This publication is the result of a joint effort by the FAO and the IFAD to address the linkage between water and rural poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. It takes stock of past experiences and demonstrates that there are many opportunities to invest in water in support of rural livelihoods. Its aim is to help decision-makers make informed choices on where and how to invest.

The production of liquid biofuels is rapidly increasing in developing countries, due mainly to the establishment of large-scale biofuel feedstock plantations. This results in potential socio-economic benefits, particularly in terms of agricultural employment, as well as risks,which tend to be context-specific.

The scope of this paper is to identify a strategy for climate change responses in agriculture that are consistent with safeguarding food security, rural livelihoods and the

Fisheries and aquaculture play an important but often unsung role in economies around the world, in both developed and developing countries.

Biodiversity for food and agriculture includes the variability among living organisms contributing to food and agriculture, including also the forestry and fisheries sectors. This concept includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.

Climate change will result in additional food insecurities, particularly for the resource poor in developing countries who cannot meet their food requirements through market access.

This Synthesis Paper is based on an Expert Meeting held in Rome 26

There is increasing international recognition that while growth in bioenergy offers new opportunities for sustainable agricultural development, it also carries significant risks. With use of current technologies and set policies, the growth in liquid biofuels is contributing to the rise of commodity prices and may have negative impacts on food security and the environment.

Climate change will have a disproportionate impact on poor developing countries - compared to the expected net effects in developed regions - due to a combination of more severe climatic impacts in areas that are already vulnerable today, coupled with inadequate resources, technology and organizational capacity to adapt to them.

All agricultural commodities covered in this report are of critical importance to global food and feed markets. They constitute much of the world's food consumption, generate income to farmers and represent the largest portion of food import expenditures across the world. The analysis in the report puts in perspective market developments in recent months with a view to providing some insights into how the outlook might unfold for the commodities covered during the coming months.