarmant dans 16 pays. Cette annee, le GHI se concentre sur un aspect particulier de la faim souvent neglige : la faim invisible.

This 2014–2015 Global Food Policy Report is the fourth in an annual series that provides a comprehensive overview of major food policy developments and events. In this report, distinguished researchers, policymakers, and practitioners review what happened in food policy in 2014 at the global, regional, and national levels, and—supported by the latest knowledge and research—explain why. This year’s report is the first to also look forward a year, offering analysis of the potential opportunities and challenges that we will face in achieving food and nutrition security in 2015.

This report presents a political-economic analysis of land governance at the regional level, focusing on the Mekong Region. The primary emphasis is on Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, but the paper also takes into account the regional role and land governance experiences of Thailand and China.

This paper compares the Hoa Binh (constructed 1979-1994) and Son La dams (under construction since 2005) to investigate how Vietnam’s resettlement policies and programmes have evolved over time. The comparison between a dam built in 1970s-80s and one now under construction shows that improvements in policy may bring only limited improvements in Vietnam’s dam development planning and practices.

This booklet offers advice for
farmers and extension workers interested in using
conservation agriculture techniques to boost crop yields,
soil quality and water retention. These practices represent
some of the many ways we can become more climate smart,
which is essential if we are to sustainably produce more
food on less land to feed our growing planet.