Blog Post

Bioeconomy and Path Dependencies

Jan 26, 2021

Henryk & Michael Publish New Article on Agricultural Intensification Pathways in Pakistan & Kazakhstan



Overcoming Path Dependencies in the Bioeconomy? 
Agricultural Intensification Processes from a Social-Ecological Perspective


Abstract:

The “transformation” to a bio-based economy as propagated in international and national bioeconomy strategies implies profound changes in agricultural systems to increase production. In countries of the Global South, however, such processes have usually been accompanied by unintended – or deliberately accepted – negative consequences, such as environmental degradation or a widening of social inequalities. Yet, existing knowledge about the risks of agricultural interventions is hardly considered in bioeconomy strategies, which, on the one hand, focus on economic and technical approaches to “sustainable” intensification through agro-technological innovations, and, on the other hand, an expansion of production areas. These strategies lack any plausible ideas on how production increases can be made ecologically and socially sustainable, and previous experience with agrarian interventions give reasons for concern. Using two historical examples – the Green Revolution in the Punjab of Pakistan and the Virgin Lands Campaign in Kazakhstan – this article outlines the complex social and ecological consequences of large-scale agricultural interventions to increase production and examines the extent to which these experiences can (and should) be taken into account in bioeconomy strategies. In this context, the role of institutional path-dependencies in shaping present and future developments should be critically reflected on. As past experience in the agricultural sector has shown, bioeconomy strategies must take their claimed “systemic” approach seriously, which implies that technology and productivity-oriented goals must always be subordinated to social and ecological goals.

Keywords: agriculture, bioeconomy strategies, intensification, extensification, green revolution, virgin lands campaign, Pakistan, Kazakhstan


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Alff, Henryk/Spies, Michael: Pfadabhängigkeiten in der Bioökonomie überwinden? Landwirtschaftliche Intensivierungsprozesse aus sozial-ökologischer Perspektive, PERIPHERIE – Politik • Ökonomie • Kultur, 3+4-2020, S. 334-359. Volltext: PDF 
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