Several decades ago, the efforts of public administrations were concentrated on developing fisheries and aquaculture and ensuring growth in production and consumption. Then, in the 1980s, as many resources became fully or overexploited, the attention of policy-makers began to focus instead…

Most of the large rice irrigation systems in Southeast Asia have been designed for rice irrigation under a supply-driven mode. Despite their huge contribution to agricultural production, there is a general consensus that these large rice irrigation systems have not lived up to expectations…

Japan, with a population of about 125 million, is a major importer of agricultural products. Japan's mountainous topography limits the area available for farming, with a total cultivated land area of around 4.8 million hectares. Farm holdings are small, averaging just over 1.5 hectares.…

Water crisis is largely a problem of governance. While there is an obvious bias towards privatisation as a solution to the water sector problems, the last few years have also seen many social mobilisations, consolidation of forces, and hard-won battles for peoples and communities’ water…

In coastal areas, groundwater and aquifer systems are easily prone to pollution and contamination. Moreover, sea level rises also threaten the viability of many coastal zones and small islands. In the Shiroishi lowland plain, southwestern Kyushu Island of Japan, some environmental problems such…

A pre-conference to Humid Tropical Ecosystems, 5 -9 December, 2006, Kandy, Sri Lanka, commemorating the 50th anniversary of UNESCO Humid Tropics Programme Organized by United Nations University and the International Water Management Institute.

This first edition of ROA Policy Brief is designed to clarify the roles of economic valuation of the external impacts from agriculture in policy-making, by resolving misunderstanding and confusion pertaining to existing valuation studies.

The study conducted by FAO and partners in South and Southeast Asia was based on an analysis of forest tenure according to two variables: the type of ownership, and the level of control of and access to resources. It aimed to take into account the complex combination of forest ownership −…

A quarterly news bulletin dedicated to the exchange of information relating to wildlife and national resources management for the Asia-Pacific region.

The Livelihood Support Programme (LSP) evolved from the belief that FAO could have a greater impact on reducing poverty and food insecurity, if its wealth of talent and experience were integrated into a more flexible and demand-responsive team approach. This paper represents part of an area of…