Responsible and sustainable Food Sourcing

A responsible and sustainable food sourcing network eliminates risk in the chain from the growing to the consumer. This network will ultimately support the responsible people in the network to grow food responsibly and supply to like-minded people to ensure that the responsible consumer receives a product that is free of harmful elements not only to the consumer however to the ground where these products are produced and grown. 

So what do we mean when pointing out responsible sustainability practices:

• Long term savings due to efficiency practises.
• Elimination of environmental impacting practises.
• Using natural resources more efficiently.
• Reducing the harmful impact on the earth.
• Reducing pollution.
• Fair labour practises.
• Consideration of human rights.
• Poverty eradication.
• Empowering females.
• Empowering entrepreneurs.
• Job creation.
• Creating new markets continually.
• Ensuring long term benefits for communities producing.

 To drive this process and to ensure awareness in these communities training of the participants and young entrepreneurs is imperative. Through guidance, the correct policies can be implemented with the drive behind the strategy of responsibility and sustainability. Regular follow up and feedback to be applied in support of the project.

Planning is key to a successful symbiotic system. Through supporting these communities with regular education, training and guidance and linking them with the existing business following the same practices will support the learning process. 

Criteria to consider regarding environmental impact include however are not limited to:

• Biodegradable.
• Compostable.
• Recyclable.
• Repurpose for use.
• Durability.
• Ease of disassembly of items.
• Packaging of items.
• Water use.
• Energy consumption.
• Pollution and reduction thereof.
• Climate change.

The concept of sustainability and responsible food sourcing, growing and manufacturing is a new concept and ever-changing on a daily basis as technology develops all these practises improve. The social impacts of these practises should not be ignored during the consideration of environmental sustainability the humanitarian impact on certain practises can affect centuries of ethnicity destroying natural resources. Labour practises and employment equity, avoiding child labour in underdeveloped communities. Local consumers can drive this economy by sourcing their required to produce locally supporting the local communities.