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Globally, synergies between social protection and agriculture are taking place as part of an effort to combat hunger and poverty while promoting rural development. These efforts resonate with the vision and current strategies set in motion by the Government of the Philippines, which is committed to the goals and targets outlined in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This document presents a framework for analysis with the purpose of strengthening coherence between agriculture and social protection, and identifying pathways for achieving policy and programmatic synergies.  

The objective of the Assessment is to analyse the agriculture and rural sectors from a gender perspective at the macro level (policy), meso level (institutional) and micro level (community and household). The Assessment seeks to identify gender inequalities in access to critical productive resources, assets, services and opportunities. The assessment looks at the priorities, needs and constraints of both women and men in agricultural and rural communities, and the gaps that exist in responding to these issues. It also provides recommendations and guidance to promote gender sensitivity in future programmes and projects, and identifies possible partners for gender-related activities. This Assessment [...]

Along the border of Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia, many communities are ethnically and politically divided. Land is at the heart of social, political and economic life, which makes land disputes and other related issues even more challenging. Tensions and conflict in Liberia, as well as the civil war, created an unstable scenario, where marginalized people increasingly take to demonstrating in cities, and roadblocks and even violence are becoming more common. Within this context, FAO, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) developed this project to promote the stabilization and cohesion of 10 communities along [...]

The high cost to Ecuador’s national budget of maintaining a minimum guaranteed producer price for rice led to the introduction of a price bracket system in 2017. The minimum support price policy and a complimentary high import tariff were meant to protect small rice producers from competition from world markets and increase their incomes. However, farmers with greater productive capacity are currently accruing the highest income transfers from the guaranteed minimum rice price. Moreover, the policy has led to distortions throughout the marketing chain, only partially meeting its objective of price stability. The introduction of the price bracket system and [...]

The Government of Fiji has identified action on nutrition and on diet-related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) as a policy priority. The population of Fiji is experiencing a triple burden of malnutrition, due to the rapid dietary transition of the past 5 decades. Consumption of healthy traditional foods such as fish and seafood, staple root crops, coconuts and wild plants has decreased, while consumption of cereals and refined sugar has increased dramatically.  A significant contributor to high salt, sugar and fat intakes are discretionary foods, such as confectionary, snacks and sweet beverages. These foods contribute an average of only 9 percent of daily [...]

This summary identifies key trends in agriculture in the Caribbean and the related opportunities for investments in support of growth, poverty reduction, and sustainability. It presents, to the extent to which available data and information allow, a sectorial review of agriculture in the region and identifies opportunities, prospects and investment priorities. The document presents a description of the structure of the rural environment, demography, the supply of goods and services, the main inequalities, levels of poverty, importance and role of family agriculture and other economic activities (diversification), the main features of rural society and the presence of the private sector. It [...]

Forests and landscapes in the Asia-Pacific region are under increasing pressure from economic development, climate change, demographic shifts, conflicts over tenure and land use, and other stressors. This, the third Asia-Pacific Forest Sector Outlook Study, presents scenarios and a strategic analysis to help policymakers and other actors understand the implications of these stressors for forests and forestry in the Asia-Pacific region and how best to address the challenges ahead.  The product of outstanding collaboration among institutions, networks and more than 800 individuals across the region, the study examines the drivers of change in the region’s forest sector and explores three scenarios [...]

Despite its enormous potential, West Africa continues to suffer from high levels of food insecurity, with an estimated 11 percent of its population suffering from undernourishment or chronic hunger. With stunting, wasting, underweight and micronutrient deficiencies (such as vitamin A, iron and iodine deficiencies) affecting the most vulnerable groups, in particular children aged under five and women in reproductive age, a number of initiatives were adopted and projects implemented in the region. However, there has been insufficient coordination of these initiatives and projects, despite the fact that they target similar geographical areas and beneficiary populations. In addition, the Right to [...]

Using rural economy-wide impact simulation methods and cost-benefit analysis, this study examines the impacts of individual and combined social protection and agricultural interventions in Malawi on incomes, poverty and production. The goal of this analysis is to provide evidence on policy options to increase coordination and coherence between social protection and agricultural programmes, with the objective of reducing poverty, increasing incomes and enhancing agricultural production and productivity.    Research shows that significant income gains in rural areas can extend beyond the direct beneficiary households, as a result of consumption and other local linkages. Given the income gained by these vulnerable households, [...]

This document summarizes the online consultation Strengthening the linkages between agriculture and social protection: designing coherent approaches for improving food security and nutrition in vulnerable households, which was held on the FAO Forum on Food Security and Nutrition in Europe and Central Asia (FSN Forum in ECA) from 6 November to 17 December 2018.  The consultation was initiated in the framework of the project “Developing Capacity for Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Selected Countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia”, funded by the Russian Federation and led by the FAO Agricultural Development Economics Division. Also available in Russian