This paper provides the general objectives of the special issue: secondary forests in Asia: their diversity, importance and role in future environmental management. It provides a brief overview of the renewed attention to tropical secondary forests and sketches the history of research on this subject.

The Government of Ethiopia drew up a long-term industrial strategy in 1994

known as Agricultural Development-Led Industrialization (ADLI). The

Government is convinced that agriculture is the engine that can propel the

socio-economic development of Ethiopia by providing the basis for

industrialization and necessary surplus for the expansion of other sectors of

the economy. The ADLI strategy gives priority to the development of

agriculture as a primary stimulus for the sustainable growth of agro-industry

Este nmero de Unasylva se ocupa de las tcnicas, pero tambin de los aspectos polticos y sociales, de la rehabilitacin forestal de determinados espacios degradados.

Ce numro d'Unasylva se concentre sur les aspects techniques, mais aussi politiques et sociaux, de la rcupration de sites spcifiques, par des activits forestires.

The natural forests used to be the only source of commercial timber in tropical timber producing countries. In the past several years however, governments have begun implementing strict conservation policies, which have curtailed the harvest levels from this fast depleting resource base. To meet their respective wood requirements and at the same time revegetate denuded areas, most tropical countries have started to embark in tree plantation programs.

La Evaluación de los Recursos Forestales Mundiales (ERF 2000) recientemente publicada, se basó en un esfuerzo intensivo de cinco años realizado por la FAO en cooperación con los organismos nacionales de casi todos los países del mundo, un gran número de centros de investigación e instituciones académicas y una serie de organizaciones internacionales, regionales y no gubernamentales.

Comprises introduction; immediate background; Lisa Jones’ summary of the National Land Policy; thoughts on the Policy now; the future – the key question of resources; NGO experiences elsewhere of implementing land policy and law; annexes with extract on land and settlement from the PRSP, and extracts from previous comments on the draft Land Policy. Suggests that, since the Policy is likely soon to be approved, LandNet Rwanda should focus its attention on implementation.

Addresses the research question, do different land tenure conditions affect farming systems, organisation and performance among Zambian small farmers, and if so, how? Discusses the widespread demand for title, even on customary lands, and concludes that this is a defensive measure, based on a desire for secure possession and for bequeathment and the protection of fixed investments.

Outlines Oxfam’s land research on the Copperbelt in 1998. Updated version of 1998 paper examining how people whose livelihoods once depended on the copper mines have begun looking for land and the problems they have encountered on forest and ZCCM land, with the 1995 Lands Act, and with party politics. Highlights the lack of coordinated responses to the problem and concludes with the main developments following the sale of the mines in 2000 and the attitudes of the new owners towards squatters.

Report of a Conference at the University of Manchester. Summarises papers by Phil Woodhouse on ‘African Enclosures – the Default Mode of Development’ and Camilla Toulmin on ‘Identifying a Research Agenda for the Reform of Land Tenure’ and the discussions on them. Argued that we cannot assume that poverty reduction or equity will emerge from vesting power over land with local communities and their leaders. Conflicts over resources will be exacerbated by decentralisation. Conflicts between indigenous and outsider communities are now widespread.

Examines research in 4 semi-arid areas: Diourbel Region (Senegal), Maradi Department (Niger), the Kano hinterland (northern Nigeria) and Makueni District (Kenya). Presentation of main results of the research, presentation by country coordinators on farmer investments, plenary discussions, reports of working groups, concluding plenary. The foci include livelihood transformations, the impact of population growth, access to land and markets, how to initiate and sustain participatory debates on national policy formulation.