Sustainable Infrastructure for Agriculture towards a Green EconomyDr. Katinka WeinbergerDirector, Centre for the Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSA)

The Concept of “Green Economy”

An economic system compatible with the natural environment while being socially just

Complies with a number of criteria Environmentally friendly

- Use renewable resources within regenerative capacity- Create substitutes for loss of non-renewable resources- Limit pollution to sink function of nature- Maintain ecosystem stability and resilience

Socially just- Not compromise the ability of future generations capability to

meet their needs- Recognize the right for development- Ensure equal treatment of women and men- Ensure decent labor conditions

Three Pillars of Sustainable Development

Health & safetySkilled workforce

Supporting communities

ClimateWater

BiodiversityLand

Forests

JobsIncomeAssets

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Socialequity

Sustainable economy

Healthy environment

Society

EconomyEnvironment

Constraint or Opportunity?

Modern view implies that new economic opportunities are created

Jobs and incomes Green growth “emphasizes environmentally

sustainable economic progress to foster low-carbon, socially inclusive development” (ESCAP, 2010)

Can Agriculture Contribute to a Green Economy?

Agriculture a major contributor to green-house gases: ~ 30%

High environmental cost of green revolution High energy crop production Sharp increases in fertilizer, pesticide and water use Increased emission of nitrates and pesticides into the

environment Depletion of groundwater aquifers

Population and income growth will drive food demand – to increase by 70% until 2050 Meat: 80% Cereals: 60% Roots and tubers: 30%

Can we have a Green Economy Without Agriculture?

Food security is a key global challenge of this century

900 million people undernourished, 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient malnutrition

75% of the world’s poor in developing countries live in rural areas

Smallholder farmers depend on natural resources and ecosystem services for livelihoods

Reduced productivity growth in agriculture Increased temperatures (estimated 2-4∘C, reduced

yields in the tropics, increased yields in temperate climate zones)

Changes in water availability (critical in arid and semi-arid zones)

Extreme weather events (reduced yields) Soil degradation (water & wind erosion)

Rural poor suffer most from deterioration of natural environment

Threats Faced by the Agricultural Sector

Investment into Agricultural Sector is Urgently Required

A "perfect storm" of food shortages, scarce water and insufficient energy resources threaten to unleash public unrest, cross-border conflicts and mass migration (Beddington, 2009)

Business as usual is not an option (International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development, 2008)

Governments should prioritize investments in the small farm sector and alternative food systems that are socially inclusive as well as environmentally sustainable (High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition, 2011)

Five Priority Areas to Facilitate Green Growth

ESCAP, 2012

Allow prices to reflect real cost of production and consumption

Invest in development of mitigation strategies

Promote green products and services

Refocus from quantity to quality

Urban areasTransportWaterLandEnergyCapacity building

Message 1: Facilitate (Peri-) Urban Agriculture

Rapid urbanization, urban sprawl and car-centered development put sustainability of cities at risk

Asia-Pacific region: 1.5 billion urban population eat 2.5 million MT of food every day

Integrate peri-urban agriculture and city planning by mixing different land uses and enhancing public and green spaces

Infrastructure needs: Waste management Water harvesting

Message 2: Focus on Transport Systems

Market access for agricultural production relies on the availability of transport systems

Vast areas suffer from under-investment into transport systems

Land-based transport infrastructure in the region requires development and upgrading

Cont’d: Focus on Transport Systems

Region is experiencing rapid motorization based on car-centred transport systems

Hidden costs include chronic congestion, energy consumption, carbon emissions, air pollution and traffic accidents add up to more than 10 per cent of a country’s GDP

Greater investment in public transport, especially rail connectivity

Message 3: Improve Energy Efficiency

In the Asia-Pacific region, 675 million people do not have access to sustainable energy services

Strong reliance of agriculture and food chain on fossil fuels for agrochemicals, machinery, transport and distribution

Increase energy efficiency and develop and use cleaner, sustainable energy sources for agriculture

Message 4: Build Infrastructure to Reduce Postharvest Loss

Up to 25% of grains and 50% of horticulture produce lost from farm to fork

Feasible to half current losses, can save the use of 17% of arable land

Accelerate investment into Markets Roads Cold chains Market informationn

Message 5: Enhance Capacity Building and South-South Cooperation

No green economy without sound science, research and access to knowledge

Source: Beintema and Stads, 2008

Targeted scientific and technological capacity building required

Development and strengthening of national, regional and international innovation systems

Example: SATNET Asia Network that aims to increase and accelerate the rate of adoption of sustainable and productivity-enhancing agricultural technologies by strengthening South–South dialogue and intraregional learning

No “Golden Bullet”

No technological panacea, “no one-size-fits-all” Trade-offs and local complexities Diversity of approaches, specific to

Crops Localities Cultures

Many countries of Asia-Pacific region have developed own versions of green economic policies and strategies

The Potential for Sustainable Agriculture Exists!

Issue is not the WHAT – it is the HOW TO Policies to incentivize behavior to produce enough

food and safeguard the environment Information required to measure impact of

consumption on sustainability Multisectoral approaches to coordinate contributions

to agriculture with investments in other sectors- Investment priorities- Political tradeoffs in budgetary processes- Intersectoral coordination of implementation

Collaboration is key Knowledge sharing Pooling of resources

Towards a Future without PovertySupporting Sustainable Agriculture in Asia and the Pacific

Thank you!