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In sub-Saharan Africa, an estimated 65 per cent of soils are degraded, and unable to nourish the crops the chronically food insecure continent requires. Poverty, climate change, population pressures and inadequate farming techniques are leading to a continuous decline in the health of African soils, whilst the economic loss is estimated at USD 68 billion per year. Conversely, better land…

It is no secret that the fight against desertification isn't going well. In the two decades since the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification came into force, desertification has worsened considerably. Many within the desertification community and beyond are calling for a fresh approach to the problem: the establishment of a global goal to achieve a "land -…

Without action, the overall costs of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5% of global GDP each year. The estimated annual cost of achieving stabilisation between 500 and 550ppm CO2 equivalent, currently at just over 400ppm, is 2% of GDP. In a survey of 59 Sub-Saharan Africa countries, 33 were classified as highly or moderately highly vulnerable to climate change. All 59 were…

Young people are the future. But all too often in today’s world young women and men are marginalized and excluded – from decent employment and from crucial decisions about how to address the big challenges that face us all. Their voices are rarely heard in democratic debate and their needs and views are rarely reflected in policies and programmes.Yet more than ever the world needs young people’s…

As the world changes, so should the collection of public statistics that inform governments and citizens about the nature of their lives and their livelihoods. The present Handbook is intended for the benefit of various groups concerned with rural development and the evolving nature of the agricultural industry. It aims to be a guide for the providers of statistics, not only those who confront…

Over the coming 35 years, agriculture will face an unprecedented confluence of pressures, including a 30 percent increase in the global population, intensifying competition for increasingly scarce land, water and energy resources, and the existential threat of climate change. To provide for a population projected to reach 9.3 billion in 2050 and support changing dietary patterns, estimates…