Increase domestic food production

SUSTAINABILITY is the capacity to endure.
In ecology, the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time.
Long-lived and healthy wetlands and forests are examples of sustainable biological systems.
For humans, sustainability is the potential for long-term maintenance of wellbeing, which has ecological, economic, political and cultural dimensions.
Sustainability requires the reconciliation of environmental, social equity and economic demands – also referred to as the “three pillars” of sustainability.
Healthy ecosystems and environments are necessary to the survival and flourishing of humans and other organisms.
This approach is based largely on information gained from earth science, environmental science and conservation biology.
The second approach is management of human consumption of resources, which is based largely on information gained from economics.
A third more recent approach adds cultural and political concerns to the sustainability matrix.
Sustainability interfaces with economics through the social and environmental consequences of economic activity.
Educational institutions such as colleges and universities should head such programmes into rural areas in our districts, supported by district chief executive officers, local level government presidents and councillors.
Sustainability economics involves ecological economics where social aspects including cultural, health-related and monetary/financial aspects are integrated.
Moving towards sustainability is a social challenge that entails international and national law, urban planning and transport, local and individual lifestyles and ethical consumerism.
Ways of living more sustainably can take many forms from reorganising living conditions, reappraising economic sectors or work practices, using science to develop new technologies to adjustments in individual lifestyles that conserve natural resources through programmes organised by the National Agriculture Research Institute and other government and non-government organisations running self-sustainability programmes.
The capacity to meet our own food needs from domestic production, especially in all provinces, is none other than the total concentration in agriculture.
The aim is not to produce 100 per cent of our food on domestic soil, but rather to increase domestic capacity to produce food, even if we engage in food imports and exports. Self-sufficiency needs no external assistance in satisfying one’s basic needs to maintain a frugal lifestyle.
All that is needed is our own initiative to explore agriculture for our economic sustainability.
Agriculture is the basic foundation for our survival.

Rodney Noruma