The $145 million World Bank 'West Delta' project has come under fire. Egyptian NGO, Land Centre for Human Rights (LHCR) has filed an appeal on behalf of farmers in the Egyptian delta and they want to change the course of the planned irrigation scheme.
Agriculture
Accountability
Commentary
Destructive development: A case of ecological debt in Bangladesh
'Development' has become synonymous with destruction in Bangladesh as many of the so-called development projects, financed mainly by the International Financial Institutions (IFIs), have huge negative impacts on the ground. They have added to the global north's 'ecological debt', which must now be repaid.
Environment
News
Palm oil plantation perpetuates poverty
A study by NGO Rainforest Action Network of a World Bank-funded oil palm plantation in Papua New Guinea reports violations of Bank performance standards by thrice funding the palm oil plantations of agribusiness giant Cargill with no record of a consultation process.
Environment
Background
CSO Townhall meeting
Notes from the CSO townhall meeting with Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Robert Zoellick
Environment
Background
Consultation meeting on World Bank environmental strategy
Summary of the first consultation on their new environment strategy, which they will develop next year.
Land
Analysis
Helping farmers weather risks?
The World Bank has published several papers on its pilot programmes for index-related insurance in developing countries to hedge against weather-related risks. They vary from support for local insurance companies to weather derivatives sold in international financial markets. According the Bank, private insurance should be seen as supplemental to public intervention and other forms of support such as cooperatives. A September briefing from the Bretton Woods Project, however, faults the Bank for
Land
News
Bank's approach to agriculture under fire
The World Bank and the IFC have committed to increase funding to agriculture to help tackle the food crisis, but their enthusiasm for agribusiness has been questioned by academics who suggest the benefits will not reach the hungry.
Land
Clouds over Bank weather insurance
The World Bank has published several papers on its pilot programmes for index-related insurance in developing countries to hedge against weather-related risks. A September briefing from the Bretton Woods Project, however, faults the Bank for failure to assess the broader implications of partly relying on private insurance and unregulated international financial markets to manage weather-related risks.
Land
News
World Bank backs away from Bertin
A chorus of voices are celebrating the news that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) the private sector arm of the World Bank, has withdrawn a $90 million loan to the Brazilian cattle farming company Bertin
Land
News
DFID snuggling up to the Bank?
In February the UK Department for International Development (DFID) belatedly released its latest annual report on its relationship with the World Bank. This continues a tradition which sees these reports appear at irregular intervals. As with previous annual reports there is a marked absence of the critiques heard from the Banks Independent Evaluation Group, the Parliament's International Development Committee or civil society for the period reviewed.
