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This introductory note provides the background to the FIRST Policy Guidance Notes series and comprises three sections. Section 1 describes the rationale of the guidelines; section 2 introduces the different guidance notes included in the guidelines and describes the step-wise approach adopted; section 3 unpacks the concepts related to food security, nutrition and policy.  See the complete Policy Guidance Series Now also available in Spanish and French.

This course provides an overview of corrupt practices in the tenure sector. It analyses the drivers and impact of corruption on the livelihoods and food security of poor and vulnerable people. It also introduces a series of options and tools that key players, including states, organizations and citizens can utilize to identify, assess and tackle corruption. Who is the course for? The curriculum primarily addresses “change agents” - i.e. people who can have a direct impact by introducing changes in how tenure is governed. They include national policy makers and administrators, surveyors, trainers, legal support providers, civil society and non-governmental organizations, advocacy, control and monitoring professionals. Language: English, [...]

In many regions of the world, sustainable and reliable delivery of water services has become increasingly complex and problematic. Complexities that are very likely to increase, considering the unprecedented confluence of pressures linked to demographic, economic, dietary trends, and climate change. Particularly if overall demand for freshwater exceeds supply, the delivery of water services is often less about engineering, although engineering is still required, and more about politics, governa nce, managing and protecting sources, resolving conflicts about water, ensuring rights to water are respected, and so on. It is also about understanding and monitoring the hydrological cycle at the appropriate scale [...]

The MENA region is known for its water scarcity situation and competition over the limited natural resources to grow grain in order to enhance domestic food supplies, or to grow high-value fruits and vegetables for export is intense and escalating. The choice between food security and lucrative exports is not simple because land and water continue to remain a fundamental part of people’s cultural identity, social relations, livelihood strategies and economic well-being. The trade-offs are critical and many aspects and may stakeholders need to be brought to the decision table. The proposed approach helps stakeholders to select and put into practice those land uses that will best meet [...]

The daily food and incomes of billions of people, particularly the rural poor, are determined by their access to land, fisheries and forests. Societies decide and regulate access to these resources through systems of tenure. Paul Munro-Faure, Deputy Director and Francesco Romano, Land Tenure Officer of the FAO Partnership, Advocacy and Capacity Development Division explain how supporting responsible governance of tenure is critical to achieving food security and allowing families to invest in sustainable production. They describe the FAO policy work, including key policy messages. See all videos in the Policy and Governance series :  AR  CH  EN   FR  RU  SP [...]

This Technical Guide on Governing Tenure Rights to Commons aims to support states, community-based organizations and civil society organizations, the private sector and other relevant actors to take proactive measures to implement the standards and recommendations of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests. This Technical Guide is now also available in Chinese, French and Spanish. 

This publication sheds light on the inherent challenges pastoralists face, the shortcomings of governments in securing pastoral tenure, and the emerging examples of success and progress from around the world.  Also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese and Russian

The SSF Guidelines are based on internationally accepted human rights standards and are to be interpreted and implemented in accordance with those standards. Their objectives are to be met through the promotion of a human rights-based approach (HRBA). This approach seeks to ensure the participation of small-scale fishing communities in nondiscriminatory, transparent and accountable decision-making processes by putting particular emphasis on the needs of vulnerable and marginalized groups and developing countries. While the HRBA has been recognized by FAO as a principle that informs the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects, there is still limited experience in its practical application in the context of small-scale [...]

These FAO/IFAD guidelines are designed as a sourcebook to address recurrent problems faced by practitioners to prepare Economic and Financial Analysis (EFA) during design, supervision and ex-post evaluation of projects. This volume offers practical, short and well-referenced EFA guidance notes built on actual cases from EFA of various development projects. It aims to offer methodological "hints", guidance and inspiration for EFAs of a wide array of development interventions, including: nutrition, climate-smart agriculture, natural resource management, livestock production, land tenure security, water and sanitation, rural finance, irrigation, rural roads, value chains and demand-driven investments.  The target audience comprises consultants working for governments, IFAD [...]

Empirical evidence on the role of forests in food security, poverty reduction through income and employment generation, and addressing the challenges of climate change is increasingly being generated and documented. For the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region where forest resources are scarce and the potentials for timber production are limited, non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are becoming ever more important. Local people use these products to meet their daily needs; as a source of food, fodder and medicine, and to generate income. However, current production of NWFPs represents a small fraction of what it could actually be in most countries in [...]