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22. Resilience: Working with vulnerable farmers towards climate change adaptation and food security
- Author:
- Jules Siedenburg, Kimberly Pfeifer, and Kelly Hauser
- Publication Date:
- 11-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Worldwide, 1.7 billion small-scale farmers and pastoralists are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. They live on marginal rural lands characterised by conditions such as low rainfall, sloping terrain, fragile soils, and poor market access, primarily in Africa and Asia. Such farmers are vulnerable because their farms depend directly on rainfall and temperature, yet they often have little savings and few alternative options if their crops fail or livestock die.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Asia
23. Health-Care Reform in Georgia: A Civil-Society Perspective
- Author:
- Tobias Hauschild and Esmé Berkhout
- Publication Date:
- 06-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This report aims to identify key challenges arising from reform of the health-care system in Georgia, especially in primary health care, and to present some possible strategies to address them. It will be a useful reference document for Oxfam, our partners, and all those concerned with improving the provision of health care in Georgia.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Health, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe, Asia, and Georgia
24. Investing in Poor Farmers Pays: Rethinking how to invest in agriculture
- Author:
- Emily Alpert and Melinda Smale
- Publication Date:
- 06-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- In July 2008, world food prices reached their highest peak since the early 1970s. Food stocked on grocery store shelves was out of reach. Riots ensued. Millions were afflicted. Another 100 million people were pushed into the ranks of the hungry, raising the total to nearly one billion worldwide. And these numbers could climb again as food prices remain high, and continue to rise in many local markets.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Poverty, Foreign Aid, and Foreign Direct Investment
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Asia
25. How irresponsible arms transfers undermine development goals
- Publication Date:
- 10-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Irresponsible arms transfers are undermining many developing countries' chances of achieving their Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets. This paper shows new evidence of how this is happening in parts of Asia, Latin America, and Africa - either by draining governments' resources or by fuelling armed violence or conflict.
- Topic:
- Conflict Prevention, Security, Arms Control and Proliferation, Treaties and Agreements, War, and Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Asia, and Latin America
26. Drought Management Considerations for Climate Change Adaptation
- Publication Date:
- 10-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Cambodia is one of the most disaster-prone countries in East Asia, with its vulnerability to annual floods and droughts. One of the reasons why it is vulnerable to natural disasters is that the livelihoods of the majority of people depend directly upon natural resources, with a large proportion of its population occupied in agriculture and related sectors, including animal husbandry. Extreme poverty, which limits access to food, water, and other basic amenities, increases vulnerability. These characteristics heighten Cambodia's exposure to the impacts of climate change too. The Mekong region has recently been showing signs of climate change, as illustrated in our previous report on VietNam ('Drought-Management Considerations for Climate-Change Adaptation: Focus on the Mekong Region – Report (VietNam)', October 2007). There is evidence of greater climatic extremes: both declining rainfall in the dry season and more violent rainfall in the wet season, causing flash floods. Increasingly powerful typhoons also appear to be occurring.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Development, Energy Policy, Environment, and Non-Governmental Organization
- Political Geography:
- East Asia, Asia, Vietnam, and Cambodia
27. Vietnam: Climate Change, Adaptation and Poor People
- Publication Date:
- 11-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Vietnam is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change. The government's impressive achievements in pulling millions of people out of poverty are seriously jeopardised by the likely increase in extreme weather events such as severe rainfall and drought, and by slow climate changes like sea level rises and warming temperatures. Poor men and women are particularly at risk.A team of Oxfam researchers travelled to the two provinces of Ben Tre and Quang Tri in May 2008 to take a snapshot of how poor families are experiencing the changing climate, and how they might deal with this in the future.
- Topic:
- Climate Change and Human Welfare
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Vietnam
28. Afghanistan: Development and Humanitarian Priorities
- Publication Date:
- 01-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This paper outlines urgent action necessary to address immediate challenges in Afghanistan and to avert humanitarian disaster. It does not seek to address all issues of concern but focuses on essential policy change in development and humanitarian spheres. While aid has contributed to progress in Afghanistan, especially in social and economic infrastructure – and whilst more aid is needed – the development process has to date been too centralised, top-heavy and insufficient. It is has been prescriptive and supply-driven, rather than indigenous and responding to Afghan needs. As a result millions of Afghans, particularly in rural areas, still face severe hardship comparable with sub-Saharan Africa. Conditions of persistent poverty have been a significant factor in the spread of insecurity.
- Topic:
- Development
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, Africa, and Asia
29. Community Peacebuilding in Afghanistan: The Case for a National Strategy
- Author:
- Matt Waldman
- Publication Date:
- 02-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Existing measures to promote peace in Afghanistan are not succeeding. This is not only due to the revival of the Taliban, but also because little has been done to try to ensure that families, communities, and tribes - the fundamental units of Afghan society - get on better with each other. War has fractured the social fabric of the country and, in the context of severe and persistent poverty, local disputes have the potential to turn violent and to exacerbate the wider conflict. But there is no effective strategy to help Afghans deal with disputes in a peaceful and constructive way.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Development, International Cooperation, Non-Governmental Organization, and War
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, Asia, and Taliban
30. Falling short: Aid effectiveness in Afghanistan
- Author:
- Matt Waldman
- Publication Date:
- 03-2008
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Increasing insecurity and criminality is jeopardising progress in Afghanistan. With low government revenues, international assistance constitutes around 90% of all public expenditure in the country, thus how it is spent has an enormous impact on the lives of almost all Afghans and will determine the success of reconstruction and development. Given the links between development and security, the effectiveness of aid also has a major impact on peace and stability in the country. Yet thus far aid has been insufficient and in many cases wasteful or ineffective. There is therefore no time to lose: donors must take urgent steps to increase and improve their assistance to Afghanistan.
- Topic:
- Security and Humanitarian Aid
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and Asia