BOOKS

 This book is about social equity - the quality of being fair, just and inclusive. In a society that is deeply hierarchical, it is not surprising that people tend to form exclusive groups at every level possible - based on caste, class, education, language, ethnicity etc. in an attempt to stand out from the other. Exclusions are so omnipresent that we have internalized most of them and fail to recognize them in our personal or professional lives. This book is an attempt at helping us identify and understand exclusions in our professional work.

Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu and Maithree Wickramasinghe. ITDG, South Asia.

This book aims to address the dearth of specific information on the subject of “gender issues in disasters”, particularly in the South Asian countries. The book places the issue of gender in the context of development, and extends the discussion to show how gender and development concerns are reflected in the context of disasters. The risk posed by natural hazards is a variable, and has direct implications on development in general, and livelihoods in particular. Disaster risk management is part of “managing the livelihoods” for many millions of people in the sub-continent and elsewhere in the developing world. The gender concerns expressed and experienced in the development context are applicable in the context of disasters-with an added weight-due to the specific nature of vulnerabilities and capacities prevalent in all stages of disasters. The specific vulnerabilities and capacities of men and women, as well as the gender/social dynamics of disaster situations are often not obviously visible. Detailed livelihood analysis however, exposes these often subtle but vital considerations. If ignored or unattended, these concerns will impede development efforts from reaching their goals.

 Editor(s): R.R. Krishnamurthy, Bruce C. Glavovic, Andreas Kannen,

 Managing water resources is one of the most pressing challenges of our times - fundamental to how we feed 2 billion more people in coming decades, eliminate poverty, and reverse ecosystem degradation. This Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, involving more than 700 leading specialists, evaluates current thinking on water and its interplay with agriculture to help chart the way forward. It offers actions for water management and water policy - to ensure more equitable and effective use.

This assessment describes key water-food-environment trends that infl¬uence our lives today and uses scenarios to explore the consequences of a range of potential investments. It aims to inform investors and policymakers about water and food choices in light of such crucial influences as poverty, ecosystems, governance, and productivity. It covers rainfed agriculture, irrigation, groundwater, marginal-quality water, fisheries, livestock, rice, land, and river basins. Ample tables, graphs, and references make this an invaluable work for practitioners, academics, researchers, and policymakers in water management, agriculture, conservation, and development.