Sharing or Sparing?

On July 13, INDEVOURS will be hosting a Global Gala event.  In addition to raising money to fund our overseas field placements, the Gala will highlight the pressing issue of global food insecurity.  Unequal distribution, population growth, and environmental degradation all contribute to global food scarcity issues. And given our current trajectory of unsustainable population growth and increasing environmental destruction, new solutions to global food security problems are becoming absolutely necessary.  It is, however, an unfortunate fact that food production is inextricably linked to environmental degradation, with negative effects on human well-being.  It is urgent, therefore, that current and future global food production systems try to minimize their environmental footprint.  Yet how is this best accomplished?  This is the central question of the ‘sharing vs. sparing’ debate.

This debate involves two markedly different paths to an environmentally sustainable food system.  Those who espouse a ‘sharing’ approach call for the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices that supposedly protect biodiversity (this includes things like agro-forestry).  The idea here is essentially: “let’s grow our food in a way that allows humans, plants, and animals to all mutually benefit from the same land”.  A ‘sparing’ approach, however, argues that such ‘eco-friendly’ options are actually more damaging to the natural environment because they require that more land be used in the production of agriculture.  A ‘sparing’ approach essentially says: “let’s make as much food as possible on the smallest amount of land (whatever it takes), in order to leave the greatest amount of natural land untouched by human activity”. 

It seems (to me at least) that both make valid arguments for two very different sustainable agriculture systems.  Yet now, a new study published in Science magazine has apparently provided some much needed empirical data for this debate.  And the results surprised me.

Apparently, when it comes to biodiversity, the more environmentally friendly solution involves sparing the land.  According to this study, intensive agriculture aimed at maximizing total yields per area of land, when combined with strictly enforced conservation of natural habitats is more effective at protecting biodiversity than are ‘eco-friendly’ practices which aim to share the land with native flora and fauna.  At least, this is the case in the parts of India and Ghana where this study was undertaken.

As the authors of the report state, more studies are needed to further inform policy makers about all of the environmental implications of different agricultural practices.  Yet the authors clearly state that, given their findings, Ghana and India could produce more food with minimal environmental damage through land sparing programs and they could not through land-sharing initiatives.

What do you think?  I would love to hear what people have to say, especially anyone who will be working with an agricultural organization this fall.

Dan

Has the Arab Spring Sprung? Part III: Syria

In this post, (the third and final in an exciting three part series), I wish to discuss the Syrian theatre of the Arab Spring.  This is, in my view, the most complicated and frustrating conflict to come about as a result of the Arab Spring movement. In addition to a bloody civil war waged along ethnic and religious fault lines, the conflict in Syria has, in many ways, become a battleground for foreign influence.  Because of these facts, it may not make sense to attempt to understand this conflict solely through the narrow lens of the Arab Spring. Yet the current situation has remained connected to regional upheavals since the beginning of Arab Spring inspired protests in May, 2011, and therefore ought to be considered within this context.

Major protests in Syria began after the Syrian government, led by President Bashar al-Assad, arrested and allegedly tortured teenagers who had painted revolutionary slogans on the walls of their school.  When these protests were met with lethal force, many Syrians began to demand the overthrow of President Assad.  As the government continued its brutal crackdown on protesters, many military leaders began to defect from the Assad regime to join the opposition.  This led to the formation of the Free Syrian Army, a military group committed to the overthrow of the President Assad.

The prevalence of human rights abuses in Syria has prompted the UN to get involved, with former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan brokering a cease-fire agreement between the rebels and government forces.  This agreement was widely ignored by fighters on both sides of the conflict, and has generally been regarded as a failure.  Additionally, Western members of the UN Security Council have called for resolutions condemning the Assad regime, but these have been consistently rejected by Russia, a Syrian ally, as well as by China. 

Events in Syria are complicated by the country’s ethnic and cultural makeup.  President Assad is himself a member of a minority religious group, the Alawites, who make up roughly 10% of the Syrian population.  Syrian Alawites, along with other minority groups including Syrian Christians, generally support Assad and have expressed fear at what might happen to them should the majority Sunni Muslims take power.  This fear is echoed by many analysts, and serves to complicate the Syrian situation further.  Unlike many other Arab Spring conflicts, there is a real danger that violence in Syria may destabilize other countries in the region, if the ethnic violence present in Syria were to spread to neighbouring countries.  Realizing this, the UN human rights chief has recently issued a statement calling for an end to militarization in the region and condemning both sides for severe human rights violations.  The UN has also called on several countries, particularly Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, to prevent further militarization of the conflict by halting the provision of weapons to both the Assad government and the Free Syrian Army.

The Arab Spring has come a long way since the largely peaceful and effective protests in Tunisia and Egypt.  Now, Arab Spring inspired violence threatens to plunge an entire region into conflict along ethnic fault lines.  Peace plans brokered by regional authorities have largely been ignored, and reports of atrocities committed by both sides of the conflict continue to circulate.  It is clear that further militarization in the region will only exacerbate current problems, yet it seems that many diplomatic channels have been exhausted.  Does this mean that the only way forward is to allow the conflict in Syria to work itself out, hoping that it does not spread across the region?  If not, what other options are available?  Also, given the current situation of many Arab Spring countries, what can we say about the success of the Arab Spring.  Has it really made a positive difference in the Middle East?

Let me know what you think.

Dan

Has the Arab Spring Sprung? Part II: Libya

In this post, I want to discuss the Arab Spring in the Libyan context. This Saturday, citizens in Libya voted in the first free election held in that country in 60 years.  This is the first stage of a process that will eventually see a democratically elected civilian government in control of the country, a seemingly successful result which was made possible by the overthrow of former dictator, Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya’s road to democracy began in February, 2011, with protests concentrated in the eastern part of the country.  As these protests grew, so too did violent confrontations between civilians and the military.  Soon, many members of the military began to defect, and a rebel military force was formed under the command of the National Transitional Council (NTC).  After months of fighting, reports of attacks on civilians invited a UN intervention in the country, when the UN Security Council gave the NATO alliance permission to set up a ‘no-fly zone’ over Libya, ostensibly to protect civilians.  This intervention turned the tide in the war, and allowed forces loyal to the NTC to take control of the country, leading eventually to the death of Gen. Gaddafi and the end of his regime.

As an outsider to the Libyan conflict, I must admit that the Libyan Revolution bore little resemblance to what it was that I had envisioned for the Arab Spring.  Though populist in nature, this revolution was essentially a civil war, not a protest movement.  Also, success for the ‘protesters’ was only achieved through a military intervention by Western military powers, in a move which will now undoubtedly be used as a justify the obscene military budgets of many NATO countries, particularly the USA.  Also, though the regime of Muammar Gaddafi was non-democratic, prior to the revolution, Libya boasted a human development rating higher than many other countries in the region, and Libya’s human rights record, though mixed, was also better than that of many other North African countries.

Still, one cannot deny the fact that the Libyan revolution ended a dictatorial regime and has provided Libyans with rights and civil liberties that had been restricted under Gaddafi’s rule.  While the success of this fledgling democracy is still unproven, the result of the Libyan revolution has been welcomed by many Libyans.  So where does this leave the Arab Spring?  Do the (seemingly) positive ends achieved in Libya’s ‘spring’ justify the arguably sordid means of its attainment?  What are the implications of this outcome for future Western humanitarian interventions, especially in places like Syria (more on that later)?

I would love to hear what people have to say about this issue.  Please comment.


Dan

Has the Arab Spring Sprung? Part I: Egypt

Over a year-and-a-half ago, protests broke out in the small North-African country of Tunisia.  Many in this country had become frustrated by poor economic conditions and demanded the removal of long time dictator Ben Ali.  To the surprise (and chagrin) of many, these large scale and generally non-violent protests were actually quite effective, forcing Ali to flee the country and leading to elections in Tunisia for the first time in 23 years.  Inspired by the success of these protests, populist movements arose throughout the Middle East and North Africa: from Morocco to Bahrain and several countries in between.

I am, of course, talking about the Arab Spring.  18 months ago, I, like many Canadians, looked with hope at the success of this non-violent movement, envisioning a new era for democracy in the Middle East.  But has the Arab Spring really brought about the positive change that many were hoping for?  This is, obviously, a question that cannot be fully answered in a single blog post (and no, not even in a three-part series).  I would, however, like to talk about at the present-day situation in three countries that have been dramatically affected by the Arab Spring: Egypt, Libya, and Syria.  In this post, I will briefly discuss the situation in Egypt, a country which seemed initially to epitomize the ideals of the Arab Spring, though today many (including myself) question the real success of the movement in effecting meaningful or positive change in the country.

Egypt:

Early on, the Arab Spring in Egypt represented, in my opinion, the apex of the Arab Spring movement.  Inspired by the revolution in Tunisia, peaceful protests were organized and carried out with dramatic effect throughout the country, beginning in January, 2011.  And these protests, which included Egyptians from a variety of ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds, were devastatingly effective in achieving their goals: the overthrow of dictator Hosni Mubarak and the implementation of a democratic government in Egypt.  And what truly made these revolutions inspirational, in my view, was the fact that, by and large, they remained peaceful.  This was possible because Egypt's military council made the decision to not intervene on behalf of Mubarak, choosing instead to keep the security of Egyptian citizens as its top priority.  And so, when Mubarak finally stepped down and handed power to Egypt’s Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the move was welcomed and celebrated by those who participated in bringing about Egypt’s ‘spring’.

Yet after Mubarak’s regime had fallen, many in Egypt began to express frustration at the military council’s perceived reluctance to hand power back to the Egyptian people.  Protests continued throughout the country, as Egyptians urged the military council to make good on its promises and hold civilian elections.  Finally, beginning in November, Egypt held its first parliamentary election since Mubarak’s ousting, resulting in a win by the moderate Islamic group, the Muslim Brotherhood. Soon, presidential campaigns were underway.  Yet at this point, a Mubarak era court, citing election irregularities, dissolved the democratically elected Egyptian parliament, allowing the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to institute an ‘interim’ constitution, granting themselves sweeping powers, including the ability to arrest and try any civilian in a military court.  When Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammad Morsi was declared to have won Egypt’s presidential race and sworn into office, many felt that the move was merely symbolic, since the military council’s constitution imposed such limits on the president’s power.

Given the current situation in Egypt, the country’s experience of the Arab Spring could hardly be called a success.  So what is next for Egypt?  Is the military council clinging to power for its own purposes or is it merely trying to protect Egypt from a potentially dangerous Islamic revolution (think Iran)?  Are foreign interests at play behind the scenes?  Is Egypt headed for democracy, Islamic revolution, or military dictatorship?

Let me know what you think.

Dan

Perusing Returns: Who are the INDEVOURS?

Greetings, loyal and devoted readers!  As you may have noticed, the once renowned and life-giving fountain that was my blog has since fallen into a state of benign disuse.  Long and dark was the winter of our discontent.  But fear not, for dawn is breaking once again over the barren blogosphere, as the threat of impending deadlines has newly ignited the exigent flames in the lonely lighthouse, and the desire for a passing grade has once more brought forth the impetus for a series of riveting and enlightening blog posts.  Hold on to your handlebars!

To kick off the return of Perusing, I would like to talk about an inspiring group of people with whom I have had the pleasure of becoming much more closely acquainted during my recent blogging hiatus.  I am, of course, talking about the student group called INDEVOURS.  If you have been in Waterloo or on the internet at all during these past few months, you may have seen the word “INDEVOURS” posted onto a friend's status, found it stapled to a public bulletin board, or  heard it mentioned in  hushed tones in a quiet corner of a local café.  If so, you have probably asked yourself something like the following question: “who is this energetic group of highly motivated individuals with grossly inadequate spelling skills?”  If this problem has kept you sleepless through many a sweltering night, my hope is that this current blog post will provide you with the answers that you seek.

INDEVOURS

INDEVOURS is a group of 32 International Development students, of which I am one, at the University of Waterloo (for more information about what this means, see my earlier posts, or visit the blogs of many of my colleagues).  This September, we will be leaving to begin our volunteer placements, working with local organizations throughout the developing world.  In order to fund these placements, INDEVOURS endeavours (get it?) to raise funds to cover some of our costs, while at the same time raising awareness about important issues faced by many in the developing world.  I could go on, but this video really says it better than I ever could:

Hopefully, this answers some of your questions.  If you would like to get involved, visit our website, http://indevours.wordpress.com/, to donate and find out more. Or, come out to an INDEVOURS event.  In July, INDEVOURS will be hosting two events: the Global Gala, on July 13th, and the Farewell Concert, on July 20th.  I would love to see your there, and I’m sure my classmates would too.
Until next time,
Dan