鄭先祐 (Ayo) 國立臺南大學 生態科學與技術學系 教授

Innovations in evaluating agricultural development projects

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生態議題論述 2011

Ayo NUTN Web: http://myweb.nutn.edu.tw/~hycheng/

生態議題論述 2011 April

Five parts

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1. Innovations in understanding complex systems

2. Innovations in evaluating agricultural development projects

3. Innovations in institutions to support people and the planet

4. Innovations in governance5. Innovations in policy reform

Simple vs. cutting-edge techsnologies

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Access to simple, low-cost, durable, easy-to-maintain tools and techniques to accomplish everyday tasks is a far more common ingredient in successful projects than cutting-edge technologies or system changes made possible by science breakthroughs.

Far too little attention is directed at probing the kind of analysis, research, and technology applications that will most cost-effectively promote sustainable agricultural and economic development.

This needs to change – and quickly.

Box 15-1 Agricultural R & D

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Until recently, governments, universities, multilateral organizations, and other public institution have set priorities and paid for most science and technology development in the area of agriculture and good systems.

The transition to private-sector dominance of agricultural R & D began in the 1970s, accelerated in the 1980s as the profit potential of genetic engineering came into focus, and was essentially complete by the turn of the century.

Box 15-1 Public – Private sector

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In 1986, total public plus private sector research investments in production agriculture were about $3.33 billion in the US, with 54% from the public sector and 46% private.

By 2009, Monsanto was spending $980 million on worldwide agricultural R & D and Syngenta invested $960 million. Other leading seed pesticide companies invested at

least $4 billion, and another $3 billion or more was spent by other agricultural input industries, for a total private-sector investment of not less than $9 billion.

As total public agricultural R&D spending in the US was approximately $3.5 billion that year, the public’s share of total R&D fell to around 28% in 2009, and private sector’s share rose to 72%.

Six “first principles”: new evaluation methods

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1. Promote biodiversity2. Work within natural limits3. Target solutions at the root of problems4. Incrementally improve soil quality and

productivity5. Preserve capacity to innovate6. Favor self-sustaining solutions.

Right sequence

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Even with these principles in hand, the majority of successful development initiatives require several things to happen in a logical, incremental sequence. The right things done at the wrong time often

lead to disappointing results. Improving the fertility and productivity

of worn-out soils is probably the single most universal challenge.

Improving the soil fertility

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Improving the fertility and productivity of worn-out soils is probably the single most universal challenge standing in the way of sustainable, home-grown food security in Africa and parts of Asia.

Research suggests that it will take 5-10 years of focused, intensive effort in most regions of Africa to increase soil organic matter levels enough to markedly increase water intake and holding capacity as well as soil fertility levels.

Agroecological farming vs. GE

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Both have potential to contribute to more productive, safer, and sustainable farming systems.

But the former is likely to do so with greater impact and more cost-effectively than the latter

Because, in general, the sort of management-based solutions embedded in agroecological and organic farming systems are designed to build soil quality and promote plant and animal health.

Agroecological farming vs. GE

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An agroecological system can build soil quality sufficiently to increase sustainable yield goals by 50% or more and with relatively few inputs from outside the region.

GE could add a few percent and occasionally 10% yield potential.

But that increment of yield potential will require other inputs on an annual basis and face some unanticipated impacts of the genetic transformation on crop physiology and/or response to stress.

GE technology and input-intensive systems

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GE technology and input-intensive systems generally focus one intervention on one problem, with the goal of keeping in check the damage caused by pests or problems arising from imbalances in a farming system.

Historically, the inputs and new technologies introduced to keep yields high and rising have created other problems such as resistance to herbicides or collateral damage to non target organisms, like fish and bees.

Input-intensive systems

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Input-intensive systems also tend to erode economic sustainability at farm-family level by increasing crop yields and production costs but lowering net farm income per hectare, at least in most years.

For several decades North American farmers have simply farmed more hectares in order to sustain family income in the face of incrementally lower net returns per hectare.

Chapters in this book show

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The economic and nutritional needs of resource-poor farmers can best be met with diverse, value-added systems that draw on local knowledge, skills, resources, and biodiversity.

When such systems evolve in step with a diverse mix of enterprises, coupled with supportive policies and targeted investments in infrastructure, real opportunities will emerge to promote food security through systems that tend to limit and spread risks.

Ayo NUTN website:http://myweb.nutn.edu.tw/~hycheng/

問題與討論

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國立臺南大學 通識課程 2011 年春