Agriculture & Environmental Challenges : Proceedings of the Thirteenth Agricultural Sector Symposium Book

This report is a collection of papers presented at the World Bank ' s Thirteenth Annual Agricultural Symposium. This year ' s symposium - Agriculture and the Environment- addresses environmental issues along side those of agricultural productivity which are most pending. Therefore, the report discusses the following four topics in detail: (i) technical and socioeconomic considerations and policy for sustainable agricultural development; (ii) responsible management in diverse areas of agriculture and the environment (areas included: population growth versus land degradation, tillage conservation, moisture and soil management, biological nitrogen fertilization, making integrated-pest management work and changing perceptions and practices of Central American smallholders); (iii) women in agricultural resource management (women farmers, agricultural extention for women); and (iv) poverty and agricultural resource management (economic stagnation and deforestation, credit and environmental rehabilitation). The report closes with papers discussing the World Bank ' s experience in renewable resource management, the implications of the Earth Summit for sustainable agriculture, the World Bank ' s water policy and challenges that the Bank ' s agricultural staff face for future improvements in agriculture and the environment.