With the COVID-19 pandemic, the development context for the world is fundamentally challenged in many ways. The pandemic has taken a drastic human toll, and its global-scale economic and social impacts affected rural development work focused on the most poor and vulnerable populations. It has...

Lebanon's forest landscapes are unique in the Mediterranean region and, over the centuries, have provided multiple socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental benefits. However, societal changes have had a significant impact on these landscapes, putting them at risk of further degradation....

Afghanistan has been in conflict and internal turmoil since the early 1970s, which has resulted in loss of life, insecurity, ethnic division, and wide-spread damage to the environment and natural resources. As citizens of one of the poorest nations in the world with an increasing poverty level...

The forest cover in Pakistan is low. The latest forest assessment from 2011 estimates 4.47 million ha of total forest area in the country, or 5.1 percent of the total land area (Bukhari, Laeeq, and Ali 2012). Distribution of forests varies by province and other administrative area; it is highest...

This report presents a framework for strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of regulation of forestry and related sectors. It strives to identify and reduce regulatory burdens on private firms active in the forestry sector, while not compromising the objectives of government regulation....

Rural communities in Myanmar have numerous economic, environmental, and social opportunities but also face challenges as they seek a clear and solid pathway to development. The Government of Myanmar (GoM), as well as several development and donor organizations, have recognized the potential of...

Myanmar's forest and timber sector has been central to the country's economy and society, particularly over the last century. Myanmar's forests contain some of the most valued species in the world-particularly rosewood, ironwood, and teak. Myanmar also has one of the most longstanding forest...

Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has a comparative advantage in natural capital, which has fueled economic growth averaging around 8 percent per annum since 2000. The natural resource endowment comprises half of the country's wealth. Although forest cover declined 3.6 percent between...

The Bhutan Forest Note articulates opportunities for supporting Bhutan's sustainable development aspirations, including its constitutional commitment to maintain at least 60 percent of the country's land area under forest cover and to better respond or prepare for vulnerabilities such as climate...