SIZA Sustainability Newsletter

With the agricultural industry being a significant contributor to climate change, the SIZA Environmental Standard goes beyond the management of associated risks through the implementation of SIZA’s online Digital Recordkeeping Programme, which will allow members from all sectors and commodities (at the local and global scale) to capture their production inputs and calculate their carbon footprint to monitor progress made towards sustainability targets.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has added four new species to their annual list of trees that are protected under Section 12 of the National Forests Act 84 of 1998.

Engaging and supporting one’s local surrounding community forms an integral part of a business’s commitment to social responsibility.

A healthy functioning ecosystem and biodiversity depend on the interconnected nature of all forms of life, from the smallest single-cell organisms to the largest trees and mammals.

The health of natural ecosystems, including agricultural ecosystems, depends mainly on the way the land is used and the health of the soil. Soil health, also referred to as soil quality, is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans.

 Water is a finite resource, meaning that it cannot be readily replaced by natural means at a pace quick enough to keep up with consumption.

Over the last three years, 1 303 SIZA members decided to closely monitor and manage their water practices. Two hundred and thirty-three of these members agreed to participate in the SIZA CARES continuous improvement programme, and 103 asked to go through a third-party audit.