Connecting-Africa | Find publications

Advanced search

Find:


Title The Namibian bioeconomy: Transformation toasustainable society? Namibian bioeconomy
Full text http://hdl.handle.net/11070/3534
Date 2020
Author(s) Hauser, AnneHeeren; Cheikhyoussef, Ahmad; Chimwamurombe, PercyM.
Abstract Worldwide, bioeconomy is promoted as an 'engine for sustainable development'. However, increasingly, the notion that 'the bioeconomy' will facilitate sustainable development per se is challenged. Based on the assumption that when leaving the relations between 'nature' and 'society' unquestioned, inherent inequalities are rather reproduced than overcome, we draw upon a social-ecological framework to analyse the societal relations to nature in the Namibian bioeconomy. In Namibia, with independence, an array of diferent beneft-sharing mechanisms have been developed to implement local participatory governance structure, which will be further streamlined under the newly introduced access and beneft-sharing law. Results show that despite eforts to facilitate a diversity-based bioeconomy, separating structures and trade-ofs are persistent. Images of 'nature', like the 'eternal Namibian landscape', that draw upon colonial notions are frequently used to market indigenous natural products. Institutions to 'nature' that guarantee fair and equitable terms of trade are often only short-term and/or small-scale, e.g. as shown at the case of Devil's claw, Hoodia and Namibian Myrrh. Even when perspectives cannot be assigned in a stereotypical way between user and provider, and instead, all actors refer to biodiversity and traditional knowledge as 'welfare of the people', 'cultural heritage', 'input for R&D', 'community beneft', and 'marketing tool', a rational-instrumental reasoning tends to be favoured of a normative-ethical one. A more diversifed awareness towards the dialectics entailed in the conception, making, and management of 'nature' potentially inhibiting an inclusive sustainable development is relevant at any theory'practice interface, including development project-management and environmental policy-making. - Projekt DEAL: https://www.projekt-deal.de/about-deal/
Subject(s) bioeconomy, Namibia, sustainable society, Societal relations to nature, Access and benefit-sharing, Indigenous knowledge systems
Language en
Publisher Springer
Type of publication Article
Identifier Heeren-Hauser, A., Cheikhyoussef, A. & Chimwamurombe, P.M. (2020).The Namibian bioeconomy: transformation to a sustainable society?. Discov Sustain 1, 8 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-020-00007-6
Repository Windhoek - University of Namibia
Added to C-A: 2023-01-31;11:02:16