Sustainable Land Management Sourcebook
The World Bank’s Rural Strategy, “Reaching the Rural Poor,” outlines five core areas of focus for rural development:
- Fostering an enabling environment for broad-based and sustainable rural growth.
- Enhancing agricultural productivity and competitiveness.
- Encouraging non-farm economic growth.
- Improving social well-being, managing and mitigating risk, and reducing vulnerability.
- Enhancing the sustainability of natural resource management.
A primary objective of this strategy is to support agricultural growth that specifically benefits the poor. Recognizing that without a concerted effort to boost agricultural sector growth, achieving the Millennium Development Goals, particularly the target of halving poverty and hunger by 2015, will be challenging for many countries.
The World Development Report 2007: “Agriculture for Development” underscores the need for increased investment in agriculture in developing nations. Despite the fact that 75 percent of the world’s poor reside in rural areas, a mere 4 percent of official development assistance is allocated to agriculture in these countries. This discrepancy is particularly stark in Sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture plays a critical role in overall economic growth, yet receives only 4 percent of total government spending, coupled with relatively high taxation on the sector.
The report highlights the increasing pressure on natural resources such as land, water, and forests due to rising demands for food, feed, and bio-energy. To address these challenges, the World Bank emphasizes sustainable management of land, fisheries, forests, livestock, and water resources, including governance issues.
While agricultural productivity has historically risen, particularly in industrialized regions, recent factors such as high oil prices, adverse weather conditions affecting crop yields, increased demand for grains for biofuels, and market speculation have led to record-high agricultural commodity prices. This trend is projected to persist, necessitating rapid expansion or intensification of agricultural land use. To sustain high agricultural productivity without degrading land and natural resources, good land management practices are crucial.
The Sustainable Land Management Sourcebook serves as a valuable resource for practitioners, including World Bank stakeholders, borrowing country clients, and project leaders, offering up-to-date information on effective land management approaches.
