Malaysia

The rapid growth and widespread use of social media has allowed these new platforms to facilitate wildlife trade, both legal and illegal. With this in mind, TRAFFIC undertook a rapid assessment to monitor wildlife trade occurring on 14 Facebook groups in Peninsular Malaysia, conducted over approximately 50 hours during a five month period (November 2014 – March 2015).

This report documents the results of field assessments undertaken to determine the distribution and status of the globally threatened crocodilian, Tomistoma schlegelii, in peat swamp areas of Peninsular Malaysia. The study was focused in, and around, Peninsular Malaysia’s two largest peat swamp forests; the North Selangor peat swamp forest and the Southeast Pahang peat swamp forest.

Asia has a rich cultural and natural heritage, but rapid development, population growth and an erosion of traditional practices are resulting in habitat loss and degradation, which is putting protected areas in Asia at risk and leading to serious decline in the biodiversity they harbour.

The impacts of oil palm plantations have been widely ignored, and given widespread promotion of these plantations throughout the tropics, the World Rainforest Movement decided to bring together research and local struggles in this book, aimed as a tool for action. Presented are three representative cases for each continent -- Cameroon, Ecuador and Indonesia -- as well as a general overview and examples from other countries. 

This report is the first one delivered under the Python Conservation Partnership. Established in November 2013, the Partnership aims to contribute to the improved sustainability of the python skin trade and to help facilitate industry-wide change. The present report provides information on how pythons are farmed in Asia, farming’s impact on local livelihoods and the relative contribution of captive python skins to the total trade.

Concerns about food and energy security, coupled with increasing returns from agriculture, have increased interest in agricultural investments in developing countries. Public debates about 'land grabbing' have questioned the socio-economic impacts of large-scale land acquisitions. There is new interest in business models involving collaboration between companies and communities.

The compendium shows how the scope of research has evolved at IFPRI, as well as in the wider development community. It covers a host of topics that bear on food and nutrition security, including development strategies, markets and trade, technologies for agricultural production, natural resource management, conflicts and natural disasters, subsidies and safety nets, gender roles, and health. Research on each topic is set into context to show how thinking has progressed over time.