The Sustainability of Swedish Agriculture in a Coevolutionary Perspective
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The Sustainability of Swedish Agriculture in a Coevolutionary Perspective Basim Saifi Department of Rural Development and Agroecology Uppsala Doctoral Thesis Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala 2004 Acta Universitatis Agricultuae Sueciae Agraria 469 ISSN 1401-6249 ISBN 91-576-6499-4 C 2004 Basim Saifi, Uppsala Print: SLU Service/Repro, Uppsala 2004 Abstract Basim Saifi, 2004. The Sustainability of Swedish Agriculture in a Coevolutionary Perspective. Doctoral dissertation. ISSN 1401-6249 ISBN 91-576-6499-4 Sustainability is a social construct that must be addressed contextually both in relation to what a society views to be unsustainable, and in respect to how and why a course of non-sustainable development comes to be pursued. This thesis argues that the challenge of agricultural sustainability can be fruitfully addressed within an analytical framework that consciously and explicitly considers agricultural development as consisting of processes of coevolution involving agriculture and the ecological and socioeconomic systems. The model presented indicates that strengthening of local coevolutionary processes is a probable pre- condition for achieving sustainable agriculture. Conditions for following a sustainable path of agricultural development in Sweden are already good and are still improving. On the national level, the costs of improvements in sustainability are decreasing, while the benefits are increasing. On the global level, the historical decline in food prices should not be expected to continue in the coming decades because of both resource limitations and environmental degradation. Ten principles and consequently ten indicators are identified that may help to promote agricultural sustainability in Sweden within the context of strengthened local interaction and interconnectedness. When the model of coevolution and the indicators derived are applied to Swedish agricultural development during the twentieth century, the following conclusions are reached. First, a new system of traditional agriculture emerged during the nineteenth century in relation to various interactive forces within the socioeconomic system. This system was improved during the first quarter of the twentieth century and became capable of producing much more food than the old traditional system. Second, Swedish agriculture was transformed during the second and third quarters into a modern industrial system characterized by various agro-ecological problems and the uncoupling of resource flows from the surrounding ecological and socioeconomic systems. Third, agricultural sustain- ability during the twentieth century was generally improving and high during the first quarter, deteriorating and low during the second and third quarters, and improving and low during the fourth quarter. Fourth, the potential for substantial improvement in agricultural sustainability in Uppsala Municipality is very large. Key words: sustainable agriculture, coevolutionary processes, principles of sustainability, Swedish agriculture, Uppsala, local interaction, agricultural development. Author’s address: Basim Saifi, Department of Rural Development and Agroecology, SLU, Box 7005, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. To my mother, my wife, sisters, and brother, and to my son By understanding the past and changing the present We may make a better future This world is not a static entity populated by thinking ants who, crawling all over its crevices, gradually discover its features without affecting them in any way. It is a dynamic and multifaced entity, which affects and reflects the activity of its explorers. It was once a world full of gods; it then became a drab material world and it will, hopefully, change further into a more peaceful world where matter and life, thought and feelings, innovation and tradition collaborate for the benefit of all. Paul Feyerabend Acknowledgements This dissertation is the outcome of many years of work involving environmental issues in agriculture. Many persons have contributed to its development, and I am indebted to all of them for the numerous arguments and ideas presented. In addition, researchers from a number of disciplines and countries have shaped my thinking, providing me with the knowledge and insight needed for the preparation of what will hopefully be a useful work. The teachings of Paul Feyerabend and Richard Norgaard in particular have given me the courage necessary to follow a course of research that is difficult and demanding. I should also add that my interest in sustainable agriculture may well be traced to a saying I remember from my childhood: “Others planted the date palm from which we eat, we plant the date palm from which yet others will eat.” Lars Drake, my principal supervisor, has patiently and comprehensively commented upon the various stages of my work since late 1980s. He has always given me the degree of academic freedom needed to develop the approach I have chosen to utilize. Tekeste Negash, my co-supervisor, provided the direction that was needed to organize my work into the form it has taken in this dissertation. Both have generously provided me with invaluable criticism and opportunities for discussion. Peter Söderbaum and David Vail also offered important insight and spurred my efforts on the early 1990s. When it seemed that I would have to abandon this project before bringing it to a proper conclusion some years ago, Sten Ebbersten and Karin Höök along with Lars Drake not only encouraged me to continue, they offered me the supportive environment of the Center for Sustainable Agriculture in which to pursue my work. The pluralistic attitude that prevailed in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the section of Resource and Environmental Economics, Department of Economics, was crucial for the development of my ideas concerning agricultural complexity and processes of coevolution. Frank Petrini, Peter Söderbaum, Lars Drake, Kjell- Åke Brorsson, Knut Per Hasund, Svante Axelsson, Hillevi Helmfrid, and Thomas Hahn, were active members of the scholarly group there. Each of them in his or her own way contributed to the open, creative, and friendly environment without which this work might not been produced. The late Bertil Johnsson and Tadeusz Rowinski also contributed to my understanding of agro-environmental problems. Christina Brundin saved me a great deal of time and effort by providing me with needed literature and other sources, and always with a smile. This dissertation has been completed at the Department of Rural Development and Agroecology, which was created this year through a merger of the Department of Rural Development Studies and the Center for Sustainable Agriculture. At both of these institutes I have had the privilege to receive the comments and observation of a number of colleagues, including Sten Ebberssten, Gunnela Gustafson, Torbjörn Rydbery, Kjell Havnevik, Johanna Björklund, Lennart Salomonsson, Lisbeth Larsson Lidén, Gloria Gallardo, Malin Beckman, Ulrika Geber, Johan Ahnström, Seema Arora Jonsson, Emil Sandstöm, Cecilia Waldenström, Anders Sirén, Daphne Tuvesson, and Atakilte Beyene. Saad Himmo and Atakilte helped me at a sensitive time to deal with my out of order computer and to prepare the text for printing. Insofar as the present work addresses agricultural development and ecology, I hope that it may help lead to a greater emphasis on problem- oriented interdisciplinary research and education on the border between development studies and agroecology. My fellow doctoral students in the Department have also supported this project. Their seminar series, organized by Tekeste Negash, has provided me not only with a forum for inspiring academic discussion, but also with the collegial atmosphere one needs to continue working on an arduous project. My supervisors have also helped me improve the language of the manuscript by patiently pointing out mistakes and suggesting improvements. Andrew Blasko edited the text and improved its quality. Nevertheless, any and all shortcomings in this dissertation are solely my own responsibility. Finally, Stiftelsen Oscar och Lili Lamms Minne provided the final two years of financial support that were necessary to complete this project. Thank you all. Basim Saifi Uppsala, May 2004 Contents Abstract Acknowledgements Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................1 1.1. BACKGROUND................................................................................................1 1.2. FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE AIM OF THE THESIS .....................3 1.3. DISPOSITION...................................................................................................8 1.4. CLARIFICATION OF CONCEPTS......................................................................10 2. METHODOLOGICAL DISCUSSION AND THE COEVOLUTIONARY PARADIGM .........................................................................................................13 2.1. SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY ....................................................................13 2.2. ECONOMICS AND SUSTAINABILITY...............................................................23 2.3. COEVOLUTIONARY PARADIGM.....................................................................31 2.4. ADDRESSING AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH COEVOLUTIONARY THEORY ..............................................................................................................38 3. THE COEVOLUTION OF AGRICULTURAL, ECOLOGICAL