BACKGROUND If development is for wholesome welfare, man’s needs cannot be at the cost of everything else. Our food security cannot be detrimental to the natural food chains. When we boast of progress in health, equal attention should be given to the health of all other living and non living elements of our environment. When we boast of transport, it cannot be by massively damaging the surrounding land and air. Our ICT revolution can’t dump electronic wastes, either. In a country like ours, well known for its diverse topographies, climatic conditions and culture, farmers have been practicing many indigenous ways of getting yield without hampering the environmental serenity. Today, as in every sphere, commercialization and modern-day economic growth patterns exert pressure upon our farming sector. Chocked by this, our rural poor resort to modern systems for sustenance. Are our traditional, environmental friendly practices still intact? What are our indigenous measures that prove time and again a success? Do such traditional wisdom need timely corrections? How far the modern development benefit country’s traditional conservation methods? These and more are among the pertinent questions that arise. The 4th Limat Conference on Indigenous Initiatives for Environment and Development (CIIED 2014) is organized by Micro Business College under Ethio-Limat Consultancy PLC, with the profound objective of finding enough responses to issues of the above sort.
ORGANIZER Micro Business College (MBC)has been at the fore of education and capacity building at grassroots for more than two decades. Since its inception, the institution has been receiving profound support and blessings from general public as well as national luminaries including His Excellency, Girma W/ Giorgis, the foremer President of Ethiopia. Through massive campaigns it could bring in progressive changes in the society. Along rural stretches of West and South West Shoa zones, the MBC initiatives have unleashed a wave of motivation among 45000-60000 people towards environmental conservation and comprehensive development. Integrated alternatives suggested by such projects were overwhelmingly received and happily practiced by the rural people.
OBJECTIVES § Create awareness among stake holders on issues cutting across development and environment § Constitute strategies to minimize socio-economic and environmental threats on the roads of development § Build a data bank on developmental and environmental issues from global and local sources § Enhance social services applying native and foreign wisdom § Grow commitment and participation in comprehensive environment protection endeavors § Develop an agenda for community-based micro-business activities and environmental protection hand in hand.
THEMES Theme 1 Environmental Conservation § Environmental conservation and restoration § Education for environmental awareness § Capacity building for gaining development and skill based information § Native and foreign strategies for development and environment protection § Partnership between development institutions, farmers organizations and educational institutions Theme 2 Entrepreneurship and Business Development § Promoting entrepreneurship § Role model small business entrepreneurs at home and abroad § Technology entrepreneurs and their contributions § E-commerce and its codes of transactions § Public-private partnership for enhancing development Theme 3 Application of diverse technologies § Community-based information systems § Digital technologies as sources of information § Technological empowerment at community level § Rural information networks § Community-based information systems for boosting development § Community-based information resources and development networks § Best practices and experiences on environment and development
LAST DATES Submission of Abstracts: On or before 20 May 2014 p Submission of Full Papers: On or before 10 June 2014