Paper short abstract:

This presentation discusses how the concept of sustainability has been used to justify different models of agricultural production through the analysis of the Green Revolution trajectories.

Paper long abstract:

The main argument is that the international environmental politics has emptied the concept of sustainability of its socio-political character, and the distinction of its conservative and radical version could be done thorough a historic-geographical analysis that distinguish both understandings. Its conservative version compasses new forms of capital accumulation thought complex mechanisms, such international aid, that can be appreciated in the New Green Revolution in Africa. In contrast, radical forms of agriculture have emerged to confront the expansion of the agro-industry, using the concept of sustainability to achieve social justice, wealth redistribution and environmental balance. The presentation has three parts: firstly, it introduces the first Green Revolution and its environmental consequences in order to explain the emergency of sustainability concerns; secondly, it critically discusses how the New Green Revolution approaches sustainability in their practices, finally, it analyses the alternatives such as the agro-ecology, has emerged to overcome the environmental degradation of the agribusiness