In this paper I analyze the forest and debt dynamics in a less developed country (LDC), where the former is a renewable resource and the latter's increase results from the interests to be paid on the current debt minus the balance of trade surplus. Agricultural and industrial goods are produced, and whereas the former requires the converted forest as an input, the latter does not. It transpires that the stock of debt is likely to increase infinitely without repudiation, whereas the stock of forest is likely to oscillate around an equilibrium level. Within this framework, I compare the effectiveness and enforceability of the debt-for-nature and the debt-for-development swaps with respect to tropical deforestation and debt burden issues. Some empirical evidence confirming the theoretical results is provided.

This paper evaluates policies for addressing forest degradation in developing country hill areas, where agriculture is the major activity and villagers depend on forests for important economic inputs. Population growth, poverty, and open access probably explain most 'overuse' in such areas, but these are very difficult, long-term problems. The paper argues that under such conditions interim demand-side policies should be seriously considered, but the case is also made that the set of feasible instruments is quite small. Focusing on the case of Nepal, two instruments for reducing fuelwood demand – promotion of more efficient, wood-burning cookstoves and policies that reduce the prices of alternative fuels (e.g., through subsidies) – are evaluated. Using a simple analytical model and results from two household surveys conducted in Nepal, it is concluded that promoting improved stoves is a much more efficient and equitable instrument than, for example, subsidizing the major alternative fuel, which is kerosene. The cost of fuelwood saved using improved stoves is predicted to be a very low $2.77 per metric ton.

When decisions to intervene in different schistosomiasis severity states are taken in isolation, inefficiencies are unavoidable due to failure to take account of the synergy between community and facility level options. To date no studies have been conducted of the sequential nature of decision-making processes in schistosomiasis. The main aim of this study is to develop a methodology that could be used to compute the costs and health benefits of alternative strategies for ameliorating the burden of illness from schistosomiasis, with a view to determine that strategy which would produce the greatest excess of benefits over cost. In other words, the goal is to develop a conceptual framework that could be used to map out the most efficient path of options for intervention across a spectrum of schistosomiasis states - asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and very severe.

A cost-utility decision analysis (CUDA) model was developed and applied to the population living within the schistosomiasis endemic region of Kenya covered by the Mwea Irrigation Scheme. Both primary and secondary level options were included in the analysis.

The main findings are as follows. Strategies involving treatment at the community level were generally superior to non-treatment community strategies. The selective population praziquantel chemotherapy (SPCPS) was found to be the optimal strategy. Mollusciciding strategies are the most cost-effective among the non-treatment strategies. The results of the sensitivity analyses were, however, mixed. The inconclusive nature of the results indicates that firm policy conclusions cannot be made on the basis of current epidemiological information, and more research is urgently required to establish both the validity and reliability of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and the Delphi technique (DT) measurements used in the study.