Implications for the agriculture sector of a green economy transition in the Western Cape Province of South Africa : a system dynamics modelling approach to food crop production

Date
2017-05
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Western Cape Provincial government in South Africa has introduced a green economy framework, ‘Green is Smart’, to create a more sustainable economy. This framework stipulates plans for the Western Cape Province to implement more sustainable farming practices for food crop production. While sustainable farming practices will have benefits for the environment, they will also impact food crop production and will require financial investments from stakeholders. To comprehend fully the problem at hand, and to understand better the implications of a green economy transition for the food crop production system, system dynamics modelling was undertaken. The model’s findings highlight that sustainable farming practices will only be financially and environmentally viable if they match the yields of conventional farming practices.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaarDie Wes-Kaapse Provinsiale regering in Suid-Afrika het ‘n groenekonomie raamwerk, ‘Green is Smart’, bekendgestel met die doel om ‘n meer volhoubare ekonomie te skep. Hierdie raamwerk bepaal planne vir die Wes-Kaapse Provinsie om meer volhoubare voedselproduksie- en boerderypraktyke te implementeer. Terwyl volhoubare boerderypraktyke voordele vir die omgewing het, sal dit ook ‘n impak op voedselproduksie hê, en sal finansiële beleggings van belanghebbendes vereis. Om die probleem ten volle te begryp, en om die implikasies van ‘n groenekonomie oorgang vir die produksie voedselgewasstelsel beter te verstaan, is stelsel dinamika modellering onderneem. Die model se bevindinge beklemtoon dat volhoubare boerderypraktyke net finansieel en omgewings-vriendelik lewensvatbaar sal wees as dit kompeterend is met opbrengste van konvensionele boerderypraktyke.
Description
CITATION: Van Niekerk, J. B. S., et al. 2017. Implications for the agriculture sector of a green economy transition in the Western Cape Province of South Africa : a system dynamics modelling approach to food crop production. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 28(1):133-144, doi:10.7166/28-1-1611.
The original publication is available at http://sajie.journals.ac.za
Keywords
Green economy, Agriculture -- Industry, Sustainable agriculture
Citation
Van Niekerk, J. B. S., et al. 2017. Implications for the agriculture sector of a green economy transition in the Western Cape Province of South Africa : a system dynamics modelling approach to food crop production. South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, 28(1):133-144, doi:10.7166/28-1-1611