Christopher S. Potter’s scientific contributions

O v e r the past several decades a development paradigm has emerged that seeks to link environmental quality and human welfare. Warnings of the adverse effects of deforestation, pollution, soil erosion, climate warming, and species extinction have focused worldwide attention on threatened natural habitats and species. Consequently, while the world’s remaining biological diversity is subject to massive loss and destruction, it is simultaneously being explored as a primary resource base for sustainable development.

O v e r the past several decades a development paradigm has emerged that seeks to link environmental quality and human welfare. Warnings of the adverse effects of deforestation, pollution, soil erosion, climate warming, and species extinction have focused worldwide attention on threatened natural habitats and species. Consequently, while the world’s remaining biological diversity is subject to massive loss and destruction, it is simultaneously being explored as a primary resource base for sustainable development.

Foreign assistance helps developing countries to achieve economic growth through wise use of natural resources. Conservation interventions and sustainable use of natural resources play a central role in this development. Conservation and utilization of genetic resources have traditionally proceeded as separate approaches. A conceptual approach to project design is presented encouraging greater interaction between those conserving crop genetic resources and those seeking their economic application in a sound land-use management plan. Projects illustrating this approach are being supported by the Agency for International Development. They suggest a paradigm for research and development allowing interdisciplinary activities targeting sustainable agriculture development. La ayuda extranjera contribuye a que los países en desarrollo logren un crecimiento económico a través del uso apropriado de sus recursos naturales. La interventión en la conservation y el uso sostenible de recursos naturales debe desempeñar un papel primordial en este desarrollo. La conservatión y utilization de recursos genéticos tradicionalmente se ha considerado como enfoques separados. Presentamos un enfoque conceptual para proyeetar el diseño, estimulando mayor interactión entre esos recursos de productos geneticos de conservación y aquellos que buscan su aplicación económica en un plan bien fundamentado de administratión en el uso de la tierra. La Agènda para el Desarrollo Internationál apoya proyectos que ilustran este sistema. Se sugiere un paradigma para la investigation y el desarrollo permitiendo en estos proyeetos actividades interdisciplinarias que enfoquen el desarrollo de una agricultura sostenible.