Sustainability

Sustainability is the responsible management of resources to provide for needs at a maintained level that avoids depleting natural resources.

Key Principles

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization defines sustainability with five key principles.

• Improved Resilience
  • The ability to withstand extremes, volatility, and other forms of adversity. This adversity can be found in weather, markets, and social structures.
• Enhanced and Efficient Use of Resources
  • Resources, such as water, soil, energy, labor, and costs, needs to be efficiently used to provide for future use. Adaption of smart technologies such as clean and renewable energy is paramount.
• Improved Rural Livelihoods, Equity, and Social Well-Being
  • Ensures equality and general social well-being of the rural community. Encourage participation, independent of gender or other attributes, provide equity in employment, access to markets, financial aid, education, and other facets.
• Natural Resources Conservation Measures
  • Conservation of natural resources to provide for future needs.
• Availability of Responsible and Effective Governance Mechanisms
  • Entrenching sustainability policies.