The Sustainability Institute is a non-profit trust, founded in 1999. An international living and learning centre focussing on studies and experience in ecology, community and spirit, we work in partnership with the School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch in the following areas of  education (Masters and PhD degrees in Sustainable Development Planning and Sustainable Agriculture), Early Childhood Development, Community Development Practice and Management, project facilitation to establish Sustainable Neighbourhood Developments in various localities,policy research in the sustainable development sector. The Institute is located in the Lynedoch EcoVillage, a place where we have provided development facilitation to create a space for sustainable living and learning.

Nurture with Nature

Last weekend was an opportunity for the girls of Lynedoch valley to explore different ways of knowing and being feminine in the world through the nurturing and guidance of women who came together to run a Nurture with Nature retreat. Natasha Wilson, a student and past volunteer at the Sustainability Institute, brought together friends and colleagues to run the two day exploratory session with the young women and wove together a beautiful programme that had as much laughing and fun as bodywork, reflection and dialogue. The girls learned through experiencing massage, reiki and reflexology - and the pure bliss radiating from them reminded us of the tremendous power of healing through touch and positive energy.

Learning for Sustainable Living is a simple, hands-on experience of sustainability in practice. The course consists of three 2-day modules, focusing on the core elements of sustainable development, design and agriculture.

Learning for Sustainable Living

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Revisiting Food Security in New Delhi

It gives us great pleasure to announce that Prof Tarak Kate, convenor of the Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture course at the Sustainability Institute and Extra-Ordinary Professor in the School of Public Management and Planning, has been invited to participate as a speaker at the “Revisiting Food Security” conference in New Delhi. The conference, organized by the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture and the National Alliance on Sustainable Agriculture in India, will be held in the third week of September 2010. Other renowned leaders in the field, such as Prof. Amartya Sen and Miguel Altieri, will also share their views. Prof Tarak Kate has a Phd in Botany, and for the last 22 years has specialised in appropriate technology, organic recycling, sustainable agriculture, renewable enrgy, and waste utilization. His main work is helping small farmers in India with holdings of less than two acres to maximize returns from their land.

Tarak Kate and Eric Swarts
Eric Swarts (farmer & Lynedoch resident) & Prof Tarak Kate