This book covers the whole Nile Basin and is based on the results of three major research projects supported by the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF). It provides unique and up-to-date insights on agriculture, water resources, governance, poverty, productivity, upstream–downstream…

Southern Africa Development Communality (SADC) through its Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) has set up an ambitious goal to double irrigation by 2015, which it sees as important component to sustain regional development and ensure food security. While the target timeline is…

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has prioritised Africa as a strategic partner at both the political and economic levels. According to some observers, the evidence of China’s growing African involvement suggests a strategy devised to secure access to the continent’s abundant resources.…

This comparative study highlights that rainfall variability and food insecurity are key drivers for human mobility. The empirical research is based on eight country case studies, including a 1,300 household survey and participatory research sessions involving 2,000 individuals. The results…

The first regional conference for southern and East Africa on the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) was held in Cape Town on 21st May 2012. The overall aim was to evaluate the EITI’s impact on the promotion of transparency and accountability in southern and East Africa. Its…

This technical paper has been produced by the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) to support the implementation of the Strategic Framework for Water Security and Climate Resilience Development, developed by the African Union through AMWOC. The framework itself seeks to help with the…

The indigenous cloud forests in the Taita Hills, Kenya, have suffered substantial degradation due to agricultural expansion. Currently, only one per cent of the original forested area remains preserved. Furthermore, climate change imposes an imminent threat for local economy and environmental…

FAC Policy Brief 55by Blessings Chinsinga and Michael Chasukwa There is often a mismatch between the apparent benevolent intents and the practical manifestations of the large scale land deals. The empirical realities of the large-scale land deals call for critical scrutiny and interrogation of…

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) have published this annual report on joint projects financed during 2011 on ecosystems and biodiversity preservation, green development strategies, and sustainable use of water and ocean resources, among other topics.…

Land governance and administration are critical for achieving economic growth and development in any country. It is within this context that the World Bank introduced the Land Governance Assessment Framework (LGAF) for identifying specific areas for land reform while also providing a means for…

This report reviews the status of REDD+ implementation in Africa, identifying forest degradation as one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. The research lists current projects in Africa to build a database of REDD initiatives and their status of implementation. The main…

Agriculture remains a major source of income for more than 80 per cent of the rural population in Lesotho, although the country's arable land is only about nine per cent of the total land area. Moreover, the rural economy has been declining due to poor land and water resources management,…