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!