NELSPRUIT – The transition towards a greener economy is an important opportunity for South Africa to counter these problems particularly in the context of declining natural resources and deepening economic inequalities.
The concept of a green economy is new and more research is needed to understand the opportunities it brings.Leading thisinitiative in South Africa is the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The CSIR undertakes research to improve the quality of life of the country’s people. As part of this mandate, the CSIR has embarked on a research programme that aims to facilitate agriculture’s contribution to South Africa’s green economy.
The programme aimsto support the development of a vibrant green economy in rural South Africa by providing researchinformation to support the planning and implementation sustainable crop-based, agricultural green economy initiatives.
CSIR researcher ConstansiaMusvoto explains: “Agriculture is well suited to supporting a green economy. The sector is central to achieving food security for a rapidly growing population, lowering the risk of climate change and meeting the increasing demand for energy through the production of biofuels.”
“Through this research, we seek to expandknowledge and information on opportunities linked to agriculture and the green economy and to identify opportunities for improving livelihoods and incomes of poor rural communities.”
