Sustainable Development- Issues and Perspectives

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About the Authors Rabindra Nath Pati is an eminent Social Anthropologist of Orissa who started his career as Assistant Director, Population Research Centre, Utkal University, Orissa(India) in 1983. As a development consultant, he has directed good number of evaluation and diagnostic research as well as development projects supported by the government and international agencies like NORAD, DANIDA, and World Bank. He has authored at least 12 books and 56 research articles published in different international journals and books. He has been invited as a Speaker to address various International Conferences held at Switzerland, USA, Norway, Netherlands, Ghana and Kuala Lumpur.

Dr Pati has been awarded PhD in Anthropology from Utkal University and prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award as best Social Scientist by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation in 2003.

Odile Schwarz-Herion (1970-), working as Account Manager in an international enterprise, received her PhD degree in economic sciences, focusing on Sustainability and Environmental Management, from the University of Stuttgart-Hohenheim. An MBA as well as an undergraduate in law, Schwarz-Herion is speaker at several international sustainability conferences as well as author and co-author for international journals and books on Sustainability and Environmental Management. Her scientific focus is on Corporate Social Responsibility and social-ethical aspects in private business transactions within and outside the company.

Foreword SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is gaining more and more importance in society, economy and politics due to the increasing public awareness about urgent environmental problems, such as global warming, drinking water supply and biodiversity. These issues are going hand in hand with other problems of the time like population explosion and increasing globalisation, which is creating a real challenge for mankind to combine traditional knowledge of indigenous people of the developing countries with that of global knowledge in a democratic way to reach a win-win situation on a global base.

The idea for the book at hand was created by its editor, Prof. Rabindra Nath Pati, Senior Social Anthropologist of the IK Foundation of India. Prof. Pati is an internationally renowned Social Anthropologist who received his PhD in Social Anthropology from Utkal University. As an eminent expert and scientist, he was honoured with the prestigious Rajiiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Award for the Best Social Scientist of the Indian Federal State Orissa in 2003. Prof. Pati has gained international reputation by action research regarding documentation of indigenous knowledge and course of protection of Intellectual Property Rights of indigenous innovators as well as by numerous publications. He has directed a large number of research and development projects in Orissa with the support from various international development agencies such as Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), and the World Bank.

Introduction R.N. Pati and O. Schwarz-Herion IN remote regions of the world, the modern technology tends to bypass the indigenous communities and the local knowledge systems. A very little attempt has been made by development actors across the globe to learn from the local knowledge system and practices of these indigenous communities. More emphasis is given on empowerment process of indigenous people and alleviation of poverty through the process of sustainable development. The researches have validated that the true empowerment of poor people lies within the framework of synergy between local knowledge system and modern technology and helping them managing their own development in the larger context of globalization. Sustainable development intervention around the globe focuses on empowerment of poor people as the main thrust area of development. The empowerment always emerges from within the community. The poorest of the poor and vulnerable communities are provided space and opportunity through development process so that indigenous knowledge can be combined with global knowledge in a democratic and self-determined way for achievement of sustainable development.

In developed nations of the world, the high technology and genetic modifications of vegetables have brought radical change in agro industry. Such revolution in agro sector has drastically influenced the life support system of people in developing countries and led to disruption of genetic diversity in the stock of seeds. The organic farming and indigenous agriculture have been adversely affected. The introduction of agro chemicals in rural regions of developing countries like India and Africa has made farmers abandon the traditional techniques of controlling pests, insects and diseases. The subsidy-linked marketing of agro chemicals and chemical pesticides has promoted market of big players and disrupted the base of traditional organic farming. It is observed that after withdrawal of subsidies by Government on agricultural another dimension inputs, the cost of agro chemicals in many developing countries has gone high. Such technological transformation in agro sector has eroded the indigenous knowledge on organic farming communities. The farmers' knowledge on indigenous crop rotation, weed management and organic farming - raising agriculture disappeared. The increased use of agro chemicals in indigenous erosion and wind communities led to adverse effects on human health and moting agriculture environment. The disappearance of traditional knowledge on, use of botanical pesticides has led to reduction of natural crop protection practices. The inappropriate farming methods and use of highly mechanized cultivations have caused soil erosion placement of native and drying up of rivers and streams in many developing countries of the world. These issues are serious threats to sustainable development which need to be addressed by social indigenous plants activists, policy makers and local governments.

This book contains research-based articles by different he reduced diversity scientists of the world focusing on various issues of sustainable government.

**Contents and Sample Pages**