Pacific (Brown and Durst, 2003). This is a rather new phe­nomenon, with the average age of Asia's industrial planta­tions less than 15 years (FAO, 2001).
     With diminishing availability of large-diameter timber from natural forests in the region, plantation forestry is ex­pected to become the dominant source for wood in ESAP. The region has more than 80% of forest plantations in the tropics. At present, most legally produced industrial wood in the region is sourced from plantations. Most plantation forestry in the region can be described as intensive man­agement of monocultures for producing a relatively narrow range of products and species; the main species are pine, teak, poplar, acacia and eucalyptus (Enters, 1997).
     Because of the extent of plantations in China and their short rotation, most of Asia's plantation forests are aged less than 15 years. This has come mostly from a rapid accelera­tion in plantation establishment in China and the short rota­tion generally used. This sector has considerable diversity in ownership, management, scale of operation and products. Plantations were established to meet the need for several dif­ferent products, including fuelwood, poles, wood chips and furniture wood, and various estate crops including rubber, oil palm and coconut. Until 25 years ago, forest plantations were largely smallholder or government operated. The trend now is for increasing private investment and management of forest plantations to meet an increasing demand for wood for pulp, furniture and particleboard. Smallholder planta­tions have sprung up to meet this market in the Philippines (Garrity and Mercado, 1994; Pasicolan et al., 1997).
     Agroforestry has come to mean many different things, but in its simplest form it refers to incorporating and using trees in farming. The focus has been primarily on small­holders. The practice gained widespread attention by gov­ernment agencies and nongovernmental organizations as a way to address a range of soil conservation objectives and meet livelihood needs. Because of its potential for increased food security, poverty reduction and environmentally sound land management, a CGIAR-supported international re­search center is now devoted to agroforestry research and development. Agroforestry is defined as a dynamic, ecologi­cally based, natural resources management system that, by integrating trees with other crops and enterprises on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production. Tree farms and nut plantations managed as a monocrop are not considered agroforestry (Beetz, 2002).

1.2.1.2   Water resources
Except for Australia and some of the Pacific Islands, ESAP is relatively well endowed with water resources: for a total area with 21% of the world's land surface, it has 28% of its water resources. Water endowments vary widely among the countries. The figure of 2,000 m3 for each person annually is usually used as an indicator of water scarcity; China was reaching this limit, while India had 1,700 m3 and the Repub­lic of Korea only 1,450 m3. For Asia as a whole, about 80% of the water withdrawals are for agriculture—the range is from 95-96% for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka to 50-60% in Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia and Viet Nam. For the Pacific, the water withdrawals varied from about 1 % in Papua New Guinea to 75-78% in Australia and Fiji.

     The hydrology of ESAP is dominated by the monsoon climate, which induces large interseasonal variations in river flows. In this situation, average annual river flow is a poor indicator of the water resources available. In the absence of regulation, most of the water flows during a short season when it is usually less needed. In Bangladesh, for example, the surface flow of the driest month was only 18% of the annual average; in Indonesia, it was 17 percent. In India, the flow distribution of some rivers in the monsoon period represents 75 to 95% of the annual flow. In North China, 70 to 80% of the annual runoff is concentrated between May and September (FAO, 2006a).
     Water in shallow underground aquifers has been signifi­cant in developing and diversifying agricultural production in the region, particularly in China and India. Groundwater offers a primary buffer against the vagaries of climate and surface water. Because groundwater is available on demand, crops irrigated with it are often more productive than those irrigated with surface water.

1.2.1.3  Aquatic resources
ESAP countries contributed 64% to the total global fishery production in 2004 (FAO, 2007). ESAP fisheries are vital for food security, supplying valuable animal protein, min­erals and vitamins. Fisheries generate employment, reduce poverty and earn revenue through domestic and export trade. People use all sizes and types of fish, discarding little. Fisheries products come from two sources: capture of wild fish, shrimp and other aquatic organisms from the sea and inland open water bodies, and aquaculture in fresh water or in brackish or marine waters.
     The increase in ESAP fish production in recent years has largely been attributed to the significant development of aquaculture. As opposed to the stagnation or decline in capture fisheries, aquaculture production has increased at a rapid rate. As a result of aquaculture knowledge, science and technology have been constantly generated and refined.
     A significant increase in the global human population, reduced supply of food fish, high prices for exportable aquatic species from the open water and increased demand for them has stimulated aquaculture to quickly develop and flourish. Many rural farmers urgently need increased income from their limited and gradually shrinking agricul­tural landholdings to meet the minimum necessities of life. Farming aquatic organisms is a profitable proposition; this activity has been rapidly gaining importance for producing food, creating employment, reducing poverty and increasing earnings through domestic and export trade.
     Within ESAP in 2004, seven countries, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,  Philippines,  Thailand  and Viet Nam, produced the most by volume from aquaculture, including aquatic plants. China alone produced 41,661,660 tonnes, or 78 percent. The next six countries accounted for 17%, the remaining countries 5 percent.

1.2.1.4  Livestock
Millions of rural households in ESAP countries depend on domesticated animals for food, farm power and income. The region is home to 30% of the world's livestock species. Developing Asian countries had the world's highest growth