Rice is the world’s most heavily
consumed staple crop. Its production requires enormous
volumes of water and emits large quantities of atmospheric
methane, a greenhouse gas some many times more powerful than
carbon dioxide - particularly during a medium term period of
about seven years. In a global context of growing
population, increasingly scarce water resources, and climate
change, more productive, sustainable, and efficient rice

Analysis of Sri Lanka’s recent progress
in reducing poverty and inequality is directly relevant to
the new government’s development agenda. The newly sworn-in
president ran for election on a platform that featured,
among other goals, inclusive growth and support to the
agricultural sector. The pursuit of these and other goals of
the new administration can be informed by a fuller
understanding of recent developments in household living

Policies that enable rural communities
to participate in expanding economic opportunities can be
central to inclusive growth in Myanmar. Rural communities
are home to the majority of Myanmar’s population, the
majority of its many ethnic groups, and 70 percent of its
poor. Development in rural areas is constrained by low
returns to agriculture, and significantly lower levels of
public service delivery and human development outcomes

Economic growth in West Bank and Gaza
(WB&G) slowed in the first quarter (Q1) of 2012. The
real growth rate is estimated to have reached 5.6 percent,
more than three percentage points lower than the Q1 2011
growth figure and almost one percent lower than the growth
forecast contained in the Palestinian Authority's
(PA's) budget. This decline is attributed to a major
slowdown in Gaza, where real growth decreased from 21.3

The purpose of this paper is to provide
information on how to transform and strengthen pluralistic
agricultural extension and advisory systems in moving toward
the broader goal of increasing farm income and improving
rural livelihoods. The focus of this book is primarily on
the technical knowledge, management skills, and information
services that small-scale farm households will need to
improve their livelihoods in the rapidly changing global

This joint working paper lays out a
rationale and strategic framework for improving food
security and managing food-price shocks in the Arab
countries. The paper does not provide country specific
policy and project recommendations. Such recommendations
will follow from the country by country application of the
framework, taking into account each country's political
and cultural preferences, resource endowments, and risk

Smallholder farmers have a vital role to play in global food security and nutrition, and in supporting a range of development and climate change goals. Strengthening the resilience and commercial viability of these farmers, particularly women and youth, can increase their capacity to contribute to these global goals.

Oxfam India is part of a global movement working to fight poverty, injustice and inequality; in India it works in seven focus state. Oxfam India aims to improve poor people’s access, rights and entitlements over land and natural resources in order to support and augment their livelihoods. Through its programme on smallholder agriculture, Oxfam India focuses on socialising the identity of women as farmers, strengthening the economic leadership of women farmers, ensuring their land rights and making public investments in agriculture accessible to small farmers, especially women farmers.

Even after several decades of green
revolution, malnutrition continues to be a major development
challenge in much of South Asia, and India has a major share
of the malnourished people in the region. For nutrition
goals to be integrated into extension the curricula provided
to current and future agricultural extension agents must be
revisited. As part of the South Asia Food and Nutrition
Security Initiative (SAFANSI), this paper focuses on

Low export prices and high production
costs are contributing to a persistent deficit in the
external accounts. Despite narrowing somewhat in recent
years, Zimbabwe’s current account deficit remains much
larger than those of comparable countries in the region, and
exports currently amount to just over half of imports. A
decline in global prices for gold, platinum and other
mineral commodities, coupled with unresolved supply-side

Agriculture is among the most risk-prone
sectors in the economies of Central Asia. Production shocks
from weather, pests and diseases and adverse movements in
agricultural product and input prices not only impact
farmers and agri-business firms, but can also strain
government finances. Some of these risks are small and
localized and can be managed by producers. Others are the
result of more severe, exogenous shocks outside agriculture

Agriculture is among the most risk-prone
sectors in the economies of Central Asia. Production shocks
from weather, pests and diseases and adverse movements in
agricultural product and input prices not only impact
farmers and agri-business firms, but can also strain
government finances. Some of these risks are small and
localized and can be managed by producers. Others are the
result of more severe, exogenous shocks outside agriculture