Foto: Paulo Freire Zentrum

19.11.2008
Growth, Environment and Development

This event tried to bridge different epistemological communities of environment and development, with a focus on NGOs. The Austrian Development Conference is a triennial event organised by the Paulo Freire Centre, Vienna, and is supported by the Austrian development-political NGOs and the scientific community in development studies.

What made this event particularly intriguing was the attempt to bridge the gap between actors in environment and development. Climate change and the role of agriculture, especially in East Africa, were at the centre stage of the debate. Becky Malay (Phillipines) and Fred Kabuye (Uganda) reported from their respective regions about challenges and success stories, especially in organic farming.

Whilst H. Leuenberger (UNIDO) asked for more efficiency in energy consumption, Prof. H. Kromb-Kolb emphasised the fact that in limited systems there is no more scope for unlimited growth. She argues for a change in life style and for each one of us to think about the way materialism has made us unhappy in spite of the fact that we appear to be so rich in material goods.

Ch. Bals made an interesting presentation about the historical development of the growth paradigm, and how the Western societies built their success in industrial development on the use of fossil fuels. It is very ironic that in spite of our long knowledge about the detrimental effect of our life style we continue to emit more and more CO2 per GDP rather than reducing it. We have entered a detrimental path dependency that makes it even harder for us to go back to a more sustainable life style - the fact that there are no more public telephones makes us fully dependent on mobile phones for example.

Fred Kabuye emphasises that in the East African States agriculture is still more subsistence than commercially oriented. However, the yields are declining, malnutrition among children is prevalent and the population lacks purchasing power.

Sustainable agriculture has progressed from the mid 90ies. Fred calls it the ability of farmers to produce food without causing irreversible damage to ecosystem health. However it has a stronger focus on micro than macro farming systems and organic farming in particular. High tech agriculture: is developing, but there are still many unresolved IPR issues. East African agriculture is also at the cross-road between GM or not GM application, at a crossroad between high tech or small systems that are more subsistence oriented farming. He asks if Africa is losing out on the biotech era? Or is it providing an opportunity for the future with a larger gene pool and maintained biodiversity?

The conference discussed many of these issues, and some of the discussants very much emphasised the questions of which way to go, who decides, and for whom? Michael Hauser says it clearly: There will be no other possibility other than investing into agriculture and rural development. You have to meet people where they stand. However, many decisions are made on business class flights or Sheraton hotels, so he says, and the decision makers have not been to villages in a long time. Food security however is an issue of empowerment and self-determination.

This may mean intensification of agriculture, in order to be able to feed a growing urban agriculture. We may not like everything the future will bring, however it is not our place to decide. Agri-culture has to do with people and culture. Sovereignty and empowerment are required for better future for African agriculture. Farmers have to be able to decide what they want to grow, and consumers have to be able to decide what THEY want to eat. Not everyone agreed with Michael (I do, incidentally!), however an interesting though surprisingly tame discussion followed this intervention.

Birgit Habermann, Wien, 18.11.2008

...weiterlesen >>> Teil 2

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