1 / 14

Human Security in South Asia

Human Security in South Asia. Presented by George C Varughese Development Alternatives, New Delhi. at the Regional Media Workshop on Sustainable Development: A viable Goal Bangkok, 27th October 2008. South Asian Priorities for Action. Eliminating Poverty and Creating Human Security

heller
Download Presentation

Human Security in South Asia

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Human Security in South Asia Presented by George C Varughese Development Alternatives, New Delhi at the Regional Media Workshop on Sustainable Development: A viable Goal Bangkok, 27th October 2008

  2. South Asian Priorities for Action • Eliminating Poverty and Creating Human Security • Conserving the Natural Resource Endowments • Securing the Economic Base

  3. Managing Population Growth and its Impacts Direct – Awareness and incentives Indirect – Income generating opportunities, livelihood security, Infrastructure and facilities upgradation Creating Human Security Focus on – Food, Income, Water, Energy, Health and Security from Natural Disasters Eliminating Poverty & Creating Human Security

  4. Conserving the Natural Resource Endowments • Arresting Industrial Pollution • Promoting Corporate Citizenship • Addressing Special Needs of Small & Medium Enterprises • Strengthening Regulatory Mechanisms • Managing Urbanisation • Controlling Migration • Addressing Urban Poverty and Slums • Upgrading Urban Infrastructure and Management Systems • Promoting Sustainable Consumption Patterns • Conserving Biodiversity • Assessing Endowments • Protecting Fragile Habitats • Reviving Traditional Knowledge • Facilitating Local Value Addition • Building Bargaining Capacity

  5. Securing the Economic Base • Promoting Technology Cooperation • Building a Sub-regional Trading Block • Depending on MinimalExternal Assistance

  6. Three Priorities for Human Security • Food Security • Water Security • Energy Security

  7. Food Security – scenario • 430 million poor people (nearly 30% of South Asia and 47% of the world) • 315 million people have insufficient food (22% of South Asia) • While % hungry is reducing absolute numbers increasing • Slow progress in recent past • Half our children malnourished • Conflicts and disasters aggravate poverty and hunger

  8. Food Security - challenges • Enhancing Agricultural Production & Productivity • Managing land use and availability of arable land • Arresting degradation of land • Checking the conversion of arable land for other uses • Improving irrigation systems and practices • Increasing the area under irrigation • Promoting efficient irrigation practices • Improving farming practices and cropping patterns • intensive vs organic farming • new technologies, methods and techniques • cropping patterns (legumes) • Rationalising the role of subsidies

  9. Food Security - challenges • Other Supporting Measures • Improving Accessibility to available food • Role of the PDS and private sector • Improving rural infrastructure (cold storage, transportation) • Ensuring nutritional value of food consumed • proteins – pulses, dairy products, fish, eggs • focus on children – food for education • Agriculture – livelihood for the masses (absorbs 60% labour contributing to 23% GDP) • recognise that land does not have the carrying capacity – skill and capacity building of youth for non-farm activities • Disaster Preparedness and Management

  10. Water Security – scenario • Most countries beginning to experience moderate to severe water scarcity due to: • high population growth; coupled with • growth of irrigation, industrialisation & urbanisation • Scarcity likely to increase (3,485 to 2,511 cum/yr/capita between 1985 to 2005) • Excessive dependence and depletion of ground water • Pollution of surface and ground water increasing rapidly • Impressive efforts in providing safe drinking water, but sanitation still lagging • Trans-boundary water wars – a reality

  11. Water Security - challenges • Effective policies and implementation mechanisms for • trans-boundary basin management • ground water use • water as a right and yet priced • Technologies and incentives for • Promoting efficient irrigation practices • Pollution prevention • Participatory approaches for (enterprise / community based) • drinking water and sanitation • farmer managed irrigation systems

  12. Energy Security – scenario • Demand far exceeds supply in most countries • high population growth; coupled with • growth of industrialisation and urbanisation • Gap will significantly increase (per capita requirements expected to double to 600 kg. oil equivalent by 2020) • Excessive dependence on • Coal (46%) – highly polluting (carbon and climate) • Petroleum (34%) – polluting, foreign exchange drain • Inadequate investments in renewables • Gross inefficiencies in energy transmission, distribution and use • No country can address issue alone – opportunity for regional cooperation

  13. Energy Security – challenges • Investments in development of energy resources • conventional sources, especially hydro power • significant growth of renewable sources • Promoting energy efficiency and conservation • energy efficient technologies in industry, agriculture and households • reduction of transmission and distribution losses • addressing subsidies to agriculture and other users • Fostering Regional Cooperation

  14. Thank You

More Related