Sustainable Development: Food, Natural Resources, and Gender

The most commonly used definition of sustainable development is still that given in the report of the World Commission on Environment and Development (1987), i.e. sustainable development is ‘a process to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ Sustainable development is therefore about creating a better life for all people in ways that will be as viable in the future as they are at present. In other words, sustainable development is based on principles of sound husbandry of the world’s resources, and on equity in the way those resources are used and in the way in which the benefits obtained from them are distributed (Making Tourism More Sustainable, 2005).

Sustainable development is defined as “Development that meets the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (IISD, par. 1 ).

The environmental, financial and societal challenges people face now and in the future have to do with practicing a sustainable way of life whether in each area, industry, government or

Global health is not a topic we often speak of. In fact, it is mostly forgotten or ignored. But as with any event of international stature, it is important for us to understand and acknowledge. Global health has many facets, and I encourage each of you to find a topic that inspires you. Whether those inspirations be small donations or large movements towards change, find something and let it move you. We overlook the headlines in the news talking about mass genocides or rising HIV epidemics. Why? Because numbers mean nothing to us. When choosing a topic, nothing is more important than remembering that those numbers you are reading about are brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, people. Humanizing these sufferings leads to a connection and empathy.

Sustainable development is the improvement that addresses the issues of the present without bargaining the capacity of future eras to address their own issues. It consists of two key ideas:

If we are to achieve a sustainable future the global society faces unprecedented challenges. The scale

Of the various definitions for “sustainability” and “sustainable development” put forth by Agyeman, Bullard, and Evans, the most compelling and useful defines one sustainability as “the need to ensure a better quality of life for all, now, and into the future, in a just and equitable manner, while living within the limits of supporting ecosystems (Agyeman et al., p. 2). This definition is particularly suitable to sustainability because it captures its social justice component rather than portraying it as a solely environmental issue. Another key part is the mentioning of intra-generational equity which is crucial because many people fighting for sustainability will not be able to see the fruits of their labor but must still

Sustainable development is at the heart of the National Planning Policy Framework of 2012, and is defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable development includes three key pillars- social, environmental and economic, however in reality these issues often overlap and do not fit directly into one category (Hopwood, Mellor and O’Brien, 2005).

"Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" -The World Commission on Environment and Development, United Nation,1987, where it points out the necessity of resources for future generation and presenting a responsibility to us to be aware and careful about their consumption. We are utilizing resources faster than the rate they are regenerated and frequently dependent on fossil fuels. If we see for sustainable societies, their assumption of development is thoroughly dependent on reducing and eventually eradicating our contribution to the methodical accumulation of materials from the earth's crust, to the systematic accumulation of substances given by the society, the ongoing physical degradation of nature, to that systematically undermine people capability to meet their basic needs,

A. The most frequently quoted definition of Sustainable Development states the following, “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

Living sustainably means only consuming as much as we need, while making sure to never consume so much that it cannot be replaced. Changing habits in daily or community life, in government or in business is often referred to as “greening practices”. The term “green” is used to refer to anything that is built for or working towards a sustainable, environmentally-friendly future. Sustainable development is not just about conserving our resources: it is about changing our culture to make conservation a way of life. The earth has a natural balance, and over consumption of its resources, whether it is polluting or diverting water, or over-using land for building or agriculture or mining, or clear cutting of forests, or over-fishing the ocean, or burning too many fossil fuels throws that balance off and makes it difficult for the earth to renew itself. However there are also significant challenges related to achieving sustainable development. Let us examine reasons why progression towards sustainable development is lagging in Africa.

INTRODUCTION Brief definition of sustainability Economic impacts Social impacts Environmental impacts Political issues Natural disasters -------------------------------------- 1 ----------------------------------- 2, 3 ------------------------------------3, 4 ------------------------------------4, 5 ------------------------------------5, 6 -----------------------------------6, 7

Urbanization, which is becoming a buzzword during the last few decades, is enlarging at a booming speed. It is predicted that 93 percents urban growth will occur to the year 2020, in the developing world (Elliot J.A, 1999). Generally speaking, more than half of the people around the world have been moved to cities, which led to a series of “matters” connected with people’s life that changed in a dramatical way. In this period, sustainable development, another buzzword during the past few years, came into people’s view and gradually became the mainstream of society development. Its definition is to make the development continue in a long term, which means allowing appropriate economic growth and industrialization without

The concept of sustainable development has become a major topic among intellectuals from various fields. Sustainable development has gone through various changes in its definitions and at present does not have a commonly accepted definition. The origination of the concept of sustainable development is debatable. In 1974 at a conference on Science and Technology for Human Development by the World Council of Churches the concept of a “sustainable society” is believed to have been first noted. This early concept focused on equitable distribution of scarce resources and the need for democratic decision making. In 1980 the currently used term of sustainable development emerged in the

There is an existing link between agriculture and the attainment of sustainable development. Popular literature provides that good agriculture impact positively on the sustainability of the global ecosystem; which means that the needs of the present generation are met without compromising the ability for future generations to meet theirs. Hence, good agricultural practices, essentially promote the realization of sustainability. As a matter of fact, according to Toenniessen, Adesina & DeVries (2008), the realization of sustainability, especially in developed and least developed nations, cannot be achieved in the absence of increased farm productivity. A key aspect of sustainability is food security. Nevertheless, as LaSalle, Hepperly & Diop (2008) state, feeding the world has always proven to be a challenge, especially in the context of the current prevailing high prices brought about by the recent economic slowdown. The Economist (2011) further increases the dilemma for food security, citing the likelihood for global population rising from 7 billion to 9 billion, thereby casting a dingy decadence on the availability of food.