The UNCED Convention on Biodiversity commits governments to report regularly on the state of forest biodiversity. This includes the development of a system of indicators. For indicators to be useful they should constitute a feedback mechanism in the decision-making process. They should form a comprehensive and integrated system. Much of the discussions on possible forestry indicators revolve around the identification of species-based and system-based indicators. The former category includes the use of endangered or flagship species as well as indicators of intraspecific variation. The latter category is intended to cover measures of forest structure and composition, the use of vegetation associations and ecological regionalizations, and measures of soil erosion or nutrient loss. From those two long lists of biodiversity indicators, a short list can be distilled, referring to the two major elements of the model framework, viz. Drivers of Change and Attributes Inventoried and Monitored. Despite the general objective of forest biodiversity conservation, it is important to look closely at some of the current challenges that exists for the future in forest management. In summary, changes in forestry practices are heavily influenced by economic realities, particularly the supply/demands variables. The shortage of information and knowledge implies that it will take time and effort and many iterative revisions to improve and refine the array of indicators that are required

The objective of the study was to perceive mutual characteristics of the communes in central Serbia (Yugoslavia) based on 39 statistical indicators showing the achieved developmental level of agricultural production. On the basis of these indicators, the communes were classified into clusters (groups) forming homogeneous units with the objective of eliminating the weaknesses in the policy of regional development and enabling rational utilization of available resources. Six homogeneous groups of communes were obtained using cluster analysis of previously chosen indicators. Each cluster has its own specific properties depending on the level of manifestation of the indicator tested, which is the result of different territorial and climatic conditions.

The new nutrition recommendations published in 1990, in addition to recommending nutrient intakes, emphasize the equilibrium among nutrients, especially among the macro-nutrient. It is estimated that the better the population meets these recommendations, the better are its chances of remaining healthy. Taking into account the 1990 nutrition recommendations, we developed four indicators of the nutritional quality of food intake which could allow one classify individuals or groups according to the degree to which they meet these nutrition recommendations: a global score and an energy score, each stemming from the nutrient adequacy ratio, a score loosed on the level recommended for a nutrient as the runoff value, and a score based on two thirds of the level recommended for a nutrient at the runoff value. These indicators were then applied to the data bank from the Quebec nutrition survey carried out under the Canadian Heart Health Initiative b 1990 (n = 2118, ages 18-74 years) to see if they could discriminate among different 24-hour food recall. Each food recall was rated on each of the four indicators. All four indicators discriminated among the recalls, but each seemed to capture different aspects; each indicator is thus deemed to be useful for different purposes.

This report consists of an environmental impact assessment of hillside irrigation systems located in the Andean region in Colombia and Ecuador, both in South America. In addition, a set of indicators, presented within the context of studies to be conducted, were identified and monitoring strategies to measure these indicators were outlined. The assessment is based on field observation and interviews of key informants -- technical personnel in charge of the operation of the systems, field workers, NGO's technical people, and representatives of the associations of irrigation users. As a whole sixteen irrigation districts were visited, of those, ten were located in Colombia, and six in Ecuador.

Summary (En)

Assessment of the welfare impacts of low-frequency events, such as macroeconomic crises and stabilizations, are often confounded by sampling and nonsampling errors that generate fluctuations in household survey-based welfare indicators; they are also limited by our ability to explain fluctuations in terms of other available data. Basing policy on short-term movements in welfare indicators can thus be hazardous. There was a sharp increase in India's poverty measures in the aftermath of the mid-1991 crisis and the ensuing stabilization reforms. However, only one-tenth of the increase in measured poverty is explicable in terms of the variables one would expect to transmit the shock. Poverty measures soon returned to their pre-reform levels, belying the notion of a reforms-induced structural break.

Assessment of the welfare impacts of low-frequency events, such as macroeconomic crises and stabilizations, are often confounded by sampling and nonsampling errors that generate fluctuations in household survey-based welfare indicators; they are also limited by our ability to explain fluctuations in terms of other available data. Basing policy on short-term movements in welfare indicators can thus be hazardous. There was a sharp increase in India's poverty measures in the aftermath of the mid-1991 crisis and the ensuing stabilization reforms. However, only one-tenth of the increase in measured poverty is explicable in terms of the variables one would expect to transmit the shock. Poverty measures soon returned to their pre-reform levels, belying the notion of a reforms-induced structural break. | Non-PR | IFPRI1 | FCND

Besides a worthy price, accepting new products depends on the usage characteristics and the product philosophy. The last is very important in the society in connection with the debate on environment. In the paper, a product line for competing energy carriers is analyzed, where besides costs, technical usage characteristics and especially environmentally effects are based on an internationally accepted consensus. For the planned comparison of product lines, relevant and practicable indicators from a comprehensive list were selected.

Besides a worthy price, accepting new products depends on the usage characteristics and the product philosophy. The last is very important in the society in connection with the debate on environment. In the paper, a product line for competing energy carriers is analyzed, where besides costs, technical usage characteristics and especially environmentally effects are based on an internationally accepted consensus. For the planned comparison of product lines, relevant and practicable indicators from a comprehensive list were selected.

Farmer-participatory experiments on integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) on smallholder farms in Ghana were conducted. Based on preliminary results, the potentials of this integration technology for transforming existing, traditional farming systems to become more suitable clearly exist. Household economics, together with four sustainability indicators, show that farms which adopt IAA become more sustainable. Additional environmental benefits as well as increased awareness among farmers as to the effects of their activities can be achieved. Possible measures for policy formulation towards widespread adoption are suggested.