Integrating environmental issues into a strategy for sustainable agricultural development : the case of Mozambique


Book Description

The Government of Mozambique, in conjunction with the World Bank and other donor agencies, is preparing a strategy for agricultural development in Mozambique. For this strategy to promote sustainable development, it must take into consideration the environmental implications of the proposed courses of action. The strategy should identify vital environmental risks associated with the development of natural resources and suggest alternative ways to reduce these risks and to ensure sustainability. This paper identifies the most important factors affecting the environment in Mozambique as they relate to agricultural and rural development. The paper also discusses developments in other economic and social spheres which have an impact on the development of the agricultural sector as well as the potential risks they may pose to the environment.




The Cornerstone of Development


Book Description

"Sustainable development" quickly became the universal goal for environmentalists in the 1990s, motivated by the 1988 Brundtland Report and the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio. When the time came to bring theory into reality, sustainable development revealed far more complexity than first anticipated. To attain sustainable development in the full sense of the phrase"meeting present needs without compromising the resources needed for future societies"environmental and social concerns would need a constant presence in all major economic decisions. The Cornerstone of Development: Balancing Environmental, Social, and Economic Imperatives profiles many of the first attempts to implement sustainable development initiatives worldwide. The model: Canada's experience with "multistakeholder" decision-making. Under the guidance of Canada's National Task Force on Environment and Economy, nationwide and provincial round tables brought government officials together with corporate officers to formulate sustainable development guidelines. Authorized by the Canadian government to serve as an "Agenda 21 organization," the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) subsequently researched the feasibility of adapting the multistakeholder approach to the needs and practices of developing countries. The results are in these pages: valuable case histories from Africa, Latin America, Asia and Canada, each recounting the risks and benefits from integrating environmental, social and economic policies. When IDRC members were asked for ways to address environmental sustainability, they had few examples to follow"and little evidence that such endeavors could be fulfilled. The research and problem-solving efforts they produced are now collected here, for the guidance of other environment/development balance programs worldwide.




Integrating Environmental Issues Into a Strategy for Sustainable Agricultural Development


Book Description

The Government of Mozambique, in conjunction with the World Bank and other donor agencies, is preparing a strategy for agricultural development in Mozambique. For this strategy to promote sustainable development, it must take into consideration the environmental implications of the proposed courses of action. The strategy should identify vital environmental risks associated with the development of natural resources and suggest alternative ways to reduce these risks and to ensure sustainability. This paper identifies the most important factors affecting the environment in Mozambique as they relate to agricultural and rural development. The paper also discusses developments in other economic and social spheres which have an impact on the development of the agricultural sector as well as the potential risks they may pose to the environment.




Integrating Sustainable Agriculture, Ecology, and Environmental Policy


Book Description

Find an interdiscliplinary view of sustainable agriculture that emphasizes the potential contributions of ecology to agricultural sustainability in this groundbreaking book. Integrating Sustainable Agriculture, Ecology, and Environmental Policy explores how ecological knowledge, applied as part of a multidisciplinary effort, can be used to design a sustainable and environmentally sound agriculture. A more ecologically based agriculture can increase production efficiency and decrease environmental impacts, but hard choices regarding population control, energy conservation, and land use must still be made. This interdisciplinary approach ensures that the results are beneficial to all components, for example, an ecologically based management scheme which bankrupts the farmer is not considered a viable option for sustainable agriculture. These thought-provoking chapters are an excellent introduction to the contributions of ecological principles to an environmentally sound sustainable agriculture. This multidisciplinary examination provides readers interested in agriculture with a valuable introduction to related work in other fields including ecology and economics. Agronomists, ecologists, educators, and policymakers will find essential information on diverse topics including: the definition and measurement of ecological sustainability in agriculture landscape ecology and the design of sustainable agricultural landscapes soil ecology as a foundation for sustainable agriculture Federal agricultural policies as incentives or deterrent to sustainable agriculture applying farming systems research and extension to sustainable agriculture population growth and other threats to sustainable agriculture environmental policies and their effects on sustainable agriculture the role of precollege education in developing sustainable agriculture




Our Common Journey


Book Description

World human population is expected to reach upwards of 9 billion by 2050 and then level off over the next half-century. How can the transition to a stabilizing population also be a transition to sustainability? How can science and technology help to ensure that human needs are met while the planet's environment is nurtured and restored? Our Common Journey examines these momentous questions to draw strategic connections between scientific research, technological development, and societies' efforts to achieve environmentally sustainable improvements in human well being. The book argues that societies should approach sustainable development not as a destination but as an ongoing, adaptive learning process. Speaking to the next two generations, it proposes a strategy for using scientific and technical knowledge to better inform future action in the areas of fertility reduction, urban systems, agricultural production, energy and materials use, ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation, and suggests an approach for building a new research agenda for sustainability science. Our Common Journey documents large-scale historical currents of social and environmental change and reviews methods for "what if" analysis of possible future development pathways and their implications for sustainability. The book also identifies the greatest threats to sustainabilityâ€"in areas such as human settlements, agriculture, industry, and energyâ€"and explores the most promising opportunities for circumventing or mitigating these threats. It goes on to discuss what indicators of change, from children's birth-weights to atmosphere chemistry, will be most useful in monitoring a transition to sustainability.




Sustainable Agriculture, Forest and Environmental Management


Book Description

The recent technologies for sustainable development and maintaining ecological integrity in the field of agriculture, forestry and environmental management for the green future. Describes the recent technologies and issues to generate awareness among the global scientific community towards sustainable development. Covers various eco-friendly approaches for successful management of soil, water, forest, agriculture, and other natural resources. Addresses the policy issues promoting conservation, protection and management of various natural resources. Presents the issues of climate change and sustainable strategies to combat such a mega event. The existence of life on the earth primarily depends upon the agriculture, forest and environment. The changing climate is imposing the multifaceted challenges in front of human civilization. The agroecosystem management practices and technologies leads to higher productivity with destruction of agricultural, forest and environmental habitat leading to soil-water-air pollution. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) plays a key role in the promoting research and developmental activities in various sectors to achieve the sustainable development goals under 2030 agenda. Gradual growth of science and technology has imposed a significant pressure on the different ecosystem. In this context, approaches such as sustainable agriculture, forestry and eco-friendly technologies need to be address across the world. Keeping view of these facts this book underlines scientific chapters dealing with the issues with proper explanation, and accompanied by illustrative diagrams, tables, database as required. The editors have tried to provide a brief scenario about the current issues related to the agriculture, forestry and environment. Therefore, the book would be a very useful resource for academicians, scientists, and policy makers of the related field.







Agriculture and the Environment


Book Description

The World Bank has, over the past two years, revisited its rural development strategy and in turn developed a new one, through a renewed commitment to sound development in the rural sector, and seeks to encompass farmers and their communities alike, as well as policymakers. This report gathers applied and practical research related to agriculture and the environment in the developing world, summarizing current knowledge through specific examples, stating the approaches and conditions which worked or not, and the reasons for failure. The observations and findings suggest that environmentally sound increases in productivity will be harder to achieve than in the past, though a significant potential for attaining these increases do exist. To this end, reforms are necessary, so that policy and institutional frameworks support an intensified sustainable agriculture, conducive to an environment that gives way to technological innovation. The authors in this report, review subjects from, integrating environmental concerns in rural development policies, natural resources degradation, small-farmer decisionmaking, to agricultural trade reforms, research initiatives, property regimes, etc. Institutional and social perspectives, together with technical issues and perspectives are also analyzed through various subjects in this volume.




Sustainability in Agricultural and Rural Development


Book Description

First published in 1998, this book provides a broad but in-depth description of the issues, concepts, methods of analysis, and empirical results related to the sustainable development of agriculture and rural communities. Specifically, it examines the relationships between sustainability and individual topics such as technology, information, population, gender, land use, community, and public policy. A unique aspect of this book is that the topics addressed have not previously been explored together in one publication. With sustainability as the common link, data and evidence are presented and then interpreted in light of individual perspective and experience, in the process advancing our knowledge of this important field. The book comprises of 12 chapters written by prominent authors who come from government and non-government organizations as well as from various academic institutions and disciplines. This book is ideal for a seminar course. It is particularly intended for students in production agriculture, rural sociology, economics and public policy, environmental sciences, geography and land use planning, and other social sciences. Its rich insights make it a useful source of information for policy makers. It can also be used as a reference by professional economists and other researchers interested in issues relating to sustainable agricultural and rural development. While the coverage of some topics is, by necessity, more technical, the book is compiled with a general audience in mind. Thus, it should be of interest to anyone concerned with agriculture, natural resources and rural issues, particularly as they relate to the future of agriculture and of rural communities.




Sustainable Development as a Civilizational Revolution


Book Description

As a concept, sustainable development is in conflict with traditional development based upon economic growth. Sustainable development is an attempt to formulate a programme that integrates different aspects (ecological, social, and economical) which were usually considered as separate from each other. Sustainable Development as a Civilizational Revolution. A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Challenges of the 21st Century expands the discussion on sustainable development, including ethical, technical/technological, legal and political aspects. Since it is not possible to solve environmental problems solely by technical means, without taking into account economic or environmental aspects, the degree to which they overlap is discussed. In addition it is necessary to emphasize the importance of social and moral considerations. A clean environment is a valuable attribute, but its achievement at the expense of high unemployment -- or some other form of severe social conflict -- cannot be regarded as action in line with the sustainable-development principle. The tremendous scope of these changes makes it reasonable to expect this new vision for development to achieve the status of a revolution comparable to those known from the past: the agricultural, scientific and industrial revolutions. Sustainable Development as a Civilizational Revolution. A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Challenges of the 21st Century will be invaluable to graduate and post-graduate students following advanced courses on sustainable development, scientists dealing with sustainable development, and academia interested in environmental and social sciences.