Current conditions and outlook: Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2002-2003

Includes bibliography

Strengthening biregional cooperation between Latin America and Asia-Pacific: the role of FEALAC

Includes bibliography

Fortalecimiento de la cooperación birregional entre América Latina y Asia y el Pacífico El papel del FOCALAE

Incluye bibliografía

Open regionalism in Asia Pacific and Latin America: a survey of the literature

Includes bibliography

Economic relations between Latin America and Asia-Pacific: recent trends and future challenges

Includes bibliography

Global economic developments, 1999

Includes bibliography

Daños ocasionados por el huracán Joan en Nicaragua: sus efectos sobre el desarrollo económico y las condiciones de vida, y requerimientos para la rehabilitación y reconstrucción: nota de la Secretaría = Damage caused by hurricane Joan in Nicaragua: its effects on economic development and living conditions, and requirements for rehabilitation and reconstruction: note by the Secretariat

Incluye Bibliografía

Daños ocasionados por el huracán Joan en Nicaragua: sus efectos sobre el desarrollo económico y las condiciones de vida, y requerimientos para la rehabilitación y reconstrucción: perfiles de proyecto de rehabilitación y reconstrucción = Damage caused by hurricane Joan in Nicaragua: its effects on economic development and living conditions, and rehabilitation and reconstruction needs: rehabilitation and reconstruction project outlines

Incluye Bibliografía

Economic relations among developing regions: an agenda for Latin America and Asia-Pacific trade cooperation

Includes bibliography

Trade facilitation within the forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

In terms of content, this article follows along the same lines as bulletin fal no. 167, although it reviews exclusively developments in the area of trade facilitation within the asia-pacific economic cooperation forum (apec). thus, the information contained in bulletin 167 has been updated and expanded. more analytical elements have also been incorporated.

Accessibility as a determinant of environmental dynamics in socio-economic disparities in mainland Southeast Asia

Access and accessibility are important determinants of people’s ability to utilise natural resources, and have a strong impact on household welfare. Physical accessibility of natural resources, on the other hand, has generally been regarded as one of the most important drivers of land-use and land-cover changes. Based on two case studies, this article discusses evidence of the impact of access to services and access to natural resources on household poverty and on the environment. We show that socio-cultural distances are a key limiting factor for gaining access to services, and thereby for improved household welfare. We also discuss the impact of socio-cultural distances on access to natural resources, and show that large-scale commercial exploitation of natural resources tends to occur beyond the spatial reach of socio-culturally and economically marginalised population segments. We conclude that it is essential to pay more attention to improving the structural environment that presently leaves social minority groups marginalised. Innovative approaches that use natural resource management to induce poverty reduction – for example, through compensation of local farmers for environmental services – appear to be promising avenues that can lead to integration of the objectives of poverty reduction and sustainable environmental stewardship.

Potential and limitations of organic and fair trade cotton for improving livelihoods of smallholders: evidence from Central Asia

Cotton is a leading agricultural non-food commodity associated with soil degradation, water pollution and pesticide poisoning due to high levels of agrochemical inputs. Organic farming is often promoted as a means of addressing the economic, environmental and health risks of conventional cotton production, and it is slowly gaining ground in the global cotton market. Organic and fair trade cotton are widely seen as opportunities for smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods thanks to higher returns, lower input costs and fewer risks. Despite an increasing number of studies comparing the profitability of organic and non-organic farming systems in developing and industrialized countries, little has been published on organic farming in Central Asia. The aim of this article is to describe the economic performance and perceived social and environmental impacts of organic cotton in southern Kyrgyzstan, drawing on a comparative field study conducted by the author in 2009. In addition to economic and environmental aspects, the study investigated farmers’ motivations toward and assessment of conversion to organic farming. Cotton yields on organic farms were found to be 10% lower, while input costs per unit were 42% lower; as a result, organic farmers’ cotton revenues were 20% higher. Due to lower input costs as well as organic and fair trade price premiums, the average gross margin from organic cotton was 27% higher. In addition to direct economic benefits, organic farmers enjoy other benefits, such as easy access to credit on favorable terms, provision of uncontaminated cottonseed cooking oil and cottonseed cake as animal feed, and marketing support as well as extension and training services provided by newly established organic service providers. The majority of organic farmers perceive improved soil quality, improved health conditions, and positively assess their initial decision to convert to organic farming. The major disadvantage of organic farming is the high manual labor input required. In the study area, where manual farm work is mainly women's work and male labor migration is widespread, women are most affected by this negative aspect of organic farming. Altogether, the results suggest that, despite the inconvenience of a higher workload, the advantages of organic farming outweigh its disadvantages and that conversion to organic farming improves the livelihoods of small-scale farmers.

[The influence of the socio-economic structure of the breeding farms of Franches-Montagnes horses on the conditions of husbandry]

The socio-economic structure of the breeding farms of Franches-Montagnes horses (FM) in Switzerland is evaluated on the basis of an investigation carried out in 2002 by the Swiss FM breeding federation. Questionnaires were sent to 3500 of its members and the results include data from 968 breeding enterprises, housing a total of 3965 FM. The quality of the husbandry of FM varies according to factors such as the altitude and the geographical situation of the farms and studs. Socio-economic parameters, such as the role of FM in the business, their use (breeding, driving, riding) and the age and level of professional education of the owners may also have an effect on standards of husbandry. The results show that the owners for whom FM represent a source of income more frequently keep their horses in standing stalls, but give them more time to exercise at liberty than the horses belonging to amateur breeders. Younger and better educated breeders are more likely to house their animals in groups.