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Stories from Iran - How IFAD is bringing empowerment through microfinance in rural Iran

Posted by Matteo Marchisio on January 08, 2014

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access to financial services economic empowerment financial_literarcy gender gender equality Iran microfinance rural finance Rural Women savings

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The Ubiquitous Eucalyptus

By Steve Twomlow and Will Critchley In many developing countries , including Ethiopia, Eucalyptus spp, was first introduced as a fast growing cash crop, sold to meet growing construction and energy needs. Eucalyptus’ fast rate of growth, even on degraded land, and its ability to ‘drain’ swampy areas is viewed by many as its greatest asset. However, Eucalyptus has been at the centre of an environmental and sustainability debate for years. ©IFAD/Will Critchley & Stephen Twomlow Since Eucalyptus woodlots are cash crops, they can help to reduce human pressure on natural forests. On the other hand, Eucalyptus woodlots are densely planted (to ensure straight poles for construction) and they have little understory foliage growing beneath the trees. Eucalyptus is an invasive plant and it’s leaves prevent the survival of other plants, thereby creating a sterile forest floor bereft of biodiversity. This makes the land that Eucalyptus grows on even mor...

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Painting by numbers: the big picture for gender equality

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