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Tropentag, October 6 - 8, 2009 in Hamburg
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Farming and Rural Systems Economics and Biodiversity in the Tropics
Werner Doppler
University of Hohenheim, Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Social Siences in the Tropics and Subtropics, Germany
Abstract
Farming and rural system researches generally focus on the development and managements of rural resources for the well-being of the people living in rural areas. In the past research concepts have changed from partial to complex, from complex to spatial systems and tend toward an integration of natural science and social science concepts to holistic systems. This Summer School discussed the issue in the context of its relation to biodiversity. In a symposium in Hohenheim participants have discussed these issues from a general point of view in the development in the tropics as well as on regional implications in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The main objectives of the Summer School have been to exchange professional experiences and discuss problem solving strategies in farming and rural systems economics and biodiversity in the tropics, to improve and promote research and teaching co-operation and to evaluate activities of the past and intensify and establish new relations. The topic includes natural resources availability and sustainable use, product and input markets and rural infrastructure, living standard of rural families and livelihood in rural areas, and administrative regulations, policy decision-making, credits, ownership, cultural impacts. Systems concepts, integrating GIS and micro level economics. Variation of the types of biodiversity under different economic and administrative environments. The relation between sustainable use of natural resources and diversity in farming, diversification in farms and risk, farmers and markets, resources and biodiversity, socio-economic impact analyses for future strategies.
The Summer School was taken place from September 28 to October 4, 2009. School was supported by the DAAD. Following the international announcements, 168 applications with finally 45 participants including 25 funded by DAAD have been selected for the events. After the several presentation and discussion school was concluded that the systems and holistic approach is more adequate to reality than partial approaches. With increasing biodiversity in farm production risk of production and marketing can be reduced, but extreme high and low incomes are also reduced. The higher the level of biodiversity the more comprehensive knowledge of farmers in production, processing and marketing is needed. The higher the level of biodiversity the higher the level of ecologically integrated systems would be.
Keywords: Summer school
Contact Address: Werner Doppler, University of Hohenheim, Dept. of Agricultural Economics and Social Siences in the Tropics and Subtropics, Fruwirthstraße 12, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany, e-mail: doppler
uni-hohenheim.de
