Oral Abstract Details

Author(s):
Curt Gervich

Affiliation:
Virginia Tech

Presentation Type:
Oral

Topic Area:
Ecosystem impacts on human communities (e.g., human health, economic well-being, political action)

Abstract Text:
Principles of Environmental Justice advocate that stakeholders at grassroots levels must be included in decision making processes, and have true opportunities to influence decision outcomes, if justice is to be achieved. Yet, evidence suggests that even within sustainable development projects lauded for success, grassroots participants are sometimes left out of the decision making mix. This paper explores the relationships between organic farmers at grassroots levels and the staff and board members at a sustainable development assistance organization that aims to support them. In-depth interviews with farmers, staff and board members illustrate that staff and board members’ attempts to create efficient decision making processes often result in organizational structures that exclude growers or offer only limited and symbolic inclusion. The result may be detrimental to participants’ achievement of environmental and economic success as well as failure to live up to the promise of just sustainable development.