SIZA Sustainability Newsletter

Alistair Galloway has long been passionate about environmental sustainability and has secured an MSc in Conservation Ecology from Stellenbosch University. His MSc project was his first step into the sustainable agriculture realm, where he did his research on citrus orchards within the Sundays River Valley, Eastern Cape. He has experience in the sustainable agriculture industry… Continue reading Meet the SIZA Environmental Technical team

Looking at the 92 SIZA members that have already completed their 3rd party audit, the following non-conformances per category dominated the non-compliances that were raised over the last three months.

Commercial agriculture has grown and developed over the past few decades to meet the ever-growing demand for food worldwide. The increase in demand has led to the implementation of intensive agricultural practices that can be environmentally damaging.

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.