The Green Revolution in Africa: How Domestic Institutions Empower Market-Oriented Development Projects

Julia Ranney, Oberlin CollegeFollow

Location

King Building 241

Document Type

Presentation

Start Date

4-27-2018 5:30 PM

End Date

4-27-2018 6:50 PM

Abstract

Utilizing two case studies- Malawi and Makhathini Falls, South Africa, this thesis examines the Green Revolution in Africa. The Green Revolution is characterized as a market-based agricultural development strategy that is implemented by a myriad of international actors. This description overlooks the continued influence of domestic institutions and how they are crucial for empowering Green Revolution projects. Through the dual utilization of Actor-Network Theory and a comparativist approach, this thesis traces and identifies the power dynamics present within the networks of the international and domestic actors involved in each case study. This thesis reveals that not only are domestic institutions adaptable and resilient to different political economies, but also, through their historical legacies, enable the implementation of a market-era project like the Green Revolution. This discovery should strengthen discourse on the Green Revolution and development and could influence how international actors engage with domestic institutions in the future. Furthermore, the prominence of domestic institutions should build on discussions about farmer agency within these networks.

Keywords:

Green Revolution, domestic institutions, network, relevance

Notes

Session VII, Panel 21 - Sustainable | Geographies
Moderator: Chie Sakakibara, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies

Major

Politics

Advisor(s)

David Forrest, Politics
Rumi Shammin, Environmental Studies

Project Mentor(s)

Sarah El-Kazaz, Politics
Eve Sandberg, Politics
Marc Blecher, Politics

April 2018

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Apr 27th, 5:30 PM Apr 27th, 6:50 PM

The Green Revolution in Africa: How Domestic Institutions Empower Market-Oriented Development Projects

King Building 241

Utilizing two case studies- Malawi and Makhathini Falls, South Africa, this thesis examines the Green Revolution in Africa. The Green Revolution is characterized as a market-based agricultural development strategy that is implemented by a myriad of international actors. This description overlooks the continued influence of domestic institutions and how they are crucial for empowering Green Revolution projects. Through the dual utilization of Actor-Network Theory and a comparativist approach, this thesis traces and identifies the power dynamics present within the networks of the international and domestic actors involved in each case study. This thesis reveals that not only are domestic institutions adaptable and resilient to different political economies, but also, through their historical legacies, enable the implementation of a market-era project like the Green Revolution. This discovery should strengthen discourse on the Green Revolution and development and could influence how international actors engage with domestic institutions in the future. Furthermore, the prominence of domestic institutions should build on discussions about farmer agency within these networks.