Many common threads were to be found in the five focus groups on agriculture, climate change, agrofuels, and water and technologies. All groups addressed global topics with local relevance issues we are confronted with all over the world.
Global topics & individual responsibility
Some of the topics were the food and financial crises, water and energy supply, and the power of technologies. All of us are or will be affected by the changes in these fields; there is no exception for any continent. There are often differences, however, in how these issues manifest themselves, and how they are being dealt with. Some of the examples presented brought solutions on a global or local level. Sometimes international or EU regulations made it even harder, especially for farmers, to deal with life. All in all, the example discussed also showed that there is no one-size-fits-all model: what we are left with are individuals, communities or governments finding or trying to find solutions. This however should not make us, as individuals, forget about changing our life style.
Markets
Markets as well play an important role in this debate, and the discussion about sustainable markets was pertinent in most groups. Markets seem to be easier to understand on a regional level, where they are probably also easier to control: as a farmer, knowing my customers is a huge advantage, whilst producing on-demand for European customers if I am elsewhere may be difficult both emotionally and in practice. If those consumers change their taste and food habits, how long will it take before I find out? Here as well we are left with an issue of power. Who decides? Empowerment and self-determination are important issues for farmers, and solutions for marketing of their products should be found in a participative way rather than by imposing external marketing ideas on them.
Private Sector
The private sector, however, can make important contributions by bringing in sustainable solutions for marketing issues, supplying basic means of living, e.g. by providing certification services for organic products or providing maintenance services in water supply. However, this again is a question of who is in control – if governments are not capable any longer to make decisions themselves, but are left under the control of the powerful figures of the private sector instead, a clear imbalance of power appears, that is bound to neglect the needs of the poor. This may not always be the case, but the case studies showed us some wicked examples, where governments failed completely in serving those whom they are supposed to be serving: the people. One particularly shocking example, that, although it seemed to be beneficial to local people at first, is a river management project in NE- Brazil that Tobias Schmitt also reported in a radio broadcast.
Governance
These issues are strongly related to governance: more democratization at all levels is necessary, for example if farmers in Ecuador want to decide by themselves which products to produce and sell they shouldn’t have to wait for outsiders‘ solutions. On the other hand, it seems as if there is a problem in implementing fundamental rights such as the right to food and the right to water on a local level: governments sign international treaties, but they are incapable of implementing those on a district or regional level.
Messages from the focus groups
In my opinion all focus groups conveyed a similar message: There are no quick solutions for complex problems, be it in water supply, agrofuels or CDM. A more regional approach is advisable to understand the full implications of cross-cutting issues like agriculture, water and climate. We are often tempted to categorise and follow definitions imposed by outsiders: for example, what does ‚marginal land‘ mean to a farmer? In many areas of the world farmers would certainly not know of such a thing, whilst in other areas the luxury of more available fertile land makes it easier to exclude less productive areas that are desperately needed in other parts of the world.
A more holistic way of thinking is also crucial. Especially in Northern societies, we have to understand that we can no longer dissociate ourselves from other parts of the world in our consumption behavior and life style. Let’s think about the issue of virtual water consumption – who has ever thought of including the water used to produce certain goods in the South in his or her personal water consumption, when thinking about his/her personal ecological footprint?
How to change
To achieve change we have to think about our own life style and change it. But if we want things to change, we also have to lobby and pressurise decision-makers into changing their business strategies: this pressure from civil society as a whole needs a clear message from us as individuals. Governments have signed international treaties such as the convention on human rights; however they do not seem to take them very seriously. This requires a continued struggle and outcry from civil society with strong support from every one of us, because the voices of NGOs will not be heard without our support.
The Austrian Development Conference particularly emphasised that the Austrian environmental and development political organisations will have to collaborate more closely in future with an emphasis on holistic approaches and on creating more public attention to the threatening scenarios in climate change and development issues, that concern us all. A new platform called Allianz Klimagerechtigkeit has been founded recently (information here), that is open for everyone to participate.
The author is former coordinator of the Commission for Development Studies at the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
