UNDP works in some 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.
Inclusive growth, better services, environmental sustainability, good governance, and security are fundamental to development progress. We offer our expertise in development thinking and practice, and our decades of experience at country level, to support countries to meet their development aspirations and to bring the voices of the world’s peoples into deliberations.
In 2016, UNDP is continuing its work to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, as they help shape global sustainable development for the next 15 years.
UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:
In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.
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Resources
Displaying 301 - 305 of 362Strengthening of the rural family economy, through the management of Rubber-Shiringa (Hevea Brasiliense), in a
General
Smallholder producers living in San Martins rainforest face high levels of poverty and social exclusion, a fragile ecosystem and severe land degradation and deforestation. The Centro de Promocin de la Equidad Mara Elena Moyano (Centro Moyano) helps small-scale producers from six organizations increase family incomes, diversify and add value to their products and protect the environment by cultivating agroforestry systems focused on native rubber species and associated crops. At the IAF, we support community-led solutions to expand economic opportunity in Peru. Centro Moyanos activities bolster efforts to counteract environmental degradation and protect the natural resources that communities depend on.
Unlocking the Poverty Penalty and Upscaling the Respect for Rights in Kenya's Informal Settlements
General
Kenya's population is becoming increasingly urban. In Nairobi, over half the population lives in slums or informal settlements, which are plagued by cramped living conditions and poor access to basic services. Women face additional burdens, particularly in the area of personal security. In Nairobi's Mukuru settlement, the "poverty penalty" means that residents pay three to four times more for the available poor services than in wealthier neighbourhoods nearby. Behind the scenes is a complex informal and highly commercialized web of power and governance, where landlords and criminal organizations thrive, often through violence or extortion. In part, these conditions result from both gaps in existing laws and policies and from failures to apply them; however, Kenya's 2010 Constitution has provided some hope in confronting decades of exclusion and lack of access to justice by the poor. This project, implemented by local partner Muungano Wa Wanavijiji Akiba Mashinani Registered Trustees, will build on previous research efforts that have developed legal, financial and planning models that provide a first approach on how to unlock the poverty penalty. The solutions address both technical and governance obstacles to upgrading, improving service delivery and the security of land tenure that ensure basic rights and living conditions for Mukuru residents. Once living conditions are improved, residents can tap into their economic potential and escape the current cycle of exclusion and poverty. In Nairobi, new research and continued engagement with the county and with local residents will feed into the development of further tools to support upgrading programs and policies. Implementation of pilot projects, such as a special housing fund for the Mukuru settlement, will generate new legal, planning, and financial knowledge that can feed into scaling-up efforts across the county. In Kiambu County, research will focus on settlements in Thika, a fast-expanding peri-urban centre. Drawing on experiences from Mukuru, the research will support proactive efforts by the county to address informal settlement challenges, which are only now emerging, and not yet at a scale seen in large centres like Nairobi. The research in this case could then guide policies and practices in other peri-urban centres across the country.
Integrated land management, restoration of degraded landscapes and natural capital assessment in the mountains
Objectives
To achieve biodiversity conservation and land degradation neutrality in the Southern Highlands and Hela Provinces of Papua New Guinea through integrated landscape management and natural capital assessment
Other
Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency.
Target Groups
The Project’s benefits include the Global Environmental Benefits as described in Section 1.a.6. Besides these, the Project yield substantial direct socio-economic co-benefits to the targeted beneficiaries (refer to Section 2) and indirect benefits to implementing partners and other stakeholders. The socio-economic benefits delivered by the Project include i) direct financial incentives for landowners to overcome the barrier to engage on SLM/SFM, ii) improved access to sustainable financing for SMEs and landowners, iii) setting up of long-term financing streams through AFOLU carbon projects and certified coffee production, iv) establishment of tax easements and subsidies that directly benefit landowners, v) improved food security through more efficient and sustainable agricultural production, vi) increase resilience and reduced vulnerability of the livelihood base to climate change and disaster risks, and vii) increased land-based livelihood opportunities particularly for women.
Inclusive Sustainable Rice Landscapes in Thailand
Objectives
To transform the Thai rice value chain for environmental sustainability by upscaling the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) Standard through an Integrated Landscape Management approach.
Other
Note: Disbursement data provided is cumulative and covers disbursement made by the project Agency.
Target Groups
The ISRL project is foreseen to have multiple positive socio-economic impacts on farmers and local communities. For farmers, the project emphasizes the importance of livelihoods and enabling transition to sustainable production practices. Sustainable production practices, namely implementation of the SRP Standard, are supported through the project’s financial mechanism which initiates a Revolving Fund to incentivize service providers to provide ISRL services and contribute to service provider livelihood. The creation of this new market equates to new forms of employment, and BAAC green loans enable service providers to invest in new equipment and technologies to provide these services in the long-term. Furthermore, green bonds are envisioned to further incentivize farmers to transition to sustainable production practices by rewarding successful implementation of the SRP Standard, whilst also in and generating environmental benefits at landscape level such as reforestation and forest protection. In addition, emphasis on agro-forestry and crop diversification in the highland HCVFs and sub-optimal rice systems (referred to above), will have positive impact on farmer livelihood by enabling farmers to produce additional crops for additional income despite off-seasons or degraded agricultural lands. Given a gender mainstreaming plan and the GEF Core Indicator 11, the project will engage with at least 40% female beneficiaries to promote inclusion in transitioning to sustainable rice value chains and other on-farm and off-farm work such as agroforestry. Women will be supported to take positions of authority within the project governance structure and a gender consultant will prepare project gender mainstreaming and monitoring guidelines to ensure the representation and participation of women during project implementation. Gender equality, social issues and needs relevant for the project were studied as part of the project development process through desk study, consultative meetings with major stakeholders including Women Organic Rice Farmers Groups and other community-based groups. The objectives of the gender assessment were to assess the current situation regarding gender equality, and to identify gender equality, capacity building and gender accountability activities for inclusion in the project activities and budget. The results of the Gender Assessment are included and presented in detail in the project Gender Mainstreaming Plan (ProDoc, Appendix 16).Social sustainability (which includes the gender dimensions), and consequently the durability of the uptake and impacts of the proposed management models, will be promoted through the application of a sustainable livelihoods approach, with a focus on integrating sustainably managed rice and “diversification” alternatives into diverse farm economies and farming systems that will allow farm families to satisfy their multiple livelihood needs (including nutritious food and cash income) in a sustainable, resilient and low-risk way. The definition of such socially sustainable options will be supported through the application of the Farmer Field School model under the New Farming Theory, which emphasizes farm diversification and participatory problem analysis and farmer-based experimentation and technology validation. The project will contribute to national and provincial/landscape level socio-economic benefits, which will include: Sustained livelihoods for people dependent on the sustainable use and management of land resources (soil, water, biodiversity): The project will pay special attention to assessing the impacts of land degradation on vulnerable groups (women, indigenous peoples) and identifying sustainable gender sensitive solutions. Socio-economic sustainability will be a pre-requisite to achieve environmental sustainability of the project, which focuses on landscape planning/management and implementation/financing of sustainable rice production (SRP Standard) and sustainable management of other crops. The ISRL project leverages ongoing governmental projects for environmental and forest conservation and management, as well as those focusing on farming (Mega Farms, Flood Retention, etc.) and livelihoods (OTOP, Diversification of Farmer Income, etc.). To ensure environmental sustainability, it is key to focus on farmer livelihood to effectively address forest encroachment, monoculture production (rather to incentivize production diversification), as well as unsustainable farming practices and related land degradation (ie: overuse of fertilizer and pesticide inputs leading to water contamination). The environmental impacts of the project, namely preservation of forests and contribution to reforestation/forest patrol, as well as the reduction in harmful farm practices which have off-farm impact on the surrounding landscape (through SRP Standard implementation), will be institutionalized through policy reform and integration.
Harnessing IDRC-Supported Research on Large-Scale Land Acquisitions and Accountability in Africa
General
Commercial interest and investments in Africa's agricultural lands have intensified in quantity, speed, and size over the past five years, particularly in the wake of the 2008 food crisis. This project will address concerns over the phenomenon. It aims to enhance leadership skills that will help build more equitable policies and practices for communities around large-scale land investments in Africa. Large-scale land acquisitions Foreign and domestic investors, both public and private, are acquiring control of vast stretches of fertile land for agricultural production in developing countries. While agricultural investments can contribute to economic development and reduce poverty, many investments have failed to live up to expectations and are not generating sustainable benefits. In many instances, these land deals are leaving local people worse off than they would have been without the investment. Pressures on agricultural land are expected to continue to meet the needs of growing populations. There is also the issue of diminishing supplies of fertile land caused by pressures on water sources, encroaching urbanization, and changing weather patterns related to climate change. Investments to date have served to highlight existing weaknesses in the management and governance of agricultural lands and on local communities' ability to secure land rights. More accountable, equitable investments This project will advance IDRC's work on this issue in sub-Saharan Africa to make land investment processes more accountable and equitable, and to prevent displacement and conflict. It will build on five action research projects covering 10 countries. Project teams will work with communities to increase their power to negotiate equitable terms and protect their rights and interests. It will fund the following activities: -Land Research Summit in Dakar, Senegal, to share initial research results and lessons learned, as well as foster policy discussions -Blogs and op-eds to raise awareness about research findings -Conference participation to share the research and findings