Dans les zones arides et semi-arides, le FIDA finance et appuie de nombreux projets qui comportent des dispositions ayant trait à la gouvernance des ressources en eau. Dans ce cadre, il promeut la participation active des collectivités rurales pauvres à la gestion de ces ressources et, par conséquent, des ouvrages...

Continuous monitoring of the changing diversity of agricultural holdings to allow more effective participation of disadvantaged stakeholders in influencing policy formulation and planning affecting their livelihood. 

Community-managed irrigation systems are commonly faced with problems of low system-level performance. A comprehensive survey was undertaken to assess and quantify the causes of the low irrigation performance in a community-managed oasis in southern Tunisia. At the irrigation system level, results showed that irrigation intervals were double those that had...

The use of groundwater in irrigated agriculture is often regarded as an effective way of increasing farm productivity. However, the effects of differential access to groundwater by farmers have rarely been studied at the microeconomic scale, particularly the possibly negative effects of marginalization of small farmers. During the hydraulic crisis...

When large-scale irrigation schemes were created, establishing viable, and closely supervised, medium-sized family farms was considered essential to reap the benefits of state investments. This centralized development model was progressively dismantled, especially as farmers installed private tubewells relying less on surface water. Our aim is to analyse development pathways of...

Pour le FIDA, l’accès sécurisé à l’eau des populations rurales pauvres est essentiel pour atteindre les Objectifs du Millénaire pour le Développement, et en particulier l'objectif de réduire de moitié la proportion de personnes vivant dans la pauvreté extrême et la faim d'ici à 2015. Dans cette perspective, la Division...

The Syrian Arab Republic is a dry country that is prone to drought, with large areas of desert or semi-desert that are too fragile to be cultivated but will support grazing for a restricted number of livestock. These areas of ecological fragility, if overgrazed and poorly managed, can quickly become...

Grassland-based systems are no longer seen exclusively as livestock production enterprises but as multiple use systems with important consequences for the global environment. They are crucial for the protection of ecosystem goods and services, for tourism and for mitigating climate change. Well-managed grasslands provide important benefits such as increased water...

This is Part 3 of a study, presented in three reports that detail the results of a poverty assessment and mapping project in North and Southern Sudan. The study’s objective was to produce a rural poverty analysis and poverty maps for North and Southern Sudan, and based on these findings,...

The World Bank SALMA project would contribute to the economic infrastructure area of engagement outlined in the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for FY11-14 and is aligned with the lessons learned in the FY08-09 Interim Strategy Note. Three aspects of economic infrastructure are addressed: agriculture, environment, and transportation. The project is...

This is Part 1 of a study, presented in three reports that detail the results of a poverty assessment and mapping project in North and Southern Sudan. The study’s objecƟve was to produce a rural poverty analysis and poverty maps for North and Southern Sudan, and based on these findings,...

Crop-livestock and feed systems have huge importance for Mediterranean regions to satisfy the increasing demand for animal products, increase the economic stability of smallholders and produce typical animal products with high added-value, while contributing to sustainable farming, environment protection and efficient nutrient cycling. These systems are threatened, however, by the...

The Al-Dhala Community Resource Management Project (ADCRMP) [IFAD Loan 638-YE] aims to support sustainable and equitable growth of rural living standards and greater livelihood security for vulnerable households in the remote and isolated Al Dhala Governorate through better management of their resource base. The specific objectives are to: (i) empower...

The historic oasis of Gafsa covers 700 ha and dates back to ancient times of history. In this oasis, crop diversification and cultivation and the integration of livestock and breeding animals are commonly practiced as means for livelihood subsistence. Crop diversification is conducted in three stages: the first stage is...

This study on gender and livelihood aims to find new ways of improving the incomes of rural households, based on the role of women in agricultural production and the division of labor in socioeconomic activities between men and women. It targets eight villages in two regions: Merek (Kermanshah Province) and...

This issue of Caravan looks to the field to present approaches and examples that have been developed through our research with partners in many dryland countries, and can be deployed to benefit smallholder farmers in many more locations. These technologies bring resistance to drought, temperature extremes, or diseases that damage and...

The CRP on Dryland Systems is all about integration: between different research disciplines, between biophysical and socio-economic factors, between crop farming and pastoralism, between research and development. The program aims to develop new technologies, new livelihood opportunities, stronger local institutions, enabling policies to support technology adoption, and ultimately higher incomes...

This issue of Caravan describes the new program, and some of the research innovations it will build on. The issue begins with two ‘opinion pieces’ by scientists from partner organizations in the CRP. They share lessons learnt from past successes (and failures), and ideas that could be applied to dryland systems...

After years of war and social unrest, Iraq is facing a number of challenges that are common to all sectors of the economy, amongst which the most important are the deteriorated state of the social and economic infrastructure, the disruption of the social fabric of the society and the increased...

The report stresses progress in linking research innovations to results in farmers' fields in a number of areas. These research-for-development initiatives are testing technology and policy packages with farmers in their production situations. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa ICARDA leads the wheat component of the regional initiative on Support to...