Grant Assistance Financed By The Japan Fund For Information And Communication Technology To Kingdom Of Cambodia Kingdom Of Thailand And Socialist Republic Of Viet Nam For Improving Poor Farmers Livelihoods Through Rice Information Technology

Japans System of Official Development Assistance

The purpose of these Guidelines is to define the Bank's policies and procedures for selecting, contracting, and monitoring consultants required for projects that are financed in whole or in part by loans from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), credits or grants from the International Development Association (IDA), or grants from the Bank or trust funds administered by the Bank and executed by the beneficiary.

This publication presents an assessment of Cambodia’s agriculture, natural resources, and rural development (ANRRD) sector and provides a strategy and road map for its future development. It identifies the strategic investment priorities of the Government of Cambodia where the Asian Development Bank (ADB) can contribute to ANRRD productivity, value addition, and resource efficiency. ADB support will focus on three key areas: (i) enhancing agricultural productivity through a whole-of-system water resources management approach, (ii) strengthening agricultural value chains, and (iii) improving natural resources management and disaster resilience.

This book presents an overview of the key debates that took place during the Economic and Social Council meetings at the 2007 High-level Segment, at which ECOSOC organized its first biennial Development Cooperation Forum. The discussions also revolved around the theme of the second Annual Ministerial Review, "Implementing the internationally agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development."--P. 4 of cover.

Cambodia's economic performance over the past decade has been impressive, and poverty reduction has made significant progress. In the 2000s, the contribution of agriculture and agro-industry to overall economic growth has come largely through the accumulation of factors of production---land and labor---as part of an extensive growth of activity, with productivity modestly improving from very low levels. Despite these generally positive signs, there is justifiable concern about Cambodia's ability to seize the opportunities presented. The concern is that the existing set of structural and institutional constraints, unless addressed by appropriate interventions and policies, will slow down economic growth and poverty reduction. These constraints include (i) an insecurity in land tenure, which inhibits investment in productive activities; (ii) low productivity in land and human capital; (iii) a business-enabling environment that is not conducive to formalized investment; (iv) underdeveloped rural roads and irrigation infrastructure; (v) a finance sector that is unable to mobilize significant funds for agricultural and rural development; and (vi) the critical need to strengthen public expenditure management to optimize scarce resources for effective delivery of rural services.

The recent escalation of world food prices – particularly for cereals - prompted mass public indignation and demonstrations in many countries, from the price of tortilla flour in Mexico to that of rice in the Philippines and pasta in Italy. The crisis has important implications for future government trade and food security policies, as countries re-evaluate their reliance on potentially more volatile world markets to augment domestic supplies of staple foods. This book examines how government policies caused and responded to soaring world prices in the particular case of rice, which is the world's most important source of calories for the poor. Comparable case studies of policy reactions in different countries, principally across Asia, but also including the USA, provide the understanding necessary to evaluate the impact of trade policy on the food security of poor farmers and consumers. They also provide important insights into the concerns of developing countries that are relevant for future international trade negotiations in key agricultural commodities. As a result, more appropriate policies can be put in place to ensure more stable food supplies in the future. Published with the Food and Agriculture (FAO) Organization of the United Nations

This handbook is a compilation of the disbursement policies, guidelines, procedures, and practices of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).