Number of results to display per page
Search Results
52. In Search of a New Balance between Agricultural Trade and Development in the Euro-Mediterranean
- Author:
- Marko Lovec
- Publication Date:
- 11-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- IEMed/EuroMeSCo
- Abstract:
- The recent food security crisis has shed light on the importance of agricultural development in the South Mediterranean countries. An ‘urban bias’ and ‘trade liberalisation’ policies have resulted in growing dependence on imports, narrow specialisations and unsustainable production practices. The Euro-Mediterranean integration process has put trade liberalisation in the centre of attention, while the progress in agriculture has been limited. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the challenges faced by agro-food systems in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries, with specific attention to the role of the Euro-Mediterranean integration and the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. The paper also reviews relevant economic and environmental data in selected South and East Mediterranean countries.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Development, Economics, International Trade and Finance, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Europe
53. Democratic Change and Forest Governance in the Asia Pacific: Implications for Myanmar
- Author:
- Stephen McCarthy
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- While signs of democratization in a country may raise hopes of better natural resource governance, especially of forests, evidence from the Asia Pacific region in countries such as Indonesia and Cambodia demonstrates no significant relationship between a country's transition toward democracy and better forestry governance. Myanmar's transition to democracy is unlikely to counter this trend. Deeply vested interests operate within democratizing countries that outweigh the support inside governments or civil society for improving forestry conservation. Incumbents also stand to benefit directly from initiatives that promote free trade and further investment in the forestry sector at the expense of the environment and the most vulnerable in society. International organizations returning to Myanmar must fine-tune their policies to accommodate the local political economy of deforestation and should engage with elements on the periphery, dissenting voices inside the government, and a broad range of local civil society organizations. Failure to do so may exacerbate current trends and lead to future conflicts in the already volatile cease-fire areas.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Civil Society, Development, and Economics
- Political Geography:
- Southeast Asia
54. More Inclusive Decision-making Processes in Foreign Land Leasing: Policy Insights from Kenya
- Author:
- DAVID JAKINDA OTIENO
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Abstract:
- Foreign land leases could help developing countries to acquire foreign direct investments (FDIs), including technical expertise and income necessary for economic transformation. A lack of local stakeholder consultation and involvement in the design of land leases leads to the rejection or disruption of such leases by local communities and wastes investors' resources due to disruptions. Local public stakeholders in Kenya are willing to accept and participate in leases, provided they include certain provisions: that leases do not exceed 15 years; are renewable subject to mutual negotiations; offer formal employment to landowners' household members; and provide adequate monetary compensation for the leased land. Effective and transparent management of land leases requires the formation of management committees comprising local stakeholders such as youth, women and land experts. To enhance lease transparency, regular consultative meetings should be held, negotiation records must be shared with local community members and landowners should receive direct payment, rather than being paid through intermediaries.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Development, Economics, Poverty, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Kenya and Africa
55. Reversal in Progress on World Hunger Likely as Climate Change Threatens Food Security
- Author:
- Tim Gore
- Publication Date:
- 03-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- New evidence of how climate change could damage food security is presented in a major new scientific report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, Development, Energy Policy, and Food
56. Hot and Hungry: How to stop climate change derailing the fight against hunger
- Author:
- Anna Ratcliff
- Publication Date:
- 03-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Hunger is not and need never be inevitable. However climate change threatens to put back the fight to eradicate it by decades – and our global food system is woefully unprepared to cope with the challenge.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, Development, and Food
57. Building Inclusive Coconut-Based Livelihoods in Post-Haiyan Reconstruction in the Philippines
- Author:
- Joel Rodriguez
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The most powerful storm ever to hit the Philippines, Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Typhoon Yolanda) has affected about 16 million people. Four million people have been displaced; the majority of them are fisherfolk, and small-scale farmers and farm workers.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Humanitarian Aid, and Natural Disasters
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Philippines
58. Rebuilding Fishing Communities and Fisheries: Post-Haiyan Reconstruction in the Philippines
- Publication Date:
- 02-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Fishing communities, many of whom live in poverty, have been hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Typhoon Yolanda). The UN estimates that 30,000 boats have been damaged or destroyed and nearly three-quarters of fishing communities have been severely affected, losing crucial equipment such as boats, nets, and cages.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Humanitarian Aid, Natural Disasters, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Philippines
59. Food Security Robustness: A Driver of Enhanced Regional Cooperation?
- Publication Date:
- 03-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- Food security encompasses multiple, inter-connected dimensions, from production-related concerns, to market and price dynamics, environmental trends and policy approaches. Given this, 'robustness', the ability to withstand disruptions to the various dimensions, is critical to food security. Yet, countries in Southeast Asia continue to be largely focused on domestic production alone, which is unsustainable in the long run. This Policy Brief suggests that, in order to increase food security robustness, countries could turn to regional-level action. Towards this end, an analysis using the Rice Bowl Index is used to identify possible areas of cooperation and collaboration at the regional level.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Economics, Environment, Markets, and Food
- Political Geography:
- East Asia
60. We No Longer Share the Land: Agricultural change, land, and violence in Darfur
- Publication Date:
- 04-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Small-scale traditional agriculture provides the foundation of economic, political, and social life in Sudan's Darfur region. Traditionally, it included shifting crop cultivation and agro-pastoral livestock herding, with different ethnic groups specializing in each activity. Under this system, rights over land were not exclusive; various overlapping rights prevailed, and land use was not permanent. These arrangements allowed for the exchange of production inputs (manure for fertilizer, crop residues for animal feed), and permitted the different ethnic groups to coexist peacefully to their mutual advantage.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Agriculture, Climate Change, and Economics
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Sudan
61. Smallholders at Risk: Monoculture expansion, land, food and livelihoods in Latin America
- Publication Date:
- 04-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Greater investment in agriculture is needed to reduce rural poverty and improve food security. This means not simply increasing supply but ensuring that adequate, nutritious food is accessible to every person at all times. How investment is made, its context and conditions, is at least as important as how much is invested.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, Markets, and Food
- Political Geography:
- South America and Latin America
62. Rubber Plantations Expand in Mountainous Southeast Asia: What Are the Consequences for the Environment?
- Author:
- Jefferson M. Fox, Jean-Christophe Castella, Alan D. Ziegler, and Sidney b. Westley.
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- For centuries, farmers in the mountainous region of mainland Southeast Asia have practiced shifting cultivation, with plots of land cultivated temporarily and then allowed to revert to secondary forest for a fallow period. Today, more than one million hectares have been converted to rubber plantation. By 2050, the area under rubber trees in the montane regions of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and China's Yunnan Province is predicted to increase fourfold. Preliminary research suggests this massive land-use change could lead to drier conditions at the local level plus surface erosion, loss of soil quality, sedimentation and disruption of streams, and risk of landslides. And it appears that when primary or secondary forests are converted to rubber, carbon emissions are likely to increase. Despite environmental concerns, both local farmers and outside entrepreneurs are likely to continue expanding rubber plantations because of high economic returns. Production systems that provide the best balance between economic return and environmental sustainability are needed to improve the long-term outlook for the region.
- Topic:
- Agriculture and Environment
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Southeast Asia
63. Delivering Prosperity in Myanmar's Dryzone: Lessons from Mandalay and Magwe on realizing the economic potential of small-scale farmers
- Author:
- Jodie Thorpe
- Publication Date:
- 08-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Myanmar is undergoing intense and rapid changes. Policies formulated today will determine the future path of political and economic development. Modernization of the country's agricultural sector is, rightly, a priority. However, mechanization and large–scale agricultural investment is not the only option. Small farm development provides a commercially viable option with better outcomes in terms of poverty reduction and positive impacts on other sectors. Small farms absorb labour, allow communities to build assets and help local markets flourish. It is crucial that Myanmar promotes the right type of agricultural investment – that which supports the country's millions of small-scale farmers and farm labourers, as well as their families.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Myanmar
64. Moral Hazard? 'Mega' public-private partnerships in African agriculture
- Author:
- Robin Willoughby
- Publication Date:
- 09-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- After decades of underinvestment in agriculture, African governments are rightly looking at how best to mobilize funding for the sector. Donors in turn are keen to reverse a trend of neglect and to support initiatives that are simultaneously likely to enhance productivity, improve livelihoods and increase private sector investment. Private investors, concurrently, are looking for new consumer markets and production opportunities in Africa.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Food, Famine, and Foreign Direct Investment
- Political Geography:
- Africa
65. Food, Fossil Fuels and Filthy Finance
- Author:
- Hannah Stoddart, Lydia Prieg, and Joseph Zacune
- Publication Date:
- 10-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The world produces enough food to feed everyone. But every day more than 800 million people go to bed hungry. This is a scandal and climate change is set to make things even worse.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Energy Policy, Environment, and Industrial Policy
- Political Geography:
- Europe
66. Improving Access to Food in Sub-Saharan Africa: Using the Diffusion of Agroecological Information to Mitigate Climate Change Effects
- Author:
- Suhani Bhushan and Stephanie C. Fauquier
- Publication Date:
- 11-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Abstract:
- By 2050, the world's population is expected to exceed nine billion people. Population growth is occurring most rapidly in Africa, which will see the population grow from one billion to 2.1 billion by 2050. Africa will see significant population growth; however, agricultural output is not growing at the same rate. Africa's abundant natural resources are being used ineffectively, and the country is unlikely to sustain current population growth. According to reGina Jane Jere (2014), "Barely a fraction of fertile agricultural land [in Africa] is being cultivated - just 10 percent of the 400 million hectares."
- Topic:
- Agriculture
- Political Geography:
- Africa
67. Impacto De La Roya Del Café
- Author:
- Alberto Vargas
- Publication Date:
- 12-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Muchas de las comunidades de El Salvador tienen una baja resiliencia (su capacidad de enfrentar y recuperarse de los efectos de los desastres es muy limitada). Existen comunidades que a causa del cambio climático están enfrentando diversos eventos cada uno o dos años.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Health, Human Welfare, and Food
- Political Geography:
- South America
68. Stopping Deforestation: What Works and What Doesn't
- Author:
- Jonah Busch and Kalifi Ferretti-Gallon
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- A new Center for Global Development meta-analysis of 117 studies has identified the key factors that drive or deter deforestation. Some findings confirm conventional wisdom. Building roads and expanding agriculture in forested areas, for example, worsen deforestation, whereas protected areas deter deforestation. Encouragingly, payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs that compensate people who live in or near forests for maintaining them are consistently associated with lower rates of deforestation. But contrary to popular belief, poverty is not associated with greater deforestation, and the rising incomes brought about by economic growth do not, in themselves, lead to less deforestation. Community forest management and strengthening land tenure, often thought to reduce deforestation while promoting development, have no consistent impact on deforestation.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, Environment, and Poverty
69. ASEAN Food Security: Towards a More Comprehensive Framework
- Author:
- Barry Desker, Mely Caballero-Anthony, and Paul Teng
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA)
- Abstract:
- This Policy Brief is based on the Issues Paper on ASEAN Food Security: Towards a More Comprehensive Framework. The key message is that food security is a priority agenda for the AEC, and the issues to be addressed are: (1) current impediments to agricultural trade and food production; (2) standardisation mechanisms and regulatory frameworks; (3) disjunctions between regional arrangements and domestic policies; (4) public-private partnerships; and (5) crucial indicators for food security robustness.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Regional Cooperation, Food, Food Security, and Farming
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Southeast Asia
70. Is Poverty a binding constraint on Agricultural Growth in Rural Malawi?
- Author:
- Mirriam Muhome‐Matita and Ephraim Wadonda Chirwa
- Publication Date:
- 07-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)
- Abstract:
- Agriculture remains the most important sector in sub‐Saharan Africa and is a dominant form of livelihood for a majority of the population that resides in the rural areas. In Malawi, agriculture accounts for 35 percent of GDP and generates more than 80 percent of foreign exchange. In addition, agriculture is the most important occupation for 71 percent of the rural population in which crop production accounts for 74 percent of all rural incomes. However, agriculture has failed to get Africa out of poverty, and most countries are experiencing low agricultural growth, rapid population growth, weak foreign exchange earnings and high transaction costs (World Bank, 2008). In Malawi, for a long time, economic growth has been erratic (see figure 1) with huge swings and poverty has remained high. For instance, the annual growth rates in per capita gross domestic product averaged ‐2.1 percent in the 1980‐84 period, ‐2.7 percent in 1990‐94 period, 3.8 percent in 1995‐99 and ‐0.2 percent in the 2000‐05 period.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Economics, Political Economy, Poverty, GDP, Inequality, Economic Growth, and Macroeconomics
- Political Geography:
- Africa and Malawi
71. Ripping into TTIP? Debates Surrounding the Upcoming EU–U.S. Negotiations
- Author:
- Maya Rostowska
- Publication Date:
- 07-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Polish Institute of International Affairs
- Abstract:
- The outcome of negotiations for a transatlantic trade deal depends largely on the stance of politicians and stakeholders in the EU and the U.S. An overview of the debate on either side of the Atlantic reveals both sides' respective interests and suggests which areas will prove particularly difficult to negotiate. These include public procurement provisions, data privacy, agricultural issues, and the financial services sector.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- United States
72. Indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes (SEPLs)
- Author:
- Nadia Bergamini, Robert Blasiak, Pablo Eyzaguirre, Kaoru Ichikawa, Dunja Mijatovic, Fumiko Nakao, and Suneetha M. Subramanian
- Publication Date:
- 04-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United Nations University
- Abstract:
- The following policy report constitutes an important supplement to a set of 20 indicators for resilience in socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPLs) that was developed over the course of joint collaboration between Bioversity International and the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS). The indicators were disseminated widely in pamphlet form for the first time in March 2012. Subsequently, a need was identified for sharing a more in-depth overview of the considerations that went into creating this list of indicators as well as the outcomes of initial field-testing.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Environment, and Sociology
73. Hedging Against an Unstable China: Measures to Enhance Regional and Global Resilience
- Author:
- Alexandre Catta, Aladdin Diakun, and Clara Yoon
- Publication Date:
- 08-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Abstract:
- Mainstream analysis on China tends to be overly optimistic, leaving a blind spot in strategic planning. While the country's socio-economic landscape has been transformed over several decades of uninterrupted growth, it faces significant domestic and international risks and constraints. Chief among these are labour insecurity and imbalances, environmental constraints and rising climatic risks, and food insecurity, all coupled with rising popular expectations for a higher overall standard of living. Major soy producers (Argentina, Brazil and the United States) should take steps to ensure the stability of China's supply. In particular, these countries should set aside reserves to help mitigate future supply shocks and price spikes resulting from climate change. Manufacturers operating in or with China should immediately begin mapping their supply chains to identify vulnerabilities associated with crisis scenarios in the country. Where specific risks are identified, they should explore supply-chain diversification to boost resilience among major trading partners. To deter China from externalizing internal stresses, international actors should raise the political costs of nationalistic unilateralism by opening more channels for dialogue, deepening institutional integration and buttressing cooperative security norms.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, Development, Economics, Environment, and Food
- Political Geography:
- China and Israel
74. Impact of climate change on ASEAN food security: Downscaling analysis and response
- Publication Date:
- 09-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- This NTS Issues Brief is based on the proceedings of the Expert Group Meeting on the Impact of Climate Change on ASEAN Food Security held in June 2013. The Meeting called for higher priority to be given to research on climate shifts at national and local scales, as well as greater focus on agricultural R It also highlighted the need for resource and knowledge inputs from actors throughout food value chains in the region.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, Economics, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Asia and ASEAN
75. Revisiting the Quality of Agricultural Official Development Assistance
- Author:
- Kimberly Ann Elliott and Edward Collins
- Publication Date:
- 09-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Global Development
- Abstract:
- The Quality of Official Development Assistance (QuODA) measures how well donors score on the dimensions of aid quality that evidence and experience suggest lead to effective aid. Those dimensions are maximizing efficiency, fostering institutions (in recipient countries), reducing burden (for recipient governments), and transparency and learning (on the part of donors). The Quality of Agricultural Official Development Assistance (Ag QuODA), as much as possible, applies the original QuODA methodology to donors giving agricultural aid. In this update of Ag QuODA, we use new data from the Creditor Reporting System to extend our earlier analysis and update it to 2011. We also examine data on aid activities that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is now reporting. We find that the quality of official development assistance (ODA) varies widely, with multilateral donors generally doing better on average than bilateral donors. Improvements in the data quality and availability are making sector-specific assessments like Ag QuODA more feasible, but further improvements are needed to allow a deeper understanding of aid effectiveness.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Economics, Foreign Aid, and Foreign Direct Investment
76. Feed the world? The challenges of global food security
- Author:
- Costanza Caputi
- Publication Date:
- 06-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- European Union Institute for Security Studies
- Abstract:
- According to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), food security exists when 'all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life'. This is determined by the four key dimensions of availability, access, utilisation and stability of food supply.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Development, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Europe and United Nations
77. When Women Farm India's Land: How to increase ownership?
- Author:
- Lucy Dubochet
- Publication Date:
- 10-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Women have long played a crucial role in India's agricultural production, and the trend that sees men shifting to non-farm activities further increases their responsibility. The situation of women cultivators is one of tremendous vulnerability: without land titles, they are not recognised as farmers, and thus are not able to access credits and government benefits. This policy brief outlines avenues to address the gap between the reality for many rural women and their entitlements.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Gender Issues, and Human Rights
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and India
78. Sugar Rush: Land rights and the supply chains of the biggest food and beverage companies
- Author:
- Jodie Thorpe
- Publication Date:
- 10-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Since 2000, nearly 800 large-scale land deals covering 33m hectares globally – an area four times the size of Portugal – have been recorded. This land has shifted from smallholder production, local community use, or the provision of important ecosystem services, to commercial use, driven in part by the rising demand for large-scale crops like sugar.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Economics, International Political Economy, International Trade and Finance, and Markets
- Political Geography:
- Portugal
79. THE NEW ALLIANCE: A NEW DIRECTION NEEDED Reforming the G8's public–private partnership on agriculture and food security
- Author:
- Eric Munoz
- Publication Date:
- 09-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The past decade has witnessed a resurgence of interest in investing in agriculture. In 2003, heads of state from across Africa committed to allocate at least 10 per cent of their national budgets on an annual basis to agriculture and, through their commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), to reduce poverty through agriculture-led growth.1 More recently, at the 2009 G8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy, world leaders responded to the global spike in food prices by pledging to provide $22bn over three years to promote food security in developing countries.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Demographics, Development, Poverty, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Africa
80. Growing disruption: Climate change, food, and the fight against hunger
- Author:
- John Magrath and Tracy Carty
- Publication Date:
- 09-2013
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- This briefing paper explores how the failure to tackle climate change threatens all aspects of food security – availability, access, utilisation, and stability. The changing climate is already jeopardising gains in the fight against hunger, and it looks set to worsen. It threatens the production and distribution of food. It threatens people's ability to access food by undermining livelihoods and destabilising prices, and it damages diets by harming human health and putting at risk the quality of food produced. Finally, the paper sets out how these impacts can be averted, through urgent action to avoid dangerous climate change, address our broken food system, and strengthen its resilience.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Climate Change, Development, Environment, Poverty, and Food
81. Organic Agriculture as an Opportunity for Sustainable Agricultural Development
- Author:
- Verena Seufert
- Publication Date:
- 01-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
- Abstract:
- We need drastic changes in the global food system in order to achieve a more sustainable agriculture that feeds people adequately, contributes to rural development and provides livelihoods to farmers without destroying the natural resource basis. Organic agriculture has been proposed as an important means for achieving these goals. Organic agriculture currently covers only a small area in developing countries but its extent is continuously growing as demand for organic products is increasing. Should organic agriculture thus become a priority in development policy and be put on the agenda of international assistance as a means of achieving sustainable agricultural development? Can organic agriculture contribute to sustainable food security in developing countries? In order to answer these questions this policy brief tries to assess the economic, social and environmental sustainability of organic agriculture and to identify its problems and benefits in developing countries. Organic agriculture shows several benefits, as it reduces many of the environmental impacts of conventional agriculture, it can increase productivity in small farmers’ fields, it reduces reliance on costly external inputs, and guarantees price premiums for organic products. Organic farmers also benefit from organizing in farmer cooperatives and the building of social networks, which provide them with better access to training, credit and health services. Organic agriculture generally reduces the vulnerability of farmers as the higher organic prices act as buffer against the low prices and price volatility of conventional markets, as organic systems are often more resilient against extreme weather events, and as the often diverse organic crop-livestock systems provide a diverse set of outputs. On the other hand, organic farmers in developing countries need to access international markets, they require often costly certification and have increased demand for labour. Overall, organic agriculture thus provides promises for sustainable agricultural development, but its shortcomings need to also be considered. This policy brief therefore concludes with a set of specific recommendations on what policy options could best address the current problems of organic agriculture and ensure the success of an organic agriculture development strategy.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Food, and Sustainability
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
82. Better Rules for a Better Future: Regulating private sector agriculture
- Author:
- Maria Dolores Bernabe
- Publication Date:
- 11-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The ASEAN Investment Report for 2011 considers 2010 as an important year for the region in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows. FDIs in ASEAN for the said year reached a record high of US 75.8 million dollars, nearly double the inflows in 2009. Included in these FDIs were private sector investments in agriculture, as Southeast Asia has become one of the most favored destinations of large-scale agricultural land investments.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Gender Issues, Food, and Foreign Direct Investment
- Political Geography:
- Southeast Asia
83. Land Acquisition in India: Will the Proposed Bill Protect Displaced People?
- Author:
- Lucy Dubochet
- Publication Date:
- 11-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The proposed Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill sets out to reconcile two agendas that have so far clashed: it aims to secure the land requirements of the government's development agenda, while addressing the mounting resistance of people whose land is acquired. The bill is a major step forward because it links land acquisition with rehabilitation and resettlement (R). By doing so, it brings to the forefront questions that have long since been at the heart of conflicts around land acquisition.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Human Rights, Territorial Disputes, and Law
- Political Geography:
- South Asia and India
84. Planting Now (2nd Edition): Revitalizing agriculture for reconstruction and development in Haiti
- Author:
- Tonny Joseph
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010 exacerbated the country's grinding poverty and serious development problems, while at the same time worsening Haitian living conditions. The tremor killed over 250,000 people and injured 300, 000. It crippled the economy, causing losses estimated at almost 120 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Nevertheless, economic growth is expected to rise between 7 and 9 percent in 2012, largely owing to reconstruction efforts. The population in internally displaced persons camps has decreased from 1.5 million to around 390,000 (according to the June 2012 report of the International Organization for Migration), and the country's hurricane preparedness capacity has increased.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Gender Issues, Government, Food, and Fragile/Failed State
- Political Geography:
- Caribbean and Haiti
85. 'Our Land, Our Lives': Time out on the global land rush
- Author:
- Kate Geary
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Today, stories of communities driven from their lands, often at the barrel of a gun, left destitute and unable to feed their families, have become all too familiar . As the scale and pace of large - scale land acquisitions increases globally, evidence is mounting that the land rush is out of control and that the price being paid by affected communities is unacceptably high. A huge amount of land has been sold off or leased out globally in the past decade: an area eight times the size of the UK. In poor countries , foreign investors bought up an area of land the size of London every six days between 2000 and 2010. Commercial interest in land could accelerate once again as recent food price spikes motivate rich countries to secure their own food supplies and make land a more secure and attractive option for investors and speculators. The 2008 boom in food prices is widely recognized as having triggered a surge in investor interest in land : from mid - 2008 – 2009 reported agricultural land deals by foreign investors in developing countries rocketed by around 200 per cent .
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, Poverty, Natural Resources, Territorial Disputes, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Africa and United Kingdom
86. India's Water Challenges
- Author:
- Suresh P. Prabhu
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Threats of international water conflicts have garnered headlines in many parts of the world including South Asia. Yet, there are almost no examples of outright water war in history. Instead, national water tensions and issues in water management continue to bedevil South Asia and the largest country in the region. India's population currently stands at 1.2 billion people and is expected to reach 1.6 to 1.8 billion by 2050. For a country that already ranks among the lower rungs of the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index, faced by the stresses of such population growth, India will have to design a plan to satisfy basic human needs for survival, and identify—and maximize—the use of key inputs that drive India's economic growth. One common source that cuts across all criteria for basic survival and economic development is water. It is predicted that by 2050, the per capita availability of water at the national level will drop by 40 to 50 percent due to rapid population growth and commercial use. The main sectors that are heavily dependent on water, such as India's agriculture and power generation, will also affect the quality of water available, both for other productive sectors and for public use. The demand for, availability, and varying use of water all have an impact on India's water resource management and its relations with neighboring countries.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, Industrial Policy, and Water
- Political Geography:
- South Asia, India, and Southeast Asia
87. Haitian Women: The Centerposts of Reconstructing Haiti
- Author:
- Robert Maguire
- Publication Date:
- 01-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United States Institute of Peace
- Abstract:
- Women are Haiti's 'potomitan' (centerposts), playing pivotal roles in matters of family, education, health, commerce and the economy, and agriculture. Gender-based violence has been and continues to be a very real threat to the security and well-being of Haitian women and their families. Deficient access to education and healthcare, and misguided agricultural policies, have exacerbated women's burdens. Improved social, economic and political empowerment of women is vital to rebuilding Haiti.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Economics, Education, Gender Issues, and Health
- Political Geography:
- Caribbean and Haiti
88. In search of food security: Addressing opacity and price volatility in ASEAN's rice sector
- Author:
- Sally Trethewie
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- Given that volatility in rice prices is expected to continue, governments in Southeast Asia should consider policy measures to address the factors that impact price formation and stability. The non- transparent nature of the way rice is traded in Southeast Asia is contrary to the free-trade rationale of ASEAN agricultural trade policy and food security frameworks. The underlying dynamic of opacity (of information) is the reason for policy decisions that contribute to instability in rice price formation. In particular, limited information on the availability of rice and composition of trade deals results in misinformed purchasing behaviour, particularly during price shocks. The lack of transparency perpetuates distrust in the regional rice market, leading countries to disengage from the market and instead pursue economically inefficient self- sufficiency strategies.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Southeast Asia
89. Climate Change as a Conflict Multiplier
- Author:
- Amanda Mayoral
- Publication Date:
- 02-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- United States Institute of Peace
- Abstract:
- Climate change can be a conflict multiplying mechanism as it fosters unforeseen conflicts and reinforces existing ones. While there are many causes of conflict, climate change can be a trigger in the sequence. Climate effects that constrain resources are unequally distributed to those countries already in the most desperate situations. Coupled with rising population growth, these events are likely to heighten poverty in the future if no action is taken. Adaptive development must be sustainable to bridge existing shortfalls, must plan for anticipated effects, and provide for the longer-term picture. More developed and higher carbon-emitting states should engage in mitigation efforts to reduce these effects. Given that one country will feel the consequences of environmental destruction sown by another, the costs and benefits of adaptation and mitigation should be weighed from a global perspective as the capacity of countries to respond varies. Failure to mitigate and adapt to climate effects can raise the likelihood of violent conflict.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Climate Change, Energy Policy, Environment, and Famine
90. Reforming the Common Agricultural Policy in the Shadow of the WTO
- Author:
- Carsten Daugbjerg
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS)
- Abstract:
- Agricultural trade became fully integrated into negotiations on trade liberalisation in the Uruguay Round commencing under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1986 and has been the cause of much discontent ever since – every major setback in the GATT and World Trade Organization (WTO) trade rounds has been caused by lack of progress in agricultural trade negotiations.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, International Organization, International Trade and Finance, World Trade Organization, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Europe
91. Would a Southeast Asian rice futures market be feasible, and what of food security?
- Author:
- Sally Trethewie
- Publication Date:
- 05-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- In 2010, it was proposed that Singapore consider hosting an international rice futures market, with cited benefits being enhanced price discovery and price stabilisation. The RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies hosted an Expert Working Group Meeting in Singapore in March 2012 to discuss the feasibility of this proposal. The market conditions of the Southeast Asian rice sector are seen as an impediment to the operation of an international futures contract, although opinion is divided as to the degree that these conditions would affect a contract. Whether feasible or not, the proposal for a rice futures market raises several issues related to the region's food security, in particular, the potential impact of futures trading on rice price volatility and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. This NTS Policy Brief provides a summary of these issues and presents considerations for Southeast Asian policymakers.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Development, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Singapore and Southeast Asia
92. US Agricultural Exports to ASEAN Grow - But Face Competition
- Author:
- Michael McConnell
- Publication Date:
- 03-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- East-West Center
- Abstract:
- ASEAN countries have long been an important international market for US agricultural exports. The United States, in 2011, exported almost $9.6 billion of agricultural products to ASEAN, making it the sixth-largest export destination for US farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses—behind Japan ($14 billion) and just behind the European Union ($9.6 billion), but well ahead of South Korea ($7 billion). Moreover, the value of agricultural trade between the United States and ASEAN almost doubled between 2007 and 2011, with the top four ASEAN markets in 2011 for the United States being Indonesia ($2.8 billion), the Philippines ($2.1 billion), Vietnam ($1.7 billion), and Thailand ($1.3 billion). With a population of 614 million and strong economic growth, it is expected that ASEAN will continue to be an important market for US agricultural products. However, the United States is likely to face increasing competition, particularly from China, Australia, and New Zealand, all of which have free trade agreements (FTAs) with ASEAN.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Demographics, Economics, International Trade and Finance, Markets, and Food
- Political Geography:
- United States, China, Europe, East Asia, South Korea, Australia, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand
93. Sahel Markets Under Pressure
- Author:
- Jean Denis Crola
- Publication Date:
- 05-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- Harvests in Africa's Sahel region from the 2011/12 season are down sharply compared with last year and have been later than usual, extending the previous 'hunger gap' period. A further aggravating factor for the people of the region is that local grain prices failed to drop as they generally do in the period after the harvest. In December 2011, prices reached levels that were 80% above their five-year averages and remained at high levels, compromising access to adequate food for vulnerable populations. Together with the main agencies involved in the crisis, Oxfam, ROPPA, RBM, APESS, POSCAO and WILDAF estimate that more than 18 million people are currently in a situation of food insecurity in the Sahel.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Demographics, Poverty, Food, and Famine
- Political Geography:
- Africa
94. CARE and Cargill: An Innovative NGO-Private Sector Partnership to Fight Global Poverty
- Publication Date:
- 06-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Abstract:
- Formed in 2008, the Rural Development Initiative is a five-year, $10 million partnership between CARE, a prominent humanitarian organization, and Cargill, an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial, and industrial products and services. CARE partners with Cargill employees in local communities and along the company's supply chains to improve crop yields, access to markets, and incomes for farmers; enhance the attendance and quality of education programs; and increase access to health care, nutritional programs, and safe drinking water in rural communities. With projects in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, India, Honduras, Guatemala, and Brazil, the CARE-Cargill partnership seeks to help 100,000 people lift themselves out of poverty by 2013. Through the Rural Development Initiative, CARE and Cargill leverage their respective strengths to improve livelihoods, while at the same time improving Cargill's competitive advantage and fulfilling CARE's mandate.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, Humanitarian Aid, and Markets
- Political Geography:
- India, Brazil, Egypt, Honduras, Guatemala, and Ghana
95. Integrating Food Security with Land Reform: A More Effective Policy for South Africa
- Author:
- Thembela Kepe and Danielle Tessaro
- Publication Date:
- 08-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for International Governance Innovation
- Abstract:
- Food security is broadly defined as households' access at all times to adequate, safe and nutritious food for a healthy and productive life. Whether or not individuals and households are entirely self-sufficient in food production (see Devereux and Maxwell, 2001), achieving food security requires secure access to, and control over, land resources.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Food, and Famine
- Political Geography:
- South Africa
96. The Hunger Grains: The fight is on. Time to scrap EU biofuel mandates.
- Publication Date:
- 09-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- In 2009, EU governments committed to sourcing 10 per cent of transport energy from renewable sources by 2020: they are set to meet this target almost exclusively using biofuels made from food crops. By putting a mandate in place, European governments are propping up powerful industry and farming lobbies without spending a penny from national budgets: as direct subsidies and tax exemptions are phased out, the cost is increasingly borne by the consumer. For example, by 2020 biofuel mandates are likely to cost UK consumers between £1bn and £2bn more each year—that's about £35 from every adult—and to cost German consumers between €1.37bn and €2.15bn more—up to €30 per adult. EU governments have replaced subsidies paid out of the public purse with a subsidy that consumers, often without their knowledge, pay directly to big business.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Development, Energy Policy, and Food
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom, Europe, and Germany
97. On the Brink: Israeli settlements and their impact on Palestinians in the Jordan Valley
- Author:
- Lara El-Jazairi and Fionna Smyth
- Publication Date:
- 07-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- The Jordan Valley, located in the eastern part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), makes up 30 per cent of the West Bank (see Map 1 on page 7). Requisitions and expropriations of Palestinian land by the Israeli authorities continue to destroy the livelihoods of Palestinians living in the area and, unless action is taken, there are strong indications that the situation will only get worse. The Israeli government recently announced proposals and policies for the expansion of settlements, which, if implemented, will further threaten the living conditions and human rights of Palestinian communities in the Jordan Valley, undermining efforts to bring peace and prosperity to the OPT and Israel.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Security, Agriculture, Development, Peace Studies, Treaties and Agreements, and Territorial Disputes
- Political Geography:
- Middle East, Israel, Palestine, and Arabia
98. Tackling urban and rural food wastage in Southeast Asia: Issues and interventions
- Author:
- Paul Teng and Sally Trethewie
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Centre for Non-Traditional Security Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies
- Abstract:
- Food wastage is prevalent in Southeast Asia and has significant implications for the region's food, environmental and economic security. It is likely that the region wastes approximately 33 per cent of food, but accurate estimates are not available due to a dearth of quantitative information. Wastage occurs at all stages of food supply chains, from the point of production to post-harvest, retail and consumption. Effective interventions to prevent and minimise food wastage exist but are not widely implemented in Southeast Asia. In the context of these issues, the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies hosted an Expert Working Group Meeting in August 2012 to discuss food wastage in Southeast Asia. This policy brief draws on the findings of the meeting and provides several policy recommendations for Southeast Asian governments to address urban and rural food wastage.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Food, and Famine
- Political Geography:
- Southeast Asia
99. East Africa Food Crisis: Poor rains, poor response
- Author:
- Elise Ford
- Publication Date:
- 07-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Oxfam Publishing
- Abstract:
- East Africa is facing the worst food crisis of the 21st Century. Across Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya, 12 million people are in dire need of food, clean water, and basic sanitation. Loss of life on a massive scale is a very real risk, and the crisis is set to worsen over the coming months, particularly for pastoralist communities.
- Topic:
- Security, Agriculture, Humanitarian Aid, United Nations, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Kenya, Africa, Ethiopia, and Somalia
100. Markets vs. Malthus: Food Security and the Global Economy
- Author:
- Cullen S. Hendrix
- Publication Date:
- 07-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Peterson Institute for International Economics
- Abstract:
- In the past four years, rising world food prices and the global economic downturn increased the ranks of the world's food insecure1 from 848 million to 925 million by September 2010, reversing decades of slow yet steady progress in reducing hunger (WFP and FAO 2010). While the human costs have been considerable, the political consequences have been significant as well. Food prices sparked demonstrations and riots in 48 countries 2007–08. While prices receded in 2009, they reached historic highs in February 2011—and were once again implicated in political turmoil. High food and fuel prices were among the grievances motivating the demonstrations that led to the ouster of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Economics, International Trade and Finance, Poverty, and Food
- Political Geography:
- Ethiopia and Egypt
- « Previous
- Next »
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4