Call for Papers: International Conference on Sustainable Food and Biomass Futures

International Conference, June 22-24, 2023

Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE), Germany

The demand for food and biomass is increasing globally, while natural resource overuse and climate change pose additional challenges to their production. Moreover, soaring energy and input prices push agricultural production to the limits. There is a need to rethink existing agri-food systems and to develop alternative production approaches with more sustainable trajectories. As one pathway, the concept of ‘sustainable bioeonomy’ (or ‘bio-based economy’) has been promoted by policy makers, particularly in the Global North, but also in China and India: This comprises productivity enhancing innovative technologies with reduced environmental footprints and dependency on fossil resources. It also includes the more efficient use of agricultural resources by developing improved value chains and circular economies, among other approaches. Yet, these policy directions have also been criticized from various directions: First, due to their narrow focus on technological fixes and productivity growth, and second, because they tend to neglect complex social-ecological dependencies of existing production systems. In this sense, these approaches often uncritically accept mainstream agrarian policy directions, neglect systemic transformations, and overlook the innovative potential of local knowledge and experiences. Hence, for any meaningful sustainability assessment of existing and envisioned pathways of agricultural change and bioeconomy, localized approaches, highlighting social and environmental perspectives, are critical.

This international conference is organized by the research group ‘TRANSECT—Agrarian Transformations and Social-Ecological Complexities. Local Bioeconomy Scenarios in Central and South Asia’ at HNEE (www.transect.de). It aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, and activists working on similar questions in the region and beyond to foster knowledge exchange and comparative research perspectives.

We seek contributions that engage with existing and possible future food and biomass production systems and scrutinize their social and ecological sustainability. Contributions are particularly welcome that:

(a)    investigate existing agricultural and bioeconomy-related policies in their local manifestation, and

(b)    discuss alternative or complementary strategies to make food and biomass production socially just and ecologically sustainable.

We cordially invite you to submit short presentation abstracts (max. 400 words plus contact data) related to the overall conference theme until January 6, 2023 to transect@hnee.de. The conference is planned in hybrid format. Presentations may address preferably one or more of the following topics:

• Sustainable food and biomass production systems for smallholding farmers
• Participatory approaches to agricultural and bioeconomy development processes; mixed-method approaches (e.g. integrating remote sensing and social science methods)
• Critical assessment of social and ecological impacts of agricultural and bioeconomy-related policies and pathways (e.g. applications of biotechnology in agriculture)
• Path dependencies of post-Socialist/post-Green Revolution policies in agricultural development
• Transnational dimensions of sustainable food and biomass production: investements, import/export of agricultural products knowledge and (bio-)technology. Of particular interest are the role of the EU and ‘Global China’ as overseas bioeconomy players

Upon acceptance of your abstract, we will ask you to prepare a short conference paper/extended abstract of maximum 2,000 words until early May 2023. The extended abstracts will be published as peer-reviewed conference proceedings.

For a small number of international participants, especially (junior) scholars from Central and South Asia who do not have access to funding, financial support for travel to Eberswalde is available. This will involve a separate application process, but eligible candidates should mention their interest already during abstract submission.

For further requests please write to Michael.Spies@hnee.de.

We look forward to your contributions and to welcoming you to Eberswalde!

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