How can countries support increasing numbers of vulnerable households? What can be done to reverse the trend towards increasing destitution? This report by the Food and Agricultural Organisation looks at three case studies (in northern Namibia, southern Zambia and around Lake Victoria in Uganda) which explored the relationships among HIV/AIDS, gender, agricultural production, food security and rural livelihoods. The case studies demonstrate that the HIV/AIDS pandemic has serious implications for rural agricultural production and household food security, gender concerns and the policy environment.