The Hindu Kush Himalayan region encompasses an area of 4.2 million km2 of hills and mountains in the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. With its vast expanses of snow and ice, the region it is known as the water tower of Asia, which is being significantly affected by climate change. The meltwater from Himalayan snow and ice feeds 10 large river systems of South Asia: the Amu Darya, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, Irrawaddy, Mekong, Salween, Tarim, Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

The Tropical managed Forest Observatory (TmFO) aims to assess the impact of logging on forest dynamics, carbon storage and tree species composition at regional level in the Amazon basin, Congo basin and southeast Asia. To do this, TmFO is carrying out a meta-analysis based on data provided by existing permanent sample plot networks set up by the research institutions involved inÍTmFO. The permanent sample plot networks ofÍ TmFO gather 29 experimental sites, 372 plots representing an area of more than 900 ha.

Water storage is and will be a key strategy for climate change adaptation. One of the major impacts of climate change in the mountains will be on the availability of water. This, together with increased demand from a growing population for water for agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes, is likely to turn water into a major issue in the countries of Asia in the coming years. One way to address the growing gap between demand and availability of water seems clear: store more water when it is available in excess and release it when it is needed.

After 30 years of dynamic growth and substantial poverty reduction in Asia, do agriculture and rural development still have a role to play in that region? The policy briefs in this collection provide abundant evidence that they do. Although the incidence of people living in poverty fell from more than 50 percent in the mid-1970s to 18 percent in 2004, and the incidence of hunger fell to 16 percent, Asia is still home to more than half of the world’s poor, most of whom live in rural areas. Agriculture and rural development are thus still key to reducing poverty and hunger in the region.

The 2013 Global Hunger Index (GHI), which reflects data from the period 2008-2012, shows that global hunger has improved since 1990, falling by one-third. Despite the progress made, the level of hunger in the world remains “serious,” with 870 million people going hungry, according to estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organiza­tion of the United Nations.Across regions and countries, GHI scores vary considerably. South Asia and Africa south of the Sahara are home to the highest GHI scores.

This paper reviews the central role of institutions for climate-smart agriculture (CSA), focusing on the role of institutions in promoting inclusivity, providing information, enabling local level innovation, encouraging investment, and offering insurance to enable smallholders, women, and poor resource-dependent communities to adopt and benefit from CSA. We discuss the role of state, collective action, and market institutions at multiple levels, with particular attention to the importance of local-level institutions and institutional linkages across levels.

This 2012 Global Food Policy Report is the second in an annual series that provides an in-depth look at major food policy developments and events. Initiated in response to resurgent interest in food security, the series offers a yearly overview of the food policy developments that have contributed to or hindered progress in food and nutrition security. It reviews what happened in food policy and why, examines key challenges and opportunities, shares new evidence and knowledge, and highlights emerging issues.

World hunger, according to the 2012 Global Hunger Index (GHI), has declined somewhat since 1990 but remains “serious.” The global average masks dramatic differences among regions and countries. Regionally, the highest GHI scores are in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. South Asia reduced its GHI score significantly between 1990 and 1996—mainly by reducing the share of underweight children— but could not maintain this rapid progress.

El aumento irrestricto de las emisiones de gases está subiendo la temperatura del planeta. Las consecuencias incluyen el derretimiento de glaciares, el aumento de las precipitaciones y de la frecuencia de eventos meteorológicos extremos, y modificaciones en las estaciones del clima. El ritmo acelerado de cambio climático, junto con el aumento de la población y de los ingresos a nivel mundial, amenaza la seguridad alimentaria en todas partes. La agricultura es extremadamente vulnerable al cambio climático.

With one more year before the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the 2014 Global Hunger Index report offers a multifaceted overview of global hunger that brings new insights to the global debate on where to focus efforts in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. The state of hunger in developing countries as a group has improved since 1990, falling by 39 percent, according to the 2014 GHI.