Most of the world’s poor work in the “informal economy” – outside of recognized and enforceable rules. Thus, even though most have assets of some kind, they have no way to document their possessions because they lack formal access to legally recognized tools such as deeds, contracts and permits…
Water for agriculture draws on a range of sources - from naturally available water bodies to water supply infrastructure. In sub-Saharan Africa, only a very small percentage of arable land is irrigated. Most farmers produce food under rainfed conditions. In 1995, for instance, 89 percent of…
Across rural Africa, land legislation struggles to be properly implemented, and most resource users gain access to land on the basis of local land tenure systems. Although such systems claim to draw their legitimacy from “tradition” and are commonly referred to as “customary” (and for easier…
‘Poor soils make poor people, and poor people make soils worse’. This is a situation that can be seen in many ACP countries. What information support can be offered...
Les évaluations des bilans en éléments nutritifs aident à déterminer les effets des pratiques agricoles sur la fertilité des sols. Selon les situations, plusieurs approches et méthodes ont été utilisées. Ce bulletin présente un apercu de la situation actuelle des études des bilans en elements…
This document is a chapter in a larger report commissioned by UN habitat to review the laws and land tenure of Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia. The report provides a brief historical background, snapshots of how the government and legal systems operate, reviews land tenure, the various…
Informal systems for land delivery, which have in many cases evolved from earlier customary practices, still account for over half the land supplied for housing in African cities and are a particularly important channel for the poor. This study examines how informal systems of housing land…
The second volume of Land Reform, Land Settlement and Cooperatives for 2004 comprises eight articles that examine a range of areas central to land tenure activity. They provide a stimulating and, in some cases, critical set of perspectives on how best to tackle some of these issues.
Access to land is essential to food production and income generation. It is also a key social and economic asset, crucial for cultural identity, political power and participation in decisionmaking. Social and cultural beliefs often discriminate against people because of gender, social class or…
El acceso a la tierra es indispensable para la producción de alimentos y la generación de ingresos. Asimismo, constituye un bien social y económico decisivo, que reviste una importancia crucial para la identidad cultural, el poder político y la participación en el proceso de toma de decisiones.…
L’accès à la terre est indispensable pour produire de la nourriture et créer des revenus. C’est aussi un atout social et économique déterminant qui donne accès à l’identité culturelle, au pouvoir politique et à la prise de décisions. Les préjugés sociaux et culturels sont souvent responsables d’…