Assessing Utilization of Low-input Agriculture Technologies (liats) in Malawi: Adoption and Challenges for the Malawian Subsistence Farmer
Introduction
There is growing concern about agricultural activities leading to environmental degradation and health risks associated with intensively produced foodstuffs. As a result interest in organic agriculture is increasing. This growing interest in sustainable and organic natural resource management and healthy eating, coupled with the increasing number of resource-poor farmers who cannot afford agrichemicals, has led to the potential for organic farming in addressing the issue of sustainable food production and livelihoods of resource-poor people in sub-Saharan Africa.
Low in-put agriculture applies to systems that rely less on external, purchased inputs and more on internal resources. However, low-inout agriculture technolgy (LIAT) has conveyed a negative impression in various agriculture circles and this is cited as a major barrier to wider adoption of low-input agriculture technologies (LIATs) in Malawi and sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.
Tags: environmental deterioration, natural resource management, soil degradation, subsistence farmer, sustainable food productionAchieving Sustainable Development Through Industrial Ecology
ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY
1. INTRODUCTION
During the last ten years, concepts such as sustainable development, industrial ecology and environmental management have been more frequently used by industry, the world of academia, the media, public administration and the NGOs. The amount of such “buzzwords” indicates that there is an increased focus on environmental issues.
Sustainable development means integrating social, economic and environmental objectives of the society in order to maximize the well being of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their needs. Recognition is now widespread that industrial activity plays an essential role in a sustainable society. The rapidly-growing new field of industrial ecology (IE) offers methods that can assist corporations and organizations in sustainable operations and serving as agents of change. Industrial ecologists have even referred to their field as “the science of sustainability”. In brief, industrial ecology might be defined as the study of interactions between industries and their environment. IE studies technological and managerial approaches for reconfiguring industrial activities to conserve natural resources and reduce pollution.
Tags: achieving sustainable development, brundtland commission, brundtland report, industrial ecology, rapid escalation