[AODA members] Effects of 1st Green Revolution in Zimbabwe, 1999 report

Wed Nov 21 11:26:58 PST 2007

Family, friends and colleagues in food, nutrition & the earth -

The attached report is packed with information - definitely worth a read 
when you get a chance.  I've pasted the conclusions from the report 
below, and if you scroll down you'll see information from the author 
with his contact information if you need more information.

There is a growing network of sustainably focused practitioners in 
Eastern and Southern Africa who working in many different fields which 
is how this file came to me - through this amazing network.  In 2009 
we'll be holding a series of meetings / field visits / trainings that 
you'll want to start saving up your money to attend!  Hopefully by then 
they will have come up with more sustainable transport options :)

-- 

Stacia Nordin, RD
Registered Dietitian
Sustainable Food and Nutrition Security Consultant
Crossroads Post Dot Net x-124, Lilongwe, Malawi
nordin at eomw.net 
www.NeverEndingFood.org
c: +265 9-333-073 (Stacia)
c: +265 9-926-153 (Kristof)
c: +265 9-281-700 (Khalidwe)

*
CONCLUSIONS from Report on effects of 1st green revolution (so called) 
in Zimbabwe by Henry Elwell

*The introduction of Green Revolution into Third World countries made 
headlines during the years following the Second World War. Politicians, 
scientists and sales representatives paid homage to the technology in 
glowing terms. The new technologies began to be introduced into Zimbabwe 
in the fifties. Releases of new maize hybrids coincided with rapid 
increases in the use of inorganic fertiliser. Although, the commercial 
sector was able to benefit in terms of increased yield and 
cost-effectiveness, the vast majority of smallholders were unable to do 
so. Compared to the low input strategies of post Green Revolution days, 
average yields in the smallholder sector have not generally improved at 
all. In the wake of the rapid spread of these technologies into the more 
marginal rainfall areas during the years following independence, the 
food security and economic viability of smallholder farming has 
deteriorated further. Most households eke out a mere survival by 
non-agricultural income generating activities.

It would seem that, far from bettering the lot of the resource poor, the 
countrywide extension-focus on high-external-input technologies has 
contributed substantially to undermining the household food security and 
incomes of the rural poor.

Attempts have been made to offset the deficiencies in the 
high-external-input philosophy by showing that lower levels of the same 
inputs would be more practical (Whingwiri et al, 1987) but perhaps the 
philosophy itself needs to be seriously challenged. It has been shown 
that successful adoption of high-external-input technologies requires 
the concurrent presence of many supporting conditions. The technology 
simply does not work, cannot pay for itself, if these conditions are not 
present. The information in this paper shows that all the most essential 
conditions are absent from the communal smallholder sector or are 
inadequate to meet the requirements for successful adoption of 
high-external-input technologies.

A question relevant to our times is: "should the traditionally diverse, 
complex and dynamic way of life of smallholder farmers be changed taking 
into account the conditions of smallholder farmers described in this 
paper?". That very complexity, diversity and ability to respond rapidly 
to changes in the environment, to market forces and to personal 
circumstances, are the characteristics that allow farmers to survive in 
harsh conditions. The simplified high-input style of farming advocated 
by proponents of Green Revolution technologies are seriously 
jeopardising the ability of these farmers to survive. The new

Ecologically based movements arising in Africa and around the globe are 
offering sounder, more practical and environmentally safer approaches 
for achieving future production goals, and do not inhibit the dynamism 
of traditional practices. For these to bear fruit, however, the aim of 
production itself needs to be reviewed.

The justification for the Green Revolution was "more food to feed the 
expanding populations of the world" but, perhaps the understanding that 
"less food produced does not necessarily mean more people will be 
hungry" would have modified the excesses that followed. Recent events 
have shown that more food does not necessarily mean a reduction in world 
hunger. Poor distribution facilities, politics, corruption and hard 
economics have ensured that food does not get to hungry people in enough 
quantities nor in time. Agriculture of the future should not aim at 
simple maximisation of production in some parts of the world in order to 
feed other parts, but at ensuring that every rural household can produce 
sufficient food for its own needs, plus a little left over for sale. A 
world in which most farmers depend on food handouts and financial aid in 
order to survive is clearly not the answer to our problems. Yet this is 
precisely the situation perpetuated by so-called Green Revolution 
technologies and accompanying philosophies.

*ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.*
Special thanks are due to Mr Goko, Senior Agricultural Economist, Policy 
& Planning Division, Ministry of Lands & Water Development and Mr 
Bushnell of ACFD, for information on fertiliser usage in Zimbabwe; Dr 
Saskia van Oosterhout for information on sorghum landraces; Dr Sam Page 
of ZIP Research, for pertinent papers and data on the economic studies 
on smallholder maize production; Mr John Wilson of PELUM for identifying 
literature of the Green Revolution; and Messrs Godfrey Nehanda & Isaiah 
Nyagumbo for assistance with accessing data and publications at the 
Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Borrowdale.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	This is well worth looking at and using to inform people
Date: 	Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:40:01 +0200
From: 	Bridget O'Connor <bridget at organic.org.zm>
To: 	'Stacia Nordin' <nordin at eomw.net>, 'Ehret, Willi' 
<IDAF.Ehret at malawi.net>, <ajec at zsd.co.za>, 
<chris.dohse at treecropsmw.com>, 'Patterson Majonanga' 
<moetmwcharity at yahoo.co.uk>, 'SCOPE PROGRAMME' <zipscope at yahoo.co.uk>, 
'Frederik Fredriksen' <frederik at utviklingsfondet.no>, 'Knut Nyfløt' 
<knut at utviklingsfondet.no>, 'Maiken Pollestad Sele' <maiken at oikos.no>, 
'fambidzanai permaculture' <fambidza at yahoo.com>, 'Stephen Barrow' 
<sn.barrow at gmail.com>, 'Bennie Wessels' <bennwess at iafrica.com>, 'Denise 
Scarr' <dtscarr at sainet.co.za>, 'Diana Callear' <afrisco at global.co.za>, 
'Felicity Henman-Weir' <felicityweir at mweb.co.za>, 'Jeremy Lister-James' 
<jlj at netactive.co.za>, 'Sönke Hobbensiefken' <ecocert at mweb.co.za>, 
'Stephen Gudz' <stephen at teledata.mz>

Herewith research report on effects of 1^st green revolution (so called) 
in Zimbabwe by Henry Elwell [mailto:henry.elwell at virgin.net].  Henry was 
Senior Research Engineer at the Institute of Agricultural Engineering 
Borrowdale for 25 years developing sustainable farming systems.

Originator of the soil loss estimation model SLEMSA and author of 'Soil 
Conservation' published by College Press, and 'Natural Pest Control' 
published by the Natural Farming Network (now defunct and I do not know 
what has happened to the book).

Consultant to World Bank, FAO and many other donor agencies and NGO's 
working throughout Africa.

Now trying to stimulate awareness among the UK establishment of the 
widespread environmental damage being caused in the UK by atrociously 
poor farming practivces.

Doctorate in environmental sciences and Masters in water engineering.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*From:* Herry Elwell [mailto:henry.elwell at virgin.net]
*Sent:* 24 October 2007 02:04 PM
*To:* Bridget O'Connor
*Subject:* Re: New email addresses

Dear Bridget,

Thanks for the news about the new green revolution initaitive. I was in 
contact with John Wilson over this issue earlier this year. I sent him a 
copy of a report I did (attached) showing that it did not miss Zimbabwe 
but failed muiserably because NONE of the six conditions that would 
ensure success were present in smallholder farming. Moreover, even in 
commercial farming where it did take hold the effect was to cause 
instability in the yield levels. 

In a major report to the World Bank 10 years ago I pointed out that 
fertiliser faming was undermining agricultutral sustainability in the 
region through destrying soil organic matter,  increasing soil 
acidification, leaching micronutrients on sandy soils and increased soil 
erosion and runoff.

Another wave of the green revolution will dramaticaaly increase the 
speed at which the region is heading towards desertification.

I wonder if there is any hope of common sense prevailing.

Best regards,

Henry

----- Original Message -----

*From:* Bridget O'Connor <mailto:bridget at organic.org.zm>

*To:* 'Herry Elwell' <mailto:henry.elwell at virgin.net>

*Sent:* Tuesday, October 23, 2007 12:18 PM

*Subject:* RE: New email addresses

Dear Henry

Very Good to hear from you. Have you seen a slim very readable book 
called "Unmasking the New Green Revolution in Africa" by Elenita C. 
Dano. There is considered opinion that the AGRA side is bombarding the 
internet and lobbying governments and institutions about the need for 
this second green revolution in Africa because apparently we missed the 
first (so successful!) one.  What we need is to have access to sites 
that show what the 1^st GR did to Africa and the "truly" sustainable 
agriculture side, updated and with scientific information.  This is to 
make "truly" SA story known to sites like 
http://africanagriculture.blogspot.com 
<http://africanagriculture.blogspot.com/>

With best regards

Bridget O'Connor

Organic Producers & Processors Association of Zambia (OPPAZ)

14 Leopards Hill Road, Kabulonga

PO Box 35317, Lusaka, Zambia

Tel/Fax: +260-1-265208 Tel: +260-1-263070

bridget at organic.org.zm

oas at organic.org.zm

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