Abstract
This paper contributes, through traversing contested notions of sustainability, social justice, development and food sovereignty, to discourses around creation of sustainable rural learning ecologies. There has always been at least in the realm of scientific discourse, an attempt to dissociate the natural or physical environment from the social and human environment. This trend did not only affect the two spheres of existence only. It is further imbued and spawned fragmented and pervasive terminology, practices and human thought. Drawing from the ‘creating sustainable rural learning ecologies’ research project that commenced in 2011, I challenge and contest the use of such discourses and argue for the transcendence of such. This would, in my opinion, create space for harmonious and fluid co-existence between nature and humanity, such that the contribution of learning practices exudes and expedites sustainability in rural ecologies.
Highlights
In his commentary on Millenium Development goals (May 30, 2013) David Braun laments the inadequacies of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the United Nations Secretary General presents a report that seeks to chart a new course for sustainable development
In this article I critically looked at the sustainable rural learning ecologies in relation to conventional discourses of sustainability, social justice, development and food sovereignty and suggested that such notions no longer hold as they were initially conceptualised
Appreciation of rural learning ecologies may be what is required to circumvent notions of human completeness or self-actualization only when one is in an urban area
Summary
In his commentary on Millenium Development goals (May 30, 2013) David Braun laments the inadequacies of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the United Nations Secretary General presents a report that seeks to chart a new course for sustainable development. There is great urgency in South Africa to implement policies leading to empowerment of the people, whilst promoting rural development and establishing a basis for the sustainable use of available human and natural resources. According to the International Planning Committee for Food Security (2007) and Lee (2007) food sovereignty is the: right of people to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems It puts the aspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food at the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of markets and corporations. According to Reem Saad, an Egyptian professor of anthropology and a researcher, “we seem to be talking a lot about food security without really paying enough attention to the crucial factor of food sovereignty, which is an even more crucial matter.” Food sovereignty invariably provides space for learning for sustainability and it builds and promotes local knowledge and skills that conserve, develop, and manage localizing food systems is supported
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