The interrelations of human beings with ecosystems experience rising importance in sustainable land use planning and lead to the concept of socio-ecological system. Socio-Ecological Systems (SES) include both, a bio-geo-physical component and the related local to regional actors. Their system…
The new report from global Water Initiative- West Africa GWI – West Africa titled Irrigation, food security and poverty – Lessons from three large dams in West Africa. This report summarises the results of four years of research on three existing dam and rice field sites: Sélingué in Mali, Bagré in…
Using the framework of the National Adaptation Plans (NAP)process, this brief provides an overview of the key issues to consider and main entry points for gender mainstreaming in the development of NAPs for the agriculture sectors.
Data and information on land are fundamental for enabling smallholder farmers to gain secure access and control over their land, which provides the basis for investing in their operations. This briefing paper outlines the importance and benefits of increasing the availability and accessibility of…
International donors and advisory bodies, governments and non‐governmental organisations (NGOs) are actively promoting conservation agriculture (CA) to improve agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change impacts. However, many smallholder farmers continue to dis‐adopt (abandon) the…
The 2014–2015 Global Food Policy Report, IFPRI’s flagship publication, puts into perspective the major food policy issues, developments, and decisions in 2014 and highlights challenges and opportunities for 2015
Global analyses of vulnerability reveal generic insights into the relation between socio-ecological systems and the stress impacting upon them including climate and market variability.
The ten categories identified in our typology are based on real-world adaptation projects being financed through the Least Developed Countries Fund, the Special Climate Change Fund, and the Strategic Priority for Adaptation.
Land and soil are limited natural resources essential to all human life. One of the major environmental challenges facing Europe is an increasing demand for development, which threatens these ecosystem services, such as water recycling and purification, carbon storage, and food and fuel — as well as…
In fact drought is extremely serious problem in the Arab region, and will increase causing serious threat, keeping in mind that all Arab countries are suffering from fragility of their ecosystems, and facing severe risks of depletion of soil, vegetation, and water resources on daily basis.
‘Researchers at the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment (IonE), United States, have used household census data to map smallholder farms in developing countries.‘Despite the fact that smallholder and family farms are crucial to feeding the planet, little is known regarding the…
Tanzania has adopted a new national land policy which, among others, lowers the ceiling under which foreign investors can lease land from the current 99 to 33 years. The new policy comes barely months after the East African nation embarked on a campaign to seize “idle” land and deter “rogue…
The Barcelona Dust Forecast Center is the first center specialized on dust forecast recognized by WMO. It operationally distributes dust forecasts for Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe.
Drought is one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. It often has large-scale and serious consequences particularly in poor countries. It has accompanied humankind ever since, but is projected to increase with climate change. Yet, in our present time drought no longer needs to be a disaster, its…
2017 Atlas of the Human Planet will focus on Global Exposure to Natural Hazards. This years’ edition of the Human Planet Atlas will be released at the 2017 Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, to be held in Cancun from 22 to 26 of May. The Atlas addresses the change in global exposure to six…
The World Meteorological Organization has issued its first annual Airborne Dust Bulletin, giving an overview of atmospheric dust levels and geographical distribution in 2016. The report is part of efforts to improve observations and warnings of sand and dust storms, which pose serious risks to the…
Extreme weather events and climate variability threaten millions of livelihoods. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization is developing a new tool that helps attenuate the impact of disasters before they occur.
This forward-looking report highlights major disaster risks to food security and agriculture in the indicated reporting period. When a new emergency or deterioration of the current situation is very likely and might have severe impacts, it is indicated as “high risk”. In the case of moderate to high…
A new guidance document has been developed to support the design of well-balanced strategies for Integrated Flood Management. “This guidance document serves as the operational link between the policy and tool papers previously published by the Associated Programme on Flood Management (APFM),” said…
