The Soil Survey and Land Classification Project is developing a computerized land evaluation system for Yemen using an expert system shell (ALES) which is connected to the soil database (SDB). This report describes the technical and operational aspects of the interface which links the soil database with the expert system shell.

This technical report is one of a series of reports prepared during the of the course of the FAO/UNOP project (ETH/02/012) preparing the Assistance to Settlement Project Phase IV.

This Regional Law regulates relations concerning ownership and tenancy of land, and determines terms and conditions for allocation of plots of agricultural land pertaining to state and municipal property, and also the modalities of expropriation of thereof in regional and municipal ownership. Regional administration shall have preferential terms for purchase of agricultural land in case of sale thereof by natural and legal persons, except for public sale through auction or tender.

Why do some people receive higher incomes than others with similar talents and abilities? And why do certain sources of income, such as income from farm labor and income from growing sugarcane, go to different people? What steps can be taken to reduce the wide differences in income earned, so that the number of people living below the poverty line can be reduced? What roles do education and the migration of household members play in lifting people out of poverty and in improving income distribution?

Lesotho is one of the poorest and most
unequal countries in the world. It is a small, mostly
mountainous, and largely rural country of about 2 million
people, completely surrounded by South Africa. The
persistence of poverty and rising inequality are striking
for an economy that grew at annual rates of 4 percent per
capita over the past decade. Redefining the role of the

This study explores consumer acceptance and valuation of a genetically modified (GM) staple food crop in a developing country prior to its commercialization. We focus on the hypothetical introduction of a disease-resistant GM banana variety in Uganda, where bananas are among the most important staple crops. A choice experiment is used to investigate consumer preferences for various banana attributes (bunch size, technology, producer benefit and price), and examine their opinions on GM foodstuff.

Public agricultural extension systems often fail due to inadequate consultation of farmers about their information needs and poor understanding of their information search strategies. In discussing and implementing extension programs and advisory services, the following questions need to be addressed: What information do the farmers need? How and where do they search for information? What factors determine their search behavior? How much are they willing to pay for information?

This paper reviews the performance of
the parastatal sector, with a specific focus on four main
parastatals: the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority
(ZESA); the Zimbabwe Water Authority (ZINWA); the National
Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM); and the Grain Marketing
Board (GMB). These parastatals are selected on the basis of
their quasi-fiscal dependency and strategic importance to

Indonesia is a Southeast Asian archipelago consisting of some 17,500 equatorial islands (6,000 of which are inhabited) stretching in an east–west direction over 5,000 kilometers. It has a land area of 1.83 million square kilometers; in 2000 this supported a population of 203.5 million (the fourth largest in the world), which is growing at about 1.4 percent per annum. While the overall population density is about 111 persons per square kilometer, 59 percent of the population lives on the island of Java, which has a population density of 944 persons per square kilometer.

In Ethiopia, while superficial examination suggests strong disincentive effects of food aid on labor supply and agricultural activities, these largely vanish under more careful statistical analysis." -- from Text

Access to sufficient food and nutrients is essential for household welfare, as well as for accomplishing other development objectives. Households with insufficient access to food often face other challenges related to food insecurity including poor health and declines in productivity. In order to better target food aid assistance, evaluate progress, and design efficient intervention strategies, a transparent and reliable database on food insecurity is necessary.

The growing attention to water rights in recent years reflects the increasing scarcity and competition for this vital resource. Because rights are at the heart of any water allocation system, they are also critical for any reallocation. Not only efficiency, but also fundamental issues of equity are at stake. To understand water rights requires going beyond formal statutory law (which may or may not be followed), to look at the many bases for claiming water.