FAO has initiated a series of global and regional sector outlook studies to examine linkages between forests and societies and to indicate emerging opportunities and challenges. The Forestry Outlook Study for West and Central Asia (FOWECA) has considered these issues through an extended consultative process in 23 different national contexts in West and Central Asia.

Migration between rural locations is prevalent in many developing countries and has been found to improve economic well-being in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper explores the pathways through which intra-rural migration affects well-being in rural Tanzania. Specifically, we investigate whether such migration enables migrants to access more land, higher quality land, or greater off-farm income generating opportunities that may, in turn, translate into improved well-being.

The initial Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study (APFSOS) drew together the myriad forestry dimensions to provide a coherent description and analysis of the situation and prospects for forestry in the region. The study resulted in 50 working papers on a variety of forestry themes. The formal aspects of the study culminated in a comprehensive main report, published in November 1998. APFSOS provided an important roadmap for forestry sector development in the Asia-Pacific region to 2010, which is still being used to guide policy makers in the region today.

Now, nearly 30 years after the publication of The tragedy of the commons, the negative experiences of governments with expropriation of common property resources have led to a reexamination of the potential of collective management; and there is a growing database of information on practical experiments with the restoration or strengthening of common property resource management systems. This issue of Unasylva focuses on both these aspects with respect to forest resources.

The State of Food and Agriculture 2008 explores the implications of the rapid recent growth in production of biofuels based on agricultural commodities. The boom in liquid biofuels has been largely induced by policies in developed countries, based on their expected positive contributions to climate-change mitigation, energy security and agricultural development.

Actualmente, casi 30 aos despus, la experiencia negativa de los gobiernos con la expropiacin de recursos de propiedad comn ha hecho que se vuelvan a examinar las posibilidades de una gestin colectiva, y ha permitido disponer de una creciente informacin sobre experimentos prcticos con respecto a la restauracin o al refuerzo de los sistemas de gestin de estos recursos. En este nmero de Unasylva se insiste en ambos aspectos en relacin a los recursos forestales.

Land and land reform cover a great range, both in terms of the geographical and development status of the countries considered, and of the variety of perspectives on the issues. The articles in this issue of Land Reform, Land Resettlement and Cooperatives reflect this breadth in a variety of ways. The articles range geographically from the paper addressing land and agrarian reform in Colombia, by Professor Darío Fajardo, to a consideration of the land reforms currently under way in Scotland, by Douglas Macmillan, Ken Thomson and Bill Slee.

In preparing an investment project, development strategies and project components are defined and revisited during project formulation through a consultative process that often includes Socio-economic and Production Systems Studies. These studies are conducted to develop an appreciation of the situation in which the intended beneficiaries live, and their perceptions of their problems, needs and priorities. The present study was carried out on the socio-economic situation of tribal communities and livelihoods in selected areas in Madhya Pradesh and Bihar in India.

يشهد قطاع الثروة الحيوانية تحولاً سريعاً استجابة للتحولات التي تحدث في الاقتصاد العالمي وتغير توقعات المجتمع. فالمجتمع يتوقع من قطاع الثروة الحيوانية أن يوفر أغذية وأليافاً مأمونة ووفيرة لأعداد متزايدة من سكان الحضر، وأن يوفر سُبل العيش لأكثر من مليار شخص من المنتجين والتجار الفقراء، وكذلك السلع العامة العالمية المتعلقة بالأمن الغذائي، والاستدامة البيئية، والأمراض التي تحملها الحيوانات. ولكن سرعة وتيرة التغير أدت إلى نمو القطاع بطريقة غير متوازنة.

El Departamento de Montes de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación (FAO), con el apoyo del Departmento para el Desarrollo Internacional (DFID) del Reino Unido, celebraron en septiembre de 2001, un Foro interinstitucional sobre el papel que desempeña el sector forestal en el alivio de la pobreza. Analistas de los países en desarrollo, representantes de las agencias multilaterales y bilaterales, organizaciones de investigación internacional y Organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG), se reunieron para compartir sus experiencias.

In Ghana 70 per cent of the population are smallholder farmers who depend on the land for their basic needs. Growing competition for this resource is having significant impacts on rural livelihoods and governance as land changes hands. This study highlights the key drivers of pressure on rural land and their communities, such as population growth, urbanisation and acquisition of land by new actors, including government and business.