Climate-Smart Agriculture Policy and (In)Justice for Smallholders in Developing Countries

This chapter analyzes whether the current policy for climate-smart agriculture meets the demands of climate justice and respects the rights of smallholders, and if not, how it should be amended. The study is based on a literature review and several interviews with climate-smart agriculture actors from diverse backgrounds: (1) consultant or practitioner, (2) farmer, (3) business or entrepreneur, (4) scientist. To examine the climate-smart agriculture concept and its implementation, the following ethical positions are mainly considered: (1) maximalist, (2) minimalist, (3) Pogge´s intermediate position, (4) Nussbaum's capability approach, (5) Kantian, (t) altruism. This study found that the current climate-smart agriculture approaches are not fairly implemented, due to the unjust sharing of benefits of income and burdens of emission reduction costs, among smallholders and big industries. According to the principles of climate justice, this sharing proportion should be equally distributed based on an individual's capacities and poverty should also be taken into consideration.

Strategic Actions for a Sustainable Internationalization of Agri-Food Supply Chains: The Case of the Dairy Industries from Brazil and Germany

While facing a growing domestic demand of milk and milk products, the Brazilian dairy industry is far behind in terms of competitiveness and sustainability when compared to other national agricultural sectors. Nonetheless, in Germany the leading dairy companies mainly pushed by a saturated domestic market, EU agriculture policy oriented to liberalization of markets, and increasing political and social demands are looking at markets beyond EU. In the context of the increasing globalization of agricultural supply chains, the issue of sustainability gains particular importance in companies’ internationalization strategies. By using expert interviews, this paper investigates strategies for integrating Brazilian and German dairy supply chains and how both sides can benefit from this situation also in terms of sustainability. The analyses show that problems of the industries in both countries basically complement each other at different levels and positive synergies for both sides exist when it comes to sustainable issues, positioning themselves competitively for the future and creating a good position for conquering market shares in a globally growing milk market. This paper proposes an approach for the challenges of such integration, as well as viable solutions to sustainability issues.

A review on use of agrochemical in agriculture and need of organic farming in Nepal

The growing use of chemical pesticides haphazardly and their harmful influence on ecosystem and human health highlight the necessity for safe and sustainable organic production in our time. The article reviews a general overview of organic farming; the impact of organic farming on soil health and climate mitigation in comparison with conventional farming practice in Nepal. The article identifies the problems and possibilities of organic farming to resuscitate the pesticide-dominated conventional practice in Nepal. Organic farming now has been embedded in the natural agriculture policy in Nepal. Organic farming benefits in terms of environmental protection along with better living health. Various governmental and non-governmental bodies, farmers, and individuals are working to promote organic farming in Nepal. With the increase in awareness of health and environmental concerns, the adoption of organic agriculture and the demand for organic agricultural products is increasing. It holds a great prospect in countries like ours where an integrated crop-livestock system is still prevalent in many parts of the country. As a result, an organic farming system in Nepal must be thoroughly investigated and supported through proper regulations and tactics. It is urged to supplant pesticide-based conventional farming with organic farming that leads towards agricultural sustainability for the upcoming generation.

Youth and Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa: Time to Reset Policy

Agriculture is widely promoted as the only economic sector capable of providing employment to the millions of rural Africans entering the labour market in the coming decades. Two competing visions vie for attention. The first is of innovative, entrepreneurial youth driving rural transformation; the second is of agriculture providing young people with little more than survival opportunities. Between these two visions are the young people themselves, actively building their livelihoods, which most often include some engagement with agriculture. Policy interventions need to better consider how young people engage with the rural economy and how they imagine their futures.