| Title | Regenerative economy: A pathway to a future-ready, sustainable Africa |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 80006 |
| Authors | Walls, Judith L., and Leo Luca Vogel |
| Published | Africa Journal of Management 9, no. 4 (2023): 315-337 |
| Structure | Here is the analysis of the article in sections with two sentences each: The article discusses the concept of regenerative economy as a pathway to a future-ready, sustainable Africa. The authors propose regenerative economy as a solution to address Africa's social and environmental challenges, such as rapid economic growth, population growth, and biodiversity loss. The authors define regenerative economy as an approach that seeks to restore and regenerate environmental, social, and economic systems simultaneously. They argue that regenerative economy is a possible pathway for sustainable development in Africa, which can lead to inclusive, collaborative, and co-created economic growth. Africa faces numerous social and environmental challenges, including rapid population growth, urbanization, and climate change, which threaten the continent's economic growth and well-being. The authors highlight the need for a regenerative economy approach to address these challenges and promote sustainable development. The authors identify three levers for regenerative economy in Africa: clean innovation, leapfrogging, and leveraging African values of horizontal collectivism. They provide examples of regenerative economy approaches in Africa, including industry-wide schemes, social enterprises, and community partnerships. Clean innovation is an essential lever for regenerative economy in Africa, with opportunities in non-renewable and renewable natural resources. The authors highlight the potential of African natural resources to support economic growth and job creation, but also emphasize the need for responsible resource management. Leapfrogging is another important lever for regenerative economy in Africa, which involves bypassing traditional technologies and infrastructure to adopt more advanced ones. The authors provide examples of leapfrogging in Africa, such as the adoption of solar photovoltaic technology. The authors emphasize the importance of leveraging African values of horizontal collectivism, which prioritize community and social well-being over individual interests. They argue that this approach is essential for regenerative economy in Africa, where traditional governance systems and business practices often prioritize individual gains over collective well-being. The authors provide several case examples of regenerative business models in Africa, including industry-wide schemes, social enterprises, and community partnerships. These examples illustrate the potential of regenerative economy approaches to promote sustainable development and social well-being in Africa. The authors discuss the challenges and opportunities of regenerative economy in Africa, including scaling up regenerative business models, implementing effective governance systems, and building human capacity. They emphasize the need for a coordinated approach to address these challenges and promote regenerative economy in Africa. The authors conclude that regenerative economy offers a new way of doing business in Africa, with the potential to promote sustainable development and social well-being. They emphasize the need for a coordinated approach to implement regenerative economy approaches in Africa and promote a future-ready, sustainable continent. The authors recommend several recommendations for implementing regenerative economy approaches in Africa, including investing in clean innovation, leapfrogging, and leveraging African values. They also emphasize the need for effective governance systems and human capacity building to support regenerative economy in Africa. The authors acknowledge several limitations of their study, including the lack of empirical evidence and the need for further research to test the effectiveness of regenerative economy approaches in Africa. They emphasize the importance of continued research and analysis to refine their recommendations and promote regenerative economy in Africa. The authors suggest several future research directions, including exploring the socio-psychological dimensions of regenerative economy in Africa, examining the impact of regenerative economy on human well-being and economic growth, and investigating the role of public-private partnerships in promoting regenerative economy in Africa. |
| Summary | The African Union and the United Nations both promote sustainable development, which requires balancing societal and environmental challenges. Regenerative economy is a concept that emphasizes the pursuit of net-positive impacts by restoring and regenerating environmental, social, and economic systems simultaneously. Three levers of action in Africa that promote the idea of regenerative economy are clean innovation in technology and business models, leapfrogging through decentralized communication and energy systems, and leveraging African values of horizontal collectivism. The article highlights the need for scaling up regenerative business approaches, effective governance structures, and capacity building in Africa. The authors also discuss the importance of leveraging African values, such as horizontal collectivism, in regenerative economy approaches. The article presents several case examples of regenerative business models in Africa, including the rooibos industry-wide benefit-sharing scheme, social enterprises that emerged from NGOs, and pay-as-you-go solar energy. The authors also discuss the challenges of implementing regenerative economy approaches in Africa, including scaling up, governance, and capacity building. The article concludes that regenerative economy approaches have the potential to benefit people, nature, and the economy in Africa, and that a combination of clean innovation, leapfrogging, and leveraging African values is necessary to achieve this goal. The authors also emphasize the importance of addressing the "resource curse" and promoting sustainable development in Africa. Overall, the article highlights the need for a new approach to economic development in Africa that prioritizes regenerative economy and sustainability. |
| Scientific Methods | Based on the provided article, the research methods used in this paper can be identified as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Some of the methodologies used in the paper include: 1. 2. 3. 4. However, it is worth noting that the paper lacks explicit references to specific research methodologies, such as surveys, experiments, or statistical analysis. The authors' focus is on conceptual and theoretical analysis, rather than empirical research. |
| Article contribution | The article "Regenerative economy: A pathway to a future-ready, sustainable Africa" by Judith L. Walls and Leo Luca Vogel presents a compelling case for the adoption of regenerative economy approaches in Africa. The authors argue that regenerative economy is a holistic approach that explicitly links social and ecological systems to economic systems, aiming to achieve sustainable development by promoting human well-being and a flourishing natural world. The authors identify three levers for a regenerative economy in Africa: 1. Clean innovation: leveraging Africa's natural resources, particularly metals and minerals, to drive clean energy and technology. 2. Leapfrogging: bypassing resource-intensive approaches taken by industrialized countries and using the most advanced technologies to achieve sustainable development. 3. Leveraging African values: adopting horizontal collectivism, which prioritizes common goals over individual ones, interdependence, and participative decision-making. The article highlights several case examples of regenerative business models in Africa, including: * The Rooibos Industry-Wide Benefit-Sharing System, which protects the biological region where the plant grows and traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. * The Okavango Craft Brewery, which creates a market for millet grown sustainably and rewards farmers for coexisting with elephants. * The Sankofa project, which promotes biodiversity, mitigates the impacts of climate change on cocoa cultivation, and diversifies the income of cocoa farmers. The authors also discuss several challenges, including: * Scaling up regenerative business approaches, which typically remain small and localized. * Achieving absolute decoupling between economic activity and resource use. * Addressing the "resource curse" and ensuring that natural resources are used to benefit local communities. The article concludes that regenerative economy approaches offer a new way of doing business in Africa, with the potential to benefit people, nature, and the economy. The authors propose that Africa can create a comparative advantage by focusing on regenerative solutions and building institutions that support and encourage a regenerative economy. Overall, the article presents a compelling case for the adoption of regenerative economy approaches in Africa, highlighting the potential benefits for people, nature, and the economy. The contribution of this article to regenerative economics can be summarized as follows: 1. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of regenerative economy and its potential application in Africa. 2. It highlights the importance of clean innovation, leapfrogging, and leveraging African values in achieving sustainable development. 3. The article provides several case examples of regenerative business models in Africa, demonstrating the potential for regenerative economy to drive social and environmental benefits. 4. It discusses several challenges, including scaling up regenerative business approaches, achieving absolute decoupling, and addressing the "resource curse". 5. The article concludes that regenerative economy approaches offer a new way of doing business in Africa, with the potential to benefit people, nature, and the economy. Overall, this article contributes to the field of regenerative economics by providing a comprehensive overview of the concept and its potential application in Africa, highlighting the importance of clean innovation, leapfrogging, and leveraging African values, and providing several case examples of regenerative business models. |
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