Sufficiency economy sets appropriate standard

It has also helped set high ethical, spiritual and moral standards for living without excessive greed corruption, favouring moderation, encouraging reasonable action and engendering mental strength.

A primary goal of Asean should be to advance and apply farming sustainability. With the industrialised urban job market and reliance on manufactured exports shrinking, many of the unemployed are reconnecting with their family farm roots. Common-sense approaches to combat global hunger focus on sustainable agriculture as a way of growing nourishing food and fibre that is healthy, respects animals, protects the ecosystem and supports fair wages for farmers. The main goals are to integrate socio-economic equity, environmental stewardship, community prosperity and viable profit-making opportunities. Priorities for farmers, consumers and decision-makers to work together cooperatively include: improving water conservation and storage measures; providing incentives for selection of drought-tolerant and pest-resistant crop species; using reduced-volume irrigation systems to compensate for water loss; managing crop diversity to enhance replenished soil quality; and incorporating traditional, indigenous know-how.

Sustainable farming systems must be resource-conserving, socially supportive, commercially competitive and environmentally sound. In our increasingly inter-dependent world, sustainable is simply a way of life and a beneficial mindset that helps satisfy basic human needs, vital natural resources and global shortages that meet the needs of the present while simultaneously preserving and protecting our endangered planet for future generations.

No Holds Bard Charles

Frederickson