The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

A justification for the development of a major in environmental studies/sciences and sustainability will be presented. A new course BIO 419 Sustainability through Empowerment and Ecotechnology that is being developed includes international content form the sustainable development programs in progress at the M.S. Swaminathan foundation (MSSRF), Chennai, India. The strategic themes (sustainability, stewardship and science) as well as the integrative themes (ecosystem capital, policy and politics, and globalization) and their elements are identified in selected development programs at the MSSRF. This course describes with specific examples the application of natural resource management practices, ecotechnology and empowerment strategies including community-based, information communication technology-mediated functional literacy and bio-villages as means to achieve sustainability. Emphasize is on low input and high value output and improving efficiency in management systems, the development of sustainable ecoenterprises as well as  blending natural resource management and livelihood security. Extensive training programs are frequently held with regular field level interactions and ongoing evaluations in progress.