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Agriculture provides the livelihood to 60% of the Albanian population. Even though it is still fairly primitive and it will never probably ensure self-sufficiency in major agricultural commodities, it represents a useful shock absorber in the current situation of economic and social unrest. Since it started its transition to a market economy in 1991, Albania has carried out major reforms in the agricultural sector at large, achieving remarkable increases both in output and total factor productivity. However, more needs to be done to reduce rural poverty, stop environmental degradation and increase integration with regional and international economies. The paper provides an overview of the different policy and institutional aspects that will need to be considered for a balanced outcome.
'Gender and Governance in Rural Services' provides policy-relevant knowledge on strategies to improve agricultural and rural service delivery with a focus on providing more equitable access to these services, especially for women. It focuses India, Ethiopia, and Ghana, and focuses on two public services: agricultural extension, as an example of an agricultural service, and on drinking water, as an example of rural service that is not directly related to agriculture but is of high relevance for rural women. It provides empirical microlevel evidence on how different accountability mechanisms for agricultural advisory services and drinking water provision work in practice, and analyzes factors ...
"Restructuring has produced a definite favorable impact on labor relations and workers behavior in the reorganized farms. Managers of reorganized farm enterprises give a much more positive assessment of the behavioral patterns of their workers than managers of non-reorganized farms." Agriculture remains the main source of employment and livelihood for the large rural population of many transition countries, especially among the former Soviet republics. Accordingly the World Bank continuously monitors the progress of land reform and farm restructuring in the region because of the potential impact of these processes on rural development and poverty alleviation in rural areas. The present study...
Hungary was one of the first countries in Central and Eastern Europe to embark on economic transition. It has also led the region in terms of the restructuring and privatization of the infrastructure sectorselectricity, gas, and telecommunications. In fact, when negotiations over accession into the EU commenced, Hungary's institutional and structural framework was comparable to, if not ahead of, that of most EU countries. However, even an excellent process of reform provides some opportunities for further improvements, especially as new information and experience accumulate.This report: Provides a diagnostic assessment of recent and ongoing structural and regulatory reforms in Hungary's...
Forest concessions have been an important element of forestry and forest management in many countries, including developing countries. However, if sustainable management of tropical forests is to be achieved and deforestation brought under control, the allocation, management, and supervision of forest concessions will need to be strengthened. This study examines the failures of forest concessions over the last 20 years, and highlights the potential gains resulting from concentrating on improving procedures, introducing performance incentives, and monitoring key performance elements.
Arable land, deserts, mountains, forests, rivers, and coastal zones characterize the diverse regions in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (ECA). As varied as the geography is so are the policy directions taken by the region's governments concerning natural resource management. A lack of conservation measures, misuse, and poor management have impaired many of the natural resources now available in these countries. Although the pressure on natural resources in ECA is less than in other regions and the area has more abundant resources, the accessibility and utility of those resources belie the figures. Where there is arable land, the growing season is short. Where there are immense forests, the climate is harsh.To assist the Bank's client countries in ECA with sustainable use of natural resources, this volume identifies the various challenges, provides a history of the Bank's regional natural resource strategy, outlines a strategic framework, and proposes new strategies and policy instruments to implement them. Natural resources in this publication refer to "non-mineral" resources, such as, forests, rivers, and land.
Many inhabitants of rural areas in developing countries lack adequate and affordable access to transport infrastructure services, and this lack of transport opportunities constrains economic and social development. This report looks at the role of rural transport in reducing poverty and considers a range of issues affecting rural mobility including costs, stakeholders involved, population densities and competing services. It examines policies for promoting rural mobility including financial and regulatory considerations.
The agricultural sector in Russia has considerable untapped productive potential. Given this potential, agriculture could provide a solid foundation for growth and poverty alleviation, particularly in rural areas of Russia. The objectives of this book are to facilitate debate of issues key to agricultural policy, to contribute to a greater understanding of the Russian agricultural sector outside of Russia, and to identify a framework for further collaboration between the Russian government and the World Bank in the rural sector.
"Managers are often far from the real action, so they need something that will tell them what is going on... Luckily, the rapid evolution of tools for collecting, analyzing and diffusing information has greatly improved our ability to manage from a distance. However the speed of technological change means that changes in management practices and tools are inescapable." Development of Management Information Systems (MIS) for social funds has become essential due to some of the characteristics unique to these types of projects or organizations. Among these unique characteristics are the need for transparency and efficiency because of the highly visible nature of the activities. These guideline...
This study examines the progress made by the countries of south-east Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Romania, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) towards implementing structural economic reforms in the three years since the end of the Kosovo conflict, as well as considering the challenges that lie ahead. It discusses four key areas of reform: strengthening public finances and fighting corruption; creating a liberal trade environment; encouraging foreign investment; and fostering the growth of private markets.