• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Restoration of natural capital

Natural capital: ‘Let’s put our money where our mouths are’

23rd November 2020
This drone is collecting data which farmers can then access on the yield management platform. Photo: Supplied/Aerobotics

How the Internet of Things is transforming agri

13th August 2022
His life took a turn for the worst when he ended up in jail for dealing in drugs, but Thembinkosi Matika turned his life around and now helps others through his Legacy Farming Project. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Drug dealer turned farmer ploughs back

12th August 2022
ADVERTISEMENT
Beat the winter blues with yummy butter chicken

Beat the winter blues with yummy butter chicken

12th August 2022
Households in South Africa could be in for some respite in the coming months on food prices. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Food may soon be cheaper. What’s the catch?

12th August 2022
Archive photo. Western Cape agri MEC Ivan Meyer highlighted small towns' dependence on agriculture during a recent provincial summit with municipal leaders. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

ICYMI: MEC lines up municipal support for farmers

12th August 2022
Christo Van der Rheede is the executive director of Agri SA. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Former music teacher leads agri’s greatest symphony

12th August 2022
Bumper harvest for Mzansi’s olive growers

Bumper harvest for Mzansi’s olive growers

11th August 2022
Thanks to Netafim’s innovative solutions, drip irrigation is within reach of small-scale farmers. Photo: Supplied

Yes, precision irrigation is possible on a budget

11th August 2022
There's been a major breakthrough with South African citrus containers that have been contained at European ports. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Relief! Govt convinces EU to save SA citrus

11th August 2022
Willem Booise (left) is a trustee and has won the industry’s Specialist Agricultural Worker of the Year award in 2018. Photo: Supplied/Hortgro

Fruit farm shows there’s power in transformation

11th August 2022
Many people love avocados, but did you know that the introduction of just one of these fruits per day can improve the overall quality of your diet? Photo: Pixabay

An avocado a day can keep the doctor away

10th August 2022
Davidzo Chizhengeni, animal scientist, founder of KvD livestock, Ika Cronje, farmer and participant in the Corteva Women Agripreneur 2022 programme, Vuyokazi Makapela, a Director at Afrivet, and permaculture farmer, Stephanie Mullins. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Podcast: Prevent rabies with vaccination

10th August 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Saturday, August 13, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    This drone is collecting data which farmers can then access on the yield management platform. Photo: Supplied/Aerobotics

    How the Internet of Things is transforming agri

    His life took a turn for the worst when he ended up in jail for dealing in drugs, but Thembinkosi Matika turned his life around and now helps others through his Legacy Farming Project. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Drug dealer turned farmer ploughs back

    Christo Van der Rheede is the executive director of Agri SA. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Former music teacher leads agri’s greatest symphony

    Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

    Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

    Claire and Martin Joubert have sacrificed and struggled to become top breeders of Ankole cattle in South Africa. But giving up was never an option, because they wanted to offer only the very best Ankole genetics in the country. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Farming couple lives and breathes Ankole cattle

    Tackling climate change, one tree at a time

    Agricareers: Veterinary science not for the timid

    Agricareers: Veterinary science not for the timid

    Once struggling farm now a family heirloom

    This drone is collecting data which farmers can then access on the yield management platform. Photo: Supplied/Aerobotics

    Optimal yields now at farmers’ finger tips

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi

Natural capital: ‘Let’s put our money where our mouths are’

by James Blignaut
23rd November 2020
in Between the Headlines
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
Restoration of natural capital

The restoration of natural capital should be duly accounted for on the balance sheet, not only on the expenditure statement, argues prof. James Blignaut, a resource economist. Photo: Curly Tales

Instantly the blood is drained from the core of my being – syphoned on to the concrete floor. This leaves me paralysed at the realisation: it is lost. Gone. My wallet is gone!

From patron to beggar at the flick of a finger. Begging for money to pay the bill. Begging for a lift home. Begging for information. Begging for a ray of hope.  Wrapped in vulnerability.

Awash in a tsunami of emotions and thoughts while dining with my family. In the end, however, I’m all but brain dead. My bank and other cards, my ID, my driver’s licence, the cash… my upcoming trips abroad, the trip from the Western Cape to Gauteng the next day – all in a puff while slowly realising what it entails: police affidavits, department of home affairs queues, and, worse still… Waltloo Licencing Centre: an ulcer-giving thought.

ADVERTISEMENT
Prof. James Blignaut is a resource economist attached to the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University. Photo: Supplied

It is just a wallet. It is not your life. Your loved ones are still with you. What is money after all? Nothing more than the product of human imagination; it does not exist outside of such. According to the textbooks, money is any generally accepted medium of exchange. That implies that any form of medium of exchange accepted by people can serve as money, but for people only.

Plants do not require money, neither do animals. Bees do not ask money to pollinate plants. Grass does not charge a fee for the energy and nutrients it provides to the grazing animal. Money solely exists in the human domain because people desire it to do.

Subsequently, money and especially monetary value become a barometer of our value judgements. It provides a mirror into which we can look and ask: What do we treasure? What do we value? Show your diary and chequebook to the world and reveal that which you consider important and of value. Conversely, monetary value is arguably the single most powerful indicator of confidence. Do we have confidence in tomorrow? Do we think that we can pay tomorrow’s bills with today’s money?

Click here to register for the “Heal the Land. Heal the People” webinar.

In all these questions, the issue is not money per se, but rather the values, ethics and desires – be those noble or roguish – that underpin our decisions and the monetary system that should be scrutinised. More so, since money is a coward – it first seeks the places where risk is perceived to be the least; like water it flows downhill to the lowest places in the dam.

‘Our investment decisions reflect our honesty’

The flow of money becomes an expression of and reflects the moral fibre and risk perception of the decision-maker. The flow of money is not only a reflection of yesterday’s value judgements, but also paves the way for its flow tomorrow.

In a broken world desperate for healing, our investment decisions today can either serve as a vanguard against the ill-fated choices of the past by charting out a new development pathway, or contribute to the further erosion of trust, increased risk with fewer investment opportunities and leading us and our children deeper down into a moral and ethical abyss and increased poverty.

Do we earnestly seek healing? Do we care enough to seek healing? Do we seek restoration? – Prof. James Blignaut

The question is simple, be it at governmental, business, or personal level: which future do we desire? Our investment decisions today will reflect our honesty. Follow the money trail – it does not lie. If we, individually or collectively, seek a future of decay, destruction and disaster, we will take decisions to that effect. Money will flow according to our decisions – it will accomplish the desire of the decision-maker: money the perfect serf. However, if we seek a future complete with health and a happy place for all, then our investment decisions will reflect such a future, and so it will be, because money executes the will of the people.

In true democratic style money will work for the superior master. The resource in short supply is thus not money, but the tenacity and will combined with a mindset to carve out and invest in a future of healing that will usher in a wholesome future. The subject matter of accountancy has made such restorative investments easy for us. We’re enticed to invest in restoration. This is done by the newly adopted definition of what constitutes an asset.

Restoration of natural capital
“Heal the Land. Heal the People” is the brainchild of the Integra Trust, a special-purpose entity which was established to advance climate-smart sustainable and regenerative agriculture. Photo: GreenBiz

According to the International Accountancy Standards Board, an asset is a present economic resource controlled by the entity as a result of past events. Investment in the betterment of an economic resource by an entity that has control over such resource, based on a past event such as a purchasing agreement, is an investment in an asset. This implies that the investments in the betterment of agricultural land and conservation areas are investments in an asset.

ADVERTISEMENT

Restoration of natural capital

Such restoration of natural capital should thus be duly accounted for on the balance sheet, not only on the expenditure statement. Let us put our money where our mouth is – our mouths are enjoying the produce of the soil; our mouths are the gateway to our health. Let money be used to heal the land, and the land will look after us.

Do we earnestly seek healing? Do we care enough to seek healing? Do we seek restoration? Do we as a society realise that healing reduces risk and vulnerability for all? Does the flow of money reflect our value system? This healing can happen in a variety of ways.

An investment firm, a pension fund, an insurer, any Thabo, Dick and Hannah can realise that investing in the health of people, investing in the health of the soil, reduces system-wide risk, and that such value-driven investments contribute to system-wide healing. Also, consumers can request retailers to stock produce that have been farmed regeneratively in a way that heals the land. In this way money will follow the request and increase the investment in regenerative agriculture. The possibilities abound.

Click here to e-sign the “Heal the Land. Heal the People” manifesto

The sickening alternative is the perpetuation of the investment patterns of the past; doing the same things of the past in the same way will render the same outcome – increased brokenness, increased risk, increased poverty with money increasingly hiding in a far-away place.

With the help of a friend my wallet has been restored to me. Early the next morning I traced back my steps and located it in the boardroom where I had a meeting the day before. Imagine the relief. Reconnected with a bunch of plastic. If being restored to a wallet can be so liberating, freeing me from queues and endless paperwork, not to mention the freedom to drive my own vehicle, how much more would the liberation be when societies, communities and businesses alike, work together towards healing. Let the flow of money reflect our collective restorative, regenerative, value system.

  • Prof. James Blignaut is attached to the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, and an honorary research associate attached to the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON). He is one of the speakers at the “Heal the Land. Heal the People” webinar held on Thursday, 18 March on World Sustainable Gastronomy Day. Click here for free registration to the historic webinar.
Tags: agricultural thought leaderHeal the Land. Heal the People. World Sustainable Gastronomy Dayprof. James BlignautRestoration of natural capitalSAEONSchool of Public LeadershipSouth African Environmental Observation NetworkStellenbosch University
Previous Post

Agri Careers: Meet a food processing supervisor

Next Post

Show some respect for informal food traders, urges economist

James Blignaut

James Blignaut

Prof. James Blignaut is attached to the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University, and an honorary research associate attached to the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON). He is also a director of the Integra Trust.

Related Posts

Dr Obvious Mapiye, whose studies helped develop new livestock management software. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Dr Mapiye’s driven to help small-scale farmers commercialise

by Tiisetso Manoko
16th May 2022
0

After seeing first-hand the challenges and unsustainable plans that small-scale farmers had to live with, this innovative agricultural researcher is...

The late Professor Mohammad Karaan, a former member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s high-level panel on land reform and agriculture. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Naidoo to address historic first Karaan memorial lecture

by Staff Reporter
12th April 2022
0

The life and memory of the late Professor Mohammad Karaan will be honoured during a memorial address on Wednesday. Stellenbosch...

Agriculture has undergone a startling metamorphosis from the "all-day-in-the-fields" sector it had once been into one that now invites everyone from backyard growers to highly skilled technicians. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Yes, there is life after school. Find it in agriculture!

by Zolani Sinxo
24th January 2022
0

"As the world changes...fresh perspectives from young, innovative minds are essential for future growth." Experts say agriculture not only offers...

The high prices of fertiliser are set to drive up food prices globally this year. Consumers can soften the impact on their budgets by growing some of their own food, says an agricultural economist. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Fertiliser misfortune: Grow your own food, Mzansi

by Thabile Nkunjana
11th January 2022
0

Natural gas and fertiliser prices shot up towards the end of 2021. This will inevitably lead to higher food prices...

Next Post
Street traders and small scale farmers are always neglected in times of crisis and the leaders in the agriculture sector have urged government to prioritize them in future to protect our food systems. Photo: Nomfundo Xolo / GroundUp

Show some respect for informal food traders, urges economist

Households in South Africa could be in for some respite in the coming months on food prices. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
News

Food may soon be cheaper. What’s the catch?

by Duncan Masiwa
12th August 2022
0

There’s a whole list of basic food items that are set to become cheaper soon. But there are factors at...

Read more
Archive photo. Western Cape agri MEC Ivan Meyer highlighted small towns' dependence on agriculture during a recent provincial summit with municipal leaders. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

ICYMI: MEC lines up municipal support for farmers

12th August 2022
Christo Van der Rheede is the executive director of Agri SA. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Former music teacher leads agri’s greatest symphony

12th August 2022
Bumper harvest for Mzansi’s olive growers

Bumper harvest for Mzansi’s olive growers

11th August 2022
Thanks to Netafim’s innovative solutions, drip irrigation is within reach of small-scale farmers. Photo: Supplied

Yes, precision irrigation is possible on a budget

11th August 2022

How the Internet of Things is transforming agri

Agripreneur 101: Creating a beauty brand

ICYMI: MEC lines up municipal support for farmers

Seasonal farmworkers struggle to get UIF

Ecological farming the answer to food insecurity

Yes, precision irrigation is possible on a budget

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 12 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

How the Internet of Things is transforming agri

Drug dealer turned farmer ploughs back

Beat the winter blues with yummy butter chicken

Food may soon be cheaper. What’s the catch?

ICYMI: MEC lines up municipal support for farmers

Former music teacher leads agri’s greatest symphony

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.